Yu Yuan Garden

Yu Yuan is a 400 year old classical Chinese garden in the Old Town of Shanghai, not far from the Bund. Pan Yunduan spent twenty years and all his savings building it to please his parents in their old age. In the garden you can feel the harmonies between the construction, plants and human.

Li River Cruise

The poetic and picturesque Li River is the important component of Guilin scenery. It originates in Mountain Cat at Xinan county in the northeast of Guilin . It winds and meanders its way for 170 kilometers, passing through Guilin, Yangshuo to the outlet of Gongchen river in Pingle county. Li River, between Guilin and Yangshuo, traverses 84 kilometers like a jade ribbon winding among thousands of hills. Along the river, the rolling peaks, steep cliffs, green hills and clear water constitute a fascinating hundred-mile pictures gallery. Li River scenery is known to all not only for its green hills, clear water, fantastic caves and spectacular rocks but also for its wonderful deep pools, springs and waterfalls. Moreover, people can enjoy the different beauties of Li River scenery at different seasons and weathers. In fine days, reflections of the hills in clear and greenish water are especially pleasing to the eyes, but it is more enchanting under rainy and misty weather. The hazy view of the drizzling rain and lingering clouds give birth to a wonderful fairyland for tourists.

Elephant Hill

An elephant-like hill stands majestically at the confluence of the Lijiang and Yangjiang rivers, and faces the Zi-Zhu Islet on the opposite side of the Lijiang. Arching its long trunk into the river, this seeming like an elephant suck water, lifelike in shape and full of energy in posture. No wonder it takes the name "Elephant Hill"

The world-famous Stone Forest lies within Lunan County. Owing to the weathering process through the millennia there finally came into being a typical karst physiognomy-a most enchanting sight of fantastic stone pillars, and reputed as the "Number One Grand Spectacle on earth". Many beautiful legends originate in this magical place, passed along by the native people known as Sani, a branch of the Yi ethnic group. One particular story about the faithful love of Ashima, a beautiful, clever and warm-hearted Sani girl, is the most popular and has been told for thousands of years. The Sani people celebrate their national festival - the Torch Festival - every lunar year on June 24. They take part in traditional performances such as wrestling, bull fighting, pole-climbing, dragon-playing, and lion-dancing and the Axi Moon Dance. During this time, the Stone Forest is alive with a particularly joyful, festive atmosphere, making the area even more attractive than usual. However, the Stone Forest - with its sculptures engraved by nature, herself - is always a true miracle for visitors to behold.

The Old Town of Lijiang, a well-preserved old city of ethnic minorities with brilliant culture, is a central town of the Lijiang Autonomous County of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province. Located on the plateau which is 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) above the sea level and embraced by the tree-covered Lion Mountain in the west, Elephant and Golden Row Mountains in the north, vast fertile fields in the southeast and crystal clear water running through, the old town looks like a big jade ink slab, hence, got the alias name, the Town of Big Ink Slab (Dayanzhen).

Tiger Leaping Gorge is no doubt an independent hiker's first choice in China . This magnificent gorge holds several peaks at both sides up to 6000 meters. Around 15 km in length, the gorge is located where the river passes between 5,596 meters Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and 5,396 meters Haba Xueshan in a series of rapids under steep 2000 meter cliffs. Legend says that in order to escape from a hunter, a tiger jumped across the river at the narrowest point (25 meters wide), hence the name.

This village is 30 km away from Shangri-la city. It's famous for black pottery made by its local villagers. There are 148 families here totaling about 800 people. Over 50% of the village families are black pottery makers. The history of making pottery in this village dates back over 3000 years. The traditional way of making pottery is handed down from generation to generation. In ancient times, villagers use pottery to trade for rice, salt, tea, oil and everything they need for their livelihood. They use clay to make hot pot, tea pot, and fire pot, vase, incense burner and butter lamp. In this village tourists not only can learn how to make pottery, but can also enjoy the beautiful scenery and learn about Tibetan daily life.

The Old town

The Old town of Shangri-la is made up of traditional wooden Tibetan homes, religious buildings alleys and squares. It is distinct from the newly developed town that has grown alongside it. You will be able to see the old versus the new architecture and appreciate the difference in time and history.  

Women's Handicraft Center

Shangri-La Women's Handicraft Center is located in the heart of the old town which is supported by Yunnan Mountain Heritage Foundation, a non-profit community based organization. Summer is the busiest time for women in rural areas around Shangri-la with the harvest of mushrooms in full swing, yaks out to pasture, fields to be tended. At the Women's Handicraft Center , visitors can see weaving demonstrations of carpets and other handicrafts done on looms.

The Potala Palace

Perched upon Marpo Ri hill, 130 meters above the Lhasa valley, the Potala Palace rises a further 170 meters and is the greatest monumental structure in all of Tibet . Early legends concerning the rocky hill tell of a sacred cave, considered to be the dwelling place of the Bodhisattva Chenresi (Avilokiteshvara) that was used as a meditation retreat by Emperor Songtsen Gampo in the seventh century AD. In 637 Songtsen Gampo built a palace on the hill. This structure stood until the seventeenth century, when it was incorporated into the foundations of the greater buildings still standing today. Construction of the present palace began in 1645 during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama and by 1648 the Potrang Karpo, or White Palace , was completed. The Potrang Marpo, or Red Palace , was added between 1690 and 1694; its construction required the labors of more than 7000 workers and 1500 artists and craftsman. In 1922 the 13th Dalai Lama renovated many chapels and assembly halls in the White Palace and added two stories to the Red Palace . The Potala Palace was only slightly damaged during the Tibetan uprising against the invading Chinese in 1959. Unlike most other Tibetan religious structures, it was not sacked by the Red Guards during the 1960s and 1970s, apparently through the personal intervention of Chou En Lai. As a result, all the chapels and their artifacts are very well preserved From as early as the eleventh century the palace was called Potala. This name probably derives from Mt. Potala , the mythological mountain abode of the Bodhisattva Chenresi (Avilokiteshvara / Kuan Yin) in southern India . The Emperor Songtsen Gampo had been regarded as an incarnation of Chenresi. Given that he founded the Potala, it seems likely that the hilltop palace of Lhasa took on the name of the Indian sacred mountain. The Potala Palace is an immense structure, its interior space being in excess of 130,000 square meters. Fulfilling numerous functions, the Potala was first and foremost the residence of the Dalai Lama and his large staff. In addition, it was the seat of Tibetan government, where all ceremonies of state were held; it housed a school for religious training of monks and administrators; and it was one of Tibet 's major pilgrimage destinations because of the tombs of past Dalai Lamas. Within the White Palace are two small chapels, the Phakpa Lhakhang and the Chogyal Drubphuk; dating from the seventh century, these chapels are the oldest surviving structures on the hill and also the most sacred. The Potala's most venerated statue, the Arya

Lokeshvara, is housed inside the Phapka Lhakhang, and it draws thousands of Tibetan pilgrims each day

Included on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 2000 as part of the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple is located in central Lhasa in Tibet . With an area of 25,100 square meters (about six acres), it is the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Pilgrims.

The Jokang Temple is a four-storey timber complex with a golden top. It adopted the architectural styles of the Tang Dynasty, as well as those of Tibet and Nepal. Standing in the square of the Jokang Temple, one can view the entire complex. On the square there are two steles, one recording an alliance between the king of Tibet and the emperor of the Tang, the other portraying the teaching of the Tibetan people to prevent and treat smallpox, a once incurable disease in Tibet.

In the eastern section of the yard there are rows of votive lights. These flicking lights provide a path leading all the way to the main hall. The main hall, over 1,300 years old, is the oldest shrine of the complex. Above the major entrance, there is a Dharma Wheel (chakra) flanked by two deer. This represents the unity of all things and symbolizes Sakyamuni himself. On both sides of the passageway, paintings showing the building of the temple, and renderings of the temple from the seventh century are adorned on the wall. The statue of Sakyamuni at age 12 sits in the middle of the hall. It has been gilded many times and decorated elaborately with jewels typical of Tibet . Statues of King Songtsem Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng and Princess Bhrikuti are on the second floor. On the top floor, there are four gilded bronze tile tops crafted in the emblematical Tang style.

The statue of Sakyamuni is a rare treasure. When Sakyamuni was alive, he disagreed with the idea of 'personal worship' and did not allow likenesses of himself to be created. Only three statues, designed by he himself, were permitted to be sculpted during his lifetime. The first is a likeness of him at age eight; the second shows him at age twelve when he was still a prince of India ; and the third is of him as an adult. The statue kept in the Jokang Temple is the statue of Sakyamuni at age eight. It was presented to the king of the Tang Dynasty and brought to Tibet by Princess Wen Cheng

Barkhor Street

Located in the old area of Lhasa City , Tibet , Barkhor Street is a very ancient round street surrounding the Jokhang Temple and the Tibetan people are always proud of it. As a symbol of Lhasa , this street is also a must-see place for the tourists.

It's said that in 647, the first Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo (617 - 650) built the Jokhang Temple . Due to its magnificence, it quickly attracted thousands of Buddhist pilgrims. As a result, a trodden path appeared. That is the origin of Barkhor Street . Today even still many pilgrims hold the prayer wheels to walk clockwise there from dawn to dark. Also you can see some pilgrims walking or progressing body-lengths by body-lengths along the street. Even some of them are teenagers or have experienced thousands of miles' walk to reach this sacred place. The way they express their piety could make you understand the holiness of religion.

Yamdrok-sto Lake

Yamdrok Yumtso (or Yamdrok-tso), one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet, lies at Nhagartse, located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) to the southwest of Lhasa. According to legend, it was a fairy that descended to earth. Her husband followed suit and transformed into Mt. Kampala . Besides Mt. Kampala , Yamdrok Yumtso is also surrounded by Mt. Nyinchenkhasa , Mt. Chetungsu and Mt. Changsamlhamo. Befitting its mythical feminine origins, the turquoise blue lake has indescribable scenic beauty, prompting the Tibetans to compare it with the fairyland in heaven. The lake is also called Coral Lake of the Highlands due to its shape. The charming lake produces abundant aquatic life. On the surrounding expansive pasture, animals and birds flourish in huge numbers. There are dozens of islets in the lake, on which flocks of birds roost.

During the herding season, the local herdsmen will ferry their herds of sheep across to these islets since there aren't any predators on these islets, and leave them there until the onset of winter. The holy lake is also a pilgrimage site for Tibetans. Every summer, gangs of pilgrims trek there to pray and receive blessings. Pilgrims believe that its water can make the old young again, grant the middle-aged a longer life and make the children smarter. Being a sacred lake, the color of its water may be taken by the devout as having spiritual meaning. Tibetans will usually visit the lake before making important decisions. On one of the islets, stands a Nyinmapa monastery.

South of the lake, one finds the Sangding Monastery, which is famous as the residence of the only female high lama in Tibet .

Giant Panda Wolong Research Center

The Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Center was one of the earliest research bases established in the early 1980s by the Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC). In 1989, the Ministry of Forestry of PRC and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) formulated the long-term Giant Panda Management Plan. Today, the Wolong Giant Panda Reserve Center has been turned into the Giant Panda Breeding Center focusing on research works on breeding and bamboo ecology. Many other research works are being carried out at other Reserves such as the one in Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province.

The Center basically takes care of giant pandas under three situations:

* when the giant pandas are brought up from captive breeding,
* when the giant pandas are somehow dispersed from the group, or are rescued from injury, and have lost the ability to survive if released back to the wild,
* when the giant panda are ready to be released back to the wild.

The Center has two types of 'accommodations' for giant pandas - the captive cages and the semi-nature enclosures.

Most of the giant pandas in the Centre stay individually in the captive cages, which are in fact large enclosures, each consists of an in-door room and an out-door courtyard. The semi-nature enclosures are very large wild areas but protected by border fences. Those giant pandas that will soon be released back to the wild will be put in the semi-nature enclosures for a long enough period of time for them to adapt to the natural environment. Although food has to be provided, the giant pandas will sleep there, eat there and recover their natural survival skills there until they can be released back to the wild.

Museum of Terracotta Warriors and
Horses of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC), Qin Shi Huang, had work begun on his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. This attraction can be divided into three parts: the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Da Ci'en Temple, and the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. it attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist religion, its simple but appealing style of construction, and its new square in front of the temple.

Shaanxi History Museum

Shaanxi History Museum Shaanxi Province is the birthplace of the ancient Chinese civilization. Xi'an City was the capital city in thirteen dynasties which in total lasted over 1100 years. The Shaanxi History Museum considers it an obligation to be a showcase of ancient civilizations. It was opened to the public in 1991. Over 700,000 people visit this national treasure each year.

The Summer Palace

The Summer Palace landscape, dominated mainly by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, covers an area of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is under water. Its 70,000 square meters of building space features a variety of palaces, gardens and other ancient-style architectural structures. The Summer Palace is a monument to classical Chinese architecture, in terms of both garden design and construction. Borrowing scenes from surrounding landscapes, it radiates not only the grandeur of an imperial garden but also the beauty of nature in a seamless combination that best illustrates the guiding principle of traditional Chinese garden design, which is: "The works of men should match the works of Heaven".