West Lake, Hang Zhou
Famed for its natural scenery, Hangzhou and its West Lake (西湖 Xī Hú) have been immortalized by countless poets and artists. The city was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty from 1127 until the Mongol invasion of 1276, during that time the city's population is estimated to have been as high as one million, making it the largest city in the world. Even Marco Polo claimed to have passed through, calling it "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world".
With the gradual silting up of its harbor, much of the city's trade and industry passed to nearby Shanghai, but the city still has a bustling population of nearly 8 million and ranks as one of China's most popular tourist attractions.
West Lake is located in the western area of Hangzhou City's historic center. West Lake is not only famous for its picturesque landscape, it is also associated with many scholars, national heroes and revolutionary martyrs, thus embracing many aspects of Chinese culture. In addition, many ancient buildings, stone caves and engraved tablets in surrounding areas are among the most cherished national treasures of China, with significant artistic value.
Due to its prominent historical and cultural status among Chinese scenic resorts, West Lake was elected as a National Key Scenic Resort in 1982, one of Ten Scenic Resorts in 1985 and national 5A tourist resort in 2006. Moreover, the picture of "Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon" was printed on the backs of both the foreign exchange certificate one yuan bill issued by the government in 1979 and the fifth version of RMB one yuan bill issued in 2004, indicating the status of West Lake in China.
Wuzhen
Wuzhen displays its two-thousand-year history in its ancient stone bridges floating on mild water, its stone pathways between the mottled walls and its delicate wood carvings. Also, setting it apart from other towns, it gives a unique experience through its profound cultural background.
It is said that people have lived in Wuzhen for 7,000 years and over time it has produced a galaxy of talents. Mao Dun, an outstanding modern Chinese writer, was born here, and his masterpiece, 'The Lin's Shop', describes vividly the life of Wuzhen. In 1991, Wuzhen was authorized as the Provincial Ancient Town of History and Culture, so ranking first among the six ancient towns south of the Yangtze River.
Wuzhen's uniqueness lies in its layout, being 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) long and divided into six districts. These are: Traditional Workshops District, Traditional Local-Styled Dwelling Houses District, Traditional Culture District, Traditional Food and Beverage District, Traditional Shops and Stores District, and Water Township Customs and Life District. Wandering along the east-west-east circuit created by these six districts, tourists can enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional cultures and the original ancient features of the town that have been preserved intact.
The city became very popular among international tourists after it was featured in Mission Impossible 3 with Tom Cruise.
Beijing
Beijing is the political and cultural center. It is unmistakably a modern "Chinese" metropolis with rich history and awe inspiring ultra modern architectures. Beijing has been the capital of China for centuries for various dynasties, and it has the best and biggest royal palaces in the world, the "Forbidden City". The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, it now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, and the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.
Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 square meters. To understand the sheer size of the complex, one story goes: if a kid is born in the Forbidden City, and she stays in a different room every night, by the time she stays in all the rooms, she will be almost 24 years old! The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.
The Great Wall is one of most reorganized icons of China, and it is also being featured on the Chinese currency. So far more than 1.2 billion people from around the world have visited the Great Wall near Beijing (Ba Da Ling) including over 370 heads of states.
Tiananmen Square plays an important role in China's historical events. Many of the China history defining moments happened here. It is also the world's largest city center square.
The city of Beijing was also the host of the 2008 Olympics Games, the most watched event ever in human history, over 4 billion people watched the opening ceremony live.
Above: Beijing Olympics Park, National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) and National Stadium (Bird Nest)
Above Left: Temple of Heaven Above Right: New China Central Television Tower
Shanghai
