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China

18 city guides · Asia

Cities in China (18)

Beijing

Beijing (北京 — "Northern Capital" — China's capital since 1420, when the Yongle Emperor moved the Ming court from Nanjing) is the most historically layered city in East Asia: the Forbidden City (紫禁城 — the world's largest palace complex, 180 acres, 980 buildings, 9,999 rooms, home to 24 emperors over 500 years), the Great Wall (北京段 — the most dramatic and accessible sections of the 21,196km wall), and the Temple of Heaven (天坛 — where the emperor performed the ritual that connected Heaven and Earth) are three of the most important monuments in the history of human civilization. Modern Beijing (22 million residents — the political, educational and cultural capital of China) is a city of extraordinary contrasts: the imperial gray of the Forbidden City beside the new CCTV Tower (Rem Koolhaas — the most structurally audacious skyscraper in the world), the hutong (胡同 — the medieval lane network of courtyard houses dating to the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368)) beside the elevated highways. Beijing's food culture is centred on Peking Duck (北京烤鸭 — the dish that requires 65 days of preparation from the specific white Pekin duck breed, inflated, lacquered with maltose syrup and roasted hanging in a wood-fired oven) and the jianbing (煎饼 — the Beijing street breakfast: a crepe with egg, chilli paste, scallion and crispy wonton).

Chengdu

Chengdu (成都 — "becomes a city," 2,300 years of continuous habitation) is the capital of Sichuan Province and the gateway to Tibet, the giant panda homeland, and the most distinct regional food culture in China: Sichuan cuisine (川菜 — one of the eight great culinary traditions of China, unique for its characteristic málà (麻辣 — "numbing and spicy") flavor profile created by Sichuan pepper (花椒 — huājiāo, the dried berry of the prickly ash tree, which creates a tingling, numbing sensation on the tongue (paresthesia) unlike any other spice in the world) combined with dried red chilli peppers). Chengdu has been designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and has more teahouses per capita than any other city in the world (the teahouse (茶馆 cháguan) culture of Chengdu — where locals gather for tea (specifically gaiwan cha, the lidded-bowl tea served in traditional teahouses), to play mahjong and to have their ears cleaned by the ear-cleaning barber who circulates between tables — is the most distinctive urban leisure tradition in Sichuan). The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (10km north of the city) is the most important panda conservation facility in the world and the only place outside the Bifengxia reserve where you can reliably see giant pandas in a semi-natural environment.

Chongqing

Subject: An overview of the destination including

Dalian

Dalian, China is a beautiful coastal city located in the Liaoning Province of China.

Fuzhou

Subject: An overview of the destination including

Hangzhou

Hangzhou, located in eastern China, is a city known for its beautiful West Lake, stunning natural scenery, and rich cultural heritage. As the capital of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou has a

Harbin

Harbin is one of the most fascinating cities to explore. In 3 days you'll discover its iconic landmarks, hidden gems and local flavours.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a city of extremes held in perfect tension — vertical glass towers against jungle-covered hills, British colonial courts buildings next to Qing dynasty temples, dai pai dong street food stalls beside Michelin-starred restaurants. The harbour is one of the great urban spectacles in the world. And three days is exactly enough to feel how Hong Kong works: the MTR, the Star Ferry, the Peak Tram, the temple incense, and the night market shopping.

Lhasa

Subject: An overview of the destination including

Macau

An overview of the destination Welcome to Macau, a vibrant city located on the southeastern coast of China. Known for its unique blend of Portuguese and Chinese influences, Macau offers visitors a rich cultural experience unlike any other destination in the world. This former Portuguese colony is now a Special Administrative Region of China, making it a fascinating mix of East and West.

Nanning

Subject: An overview of the destination including

Shanghai

Shanghai (上海 — "on the sea," though the sea is actually 50km to the east via the Yangtze estuary) is the largest city in China (24 million residents in the municipality) and the financial and commercial capital of the world's second-largest economy: a city that in one generation has gone from the partially derelict former colonial concession city of the 1990s to one of the most dramatic urban landscapes on earth — the Pudong skyline (the Oriental Pearl Tower 1994, Jin Mao Tower 1999, Shanghai World Financial Center 2008, Shanghai Tower 2015 — four iconic skyscrapers built in 21 years) rises directly across the Huangpu River from the Bund (the 1.5km of Edwardian and Art Deco colonial bank buildings from 1910–1936 — when Shanghai was the most cosmopolitan and financially powerful city in Asia, the "Paris of the East," with British, French, American and Japanese concession zones each with their own architecture, police and law). The contrast between these two waterfronts — one of colonial imperial grandeur, one of 21st-century ambition — is the most striking urban image in the world. Shanghai's food is the most refined regional cuisine in China after Cantonese: xiaolongbao (the soup dumpling invented in Shanghai in the 19th century), Shanghainese red-braised pork belly, hairy crab (a Shanghai autumn obsession), and the dumplings and noodles of the Chenghuang Miao (City God Temple) area.

Shenyang

Shenyang , located in northeastern China, is the largest city in Liaoning Province and serves as the provincial capital.

Shenzhen

Subject: An overview of the destination including

Tianjin

Subject: An overview of the destination including

Wuhan

Subject: An Overview of Wuhan Welcome to Wuhan, a vibrant city located in the central part of China.

Xiamen

Subject: An overview of Xiamen Xiamen, located on the southeast coast of China, is a fascinating destination known for its rich

Xian

Subject: An overview of the destination including