Chinese history spans over millennia and is marked by many cultural achievements and philosophical and geopolitical shifts. Over the years, it’s been ruled by many different dynasties that have seen the country through prosperous times as well as hardships. It’s gone through multiple unifications and fractions but always continued to be under an imperial rule that spanned from 221 BC to the revolution in 1911.

Known for their harsh rule, the Quin dynasty unified different warring states into what we now know as China and established the imperial rule. The hard-working commoners at that time built the country’s infrastructure as well as The Great Wall of China. The Han dynasty that came after, ushered the golden age of culture into the country by opening up the Silk Road and spreading Confucianism. The country’s art, literature, and technology also flourished during the Tang rule, while the population reached 100 million when the Song dynasty was in power. The Yuan dynasty introduced the Mongol rule, the Mings increased urbanization, and the Quing dynasty concluded the run of emperors. 

You can see traces of the impressive history of the country when visiting popular sites such as the Terracotta Army, the Forbidden City, or the Temple of Heaven.

If you’re more impressed by natural attractions, China has a lot to offer there too. In this mosaic of landscapes, you can witness the greatness of the Himalayan mountains as well as the vastness of the eastern plains and everything in between. For example, the dreamy Zhangjiajie's "floating" peaks are a true natural wonder. These sandstone pinnacles that stand together like a forest have inspired the landscape of the movie “Avatar.” And, surprisingly or not, that’s not only stone forest in the country. If you happen to be in China and are up for seeing another one, just drop by Yunnan Stone Forest Geological Park where you can marvel at another set of spectacular formations.

Another star of the Chinese natural world is the Zhangye Danxia mountain range. They have been nicknamed Rainbow Mountains for its impressive color palette. If you’re looking for more impressive colorful views, visit the Jiuzhaigou nature reserve and national park in Sichuan that is home to over 100 multicolored lakes. Feast your eyes on the emerald green, sapphire blue, rosy red, and apricot yellow lakes embedded between the majestic mountains.

China is also home to multiple species of beautiful and, coincidentally, really cute animals, giant pandas being the most revered ones. Chinese high-altitude forests inhabit two very adorable and, unfortunately, endangered species: red pandas (that are not actually related to giant pandas) and golden snub-nosed monkeys. If you’re more of a cat person, know that China has the biggest Siberian tiger park. The clouded leopard is another big cat that has made the Himalayas its home.

When it comes to architectural gems, China also has a lot to offer. There are, of course, the old classics, like the stunning Potala Palace, the impressive Summer Palace, and many beautiful Pagodas. But the modern creations also fascinate many. Like the CCTV headquarters that appears to defy gravity and the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai that lets you see the city from a bird’s eye view. 

Book lovers will be impressed by the interior of the Tianjin Binhai Library. Spread over five floors and 363,000 square feet, it is able to hold 1.2 million books. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have that many books there because the main space cannot be used for book storage. This was caused by the rushed construction timeline. That’s why the backs of the books were printed on film and used to give an impression of a fully stacked collection.

Another place that used this same technique to trick book lovers into believing they have an immense stock of books is Dujiangyan Zhongshuge bookstore, located in Chengdu. Of course, the decision is understandable as customers will not be able to reach books that are placed so high up. It would also quicky become a huge headache for those maintaining the cleanliness of the space. And, to be fair, they do house over 80,000 books, so the collection is still impressive enough.

If you’re fascinated by the way modern architecture incorporates greenery into the buildings, you’ll be impressed by the apartment complexes in Chengdu, Sichuan. The so-called vertical forests have terraces that are overflowing with as many as 20 types of greenery. Build to combat smog and noise pollution, the impressive complexes had a lot of promise. However, the warm and humid climate led to a horrible mosquito infestation. Soon, all of the 826 apartments were abandoned.