592 Best Sights in China

This handsome pavilion stands in a garden behind a bronze statue of Dr. Sun himself. Built in 1929–31 with funds mostly from overseas Chinese, the building is a classic octagon, with sweeping roofs of blue tiles over carved wooden eaves and verandas of red-lacquer columns. The Memorial Hall is split into four grand buildings, and includes an auditorium with seating for thousands. Worth noting are the golden characters on the front door reading Tian Xia Wei Gong, which translates roughly to "what is under heaven blongs to all."

The largest of the city's parks is inland from Huiquan Bay and has a number of attractions, including a small zoo, a botanical garden, and the Zhanshan Buddhist Temple. Qingdao's TV tower, a city landmark, offers striking views from its observation deck. Originally planted by the Japanese in 1915, the park contains some 20,000 cherry trees. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival is held at the end of May.

This impressive collection of contemporary art is proof that Suzhou craftsmanship remains very healthy. It's just a shame that, all too often, ivory seems to be the material of choice. A highlight here is watching artists in action during high season, carving jade, cutting latticework fans from thin sheets of sandalwood, and fashioning traditional calligraphy brushes. Perhaps most amazing is the careful attention to detail of the women embroidering silk. The museum is amid attractive gardens and traditional buildings.

This is the most modern building to emerge amid a neighborhood of traditional architecture. The museum is the valedictory work for 90-year-old modernist master I.M. Pei. A controversy erupted over whether to allow Pei to construct the glass-and-steel structure in historical Suzhou. Like his crystal pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre, this building thrives on juxtapositions of old and new. The museum houses historical objects from Suzhou's ancient past and an impressive collection of Ming and Qing Dynasty paintings and calligraphy. English-language docent tours cost Y100.

North of the city, this small park overlooking the Yangtze River is worth the trip for stirring views of Asia's longest waterway. The "rock" refers to a huge boulder jutting out into the water, a spot where Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai found inspiration. To get here, take Bus 8 to the last stop.

It's worth the trek almost to the mainland China border to visit this 19th-century home of merchant and philanthropist Man Chung-luen. The surefire path to becoming a big shot in Imperial China was passing civil service examinations, but few people from Hong Kong—which was hicksville at the time—made the grade. Man Chung-luen proved the exception in 1875. Congratulatory tablets from the emperor hang in the house's entrance hall. The room layout, beautifully decorated doors, and roof ridges are all characteristic of Qing-dynasty architecture. Stained glass and rococo moldings reflect European influences, a result of the British victory over China in the Opium War of 1841. Women could watch guests unobserved from an upper gallery, which also has an enclosed courtyard for stargazing, charmingly called a "moon playing chamber." To reach the house, cross over the road outside Sheung Shui station (Exit A1) and take Bus 76K toward Yuen Long; alight at San Tin, 5½ km (3½ miles) away. The five-minute walk to the mansion is signposted from there. Alternatively, get a taxi from the station—one way costs HK$40.

The name means Big Hat Mountain, and at 3,140 feet this volcanic outcropping is Hong Kong's highest point. Due to particularly mercurial weather, the peak, often called \"Foggy Mountain,\" is covered in clouds almost daily. But when the mist—and pollution—clears, the view stretches all the way to Hong Kong Island. Trails to the peak pass by caves created by Japanese soldiers during World War II and countless wild tea bushes.

Tucked away on the western end of Lantau, this fishing village inhabited largely by the shuishangren, literally \"people on the water,\" some of whom continue to live in stilts houses. There's a temple dedicated to Kwan Tai, god of war, that was established in the 15th century. Remains of salt pans line part of the shoreline, and a glance beyond the coast sometimes rewards you with a sighting of a rare Hong Kong pink dolphin. The 1902 Tai O Police Station, on the village's southwest tip, has been restored and converted into the Tai O Heritage Hotel, a great place for tea, or a continental meal.

Centered on Tai Ping Shan Street, the area known as Tai Ping Shan (the Chinese name for Victoria Peak, which towers above it) is one of the city's oldest residential districts. This gentrifying neighborhood retains a local feel, with arty shops, small temples, and cozy cafés to pitch up in. 

This company hosts guided trails through the Tai Po Kau forest in the New Territories. The forest is known for its wide variety of flora and fauna and is popular for bird-watching. Guests have a chance to visit a butterfly garden during the half-day tour.

The name means \"big market,\" which it more than lives up to. In the heart of the region's breadbasket, this utilitarian town's main open-air market is a feast for the eyes, with baskets of lush green vegetables, freshly cut meat hanging from racks overhead, fish swimming in tanks awaiting selection, and all types of baked and steamed treats. The ground floor is a wet market, the first floor has dried goods, and the second floor is all about hawker stands.

This 670-acre extension of Hong Kong's largest park is packed with challenging trails, like the Mount Parker Trail and Sir Cecil's Ride, that reward hardworking hikers with stunning views of Hong Kong's skyline. Another interesting sight is the Wartime Stoves, relics of cooking ranges built by the government in 1938 in anticipation of war. Since Hong Kong fell soon after the start of the Battle of Hong Kong on 8 December 1941, it's thought that the stoves have never been used. The densely forested park is also home to rich wildlife, including the elusive Chinese leopard and the Hong Kong newt, making this a compelling stop for both history and nature lovers.

One of Hong Kong’s most unusual and rewarding hikes is this 5 km (3.1 mile) downhill ramble that reveals a side of the island most people never see. A series of beautifully preserved reservoirs, bridges, aqueducts, and dams, designed by British engineers during the early colonial era to provide clean drinking water to Hong Kong’s rapidly expanding population, are surrounded by rolling hills and a whole lot of serenity. To reach the trailhead, take a taxi to Wong Nai Chung Gap, by the residences of Hong Kong Parkview, from where it’s about a 1.6 km (1 mile) walk.

These five sea-green, Sino-Portuguese buildings sit conspicuously at the edge of Taipa's man-made wetlands, surrounded by cobblestones and towering banyans. Built in 1921, they once served as residences for senior civil servants, back when they faced out over the mangroves and water toward Coloane. Today, they house rotating exhibitions and Casa Maquista, a beautiful, heritage-oriented restaurant serving exquisite renditions of lesser-known Macanese dishes. Nearby paths lead into the beautiful adjoining Carmel Garden, where palm trees provide welcome shade. Within the garden stands the brilliant white-and-yellow Nossa Senhora do Carmo (Church of Our Lady of Carmel), built in 1885 and featuring a handsome single-belfry tower.

Commemorating a fascinating period of Chinese history, this museum follows the life of Hong Xiuquan, a Christian who led a peasant revolt in 1859. He ultimately captured Nanjing and ruled for 11 years. Hong, who set himself up as emperor, claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus. On display are artifacts from the period. After browsing through the museum, stroll through the grounds of the surrounding Ming Dynasty garden compound, once the home of high-ranking Taiping officials. In the evening there are performances of opera and storytelling.

Tak Seng On, “the virtue and success” store, offers a unique look at early-20th-century pawnshops and the important role they played in China for centuries. The architecture, interior design, and furniture date back to 1917, when this shop was established. It includes old abacuses, metal safes, accounting books, signboards in Chinese and Portuguese, and other items from that era. Public guided tours run Saturday from 3 to 5 pm.

Almost 100 memorial archways, a recurring feature of Huizhou architecture, dot Shexian County, but this well-preserved row of seven is the most famous. It commemorates the wealthy Bao family and has elements that reflect morality, piety, female chastity, and other traditional values.

A Buddhist complex nestled in a grove of zhe (cudrania) trees near Jietai Temple was established around AD 400 and once home to more than 500 monks, Tanzhe was heavily damaged during the Cultural Revolution. It's since been restored, but if you look closely at some of the huge stone tablets, or bei, littered around the site you'll see that many of the inscriptions have been destroyed. The complex makes an ideal side trip from Jietai Temple or Marco Polo Bridge.

Fishing villages and a nearly 400-year-old temple highlight Tap Mun Island, also known as Grass Island, where strong waves periodically beat the shores. Many visitors opt to have a seafood lunch at the New Hon Kee Seafood Restaurant. Thereafter, enjoy an \"is this still Hong Kong?\" moment while watching cattle graze at the hilltop pavilion. A kaito (local ferry) from Wong Shek pier in Sai Kung Country Park will speed you to the island; however, public transit access to Wong Shek pier is limited to weekends and holidays.

Tap Seac Square is Macau’s largest and perhaps most dynamic public space. Designed by Macanese architect Carlos Marreiros, it’s home to institutions like the Macau Central Library and Tap Seac Gallery, which hosts excellent exhibitions of Macau-made modern art. Framed by ketchup- and mustard-color heritage buildings, the square buzzes during major events like Lunar New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Macau Grand Prix, when pop-up markets and performances take over the space. Nearby cafés, vintage shops, and cha chaan teng (old-school café-restaurants) add to its charm, while locals gather daily for tai chi, badminton, and chats in the shade.

One of the six great Gelugpa institutions, this monastery is the seat of the Panchen Lama and one of the few religious sites in Tibet not destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The Chapel of Maitreya houses an 85-foot-high statue of the Future Buddha—the largest in the world—covered with 600 pounds of gold. More than 1,000 more images are painted on the surrounding walls. You will also be able to visit the Panchen Lama tombs, many of which are lined with photos and sculptures of their later reincarnations. The beautiful stupa of the 10th Panchen Lama, built in 1990 after his death in 1989, is topped with a remarkable likeness of his unmistakable fat, jocular face done in pure gold. As this is the largest functioning monastery in Tibet, the police presence can be a bit heavy at times, especially since the 2008 riots. Refrain from discussing politics or the Dalai Lama. Camera fees are Y75 per temple. Don't try to take unauthorized photos, as monks here have been known to manhandle those unwilling to pay for a snapshot.

A Ming empress built this temple to honor her son in 1578. Qing emperor Qianlong later restored it as a birthday present to his mother. From then until the fall of the Qing, it served as a rest stop for imperial processions traveling by boat to the Summer Palace and Western Hills. The site also served as a Japanese military command center during occupation. Today the temple is managed by the Beijing Art Museum and houses a small but exquisite collection of Buddha images. The statues in the main halls include dusty Ming-period Buddhas and one of Shakyamuni sitting on a 1,000-petal, 1,000-Buddha bronze throne.

One of the best-preserved Taoist complexes in Suzhou, the Temple of Mystery is a rare example of a wooden structure that has stood the test of time, with parts dating from the 12th century (it was founded in the 3rd century). Fortunately it suffered little damage in the Cultural Revolution and retains a splendid ceiling of carefully arranged beams and braces painted in their original colors. The temple grounds back on to a large square that is now a touristy market.

Although the temple was damaged during the Cultural Revolution and poorly renovated afterward, the Sleeping Buddha remains. Built in 627–629, during the Tang Dynasty, the temple was named after the reclining Buddha that was brought in during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). An English-language description explains that the casting of the beautiful bronze, in 1321, enslaved 7,000 people. The temple is inside the Beijing Botanical Garden; stroll north from the entrance through the neatly manicured grounds.

Look at any ancient scroll painting or lithograph by early Western travelers, and you'll see two landmarks rising above old Guangzhou. One is the minaret of the mosque; the other is the 56-meter-tall (184-foot) pagoda of the Six Banyan Temple. Still providing an excellent lookout, the pagoda appears to have nine stories, each with doorways and encircling balconies. Inside, however, there are 17 levels. Thanks to its arrangement of colored, carved roofs, it is popularly known as the Flowery Pagoda. The temple was founded in the 5th century, but because of a series of fires, most of the existing buildings date from the 11th century. It was built by the Zen master Tanyu, and is still a very active place of worship, with a community of monks and regular attendance by Zen Buddhists. It was originally called Purificatory Wisdom Temple, but changed its name after a visit by the Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo, who was so delighted by six banyan trees growing in the courtyard that he left an inscription with the characters for six banyans.

This 13th-century Tibetan stupa, the largest of its kind in China, dates from Kublai Khan's reign and owes its beauty to an unnamed Nepalese architect who built it to honor Shakyamuni Buddha (the historical Buddha). It stands bright and white against the Beijing skyline. Once hidden within the structure were Buddha statues, sacred texts, and other holy relics. Many of the statues are now on display in glass cases in the Miaoying temple, at the foot of the stupa.

This small Chinese temple was built in 1888 as a plague ravaged the peninsula, the devotees hoping it would appeal to a Chinese protector deity. The Troço das Antigas Muralhas de Defesa (Section of the Old City Walls), all that remains of Macau’s original defensive barrier, borders the left side of the temple. These crumbling yellow walls were built in 1569 and illustrate the durability of chunambo, a local material made from compacted layers of clay, soil, sand, straw, crushed rocks, and oyster shells.

Built in 1750, this temple is dedicated to Kuan Tai, the bearded, fierce-looking god of war and wealth in Chinese mythology. Statues of him and his two sons sit on an altar. A steady stream of people comes to pray and ask for support before they go wage battle in the casinos. May and June see festivals honoring Kuan Tai throughout Macau.

You climb some 400 steps to reach this temple, but look on the bright side: for each step you get about 32 Buddhas. The uphill path through dense vegetation is lined with 500 life-size golden Buddhas in all kinds of positions. Be sure to bring along water and insect repellent. And once you get to the top, prepare to be dazzled: the walls of the main temple are stacked with gilded ceramic statuettes. There are nearly 13,000 here, made by Shanghai artisans and donated by worshippers over the decades. Kwun Yam, goddess of mercy, is one of several deities honored in the crimson-walled courtyard.

Look southwest on a clear day and you can see nearby Amah Rock, which resembles a woman with a child on her back. Legend has it that this formation was once a faithful fisherman's wife who climbed the mountain every day to wait for her husband's return, not knowing he'd drowned. Tin Hau, goddess of the sea, took pity on her and turned her to stone.

The temple is in the foothills of Sha Tin, in the central New Territories. Take Exit B out of Sha Tin station, walk down the pedestrian ramp, and take the first left onto Pai Tau Street. Keep to the right-hand side of the road and follow it around to the gate where the signposted path starts.

Don't be confused by the big white buildings on the left of Pai Tau Road. They are ancestral halls, not the temple.

A narrow valley just north of Changping is the final resting place for 13 of the Ming Dynasty's 16 emperors (the first Ming emperor was buried in Nanjing; the burial site of the second one is unknown; and the seventh Ming emperor was dethroned and buried in an ordinary tomb in northwestern Beijing). Ming monarchs once journeyed here each year to kowtow before their clan forefathers and make offerings to their memory. These days, few visitors can claim royal descent, but the area's vast scale and imperial grandeur do convey the importance attached to ancestor worship in ancient China. A leisurely stroll down the Sacred Way, inspecting the series of charming larger-than-life statues of imperial officials and animals, is a wonderful experience. Many visitors combine a stop here with an excursion to the Badaling section of the Great Wall, which is found off the same expressway.

Beyond the entrance to the Thirteen Ming Tombs complex, the Shendao (or Sacred Way) passes through an outer pavilion and between rows of stone sculptures depicting elephants, camels, lions, and mythical beasts that scatter the length of its 7-km (4½-mile) journey to the burial sites. This walk is not to be missed and is a route that was once reserved only for imperial travel.

The spirit way leads to Changling, the head tomb built for Emperor Yongle in 1427. The designs of Yongle's great masterpiece, the Forbidden City, are echoed in this structure.

Changling and a second tomb, Dingling, were rebuilt in the 1980s and opened to the public. Both complexes suffer from over-restoration and overcrowding, but they're worth visiting if only for the tomb relics on display in the small museums at each site. Dingling is particularly worth seeing because this tomb of Emperor Wanli is the only Ming Dynasty tomb that has been excavated. Unfortunately, this was done in 1956 when China's archaeological skills were sadly lacking, resulting in irrecoverable losses. Nonetheless, it's interesting to compare this underground vault with the tomb of Emperor Qianlong at Qingdongling.

Picnics amid the ruins have been a favorite weekend activity among Beijingers for nearly a century; if you picnic here, be sure to carry out all trash.