You don’t need to see a film shot entirely in China to know what
an epic country it is. Simply looking at the facts about the country
will let you in on how vast its scope is. China has a mainland area
of more than 9.5 million square kilometres; a 1.25 billion
population in the mainland; and 13.8 million population in its
capital city of Beijing.
As such, if it is your first time to visit China as a tourist
destination, it is virtually impossible for you to exhaust all the
sightseeing opportunities that they have to offer as a country. With
such a world-famous cuisine, a truly authentic Oriental culture; a
colorful past; and its being a Communist republic, China is indeed a
truly remarkable country that everyone from around the world should
witness for themselves.
Chinese History, Culture & Cuisine
Officially known as the People’s Republic of China, this vast
country is situated in Eastern Asia. It has the world’s largest
population and a land area which is roughly the same size as the
United States of America. As huge as the country is, it borders
several nations like Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Laos,
Vietnam, North Korea and a host of others. The number of countries
bordered by China rivals that of its equally vast neighbor which is
Russia.
As far as China’s history is concerned, it spans multiple
millenniums and the events were quite tumultuous. China takes pride
in the fact that theirs is one of the world’s earliest
civilizations, rules for thousands of years by imperial dynasties.
Some of the milestones in China’s history include the overthrowing
of the Qing dynasty in 1911, the civil war in 1945 and the Cultural
Revolution during the 1960s.
With its age-old history, it is no wonder why China is home to 37
UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Great Wall of China and
the Forbidden City in Beijing. No matter which part of the world it
is that you visit, you are bound to stumble upon a mini-Chinatown –
which just goes to show how influential and sought-after authentic
Chinese cuisine is. There’s also China’s contribution of martial
arts, acrobatics and Chinese opera to world culture.
The Top 3 Major City Attractions in China
The numerous tourist attractions and sightseeing opportunities that
you can experience once you travel to China is too lengthy to list
down, but there are three major cities which are a must-visit:
- Beijing
Beijing is China’s capital which is the center of the nation’s
culture and business. It served as host to the 2008 Olympics,
which further stamped the presence of China in the world map.
Beijing is also the gateway if you want to explore the famous
Forbidden City in China.
- Shanghai
For those who cannot seem to visit a country without going
shopping, Shanghai in China is the place to be. Not only will you
have a chance to buy local and imported goods, but you can also do
all your store-hopping with a breathtaking view of Shanghai’s
riverside city landscape.
- X’ian
Finally, there’s X’ian which is oldest city and ancient capital of
china. It’s a marvellous place where you can visit sights like the
terminus of the ancient Silk Road and the terra cotta warriors.
Guangzhou, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanjing and Shanghai are
the other beautiful and historically rich cities in China which are
well worth visiting. With all these attractions set in the middle of
an amazingly vast country, there’s no doubt that China is one of the
best places in the world where history, culture, cuisine and
modernism all meld together to create one truly enriching travel
experience. |
