1. The Great wall
The Great Wall, located in northern China, is 6,700 kilometers long and thus known as the “10,000-li Great Wall”. Construction of the wall went on for more than 2,000 years, from 7 th century to 14 th century AD. The wall has become a symbol of both China’s proud historyand its present strength.
2. The Palace Museum
The Palace Museum, also called the Forbidden City, is located in the center of Beijing. The imperial palace used by emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties is the largest and most complete ancient wooden-structure building complex in the world. Construction of the Forbidden City started in 1406 and lasted 14 years. 24 emperors were enthroned there.
3. Zhoukoudian: Home of the Peking Man
Remains of the Peking Man (homo erectus) are located on the Dragon Bone Hill at Zhoukoudian Village, Fangshan District, Beijing. In the 1920s, archaeologists discovered the complete skull of Peking Man. Later, more skull bones as well as stone and bone instruments were unearthed. Peking Man lived 690,000 years ago, during Paleolithic times. Findings indicate that Peking Man knew how to make fires.
4. Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum and Terra-cotta Army
Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum is located in Lintong District, 35 kilometers east of Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi Province. Construction ofthe mausoleum lasted 38 years and involved over 700,000 workers. Over the years, a total of 50,000 important cultural relics have been unearthed. In 1980, two bronze painted horse-drawn chariots were unearthed. They are the largest and most complete bronze chariots and horses discovered so far. In 1974, farmers who were digging a well about 1.5 kilometers east of Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum discovered three vaults containing Qinshihuang’s Buried Legion. The largest of the three vaults contains 6,000 life-size terra-cotta warriors and horses. The collection of warriors is often dubbed the“eighthwonder of the world”.
5. The Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang
Dunhuang Grottoes comprise of the Mogao grottoes, West 1,000-Buddha Cave, and Yulin Cave. The Mogao Grottoes, representative of the three sites, are located 25 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. Construction of the grottoes began in 366 AD. The well-designed grottoes are a treasure house containing painting, sculptures, documents, and cultural relics.
6. The Huangshan Mountain
Located in Huangshan City in southern Anhui Province, the scenic area of the Huangshan Mountain covers 154 square kilometers and is famous for its four wonders: strangely-shaped pines, grotesque rock formations, seas of clouds and hot springs. It also features a natural zoo and botanical garden.
