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CHINA
China
From the Terracotta Army and the Forbidden City to Jiangnan gardens and the Tibetan plateau, discover China along six themes: ancient capitals, imperial architecture, water towns, ethnic frontiers, city life and landscapes.
City guides
Start with a city
Every city guide has a timeline, stories of local figures, must-see sights, festivals and local etiquette.
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西安 · 古称长安
Xi'an
4 places
Chang'an, a thousand-year capital: the Terracotta Army, the Wild Goose Pagoda and six-hundred-year-old walls
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北京 Beijing
Beijing
4 places
Eight centuries as an imperial capital: the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace
南京 · 古称金陵
Nanjing
3 places
Splendour of the Six Dynasties and the founding of the Ming: Zhong Mountain, the Qinhuai and the Jiangnan Examination Hall
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苏州 · 古称姑苏
Suzhou
1 places
Cradle of Wu culture: gardens, canals and Kunqu opera
杭州 · 南宋称临安
Hangzhou
3 places
Capital of the Southern Song and West Lake: the lake of Bai Juyi, Su Dongpo and Lady White Snake
ལྷ་ས། · 拉萨
Lhasa
2 places
'Place of the Gods': the Potala Palace, the Jokhang and the Barkhor circuit
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Chengde Mountain Resort
More than a summer retreat: the political stage where Qing emperors won over Mongols and Tibetans and performed the unity of the empire.
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Summer Palace
Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill embody the Chinese garden philosophy of 'made by man, yet as if created by heaven'.
Temple of Heaven
Where Ming and Qing emperors worshipped Heaven in 'harmony between heaven and man' — the triple roof of the Hall of Prayer is a mathematical poe…
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The Palace Museum (Forbidden City)
The largest palace complex in the world, whose central axis distils six centuries of imperial ritual and craftsmanship.