China

China’s attractions are endless. Especially near the coast, if you run out of things to see in one city, the next is usually a short train ride away. History buffs, nature lovers and beach-goers are all catered to in China, where attractions range from the majestic Forbidden City in Beijing to the breathtaking scenery of Jiuzhaigou. Because of its sheer size and long history, China has the third-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, after Italy and Spain.

Karst Scenery

The gumdrop mountains and steeply sloping forested hills with bizarre rock formations favored by traditional Chinese artists are not creative fantasy. In fact, much of southern and southwestern China is covered in strangely eroded rock formations known as Karst. Karst is a type of limestone formation named after an area in Slovenia. As limestone layers erode, the denser rock or pockets of different stone resist erosion forming peaks. Caves hollow out beneath the mountains which can collapse forming sinkholes and channels leading to underground rivers. At its most unusual Karst erodes to form mazes of pinnacles, arches and passageways. The most famous example can be found in the Stone Forest (石林 Shílín) near Kunming in Yunnan. Some of the most famous tourist areas in China feature spectacular karst landscapes — Guilin and Yangshuo in Guangxi, and much of central and western Guizhou province.

Sacred sites

For sacred mountains, see the next section.

Several sites in China have famous Buddhist art:

• Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi Province – more than 51,000 Buddhist carvings, dating back 1,500 years, in the recesses and caves of the Yangang Valley mountainsides
• Mogao Caves in Gansu province – art and manuscripts dating back to the 4th century
• Dazu Rock Carvings near Chongqing – dating from the 7-13th century
• Longmen Grottoes – 5-10th century

Mountains

China is home to many sacred mountains.

The Five Great Mountains (五岳 wǔyuè), associated with Taoism:

• Mount Tai (泰山), Shandong Province (1,545 meters)
• Mount Hua (华山), Shaanxi Province (2,054 meters)
• Mount Heng (Hunan) (衡山), Hunan Province (1,290 meters)
• Mount Heng (Shanxi) (恒山), Shanxi Province (2,017 meters)
• Mount Song (嵩山）, Henan Province, where the famous Shaolin Temple (少林寺) is located (1,494 meters)

The Four Sacred Mountains (四大佛教名山 sìdà fójiào míngshān), associated with Buddhism:

• Mount Emei (峨嵋山), Sichuan Province (3,099 meters)
• Mount Jiuhua (九华山), Anhui Province (1,342 meters)
• Mount Putuo (普陀山), Zhejiang Province (297 meters, an island)
• Mount Wutai (五台山), Shanxi Province (3,058 meters)

The three main sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism:

• Mount Kailash, Tibet (5,656 meters), also known as Gang Rinpoche in Tibetan, also one of Hinduism’s holiest mountains visited by many Hindu pilgrims
• Kawa Karpo
• Amnye Machen

There are also other well-known mountains. In China, many mountains have temples, even if they are not especially sacred sites:

• Mount Qingcheng (青城山), Sichuan Province
• Mount Longhu (龙虎山), Jiangxi Province
• Mount Lao (崂山), Shandong Province
• Mount Wuyi (武夷山), Fujian Province, a major tourist/scenic site with many tea plantations
• Mount Everest, straddling the border between Nepal and Tibet, world’s highest mountain
• Mount Huang (黄山) (Yellow Mountain), in Anhui province, with scenery and temples
• Mount Wudang (武当山), near Danjiangkou in Hubei, Taoist mecca, birthplace of taichi and Wudang kung fu
• Changbaishan/Paektusan (Chinese:长白山 Korean:백두산), the most sacred mountain in the world to both ethnic Manchus and Koreans, located on the border with North Korea

Revolutionary Pilgrimage Sites

• Shaoshan (韶山) – First CCP Chairman and Chinese leader Mao Zedong’s hometown
• Mount Jinggang (井冈山) – The first CCP rural base area after the 1927 crackdown by the KMT
• Ruijin (瑞金) – Seat of the China Soviet Republic from 1929 to 1934
• Zunyi (遵义) – Site of the Zunyi Conference where Mao Zedong joined the Politburo Standing Committee
• Luding (泸定) – Site of a famous forced crossing of a high mountain river
• Yan’an (延安) – Primary base area for the Communist Party from 1935 to 1945
• Wuhan – Site of the 1911 Wuchang Uprising that led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China
• Guangzhou – Site of the Whampoa Military Academy where both KMT and Communist leaders (Chiang Kai Shek, Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong) trained and led troops and political study groups before the Northern Expedition of 1926-27.

Itineraries

Some itineraries cover trips that are entirely within China:

• Two weeks to a month in China
• A week near Hong Kong
• Along the Yangtze river
• Along the Yellow river
• Along the Grand Canal
• Yunnan tourist trail
• Overland to Tibet
• Long March

Others are partly in China:

• Europe to South Asia over land
• Silk Road – ancient caravan route from China to Europe
• Karakoram Highway – Western China to Pakistan through the Himalayas
• On the trail of Marco Polo
• Overland Kunming to Hong Kong

Martial Arts and Taichi

Those with the time and inclination may study China’s famed martial arts. Some, such as tai chi (太极拳 tàijíquán) can be studied by simply visiting any city park in the early morning and following along (there will be eager, potential teachers, too). Other martial arts require in-depth study. Famous martial arts programs include those at the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song and Wu Wei Temple near Dali.

Massage

High-quality, reasonably priced massages are easily found. Traditionally, massage is a trade for the blind in Asia. Expert work costs ¥15 to ¥30 an hour.

• Almost any hairdresser will give a hair wash and head massage for ¥10. This often includes cleaning out ear wax and some massage on neck and arms. With a haircut and/or a shave, ¥15-25. In large cities, expect to pay ¥40 or more for a cut and wash.

• Foot massage (足疗 zúliáo) is widely available, often indicated by a picture of a bare footprint on the sign. It costs ¥15-60.

• Whole-body massage is also widespread, costing ¥15 or more per hour. There are two varieties: ànmó (按摩) is general massage; tuīná (推拿) concentrates on the meridians used in acupuncture. The most expert massages are in massage hospitals, or general Chinese medicine hospitals, usually at ¥50 an hour or a bit more. The best value is at tiny out-of-the-way places some of whose staff are blind (盲人按摩 mángrén ànmó).

These three types of massage are often mixed; many places offer all three.

Language for massage:

• tòng (痛) and bú tòng (不痛) are “pain” and “no pain”
• hǎo (好) and bù hǎo (不好) are “good” and “not good”; hěn hǎo (很好) is “very good” or “great”
• yào (要) is “want”, bú yào (不要) “don’t want”
• yǎng (痒) is “that tickles”

A masseur or masseuse might ask “does this hurt”: tòng bú tòng? or tòng ma?. Answer tòng or bú tòng.

Be aware some massage shops or hair salons are fronts for prostitution. Venues advertising massages by the blind and without neon lighting are usually legitimate massage parlours and generally do not offer sex.

Traditional arts

If planning a long stay in China, consider learning some of the traditional arts. Traveling to China is a unique chance to learn the basics, or refine already acquired skills, directly from master practitioners in the arts’ home country. Many cities have academies that accept beginners, and not knowing Chinese is usually not a problem as learning is by example and imitation. Calligraphy (书法 shūfǎ), a term that covers both writing characters and painting scrolls (that is, classical landscapes and the like) remains a national hobby. Many calligraphers practice by writing with water on sidewalks in city parks. Classes are offered for learning to play traditional Chinese instruments (inquire in shops that sell these as many offer classes), to cook Chinese cuisine, or even to sing Beijing Opera (京剧 jīngjù). Fees are usually modest, and the necessary materials will not exactly break the bank. The classes require being in the same place for a long enough time, and showing sufficient respect; it is better not to join these classes as a tourist attraction.

Traditional pastimes

China has several traditional games often played in tea gardens, public parks, or even on the street. Players often attract crowds of on-lookers. Two famous strategy-based board games that originated in China are Go (围棋 wéiqí) and Chinese chess (象棋 xiàngqí). Mahjong (麻将 májiàng), a game played with tiles, is popular and often (well-nigh always) played for money, although its regional variations require learning new rules when visiting different areas. Among the most well known variants of this game are the Cantonese, Taiwanese and Japanese versions. Chinese checkers (跳棋 tiǎoqí ), despite its name, did not originate in China but can be found. Many Chinese are skilled card (扑克牌 pūkèpái) players; Deng Xiaoping’s love for bridge (桥牌 qiáopái) was particularly renowned.

Volunteering

China offers varied opportunities for volunteering and giving back, such as wildlife conservation with Panda bears, English, sports education and community aid. There are many ways to get in contact with the desired volunteer project, one of which is a comparison platform. On Volunteer World, a social startup from Germany, all volunteering options in China are listed.