In any country you can find something special. Egypt is famous for the pyramids, Spain for bullfighting, Russia for the Kremlin. All these sights are known all over the world. The People's Republic of China is associated, of course, with the Great Wall of China. Astronauts claim that this structure, which is one of the seven wonders of the world, can even be seen from space. The Great Wall of China, the main attraction of China, is an unforgettable sight. There seems to be no end to it.
China's main landmark is so big that you feel like an ant next to it. And if you climb it, the opposite feeling arises - you begin to feel like the king of the world. Already for the sake of this, you can pack your bags and boldly go to such an exotic country for us as the People's Republic of China. Its attractions, however, are not limited to this.majestic building. In this country, you will definitely not be bored.
Unique objects for every taste
In China, there are many other unique objects that the People's Republic of China is rightfully proud of. Attractions can be divided into 3 main groups. The first is ancient architectural structures, which reflect the traditions, culture and history of China. The second group is religious and temple buildings. They contain the beliefs and spirit of the peoples inhabiting the territory of this country. And the last group is monuments created by nature. These are picturesque forests, majestic mountains, mirror lakes and rivers. We will briefly describe the main attractions of China in this article. Let's start with the historical ones, the main of which, without a doubt, is the Gugong Palace.
Historic Sites: Gugong Palace
The Gugong Imperial Palace is one of the most picturesque places in Beijing, the capital of the country. This is where tourists are usually brought in first. This is understandable, because if a resident of Moscow were asked to show the Russian capital, he would start from Red Square and the Kremlin. And the Chinese have them, but their palace is not royal, but imperial. And the square is not Red, but White (Tiananmen). By the way, this is where the mausoleum of Mao Zedong, the people's leader, is located. Unlike Lenin, this ruler is still loved and honored in a state like the People's Republic of China.
Sights of the Imperial Palace (otherwise it is called the Forbidden City) are numerous. This andno wonder, because for about 500 years it was the residence of 24 emperors of China and their families. It was strictly forbidden to enter mere mortals. Until 1925, the palace was closed to visitors. Its walls to this day keep the secrets of the past. Today, everyone has a unique opportunity to wander through the labyrinths of the Forbidden City and learn about how the imperial families lived.
Summer Palace and Potala Palace
China's cultural attractions attract many tourists. In addition to the aforementioned palace, at least two more deserve special attention. We are talking about the Summer Palace in Beijing, as well as the Potala Palace in Tibet. The first is a picturesque suburb. It gained worldwide fame primarily as a classical Chinese garden. This palace was a resting place for the emperor's family in the summer. The second is famous for being considered the highest located palace in the whole world.
Burials
You may have heard that in the village of Zhoukoudian near Beijing, a skull was found that belonged to Sinanthropus (an ancient man). This man could already make tools and use fire. Having been in China, you can see this historical place with your own eyes. A number of imperial burials have been preserved in this country. There are temples, and tombs, and rooms for steles, and ritual and service buildings. The most famous of them is the "13 graves" burial located in Beijing. Emperors from the Ming Dynasty are buried here. The mausoleum is also interesting. Qin Shi Huang, another Chinese emperor. Tourists are also impressed by the "terracotta army" (Xi'an).
These are full-length statues of the soldiers of the imperial army.
Ancient cities
Visiting the ancient cities located in the provinces of Jiangsu, Shanxi and Yunnan, you can plunge into the history of this country. Here, to this day, the traditions and customs of the ancestors are sacredly honored. A particularly remarkable place is Jiangsu. In the city of Suzhou, belonging to this province, there are famous gardens built on the water. This is a kind of Eastern Venice. The history of this place has more than 2.5 thousand years.
Religious Sites (China)
The sights whose names we mentioned are connected with the culture and history of this country. However, there are no less interesting religious objects here. China is not in vain considered a country of temples. There are a very large number of them here, and such a variety of religious buildings in this country can hardly be found anywhere else. Among the many temples, we will highlight those that deserve special attention.
Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven, located in Beijing, is the largest and most famous. It was here that the Chinese emperors prayed for a good harvest. The Temple of Heaven is a true masterpiece. It was built on a marble three-level terrace. The ceiling is supported by wooden poles, and without cement and nails. This is quite remarkable considering that the height of the building is 38meters, and its diameter is 30 meters.
Lhasu City and Shandong Province
If you want to visit several temples at once and see the world's largest Buddha statues, you should go to Tibet, more precisely, to the city of Lhasa. It is its capital and holy city for the Chinese.
Those who are interested in the teachings of Confucius can be advised to visit his temple, house and grave. They are located in Shandong Province. This great Chinese educator and thinker is the founder of a whole philosophical movement known as Confucianism. And today, Confucianism is the basis of the traditional culture of Chinese society.
Shaolin
This monastery is definitely worth a mention when talking about what are the main attractions of China. Its description is available in any guidebook for this country. If you are interested in martial arts or the history of Buddhism, feel free to head to the Shaolin Monastery located in Luoyang. It is the most famous Chinese Buddhist temple and a recognized center of Wu Shu (martial arts).
Monasteries, which had the name "Shaolin", in the entire history of China, there were about ten. However, only one of them managed to survive, their progenitor. We are talking about the Northern Sunshan Monastery. It was founded in 495 AD. e. Bodhidharma, an Indian monk, otherwise known as Damo. Already in 620, the Chinese ruler granted this monastery the right to have its own army. Today it looks more likemuseum. On the territory adjacent to the monastery, there are small restaurants, small souvenir shops, eateries. However, it is still impossible to get into the closed part, where the monks meditate and train.
Mountains of China
You will enjoy not only cultural and religious, but also natural sights of China. In this country, the mountains are very majestic and beautiful. Next to them, you feel how insignificant each of us is before the power of nature.
Huangshan (pictured above) is the most famous and sacred of the many mountain ranges that the People's Republic of China is famous for. Attractions, the photos of which are especially picturesque, include this array. It is located in Anhui Province. An ancient legend says that it was here that Emperor Xuanyuan did special exercises, the purpose of which was to achieve immortality. This place, according to the Chinese, is the most beautiful in the country. These mountains are known for their quaint age-old pines. The best sights of China, created by nature itself, you will find here.
The Lushan Mountains are also quite remarkable. They are located in Jiangxi Province. In this place you will find a beautiful cascade of waterfalls. In addition, the Flower Trail is located near the mountains. It is famous for the fact that the poet Bai Juyi, who lived during the reign of the Tang Dynasty, wrote his poems here, in which he sang the beauty of peach blossoms.
The sacred mountains are Taishan. This is the place where it is believedthe beginning of ancient Chinese civilization. Here you will find 72 peaks, as well as amazing waterfalls, heaps of stones, majestic pines and cypresses, which are estimated to be several hundred years old. It is definitely worth climbing one of the mountain peaks. From here you can admire the sunset and sunrise, see the sea of clouds and the Golden Belt, which runs along the Yellow River, which is also called the Yellow River.
Mount Kailash is located in Tibet. It was believed that in ancient times the gods lived here. Nowadays, every believer seeks to see with his own eyes this sacred place, where you can touch the history of the celestials.
Mount Emei and Big Buddha (Sichuan Province, Leshan) is one of the 4 sacred mountains of China. Wannian Temple, one of the most famous on this mountain, houses a statue of Buddha Samantabadra cast in 980. It is made of bronze and represents a figure sitting on a white elephant with 6 tusks. Three rivers converge at its foot - Dadu, Qin and Minjiang. The Buddha is facing Mount Emei, his back is turned to Mount Lingyun.
Beautiful scenery
There are a lot of picturesque places in China where you can feel like a part of nature and take a break from civilization. You do not have to puzzle over where to escape from a densely populated bustling city. There are many places where you can find peace and quiet.
Scenic Guilin is a place of amazing beauty, which is a natural geological and botanical garden, as well as a zoo. Here you will find caves, mountain peaks, lakes and springs. Titlesattractions speak for themselves: Seven Star Park, Jungle Cave, Elephant Drinking Water Rock.
Tibet is definitely one of the most beautiful places on our planet. It is famous for its snowy peaks, clean air, forests, waterfalls and greenish water. A special attraction are the Tibetan traditions and customs of the local population. In this place you can plunge into the past and join the way of life that has remained unchanged for centuries. It is especially beautiful here in autumn. Spring is also beautiful, when trees growing right in the lakes drop their flowers into the water. Huge pandas live in Tibet. You can see them too if you're lucky. In Sichuan province you will find an amazing place - Huanglong. This name means "yellow dragon" in translation. Apparently, this place is named so because of the lakes, which have an unusual shape and color due to volcanic origin.
Hainan Island
Hainan Island is suitable for connoisseurs of exotic beach holidays. This is a famous tropical resort that welcomes tourists all year round. Here you will feel like you are in paradise: endless sea, spiky mountains and endless beaches… Sanya, the main resort, is surrounded by beaches and virgin forests. Haikou, the provincial capital, is also very scenic and attracts many tourists.
Here are the sights in China waiting for travelers. Of course, we have only covered the main ones. In this amazing country everyone will findsomething interesting for yourself.
