Ancient Fmaous Building

The Palace Museum

      The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, is the imperial palace of the consecutive Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1636-1912) dynasties. The magnificent architectural complex, as well as vast holdings of paintings, calligraphy, ceramics and other antiquities of the imperial collections, makes it one of the most prestigious museums in China and the world. The Palace Museum is a national 5A tourist attraction.

      The Palace Museum was put into construction in 1406 and was completed in 1420, with a history so far of 600 years. There were 24 emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties living and ruling China from there. Experiencing several times renovation and expansion, the Palace Museum is still remaining its original architectural style.

     Extending 753 meters from east to west and 961 meters from north to south, the Palace Museum has a rectangular shape with a total area of more than 720,000 square meters, which is surrounded by 10-meter-high walls and a 52-meter-wide moat. Each side of the rectangular city has a gate. These four gates are the Meridian Gate (Wu Men) on the south, the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu Men) on the north, and the East and West Prosperity Gates (Donghua Men and Xihua Men), respectively. All together there are 9371 rooms in the museum. Entering from the south, people can see a succession of halls and palaces spreading out on either side of the central axis. Most of the buildings were built with wood, roofed with yellow glazed tiles and built on white stone foundations, looking solemn and magnificent.

      As the largest museum of cultural relics in China, the Palace Museum has collected and displayed more than 1.8 million precious works of art today. This collection includes earliest ritual vessels and ancient jade articles from the earliest dynasties of Chinese history; paintings and calligraphy dating back to the 7th century; porcelain of the Song and Yuan; gold and silver oraments; religious statues in gold and bronze; thousands of royal robes and accessories; textiles; furniture etc. In addition, numerous books, literary works, and historical documents have been discovered among the antiquities. In 1961, it was listed as the first national key cultural relics protection unit, and in 1987 it was inscribed as aa UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Terracotta Army

      The Terracotta Army, known in Chinese as the "soldier and horse funerary statues", is a super large collection of over 8,000 life-size Chinese terracotta figures of warriors and horses. The terracotta army was discovered by accident in 1974 near Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, by local farmers digging a water well. Three pits containing the warriors were excavated, of which the first was opened to the public in 1979. In 221 B.C., Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259BC-210BC) unified the warring states and established the first centralized feudal dynasty-the Qin Dynasty, in China. After his death, he was buried at the northern foot of Lishan Hill in the east of Lintong County near Xi'an. The terracotta army was constructed to protect the emperor's tomb and help him continue his reign in the afterlife. The terracotta army is unique. The statues mostly represent soldiers and horses, but there are also chariots, weapons, and other objects, which are all extremely detailed. Warriors wear different uniforms according to rank, and each one has distinctive facial features and expressions. They are also positioned in precise military formation, according to duty and rank, which provides a wealth of information for in-depth study of the Qin Dynasty military. The Terracotta Army is now a popular tourist attraction. Located in a specialized hangar, it covers 22,000 square meters and is divided into 11 columns according to the rank of the soldiers. Parts of it are placed in compartments similar to rooms, showing different stages of battle.

      As the eighth wonder of the world, it has guarded the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor for over 2,000 years. In 1987, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Terracotta Warriors were listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.

Longmen Grottoes

      Located on both sides of Yi River in the southern suburb of Luoyang City, Henan Province, Longmen Grottoes are commonly listed among the four treasure houses of stone inscription in China together with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Yungang Grottoes in Datong and Mount Maiji Grottoes in Tianshui. Longmen Grottoes contain more than 2,300 caves and niches carved into the steep limestone cliffs over a 1km long stretch. The scenery area also houses almost 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, more than 60 stupas and 2.800 inscriptions carved on steles, hence the name "Forest of Ancient Stelae". These cultural relics top Longmen Grottoes among all famous ancient grottoes of China in quantity.

      The carving of Longmen Grottoes dates from around the year 493 when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) moved the capital from Pingcheng (known as Datong today) to Luoyang. After that, the construction of Longmen Grottoes lasted over 400 years until the Northern Song Dynasty. Most of works are from the Northern Wei Dynasty and the flourishing age of the Tang Dynasty, accounting for 30% and 60% respectively. Influenced by aesthetic standards of the times, the two dynasties show totally different styles in Buddha statues. The ones of Northern Wei look lively, comely, tender and slender, while those of the Tang Dynasty are much plumper. Additionally, Longmen Grottoes also serves as a treasure house of Chinese calligraphy. Not only do the inscriptions in the grottoes record the reasons for the carving of Buddha statues, but also they are priceless Chinese calligraphy themselves. Today, Wei-style Chinese characters are still widely used in slogans and decorations. Being the artistic expression of Buddhism culture, Longmen Grottoes also preserve a large number of materials concerning politics, economy, religion, arts, architecture, music, medicine, costume, etc. Hence, it enjoys a reputation as a large-scale comprehensive museum of ancient Chinese history.

     Longmen Grottoes are a national 5A tourist attraction as well as National Priority Cultural Relic Protection Site. On November 30, 2000, Longmen Grottoes was inscribed upon the UNESCO World Heritage List as "an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity".

Mogao Grottoes

      Situated in the southeast of the Dunhuang oasis, Gansu Province, Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, comprise the world's largest, most richly endowed, and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art. Spanning a period of 1,000 years, they are located at the crossroads of trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences along the Silk Road. Mogao Grottoes were first constructed in 366 AD and continued for about 1,000 years. Well-known for their statues and wall paintings, the 492 well-preserved cells and cave sanctuaries in Mogao house about 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures. The size of the painted clay figures varies greatly, with the largest being 33 meters high and the smallest only 10 centimeters.

   Painted clay sculptures and murals in Mogao Grottoes mainly feature Buddhist themes as well as various scenes of daily life, reflecting diverse societies and cultures of different dynasties. In addition, they also display painting styles of different periods in layout, character design, delineation and coloring, as well as the fusion of Chinese and Western arts. In 1900, more than 40,000 precious cultural relics from 4 AD to 11 AD were discovered in the Buddhist Scripture Cave, including silk paintings, embroidery and documents in rare languages such as ancient Tibetan and Sanskrit. This is considered as one of the world's greatest discoveries of oriental culture.

      Mogao Grottoes are the most famous of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes. Besides Longmen Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Mount Maiji Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes belong to the four famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites in China. In 1961, Mogao Grottoes were announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as one of the first key cultural relics protection units in China. In 1987, UNESCO placed Mogao Grottoes in the world cultural heritage list.

The Old Town of Lijiang

      The Old Town of Lijiang, located on the Lijiang plain at an altitude of 2.400 meters in southwest Yunnan Province of China,is one of the last remaining ancient towns in China. It has been fully adapted to the uneven terrain of this important commercial and strategic site and retained a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity. The architecture of the Old Town of Lijiang is noticeable due to the blending of elements from several cultures, and its ancient complex and ingenious water supply system still plays an effective role today.

      The Old Town of Lijiang, also called Dayan Town, is the only old town without a city wall among all famous historical and cultural cities of China. This town consists of three component parts-Dayan Old Town, Shuhe Old Town, and Baisha Old Town. Established in the Ming Dynasty, Dayan Old Town now serves as a commercial centre (including the Black Dragon Pond). Baisha Old Town is a housing cluster established earlier during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and Shuhe Old Town is a newly-built antique town, located 4 km northwest of Dayan Old Town. All these settlements in the Old Town of Lijiang, adopting the essential architecture arts of Naxi, Bai, Zang and Han nationalities, showcase the blending of local culture, folklore and tradition for centuries. Most of them are wood-tile structures without the usage of nails, each with a courtyard that is planted with trees and flowers.

      Water, in fact, flows everywhere in Lijiang. Crystal-clear brooks wind around all the houses and flow through the courtyards. Stone bridges span the streams. Streets made of colored stones, including Square Street, are thus free of dust and mud in any season. These streams spring from the Jade Spring River, which winds through the foot of Elephant Hill, north of Lijiang. In addition, there is the White-Horse Dragon Pool and wells drilled around the countiess springs. The dwellers have made ponds along the courses of the springs. The upper ponds provide drinking water, the middle ponds are used to wash vegetables, and the lower ponds are or washing clothe. The spring water overflowing the riverbanks is used for washing the streets.

      All in all, the vivid urban space,the vibrant water system, the harmonious building complexes, the comfortable residences of suitable size, the pleasant environment, and the folk art of unique style in the Old Town of Lijiang constitute a model of human settlements.

    In December 1997, the Old Town of Lijiang was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list.

Yellow Crane Tower

      Yellow Crane Tower stands atop Snake Mountain in Wuhan City, Hubei Province.  Legend goes that a Taoist priest painted a dancing yellow crane on the wall of Xin's tavern, which greatly boosted the business here. A decade later the priest revisited the tavern and called down the crane by playing the flute and flew away on its back. Xin then built a tower here and named it after the yellow crane. However, textual research testifies that the tower gets this name as it perches on Yellow Crane Mountain.

      Yellow Crane Tower was first built as a watchtower in 223 AD during the Three Kingdom period. After the war, the tower lost its military value and gradually blossomed into a must-see spot. A large number of literati from various dynasties have visited here, leaving an abundance of famous poems, such as the Yellow Crane Tower written by the poet Cui Hao of the Tang Dynasty. However, due to the countless wars and fires, the Yellow Crane Tower was demolished and rebuilt many times in history. It is in the Qing Dynasty alone that three serious fires occurred here. The last tower of the Qing Dynasty was constructed in 1868 AD and was reduced to ashes in 1884 AD. Since then, it has not been repaired for nearly a hundred years. What we see today is the modem Yellow Crane Tower, which was started in 1981 and completed in 1985. The building is based on the prototype of Tongzhi Tower in the Qing Dynasty. It is five-storied with a total height of 51.4m and the floorage of 3,219 square meters. The interior of Yellow Crane Tower is supported by72 pillars, with 60 warping angles extending outward and the roof is covered with more than 100,000 yellow glazed tiles.

    The entire building of Yellow Crane Tower has a unique national style, which radiates the spirit, temperament and charm of Chinese traditional culture. Yellow Crane Tower belongs to the Three Great Pavilions in the south of the Yangtze River in China besides Yueyang Tower in Hunan Province and Prince Teng Pavilion in Jiangxi Province. It is now a national 5A tourist attraction.

Yueyang Tower

     Yueyang Tower is located at the westen gate of Yueyang City, overlooking Dongting Lake in Hunan Province. Since ancient times, it has enjoyed the reputation of being the "First Tower under Heaven" since Dongting Lake is famous as the "first water under heaven". Yueyang Tower was built around 220 AD during the Three Kingdoms Period. The rudimentary form of the building was that of a parade (ceremonial) pavilion. During the Western Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it was used by the military with the name of "Baling Tower". It was not until the middle Tang Dynasty that it was renamed as the Yueyang Pavilion because of Li Bai's poems. The pavilion was damaged in the chaos of wars and was rebuilt in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Since then, it has become a scenic spot and a place of inspiration for both poets and writers. The famous essay On Yueyang Tower by Fan Zhongyan in the Northern Song Dynasty made it more famous in the world.

     The well-known Yueyang Tower is unique in its structure as well as the style. The main tower is three-storied with the height of 15 meters. Four Nanmu columns support the whole tower. No rivets or nails were used in the construction of Yueyang Tower, which is of pure wood structure. The tower's roof is covered with yellow-glazed tile and eaves rising high. The unusual curved lines on the roof are similar to the shape of a helmet used by a knight of ancient times. After many renovations and reconstructions, the current Yueyang Tower was rebuilt in 1867 during the Qing Dynasty. Yueyang Tower is the only ancient building that keeps its original appearance, showing the unique style and brilliant achievements of ancient Chinese architecture.

     Besides Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan and Prince Teng Pavillion in Nanchang, Yueyang Tower belongs to the Three Great Towers in the south of Yangtze. In 1988 Yueyang Tower was named by the State Council as a key cultural relic site under state-level protection as well as a national scenic site. In 2011, it was recognized as one of the national 5A tourist resorts.

Prince Teng Pavilion

       Prince Teng Pavilion, also called Tengwang Pavilion, is located on the shore of the Ganjiang River, in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province. It belongs to the Three Great Towers in the south of Yangtze River besides Yellow Crane Tower and Yueyang Tower.

      Tengwang Pavilion, originally three-storied and 30 meters high, was built in the year 654 during the Tang Dynasty by Li Yuanying, the younger brother of Emperor Taizong who assumed the name Tengwang upon being knighted. Tengwang Pavilion was named after him but it was then reconstructed many times during its 1,300-year-long history. The pavilion was made a household name because Wang Bo, the renowned poet in the Tang Dynasty, wrote down the Essay on Prince Teng Pavilion. However, the worst tragedy occurred in 1926, when it was demolished by fire during the clashes between the Northern warlords. The current building was reconstructed in 1989 on the original site according to the design of the architect Liang Sicheng, and now Tengwang Pavilion is the landmark of Nanchang. The current Tengwang Pavilion is built in the architectural style of the Song Dynasty, showing the magnificence of the Pavilion. The main building covers an area of 47,000 square meters with nine floors and is 57.5 meters high. Two small pavilions are located on the north and south sides of the main building. The whole complex radiates elegance and simplicity with glazed jade-green tiles on the roof, pretty eaves and red pillars.

      As the only royal building in the south, Tengwang Pavilion has always been a place where literati gather to write articles and hold banquets. It also serves as the ancient library, storing a large number of precious scriptures and poems. In 2018, Tengwang Pavilion was approved as a national 5A tourist attraction.

The Great Wall

      The Great Wall, is the oldest military defense project with the longest construction and the largest amount of engineering in the world. Since the Western Zhou Dynasty, it has been continuously built for more than 2,000 years. It is distributed in the vast land of northern and central China, with a total length of more than 20,000 kilometers.

      The history of the Great Wall can be traced back to the Western Zhou Dynasty,  from which came the famous allusion "war signal drama" which took place in the capital of Haojing (now Xi'an, Shaanxi Province). During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, countries fought for hegemony and defended each other. The construction of the Great Wall reached its first climax, but at this time the length of the construction was relatively short. After the unification of Qin and Six Kingdoms, the first emperor of Qin connected and repaired the wall of the Warring States, which was called the Great Wall. The Ming Dynasty was the last dynasty to build the Great Wall. Today most of the Great Wall people see was built at this time. According to historical documents, more than 20 states and feudal dynasties built the Great Wall. If we add up the Great Wall built in different times, it will be more than 50,000 kilometers.

     The Great Wall is not only a single wall, but a complete defense engineering system consisting of many defensive fortifications, such as city walls, enemy buildings, piers, barracks, guardhouses, beacon towers and so on. This defense engineering system is under the control of military command systems at all levels. Concerning the beacon towers in the Great Wall system, they mainly serve as information transmission system, which is the oldest but effective way of information transmission.

     Since the day the Great Wall was built, it has become a symbol of the unification of the Chinese nation. The Great Wall not only belongs to China, but also to the world. It plays an irreplaceable role in the mutual communication between the world and China. In 1987, UNESCO officially designated the Great Wall as a World Cultural Heritage site.