Travelling in China
Local tourism
Travel within China has become easier in recent years with the lifting of travel controls, massive investment in transportation facilities such as roads, railways and airlines, and the rapid rise in incomes. The number of domestic tourists increased from 695 million in 1998 to 878 million in 2002, boosting domestic tourism receipts from Rmb239.1 billion (US$28.9 billion) to Rmb387.8 billion (US$46.9 billion).
Language
Even though English is becoming more and more popular in China, most Chinese people do not understand English. Mandarin is virtually universal in Mainland China, though many dialects do exist, with some, like Cantonese having millions of speakers. Although many Chinese do not speak English, due to the educational system many Chinese near and in urban areas can read and write, even though they may have difficulty with spoken English.
Famous sites
The most popular tourist attraction in China is the Great Wall of China. Also popular are the Forbidden City in Beijing, which was the center of Chinese Imperial power, and the Terracotta Army of the Qin Dynasty Emperor's mausoleum in Xi'an, a vast collection of full-size terracotta statues of Chinese Imperial soldiers and others.
§ The Bund, Shanghai, an elegant parade along the Huangpu River of colonial architecture juxtaposed with Shanghai's skyscrapers
§ Caohai, Guizhou, where many experience being punted along this shallow lake to see many of China's varied birdlife
§ Changbai Mountains, an important nature reserve home to the rare Siberian tiger
§ Chengde, Hebei, home to the Mountain Resort, the world's largest existing imperial garden.
§ Confucius Mansion, the site of this complex in Qufu, Shandong, was home to nearly eighty generations of the great sage's clan.
§ Forbidden City, Beijing, once the center of the 'Chinese imperial universe' and off-limits to the masses - now open to all
§ Guangzhou, Guangdong where the finest of the classic Cantonese breakfast dim sum is tried
§ The Hanging Temple and Yungang Grottoes, near Datong in Shanxi are two incredible sites, a temple clinging to a precipice and a series of grottoes containing a panoply of Buddhist statuary
§ Hong Kong cityscape, especially the skyline of Hong Kong Island from Tsim Sha Tsui
§ Ice Festival ("Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival"), Harbin, Heilongjiang, where extravagant and bizarre sculptures can be seen from life-size ice castles with rainbow lighting to fantastical snowy tableaux
§ Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan the world's largest carved Buddha
§ Lijiang City, Yunnan, a classic old town of narrow cobbled alleyways and courtyard houses
§ Lijiang River, Guangxi, where boat trips are taken to see the contorted peaks that have been immortalized in Chinese scroll paintings
§ Longmen Grottoes, a parade of Buddhist figurines and reliefs, near Luoyang, Henan
§ Luzhi
§ Mogao Caves, these 1,000-year-old man-made caves on the old Silk Road contain some of China's most impressive Buddhist heritage
§ Mount Everest, highest mountain on Earth
§ Mount Tai (or Tai Shan), Shandong, a holy peak home to immaculate temples and pavilions
§ Old Yalu Bridge, Dandong, Liaoning, this half-demolished bridge to North Korea is still an important relic of the Korean War.
§ Pingyao
§ Silk Road, abandoned cities along this famous ancient trading route.
§ Suzhou, Jiangsu, a venerable mercantile city, dotted with elegant walled gardens
§ Taijiang, Guizhou -- where tens of thousands of the ethnic Miao people participate in the annual three-day Sisters' Meal Festival.
§ Terracotta Army, in Shaanxi near Xi'an, the former ancient capital, these 2,200 year old life-size soldiers guard the tomb of China's first emperor.
§ Xiamen, Fujian -- Gulangyu Island, famous for its colonial architecture
§ Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, home to one of China's most unique minorities - the Dai people
§ Yabuli Ski Resort, Heilongjiang, the country's largest ski resort where many Chinese take their skiing holiday.
§ Yangtze River, a river cruise down this river to see the awesome scenery and a wealth of historical sights
§ Yellow River, one of the world's greatest rivers, offering a range of vistas, including the turbid Hukou Falls
§ Potala Palace (布达拉宫) -- Potala Palace was originally built by King Songtsen Gampo in 637 to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty of China.
§ Dali -- some of the oldest still intact structures in Southwest China (西南). No trip to Dali is complete without taking a cruise on one of the many boats plying the waters of Lake Erhai.
Tourist resources
Tourist resources in China can be divided into three main groups: natural sites, historical and cultural sites, and folk customs.
Natural sites
China's mountains, lakes, valleys, caves and waterfalls:
Mount Taishan in the east, Mount Hengshan in the south, Mount Huashan in the west, Mount Hengshan in the north, and Mount Songshan in the center of China have been called the Five Sacred Mountains since antiquity. Mount Taishan, which snakes through central Shandong Province, is admired by Chinese as paramount among them. Another mountain celebrated for its beauty is Mount Huangshan in southern Anhui Province, known for its graceful pines, unusual rocks, cloud seas and hot springs.
Jiuzhaigou, Huangguoshu Waterfalls, and Guilin are all located in southwestern China. Jiuzhaigou in northern Sichuan Province is a beautiful "fairyland valley" running over 40 km through snow-covered mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and forest. The Huangguoshu Waterfalls in Guizhou Province are a group of waterfalls, 18 above-ground and four below, which can be heard from five km away. The Lijiang River in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region winds its way through karst peaks for 82 km between Guilin and Yangshuo.
On the plateau in northern China are many spectacular lakes. The Tianchi (Heavenly Pool) in the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang Autonomous Region is 1,980 meters above sea level. This 105-m-deep lake is crystal clear, the high mountains surrounding it carpeted with green grass and colorful flowers.
Along the renowned Three Gorges of the Yangtze River are many scenic spots and historical sites; the Qutang Gorge is rugged and