Top 15 Must-Visit Destinations in China

Located in Hunyuan County, Shanxi Province, 65 kilometers from Datong City, Xuán Kōng Temple is built on a steep cliff, about 50 meters above the ground. The surrounding cliffs rise over 100 meters, sheer and vertical, like they were cut with a knife. From afar, the temple appears as a series of tiered halls and pavilions, supported by just a few dozen wooden columns.

Despite being built on such a precarious cliff face, withstanding wind, rain, earthquakes, and other natural disasters for over 1,400 years, Xuán Kōng Temple still stands proudly in the air. Its architecture is unique, resembling flowers blooming on the steep mountainside. Visitors are often in awe of the temple's resilience and beauty.

Inside, there are more than 80 Buddha statues, crafted from bronze, iron, clay, and stone, each sized to fit the height of the various halls. These statues also vary in form to reflect the hierarchy of the Buddhist teachings.

The Leshan Giant Buddha, located in the Mount Lingyun area of Sichuan Province, China, is the largest stone Buddha statue in the world. Not only a renowned tourist destination, it has also been a spiritual site for the people of China for centuries. Construction of this enormous statue began in 713, initially built with the hope that travelers passing by would be blessed with peace and safety. Visitors to this site can also hear vivid stories about the statue's history and the remarkable process of its creation and preservation.

The Tomb of Qin Shi Huang is located to the north of Mount Li, in Shaanxi Province, about 50 kilometers east of Xi'an. Surrounded by Mount Ling and the Wei River, the site is considered to be situated in a 'dragon's eye' position, making it a sacred and mysterious location. The tomb complex is incredibly grand, featuring over 8,000 life-sized clay statues of warriors, officials, horses, and even the emperor's personal attendants. To fully appreciate the scale of this extraordinary site and gain a deeper understanding of ancient Chinese history, one must see it in person.

The tomb was discovered in 1974 when a farmer digging a well near Xi'an stumbled upon a clay head. Archaeologists began excavating soon after and uncovered the magnificent tomb. Excavation efforts began in the 1970s, but to date, only around 8,000 artifacts have been unearthed due to challenges such as funding, safety concerns, and preservation issues.

After visiting the tomb, make sure to stop by the museum built near the excavation site in 1975, which displays the unearthed relics. The museum spans around 16,300 square meters, showcasing over 7,000 soldiers standing guard, along with their horses, chariots, and weapons. The site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

The Five Sacred Mountains are deeply rooted in Daoist beliefs and hold spiritual significance in Chinese culture. These five mountains are located in the eastern part of China: Hengshan, Hengshan, Taishan, Huashan, and Songshan. In the context of Chinese tourism, the Five Sacred Mountains are renowned pilgrimage destinations that attract visitors seeking spiritual enlightenment.

The Tulou is a unique type of traditional dwelling found among certain ethnic groups in Fujian, with the most notable examples belonging to the Hakka people. These buildings are constructed from rammed earth, with a closed structure and a central courtyard used for communal activities and religious rituals. The 46 famous Tulou in Fujian form one of the most distinctive and fascinating landscapes in Chinese tourism.

Visiting China without seeing the Great Wall is like going to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower or to New York without visiting the Statue of Liberty. The Great Wall is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, a world-famous defensive structure that spans several dynasties in Chinese history. Construction began as early as the 5th century BC, with the wall continuously expanded using earth and stone through the 16th century. The Wall consists of three main sections, stretching over 5000 km in total. The initial section was built by Emperor Qin Shi Huang using the labor of 500,000 workers, at a time when China’s total population was about 20 million.