592 Best Sights in China

Expats flock to this tranquil spa, where the front desk staff speak English well and can help you choose one of their handful of massages. Body massages are done in private rooms; foot massages take place in a nook lined with plush recliners. Prices are very reasonable.

The largest temple in the city, Yuantong Temple dates back some 1,200 years to the Tang Dynasty. The compound consists of a series of gates leading to the inner temple, which is surrounded by a pond brimming with fish and turtles. The chanting of worshippers in the serene environment makes it hard to believe you're in the middle of a big city. In the back of the compound a temple houses a statue of Sakyamuni (the Buddha), a gift from the king of Thailand.

Ming Dynasty founding emperor Hongwu wrote a poem describing his plans to have a tower built atop Lion Mountain, from where he could gaze out at the Yangtze River. Other imperial business got in the way, and, for several centuries, the building remained on paper. In 2001, his dreams were realized; a gargantuan, historically accurate, and slightly sterile tower arose. The views, though, are terrific.

Though mostly built as a neighborhood park in which bird-owning residents can meet and \"walk\" their caged pets, the Urban Renewal Authority also included some 70 stalls to be used by those who lost trade when the famous Hong Lok Street songbird stalls were demolished in a revitalization project in the late 1990s. Though it sells various kinds of feathered creatures, you can also pick up the picturesque, empty carved cages and put them to better (empty) use in your home decor. Access the main entrance from Boundary Street, a short walk from the Prince Edward MTR station.

These pavilions and prayer halls, founded in 1950, bring together the three streams of Chinese thought: Buddhism (which emphasizes nirvana and physical purity), Taoism (nature and inner peace), and Confucianism (following the practical and philosophical beliefs of Confucius). The main three-tier red pagoda is a copy of the centuries-old Temple of Heaven in Beijing, and houses 60 statues representing the full cycle of the Chinese calendar—you can look for the one that corresponds to your birth year and make an incense offering. To reach the institute from Tsuen Wan MTR, head to Shiu Wo Street and take the #81 minibus.

Guangzhou's largest park covers 170 rolling acres and includes landscaped gardens, artificial lakes, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, an amusement park, and playgrounds. The famous Five Rams Statue (五羊塑像, wǔ yáng sùxiàng) celebrates the ancient legend of the five celestials who appeared riding on goats to bring grain to the townspeople. Another must-see is the Zhenhai Tower, which has been converted into the Guangzhou Museum, where you'll find a fascinating mix of Guangzhou's archaeological findings.

Near Huizhou Old Town, Yuliang Village overlooks an ancient Tang Dynasty dam with water still gurgling over its sloped sides. Fishermen in wooden skiffs still make their living here. A narrow street parallel to the river is a pleasant spot for a stroll. Most families leave their doors open, allowing a peak into simple homes where pages from magazines are often used as wallpaper. Inexpensive pedicabs travel here from the Shexian Bus Station in Huizhou Old City, or you can catch Bus 1 from the train station.

To protect the Buddhist canon from destruction by Taoist emperors, the devout Tang-era monk Jing Wan carved Buddhist scriptures into stone slabs that he hid in sealed caves in the cliffs of a mountain. Jing Wan spent 30 years creating these tablets until his death in AD 637; his disciples continued his work for the next millennium into the 17th century, thereby compiling one of the most extensive Buddhist libraries in the world, a mind-boggling collection of 14,278 minutely carved Buddhist tablets. A small pagoda at the center of the temple complex commemorates the remarkable monk. Although the tablets were originally stored inside Shijing Mountain behind the temple, they're now housed in rooms built along the temple's southern perimeter.

Four central prayer halls, arranged along the hillside above the main gate, contain impressive Ming-era bronze Buddhas. The last in this row, the Dabei Hall, displays the spectacular Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara. This 13-foot-tall bronze sculpture—which actually has 24 arms and five heads and stands in a giant lotus flower—is believed to embody boundless compassion. A group of pagodas, led by the 98-foot-tall Northern Pagoda, is all that remains of the original Tang complex. These pagodas are remarkable for their Buddhist reliefs and ornamental patterns. Heavily damaged during the Japanese occupation and again by Maoist radicals in the 1960s, the temple complex remains under renovation.

Yunju Temple is 70 km (43 miles) southwest of central Beijing. By bus, take No. 917 from Tianqiao Long-distance Bus Station to Liangxiang Ximen, then change to Fangshan Bus Nos.12, 19, 31 to Yun Ju Si.

The museum focuses primarily on the Dian Kingdom, which ruled much of Yunnan from 1000 BC to 1 BC. Most of what you'll see here is more than 2,000 years old. Exhibits have good English captions.

Allow ample time for a hike or drive northwest from Changling to the six fenced-off unrestored tombs, a short distance farther up the valley. Here, crumbling walls conceal vast courtyards shaded by pine trees. At each tomb, a stone altar rests beneath a stelae tower and burial mound. In some cases the wall that circles the burial chamber is accessible on steep stone stairways that ascend from either side of the altar. At the valley's terminus (about 5 km [3 miles] northwest of Changling), the Zhaoling Tomb rests beside a traditional walled village that's well worth exploring.

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.

Solitary Hill Island is home to the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, which has a good collection of archaeological finds, as well as bronzes, paintings, and exhibits focusing on the province's ethnic minority groups. English signage isn't great here, but the visuals themselves are enticing.

In one of Ningbo's most delightful parks, winding stone paths snake over arched bridges, and slender canals flow past pavilions and teahouses. During the humid summer months, the city's senior citizens fan themselves with oversized paper fans, crack sunflower seeds, gossip, and drink tea. Impromptu groups of musicians huddle together; old men play traditional Chinese instruments as women belt out ear-piercing renditions of Chinese opera. This is a wonderful place to relax and soak up the atmosphere.

Commemorating Dr. Sun Yat-sen—who is known in Chinese as Sun Zhongshan—Zhongshan Park was built in 1927 and is centered on a bronze statue of the great man. It has a small zoo, pretty lakes, and canals you can explore by paddleboat. The annual Lantern Festival is held here.

The Zhou Enlai Family Home belonged to the first premier of Communist China, who came from a family of prosperous Shaoxing merchants. Zhou is credited with saving some of China's most important historic monuments from destruction at the hands of the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution. The compound, a showcase of traditional architecture, houses exhibits on Zhou's life, ranging from his high-school essays to vacation snapshots with his wife.

This area of lime mines and craggy foothills, 48 km (30 miles) southwest of Beijing, ranks among the world's great paleontological sites (and served as the setting for Amy Tan's The Bonesetter's Daughter). In 1929, anthropologists were drawn to Zhoukoudian by apparently human "dragon bones" found in a Beijing apothecary and unearthed a complete cranium and other fossils dubbed Homo erectus pekinensis, or Peking Man. These early remains, believed to be nearly 700,000 years old, suggest (as do similar Homo erectus discoveries in Indonesia) that humankind's most recent ancestor originated in Asia, not Europe (though today some scientists posit that humans evolved in Africa first and migrated to Asia). A large-scale excavation in the early 1930s further unearthed six skullcaps and other hominid remains, stone tools, evidence of fire, plus a multitude of animal bones, many at the bottom of a large sinkhole believed to be a trap for woolly rhinos and other large game. Sadly, the Peking Man fossils disappeared under mysterious circumstances during World War II, leaving researchers only plaster casts to contemplate. Subsequent digs at Zhoukoudian have yielded nothing equivalent to Peking Man, although archaeologists haven't yet abandoned the search. Trails lead to several hillside excavation sites. A small museum showcases a few (dusty) Peking Man statues, a collection of Paleolithic artifacts, two mummies, and some fine animal fossils, including a bear skeleton and a saber-toothed tiger skull. Because of the importance of Peking Man and the potential for other finds in the area, Zhoukoudian is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it may not be of much interest to those without a particular inclination for the subject. If you should find yourself here with little to do after your museum visit and the few dig locations, consider a little hike into the surrounding hills, which are named the Dragon Bone Mountains.

The most renowned of the water villages is undoubtedly Zhouzhuang. Its fame is partly due to its proximity from Suzhou and Shanghai, just 45 minutes and an hour away, respectively. As a result, more than 2½ million annual visitors elbow their way through its streets, diminishing the town's charm in an en-masse attempt to experience Old China. Next to the "ancient memorial archway," which isn't ancient at all, is a ticket window. The entrance fee of Y100 gets you into the water-village-turned-gift shop.

Crowds aside, Zhouzhuang is fun for families. Several residences, some 500 years old, let you peek in to see what life was like in the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are several storefronts where you can see brick making, bamboo carving, and basket weaving—traditional crafts that, up until recently, were widely practiced in the countryside. In terms of souvenirs, skip the usual snuff bottles and teapots, and opt for items you're less likely to find elsewhere: homemade rice wine, rough-hewn ox-horn combs, and bamboo rice baskets, say. The food here is typical country fare, making it a nice break from the fancier cuisines of Suzhou and Shanghai. Braised pork belly, crunchy stir-fried water chestnuts, pickled vegetables, and wild greens abound.

Buses bound for Zhouzhuang depart from Suzhou's North Bus Station every 20 minutes between 7 and 5. The 90-minute trip costs Y25.

Luzhi is notable for the spectacular Baosheng Temple, a yellow-walled compound built in the year 503 that is famous for its breathtaking collection of Buddhist arhats. Arranged on a wall of stone, these clay sculptures are the work of Yang Huizhi, a famous Tang Dynasty sculptor. Made more than 1,000 years ago, they depict Buddhist disciples who have gained enlightenment. The temple also features a well-preserved bell from the end of the Ming Dynasty.

Reward yourself with a heavenly foot or full-body massage at Cathay View Foot Massage. For a quick respite, try the 45-minute foot massage (Y158), or settle in for a 90-minute body massage (Y228) that includes a generous spread of tea, fruit, and snacks in a cozy, dimly lit private room. This spot is just off Nanshan Lu, down a small street near the

History buffs will be fascinated by a trip to "the island Chairman Mao couldn't capture." Though barely a stone's throw from mainland China, this little chunk of land is still controlled by Taiwan, and Taiwanese guards patrol its shores. A visit is possible, but you'll need to do some planning. Apple Tours (www.appletravel.cn; [email protected]) can arrange boats to the island for Y189 there and Y155 back, plus a car and driver/guide who speaks English for another Y1,100. Be sure to email Apple Tours at least a week in advance.

Just off Xintiandi's main thoroughfare is this beautifully restored shikumen (stone gatehouse) filled with furniture and artifacts collected from the other nearby shikumen (now turned shops). Exhibits explain the European influence on shikumen design, the history of the neighborhood's renovation, and future plans for the entire 128-acre project.

In this poetically named cave, 1,925 feet below the ground, a path weaves its way past the various rock formations, which are lit up to emphasize their similarity with animals, fruits, and other living things.

Discovered in 1531, Unicorn Cave was used as a prison for the two Nationalist generals, Yang Hucheng and Chang Xueliang, who were accused of collaborating with the Communists when Chiang Kai-shek was captured at Xi'an in 1937. The cave is known for its unicorn-shape stalactite and used to host a nunnery.