The Land of Awe

China is one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations, home to an ancient culture dating back more than six thousand years. Chinese is the longest continuously used written language system, and Chinese ingenuity is credited with not one but four inventions which, each in their time, changed the world... paper, the compass, gunpowder, and printing.

This country is vast and varied in every sense, from its current population over 1.3 billion, a land mass almost 9.6 million square kilometers and the fourth largest politically unified area (after Russia, Canada and the U.S.). China's borders span half the globe and she therefore has many neighbors: Burma, Vietnam and Laos are to the south, India, Nepal and Pakistan to the south west. Large chunks of Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan lie to the north. China's eastern border is ocean front, spanning the Yellow Sea, the east China Sea and the Pacific. The country is host to every kind of terrain from the Himalayas along the China-Nepal border to the Gobi Desert which lies in the rain shadow of the world's highest mountain range.

Thousands of years of exotic art and leading edge technologies have been produced over the millennia. A country of diverse peoples and dozens of languages, it is almost misleading to refer to it by a single name. Known chiefly to westerners for its political system and a few outstanding sites such as the Great Wall, China might better be viewed as several countries combined.

Though Beijing is the official capital, a country this size and varied actually has several unofficial capitals. Hong Kong is unquestionably the financial center of China. Shanghai, with a population of 20 million housed in over 5,800 sq km, is China's leading industrial center. It's also one of the country's tourist meccas. Visitors to Shanghai can do much more than marvel at China's economic boom, though. The Urban Planning Center shows the city as it was and will be. The Xiang Yang Market is the perfect place for those who have already seen San Francisco's and London's shopping opportunities. Not far away in Suzhou is the Grand Canal and night boat trips.
Then there is Beijing itself. Nearly 15 million live and work in this area of 16,410 sq km. The juxtaposition of ancient and ultra modern is everywhere. Beijing has the world's largest concentration of mobile phone users, but you will find historic pagodas and purveyors of ancient silk artifacts rubbing shoulders with 6-star hotels and European gourmet restaurants.

New modern skyscrapers sprout heavenward next to ancient temples. And now there is the famous image of the Olympic Stadium Birdsnest etched indelibly in all our minds, and the citizens of Beijing have become the recipients of all the additional modern construction which attended that event in August 2008. But the twenty-first century notwithstanding, Beijing is still guardian to much Chinese history - the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square... and an access point to the Great Wall is only 60Km away.

No visit to China would be complete without seeing the justly world-renowned Beijing Zoo. So much more than a home for pandas, this site that was once a private royal garden is now among the chief centers for animal study and display. With over 6,000 creatures representing 570 species from all over the country, the pandas have plenty of company.

You don't have to be an archeology buff to appeciate the wonder of 6,000 painstakingly excavated, life-size Terracotta Warriors. And you won't need to be a card-carrying member of the Sierra Club to feel your pulse quicken at the awe-inspiring sight of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, or the peaks of Mount Everest. Whatever delights you, China will awaken it in your heart.
 
Taste of China - One of Intrepid Travel's Carbon Offset Trips - Experience the ancient wonder of China's most famous attractions on a journey from Beijing to Shanghai.
 
The Great Wall

Under construction from the 3rd century BC to the 16th century AD, the Great Wall of China stretches from east to west across one of the largest countries in the world. From Shan-Hai Pass near Po Hai to Chia-Yu Pass, this around 6,000 km combination wall and string of fortresses is among the largest man-made objects on the planet. Even today minor repairs or reconstructions are continually being made.

Built to protect the 'Middle Kingdom' from raids by the Mongols, the Huns and other marauding tribes, the wall stretches across northern China, approaching within 60 km of Beijing. As a result, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations for visitors to that dynamic city. The portions accessible to most visitors were constructed beginning around 1368 AD to roughly 1640 AD, with much of it in only the last hundred years of that period.

Many watchtowers line the top, extending to the famed Gobi Desert and the oases of the Silk Road. Visitors can see portions in all states of preservation and repair. In some areas, the limestone blocks are little more than rubble. Many areas, though, have remained intact or been restored. Those wanting to see it as it might have been can visit the reconstructed areas. Those who prefer their archaeological artifacts as nature has eroded them, devoid of crowds, can see that as well.

About an hour from Beijing is the section called Si Ma Tai. The section is rough and the climb would represent a challenge for many. But there are guides and assists for those requiring them. Much of the terrain near the wall shown in photos appears dry and dusty, possibly discouraging a visit. But, in the area known as Mu Tian Yu, the wall is near heavily forested mountains, making the long trip well worth it.

The section known as Jin Shan Ling has not undergone reconstruction in the last 400 years. As a result, those who prefer their archaeological sites rough and un-retouched may want to visit this part. For the truly hardy, there's the 10km walk from Jinshanling to Simatai with breathtaking views and few tourists. At the Simatai end, there's an 800m cable ride down, so you can rest your aching feet.

The section at Huanghua is more off the beaten track and hikers will enjoy the opportunity to climb the wall in uncrowded conditions. You can even camp out overnight, if you dare. Take care to travel in a group in order to avoid difficulty with the locals, though.

Badaling is one section that has been renovated and, as a result, tends to be more heavily populated with tourists. The upside is a much safer walk, where there's no risk of being accosted by locals attempting to make an unauthorized dollar out of your visit. It's also one of the closest sections to Beijing, representing a shorter trip there and back.

At whatever location the wall is toured, the views of the surrounding scenery is as spectacular as the wall itself. Don't miss out on a visit to one of the world's most extraordinary sites.
 

 
The Forbidden City

Like China itself, the Imperial Palace in Beijing has come a long way in 600 years. Once the home of Emperors of one of the oldest civilizations on Earth, it now houses a Starbucks. Fortunately, alongside the encroaching commercial enterprises, the terrible grandeur of those bygone empires has been preserved within its massive walls.

The more than 800 buildings comprising the complex were first constructed in the early 15th century as a home, center of government and fortress for the Ming, and later Qing, emperors. For 500 years, until the establishment of the short-lived Chinese Republic in 1912, the grounds were the center of Chinese power.

The popular description for the Imperial Palace, Forbidden City, derives from the royal rule forbidding entrance to any but the royal retinue. Violation of the rule brought a sentence of death. That era is long gone, happily, and the palace is now one of the world's most popular tourist attractions. And there is enough to see here at Zijin Cheng in Beijing to occupy all of a short vacation. Covering 720,000 square meters (178 acres), and surrounded by ten meter (33ft) high walls, there are seventeen palaces. Surrounding the grounds are several Royal gardens. The colorful gardens are a perfect complement to the palaces themselves, as the Royal yellow dominates their rooftops.

Entrance is either through the north wall or the south wall. At the southern end is the Meridian Gate at the infamous Tiananmen Square. The northern entrance is via the Gate of the Divine Might, which faces Jingshan Park. The distance between the two is nearly a kilometer. Within that space is the Outer Court encompassing three halls once used for coronations and Imperial weddings. Given China's turbulent history the names are deeply ironic... like the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which leads to the Imperial library, for instance.

The Inner Court, on the northern and eastern end, holds another three halls that were used for daily administration of the country. Within the court is the Palace of Heavenly Purity, near the residence of the Emperor and his family and servants. Also at the northern end is one of the main Imperial gardens, home to many trees that are centuries old.

Within the walls are housed rare treasures collected over the centuries. Among these are a collection of unusual timepieces held in the Hall of Clocks. The Chinese were among the world's leading artisans and clockmakers, owing to their advanced level of science and mathematics.

The Palace Museum, one of the more popular attractions, holds over a million artifacts, both rare and unusual. Everything from Royal robes to unique porcelain are displayed. Earthenware from the Stone Age, bronzes and jade artifacts from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and pottery tomb figurines from the Han are part of the collection. Ancient and more modern paintings adorn the walls, along with scrolls and samples of calligraphy from down the centuries.

The Forbidden City in Beijing is only one of the many attractions of this ancient and dynamic city. But no visit to the capital of China would be complete without a day spent here.
 
The Terracotta Warriors

Completed around 210 BC at his death, the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is the equal of any pyramid. The tomb is located in Xi'an and represents one of the world's foremost archaeological sites. No pharaoh built a burial chamber with over 8,000 warriors standing guard over his riches.

Xi'an was the provincial capital of Shan'Xi Province for over 1,000 years. It is the starting point of the famed Silk Road, which was the trading route used by travelers for centuries. Today, most visitors come for the view of the emperor's tomb and Terracotta Warriors within. Some warriors are lined up in formation, others sit atop horses. Many others are standing inside chariots. The smallest group is 64,500 square feet and holds 1,400 figures. But the larger area is huge: 6,000 warriors stand on over 172,000 square feet. The third area is mostly statues of officers, managing chariots drawn by four enormous horses.

The statues are not all cut from the same mold. The figures have different heights and facial features. The uniforms vary and many carry real weapons of the period. Sometimes known as Qin's Army, the clay for the six foot statues was composed from the surrounding hills. Six feet high may not sound tall today. But to the Chinese 2,000 years ago, they were near giants. They were once preserved and painted with a colorful lacquer, but it has now all worn off. The construction project spanned 35 years and employed hundreds of thousands of workers. Many of them were buried in the tomb just as ancient workers on the pyramids were.

Near the main tomb is a 250 foot/76m high pyramid of clay. It held rooms, hallways and other architectural features. Though one can only guess at the purpose, it may have served as a kind of construction project administrative center. It isn't just the warriors that are impressive, though. The horses on which many are mounted are festooned with gems. Pearls stud the ceiling in the shape of the constellations as they were at the time.

Many of the jewels are missing today, a result of theft. Over the centuries the tomb and pyramid has suffered looting, fire and decay just as most archaeological sites have. Surprisingly, the tomb can be seen much as it must have been at the time. Much of that is the result of the careful restoration efforts. Though nowhere near as old as the pyramids of Egypt, these statues continue to inspire awe over 2,000 years later, even if they are made of baked clay.

This magnificent find was discovered accidentally in 1974 by some local fishermen digging a well. The word soon got to archaeologists who have been excavating it ever since. Visit The Terracotta Warriors and you'll readily see why.
 

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