All across China there are several locations that illustrate the country’s beauty and diverse culture. Though some are more well known than others, there is presumably no doubt that these tourist attractions listed here are some of the most representative of China’s culture and traditions.
1. The Great Wall of China (长城 chángchéng)
The Great Wall of China is one of the most iconic sites in China today. It is located in the country’s capital, 北京 (běijīng). This wall spans approximately 13,170.7 miles in length, making it the longest wall in the world. Its height extends anywhere from 16 to 26 feet tall, designed to be about three times taller than the average height of man. The Great Wall has a long history of about 2,300 years, ranging from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when it was last rebuilt. Its purpose was mainly to protect China from invaders, generally from the North, and also to protect trade routes, specifically Silk Road trade.
The Great Wall did not solely function as a border between invaders or enemies. Additionally, it functioned as a military defense system where troops could use the watchtowers, fortresses, and beacon towers integrated onto it, in order to protect and prevent invasion efficiently. As this defense system was used often in battle, worsening its conditions, today, in hopes of preserving this important symbol in Chinese history and culture, actions have been taken by the Chinese Government to protect and restore it. Astonishingly, after the last time the wall had been rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty, more than 30% of it has deteriorated, approximately 1,243 miles, due to both natural erosion and human damage.
Whenever you visit China, you should definitely visit the Great Wall to feel its sense of brilliance and understand the history behind it with a greater appreciation!
2. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (成都大熊猫繁育研究基地 chéngdū dà xióngmāo fányù yánjiū jīdì)
Giant pandas – often referred to as China’s “National Treasure” – are one of the rarest and most endangered animals in the world. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a remarkable area for witnessing these precious treasures, with about 150 giant pandas in their possession. This panda base is located in 成都 (chéngdū), the provincial capital of 四川 (sìchuān). Chengdu Panda Base not only breeds pandas, but also educates visitors about activities or precautions that can be taken in order to protect endangered wildlife species like pandas. Unlike a zoo however, this panda base does not focus on displaying animals, but it rather focuses on research that can be conducted to help them.Though the giant pandas are definitely the highlight, there are a variety of other animals present too, such as baby pandas, red pandas, swans, or peacocks.
I definitely recommend visiting the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding especially if you’re a panda lover. This opportunity will definitely allow you to experience their adorableness first-hand in addition to becoming knowledgeable of how to protect them!
3. The Terracotta Army (兵马俑)
The Terracotta Army is one of the greatest archaeological sites in China. It is a wondrous array of life-sized terracotta soldiers built to accompany 秦始皇 (qínshǐhuáng), the first emperor of China, in the afterlife. Surprisingly, the Terracotta Army was buried underground for over 2,000 years before it was unearthed. This finding became considered one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century, as it was accidentally uncovered in 1974 when a group of farmers were attempting to dig a well.
Each figure of the terracotta warriors was extremely detailed. Each one consisted of different facial features, emotions, clothing, and hair. Many of them even held weapons such as spears or daggers too. Additionally, it was highly impressive that a few carriages and horses were built along with these thousands of warriors. These carriages and horses were built using bronze, silver, and gold. All of these figures were made by hand, without any advanced tools to assist. Overall, this army was estimated to take approximately 40 years in total to complete.
This attraction is undoubtedly one that demonstrates a lot about China’s history, especially its breakthrough in architecture. In addition, the Terracotta Army’s monumental size and quantity is certainly remarkable, along with its exceptionally intricate details.
Sources:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/china-top-10-attractions.htm
https://www.chinahighlights.com/greatwall/
https://www.chinadiscovery.com/chengdu-tours/giant-panda-base.html
https://www.chinahighlights.com/chengdu/attraction/panda-breeding-and-research-center.htm
I’ve always wanted to visit China, so this article was quite interesting to me. The Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army are attractions I’ve always wanted to see, but I’ve never heard of The Chengdu Base of Giant Panda Breeding before, though it looks incredibly fascinating! In my opinion, these three attractions are the perfect representations of China’s culture; the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army represent China’s engineering strength and power, as well as its history, and the Chengdu Base deals with pandas, which are of course China’s most recognizable international symbol. Thank you for sharing, I learned a lot!