See - Attractions in China
China’s attractions are endless and you will never run out of things to see. Especially near the coastal areas, when finished with one city, the next one is usually just a short train ride away.
Whether you are a history buff, a nature lover or someone who just wants to relax on a nice beach, China has it all from the majestic Forbidden City in Beijing, to the breathtaking scenery of Jiuzhaigou. Even if you live in China for many years, you’ll find that there’s always something new to discover in another part of the country. Perhaps unsurprisingly due to its sheer size and long history, China has the third largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy and Spain.
China is on the border between two bioregions. Eurasian wildlife can be seen in the north and west, and South Asian wildlife can be found in the south and southeast.
Make sure you carry your ID around with you in China, as you will need it to purchase tickets and enter tourist attractions. This is typically your Home Return Permit for Hong Kong and Macau residents, Taiwan Compatriot Pass for Taiwanese citizens, or passport for most foreigners. Tickets for some popular attractions like the Forbidden City in Beijing or the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing must be reserved online in advance. Tickets are tied to your ID in order to prevent scalping, so make sure the ID you present at the entrance matches the one you purchased your ticket with.
Karst scenery
Section titled “Karst scenery”The gumdrop mountains and steeply sloping forested hills with incredible rock formations favored by traditional Chinese artists are not creative fantasy. In fact, much of southern and southwestern China is covered in intricate eroded rock formations known as karst. Karst is a type of limestone formation named after an area in Slovenia. As limestone layers erode, the denser rock or pockets of different stone resist erosion forming peaks. Caves hollow out beneath the mountains which can collapse forming sinkholes and channels leading to underground rivers. At its most unusual karst erodes to form mazes of pinnacles, arches and passageways. The most famous example can be found in the Stone Forest (石林 Shílín) near Kunming in Yunnan. Some of the most famous tourist areas in China feature spectacular karst landscapes — Guilin and Yangshuo in Guangxi, Zhangjiajie in Hunan, and much of central and western Guizhou province.
Sacred mountains
Section titled “Sacred mountains”See also: Sacred sites of China
| Chinese mountains Linell Davis, who literally wrote the book on practical cultural differences between China and the West, has this to say about Chinese mountains: “Westerners find Chinese mountains confusing as they do not provide an experience of wild untamed nature. They expect mountains to be natural rather than paved with steps from bottom to top. They don’t expect to see very old people and very young children climbing mountains. I have also noticed that each local area in China has a ‘mountain’ even if it is quite small and even if people had to build it themselves. After a few experiences of finding there was nothing to see from the top or that the view was lost in clouds and mist (Emei and Huangshan, for instance), I started trying to figure out what people are really doing when they are climbing mountains. My conclusion is that in China people climb mountains because the experience of doing it is enjoyable. I think they also do it to experience the mountain by moving into it and up and down it. In climbing the mountain they realize their connection with nature rather than their power over it.” –Linell Davis, Doing Culture |
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Mountains are an important part of Chinese geomancy, and there are many mountains which have religious significance in Chinese Buddhism and Taoism. These mountains often serve as a popular backdrop in Chinese period dramas, and have traditionally been associated with various Chinese martial arts sects. Today, these mountains continue to house many Taoist and Buddhist temples, and continue to serve as scenic backdrops that attract many domestic tourists.
Five Great Mountains
Section titled “Five Great Mountains”The Five Great Mountains (五岳) are associated with the five cardinal directions in Chinese geomancy, and are believed to have originated from the body of Pangu (盘古), the creator of the world in Chinese mythology.
- Mount Heng&action=edit&redlink=1) (恒山), the Northern Mountain (北岳) in Shanxi province. Literally the “eternal mountain”.
- Mount Heng (衡山), the Southern Mountain (南岳) in Hunan province. Literally the “balancing mountain”.
- Mount Tai (泰山), the Eastern Mountain (东岳), in Shandong province. Literally the “peaceful mountain”.
- Mount Hua (华山), the Western Mountain (西岳) in Shaanxi province. Literally the “splendid mountain”.
- Mount Song (嵩山), the Central Mountain (中岳) in Henan province. Also home to the famed Shaolin Monastery (少林寺), historically famous for its warrior monks. Literally the “lofty mountain”.
Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism
Section titled “Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism”
The Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism (四大佛教名山) are traditionally associated with four different Bodhisattvas, who are revered in Chinese Buddhism. To this day, these mountains continue to be scenic spots with prominent Buddhist temples.
- Mount Wutai (五台山), traditionally associated with Bodhisattva Manjusri (文殊菩萨), in Shanxi province.
- Mount Emei (峨眉山), traditionally associated with Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (普贤菩萨), in Sichuan province.
- Mount Putuo (普陀山), traditionally associated with Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (观音菩萨), the most popular Bodhisattva in Chinese Buddhism, in Zhejiang province. It isn’t a mountain, but rather an island off the Chinese coast.
- Mount Jiuhua (九华山), traditionally associated with Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (地藏菩萨), in Anhui province.
Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism
Section titled “Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism”Although there are many sacred mountains in Chinese folk religion, the Four Sacred Mountains of Taoism (四大道教名山), together with the Five Great Mountains are considered to be the holiest among them. These continue to be scenic spots that feature prominent Taoist temples.
- Mount Wudang (武当山), regarded by most Chinese to be the holiest of all sacred mountains for Taoists, in Hubei province. Traditionally regarded to be a major center of Chinese martial arts, and the main rival to the Shaolin Monastery (albeit a friendly one).
- Mount Longhu (龙虎山) located 20 kilometers southwest of Yingtan City, in Jiangxi province. Longhu is China’s eighth World Natural Heritage Site, World Geopark, National Natural and Cultural Dual Heritage Site, National AAAAA Grade Tourist Attraction and National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. Longhu Mountain is a typical Danxia landscape and a birthplace of Chinese Taoism in China, and joined the world geopark network in 2007.
- Mount Qiyun (齐云山) in Anhui province.
- Mount Qingcheng (青城山) in Sichuan province.
Flowers
Section titled “Flowers”
While Japan’s cherry blossoms may be better known, China’s plum blossoms (梅花 méi huā) and peach blossoms (桃花 táo huā) are often considered to rival the cherry blossoms in sheer beauty. Plums tend to flower during the coldest part of winter, often during heavy snowfall, making them a symbol of resilience, and is the national flower of the Republic of China that once ruled Mainland China. Peaches, on the other hand, tend to flower in the spring. These trees can be viewed in many parks, particularly in the northern and eastern parts if China, but also at higher elevations in the south. Both flowers are highly revered in traditional Chinese culture, and are frequently featured in traditional Chinese arts and crafts.
The peony (牡丹花 mǔ dān huā) is also highly revered, and represents honor and wealth. Unlike the plum and peach blossoms, peonies grow on shrubs rather than trees. They typically flower in late spring to early summer.
Other sites
Section titled “Other sites”Sites of the Chinese revolution can be seen in our Chinese Revolutionary Destinations article.
Significant Buddhist sites in China can be found in our Buddhism article.
Itineraries
Section titled “Itineraries”Some itineraries cover trips that are entirely within China:
- Along the Yangtze River
- Along the Yellow River
- Along the Grand Canal
- Around Erhai Lake by electric scooter
- Hong Kong to Kunming overland
- Long March
- Overland to Tibet
- Qinghai–Tibet railway
- Yunnan tourist trail
Others are partly in China:
- Silk Road - ancient caravan route from China to Europe
- Karakoram Highway - Western China to Pakistan through the Himalayas
- On the trail of Marco Polo
Content adapted from Wikivoyage, used under CC BY-SA 3.0.