Travel around China

Author: Lin Fanjun, Feng Rui, Zhang Baoyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: Zhoukoudian Beijing Man Site, Lijiang Ancient Town, Classical Gardens of Suzhou, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Army, Dazu Rock Carvings, Ancient Architecture Complex of Wudang Mountain. The well-preserved relics such as the Mogao Caves and the Potala Palace are symbols of our nation's certain civilization and culture. A list of cultural and natural heritage is the most concrete and real epitome and record of Chinese history. To appreciate them closely is another of history. Come! Let us travel together and see the shadows of history, the traces of our ancestors on this land. In November 1972, the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which has now been ratified by 176 contracting states. In 1985, China became the 89th contracting state, and our country has now 30 world heritage sites. They are:
World Cultural Heritage: Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (Forbidden City, Shenyang Imperial Palace), Summer Palace, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Chengde Mountain Resort and Surrounding Temples, Pingyao Ancient Town, Zhoukoudian Beijing Man Site, Lijiang Ancient Town, Classical Gardens of Suzhou, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Army, Dazu Rock Carvings, Ancient Architecture Complex of Wudang Mountain, Mogao Caves, Potala Palace (Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka), Longmen Grottoes, Confucius Mansion, Confucius Temple, and Confucius Cemetery in Qufu, Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (Ming Xiaoling, Eastern Qing Tombs, Western Qing Tombs, Ming Xiaoling, Thirteen Tombs, Shengjing Three Tombs), Mount Qingcheng – Dujiangyan, Ancient Villages of Southern Anhui, Yungang Grottoes, Ancient Cities and Tombs of Goguryeo;
World Natural Heritage: Jiuzhaigou Valley, Huanglong, Wulingyuan, Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan and Tibet;
World Cultural and Natural Heritage: Mount Tai, Mount Huangshan, Mount Emei – Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Wuyi;
Cultural Landscapes: Mount Lu. These well-preserved relics are symbols of our nation's certain civilization and culture. A list of cultural and natural heritage is the most concrete and real epitome and record of Chinese history. They record the history, culture, and national spirit of our nation. Our ancestors, generation after generation, engraved their hopes and aspirations, their joys and sorrows, into this land beneath their feet. Look, Lijiang Ancient Town has the elegant and refined Naxi ancient music, echoing through the ages and still resonating on every stone slab in the city today; Pingyao City exudes the grandeur of the Jin merchants' "Connecting the World"; every hall and pavilion in Wudang Mountain contains the essence of Taoism; Jiuzhaigou is a paradise away from the hustle and bustle of industrial civilization; the ancient villages of Huizhou record the prosperity and glory of the Huizhou merchants at that time; the life force shown by the Great Wall's decay and the spirit reflected by its winding are symbols of an ancient nation; the fallen pillars in the Old Summer Palace are also the shadow of a declining dynasty. The glory and dignity of civilization, the footsteps and sighs of history, all converge on this endless land. Today, when our hurried footsteps land on this land, we meet history in this way. In these relics that have weathered thousands of years, we seem to still see the ever-renewing shadows of our ancestors. The memory of history solidifies at this moment—when you rush to the top of Mount Tai at dawn to watch the sunrise; when you quietly face the Leshan Giant Buddha in the afternoon; when you linger in the Mogao Caves unwilling to leave at dusk. The silent history is awakened at this moment. To appreciate them closely and deeply feel them is another of history, and also a revival of historical memory beneath our feet. Come! Let us travel together in this journey, see the shadows of history, and see the traces of our ancestors on this land. Let every travel enthusiast find their dreams here.