Joanna James
From imperious dynasties that serve as the cornerstone of China's proud history to its imperial palaces and beautiful gardens, one will encounter a cultural cauldron when visiting the following sites.
Commence your journeys in the Chinese capital of Beijing where the magnificent Forbidden City is found. What once functioned as an imperial palace during the times of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Forbidden City is the largest palatial structure in the world encompassing an impressive 7.2 hectares. Upon a tour of the attraction, visitors will be able to pass by the 9,999 rooms and inspect the intricate details of the structural composition which draws reference to the Fengshui theory.
Rated as the country's largest imperial garden and a fine example of landscaped garden design, the Summer Palace in Beijing will introduce the curious at heart to an architectural masterpiece. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site; a title awarded in 1998, the Summer Palace was used as a summer resort of the emperors who ruled during the Qing Dynasty. At first impression, the landscape will thrill you to bits with enormous halls & pavilions, fine temples, glorious palaces and bridges adding to the spectacle that is the Summer Palace.
Depicting the facets of Confucian philosophy, the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu is where one ought to be heading over to next. With 480 rooms that take you through the ins and outs of imperial calligraphy, the Mansion was where the descendants of Confucius resided. Further, the Qufu Confucius Temple cannot be excluded from your tour itinerary as this attraction details the early years and those thereafter of Confucius. It is believed that Confucius lived here and upon his death, the building was transformed into a temple to celebrate and worship Confucius. Also called 'Confucius Forest,' the Cemetery of Confucius all but completes the trilogy for it paves the way for one to witness the final resting place of the Kong family and over 100,000 of Confucius' descendants.
During the days of the Ming Dynasty, the area of Xian was considered a valuable political and military stronghold and in the testament of the same, travellers will be awed by its various places of appeal. Amongst those, the City Wall and its astounding 18 ancient city gates might be looked at as a way of getting to know Xian. Though not all 18 gates are accessible to the public, those calling by this fine structure will be able to see a series of ramparts that extend from the main wall. These ramparts were utilized by soldiers in an attempt to track and foil the ploys of the enemy. The attraction is also found a short distance from Grand Park Xian which is one of the Xi An China hotels that can be made note of if looking for a confortable and convenient place to retire to after your travels in the region.
Arguably, the finest structure in all of China, the Great Wall which runs the lengths of Northern China across green hills and a rugged countryside will afford outstanding trekking opportunities for those of you in the Jinshanling and Mutianyu areas. Also, while serving as perhaps the best example of a defensive structure born out of the ancient world, the Great Wall features a collection of walls, watchtowers, and fortresses and is between 16-26 feet in height and an astonishing 13,170 miles in length.
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