China boasts a long and rich history, which makes its historical attractions worth seeing. Perhaps most renowned is China’s Terracotta Army: an army made out of life-sized clay soldiers buried with China’s first Emperor in 220 BC.
Beijing’s Forbidden City, Mogao Grottoes and three Confucian sites in Qufu are also attractions to consider.
1. Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was at the epicenter of Chinese politics and culture during Ming and Qing Dynasties, serving as an iconic palace museum, housing treasures from China’s historic official architecture. Today it serves as a world-renowned palace museum that showcases this remarkable historic site.
Design features of this monument highlighted and reinforced political hierarchy. Its central axis was reserved for the Emperor to symbolize his supreme status; gates, walls and bureaucracy served to reinforce it further.
As well as serving as the living quarters of Beijing’s imperial family, and providing homes to many concubines, it became the stuff of legends and countless rumors surrounding beheading, warfare, and neglected concubines – giving rise to tales that fascinated both locals and tourists alike. Today it remains one of the top tourist spots in Beijing and should not be missed when traveling through.
2. Yin Ruins
The Yin Ruins are remnants of the late Shang Dynasty capital in Anyang, Henan province, dating back over 2000 years ago. A treasure trove of artifacts uncovered here offer insight into prehistoric Chinese culture and history; here was also discovered an early form of Chinese characters — considered among the oldest mature writing systems– for the first time!
Residential areas at Yin Ruins display an intricately planned society with distinct divisions between work, worship, and living spaces. An ancient four-legged bronze cauldron known as Simuwu ding was unearthed here as part of excavation work; today it stands among one of the world’s largest cultural relics.
The Yin Ruins have played an invaluable role in China’s efforts to trace the roots of Chinese civilization, with excavations and scientific research producing an abundance of academic results at these ruins.
3. Great Wall
The Great Wall of China is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an iconic symbol of Chinese ingenuity. Not merely one structure but an extensive network of fortifications along its length, it spans China’s northern border from east to west and represents Chinese ingenuity.
The Great Wall emerged out of numerous border fortifications and castles built by individual kingdoms to defend against nomadic raids during the Warring States Period. Qin Shi Huang used an elaborate system of connecting hundreds of wall segments into what would eventually become known as The Great Wall – this undertaking involved millions of soldiers, laboring people, and merchants working hard towards its construction.
The iconic wall covers 13,171 miles from west to east and contains various segments containing fortresses, gates, shelters and watchtowers. Furthermore, its path follows along crestlines of hills and mountains making it often hard to distinguish where one segment ends and another begins.
4. Han Yang Ling Mausoleum
Han Yang Ling Mausoleum in Xianyang was built as the joint tomb for Emperor Jingdi and Empress Wang during the Western Han Dynasty (157 BC – 141 BC). Renowned for its ceramic figures that offer insight into ancient Chinese funerary customs, this mausoleum provides insights into this aspect of their society.
The tomb is in the form of a pyramid-shaped structure and is surrounded by satellite areas including southern and northern burial pits, ritual buildings, accompanying tombs, criminal graveyards, as well as the 900 meter long Sacred Way which leads to it.
Han Yang Ling’s most significant feature are its 81 burial pits encircling Emperor Qin’s tomb. Here you’ll find naked human statues originally fitted with wooden arms which have since disintegrated as well as animals and everyday articles – an indicator of both status and power for this emperor.
5. Zhoukoudian Site
The Zhoukoudian Site near Beijing is an archaeological site of great significance for anthropological study, producing important fossil remains belonging to Homo erectus pekinensis (more commonly known as Peking man), stone flake tools used for flaking stones, animal remains and even evidence of fire use.
After the discovery of Peking man’s complete skull cap in 1988, this special site became one of the premier centers for global anthropology and has become the focus of extensive scientific work ever since.
However, during World War II many fossils were lost due to attempts by Nazi troops to transport them abroad for safekeeping. Luckily copies were made and excavations resumed afterward; today the area is protected with a canopy shield to shield it from harsh elements.
