The Qiao Courtyard

A visit to the Qiao Courtyard in Qiaojiabao Village near Taiyuan City, capital of Shanxi Province, will get you acquainted with the local customs and practices of the central Shanxi area during the late Qing Dynasty and the initial period of the Republic of China (1912-1949). The courtyard, built during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reign periods of the Qing Dynasty, includes six large compounds, 2...

Ancient Street of Tunxi

This street, paved with flagstones, in Tunxi City, Anhui Province, is about 1,000 m long. Old-style buildings with two stories line the street. They have white walls, black tiled roofs and horse-head-shaped eaves. The street recreates the style of the Southern Song Dynasty, hence the name of the "Song Street," or "Song City." Foreign tourists call it the "Ancient Rome of the East."

Sunken Courtyard Dwellings

Sunken Courtyard Dwellings This unique form of dwelling is found on the loess plateau in Pinglu County, Shanxi Province. It is formed by digging a pit, 10 m deep, and hollowing out caves in the walls to serve as living quarters for both men and animals. The entrance and exit is via a slope. They show a unique style.

Sanxingdui

Sanxingdui, located in the suburbs of Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, is famous for the 5,000-year-old ruins of the capital of the Kingdom of Shu, pushing back the history of Shu by 2,000 years. A large number of unearthed cultural relics prove that Sanxingdui was one of the five major trade centers in ancient China. Bronze objects excavated here include the statue of man bigger than life siz...

Leshan Giant Buddha

The Leshan Giant Buddha is located on the west slope of Mount Lingyun, on the eastern bank of the Minjiang River near Leshan City, Sichuan Province. At 70.7 m high and 24 m wide at the shoulders, it is the biggest Buddha statue in China. The project started in the first year (713) of the Kaiyuan reign period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and was finished in the 19th year (803) of the...

Terracotta Warriors and Horses of the Qin Dynasty

The terracotta warriors and horses were found 40 km east of Van City, Shaanxi Province. They were buried in a series of pits to guard the mausoleum of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty, China's first unifier. The three pits so far excavated are 1.5 km from the tomb. The first pit has over 6,000 life-size terracotta warriors and horses, arranged in 38 rows of troops; the second pit has more th...

God Hill Cliff Paintings

About two km north of Daligaigou in the Urad Rear Banner of Inner Mongolia, there stands a steep hill with a flat top. The locals regard it as a sacred spot, hence the name "God Hill." On the northern slope of the hill, there are many jagged rocks with grotesque shapes which bear ancient cliff paintings of animals, horse riders, carriages, dances and a star map.

Yin Mountains Cliff Paintings

These cliff paintings are located in western Inner Mongolia. They can be divided into four types: the oldest ones dated from the New Stone Age to the Bronze Age, or the period of the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties of the Central Plains; the second-oldest were executed by the Xiongnu nomads at a time equal to the period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the Western Han Dynasty; the third-oldest bet...

Tibetan Cliff Paintings

These paintings are found in Lake Lamco and Nagri Prefecture, and Ranma Township in northern Tibet. They depict animals, plants, gods, sacrifices, herding, hunting, dancing, fighting, and so on. They are valuable materials for studying the development of Tibetan religion, and ancient nomadic economy, culture and art.

Huashan Mural Paintings

These paintings are found on a pyramid shaped hill on the eastern bank of the Mingjiang River, 25 km from the county town of Mingxian County. They were executed by the ancient Zhuang tribe. The predominant color is red, and the paintings mostly depict the everyday life and activities of this ethnic group.