China is a country on the move. Peasants are moving to the cities in large numbers, creating tremendous growth in production and demand for resources. In this drive to create modern China, I hope that the things that have made China great in the past will not be forgotten. China is so big and there is so much to see that this list is almost impossible to narrow down to just 7, but I’ll try.
The following list are my top seven places I would like to see in China. I included the province of Tibet in the list, but excluded the Taiwan sites from the list, as Taiwan is not part of communist China despite the party’s China policy. To avoid political controversy, let’s say this list is the top 7 from mainland China.
1) The Forbidden City.
Just the fact that for much of its history an average commoner like myself would have been left out is reason enough to visit. To see the last palace of the emperors. Even today, look at a Google map of Beijing and it’s not hard to spot the Forbidden City from the air. Not only the size of the venue and the architecture, but also the ornate details such as Chinese lions and five-clawed imperial dragons are interesting here. While in Beijing, many of which will be for the 2008 Summer Olympics, there are plenty of temples and sites to see and a visit to the summer palace should also be included. New Olympic venues like the Bird’s Nest Stadium and the Bubble Swim Center will be architectural marvels for decades after the games are over.
2) The Great Wall of China.
A wall thousands of kilometers long just has to be seen. It’s not my first choice because actually much of the wall is in ruins. Not all of the wall was made of stone. Some sections were compressed mud, but the goal was the same: to separate civilized China from the barbarians to the north. It failed at times, as the Mongols clearly demonstrated, but it was still an impressive feat of construction. There are restored sections of the walls for tourists, but to be honest, it’s the original ruined sections that hold the most interest to me, as well as the most history and character.
3) Mount Everest
The highest mountain in the world. Apart from the incredible height, you are likely to suffer from attitude sickness even at base camp, visually Everest is an impressive mountain. Add to that the yaks, sherpas and isolation on the plateau on top of the world and you have something that beckons adventure. I have no desire to climb the mighty mountain, I am getting too old, and secondly, going to any death zone is not my cup of tea. But going up some of the tracks can be fun.
4) Xian
Serving as the capital of 11 dynasties for 4,000 years, you know there has to be something special about this place. The 14 km long Xi’an city walls give you the feeling of traveling back in time. You can imagine arriving in a caravan from the west in search of China’s special silk and other products. Within the city are numerous pagodas, temples, and attractions, including the Shaanxi History Museum.
5) The Terracotta Army
Thousands of life-size ceramic figures inspired by the soldiers of the time. The tomb of the first emperor Qin Shi Huangdi has yet to be fully excavated. The Chinese have great respect for their ancestors, so they are treading carefully with this project, although I for one would love to know what other hidden treasures are yet to be discovered.
6) Shanghai
The bund is not technically Chinese, but rather a hangover from the colonial exploitation of China by Western powers and Japan, which has to be said to have been a disgusting period in history with Britain and other nations forcing the Chinese population to opium consumption: drug trafficking is disgusting, to then enforce that trade at gunpoint is despicable. The Bund is Shanghai’s 1920s Art Deco waterfront. Other must-sees in Shanghai include the Shanghai Museum, Yu Gardens, and the Bazaar
7) Finally, the southwest, in particular, the landscape around Yangshuo, Guangxi, the towering cliffs with rice fields and rivers give the traditional Chinese feeling as China was for thousands of years. These eroded Karst limestone formations are a photographer’s dream and have inspired thousands of landscapes.
I told you I’d have a hard time fitting everything into seven top picks, this list is just the tip of a huge iceberg as it’s not complete yet, the 3 Gorges Dam is added as a bonus here. What will become the world’s largest dam/power plant will definitely be worth a visit. I would also love to see the big tide that is produced in the yellow river.
Home to 1/5 of the world’s population, China is about to become one of the world’s great tourist hotspots. I for one will be happy to lead the charge.