Most Recent First
- Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art, displaying a Gaudi exhibition in the modern glass roofed building surrounded by skyscrapers and a park.
- Shanghai Art Museum, blend of modern and traditional Chinese art. Even with only a small grasp of the historical aspect of the pieces it drew the eyes wide open.
- Shanghai Museum, vast collection of ancient scrolls, tools, ink stamps, porcelain and bronzes, magnificently displayed.
- Sex Museum, Shanghai. Bizarre collection of objects. I’ll leave you to investigate if you have the inclination.
- Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai. One of the most authentic feeling temples I visited in China.
- Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai. Giant 88 floor structure with a cocktail bar at the top with lofty views of Shanghai’s Bund.
- Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai. Tacky pink and metallic by day, glittering by night. A trip up to the second sphere gave a 360 degree view of the cityscape. Quite ominous to see.
- Confucian Temple, Beijing. Slightly dilapidated. Like many of China’s temples, it doesn’t compare with those in India in my opinion. Of course not primarily a tourist sight.
- Lamasery, Beijing. Incense burning, Buddha’s image and swarms of tourists following flag wielding tour guides.
- Forbidden City, Beijing. Chinese Imperial Palace between Ming and Qing Dynasties. The world’s largest surviving palace complex. Tourist numbers are slightly overwhelming but worth the effort to try and see past that.
- Temple of Heaven, Beijing. Taoist complex and also dedicated to Heaven worship. Cylindrical shape makes it quite striking.
- Great Wall of China, Simatai. Miles of snaking wall across rolling hills. Less renovation work done here that many stretches. Some absolutely brilliant view points.
- Tiananmen Square, Beijing. Sun baked and huge. Looming Mao portrait and Mausoleum as well as Monument to the People’s Heroes and Olympic countdown. Stately, nerve racking, conjures up all sorts of Orwellian and Leftist theories past, present and future.
- Hua Shan, near Xi’an. One of five Chinese Taoist mountains. With a small group from my hostel I set off at 9pm and arrived at its peak for sunrise. Red ribbons are tied to the chains which lead up to the summit and thousands of padlocks also hang symbolising newlyweds’ everlasting love.
- Terracotta Army, Xi’an. Extraordinary collection of 8099 warriors and horses, buried along with the first Qin Emperor in 210 BC to guard over his grave. Each warrior has an individual facial expression. The whole collection, some only half excavated is housed in three large buildings.
- Karst Peaks, Yangshuo and Guilin. Soaring conical peaks surrounding Yangshuo, an old Chinese town.
