China's Top "Big Ticket" Attractions

Given the nature of overlanding and how insanely big China is, we have decided to break our blog posts down thematically rather than chronologically for ease of writing (and reading!) Today's post is about some of the BIG tourist attractions that we managed to see on this trip to China (think the kinds of things that make the top ten in Lonely Planet).

The Great Wall

Whilst you can't actually see it from space, there are quiet a few different options to visit the Great Wall on the ground given its vastness. Contrary to popular belief, the ‘Great Wall’ is in fact a series of walls and fortifications built by different Chinese dynasties, with many branches which were made from a variety of materials (not just stone!). Given this some sections are nothing more than a vague line of tumbling bricks and others are testament only to the most modern of Chinese construction techniques and are absolutely rammed with people. We ended up in an area close to the popular Jinshanling but at a section of unrestored wall nestled in the sharp green hills which still manages to retain its features but was completely deserted. We stayed at a very quiet homestay and it felt as though we had the wall pretty much to ourselves!

The Forbidden City

A must see on any guide to China, this former imperial palace complex of the Ming and Qing dynasties is truly truly vast. Now a UNESCO world heritage site and museum, it remains one of the best examples of Chinese palatial architecture which went on to infulence construction all over Asia. With over 16 million visitors annually in 2017, it is one of the world’s most visited sites and at times, it does feel like all the tourists have come at once. Despite the crowding it is possible to find less intense courtyards and areas, as information regarding the history of the buildings and those who occupied them is delivered via a headset which automatically plays when you enter specific areas.

The Terracotta Warriors

As one of the defining images of Chinese cultural heritage projected to the outside world, the Terracotta Warriors located near Xi'an were one of the things we were most excited about visiting.

The sculptures, dating from the late third century BCE, depict the armies of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, complete with archers, generals and even horses and cavalierly men. They were designed to protect the Emperor in the afterlife and were only rediscovered in 1974 by local farmers. The feat of craftsmanship and planning on display were superb, but be warned, the excavated pits do vary in impressiveness - we were correctly advised to visit them in reverse order (3,2 then 1), to save the huge aircraft hanger sized pit (and the most famous) until last. As with most places in China, expect enormous crowds and no air-conditioning and be prepared to use your elbows or you will NEVER get to the front!

Tian’anmen Square

We happened to visit Tian’anmen Square on a day when the Forbidden City was closed, so the huge crowds normally expected were eerily absent. The whole area is so vast it's almost impossible to fully appreciate its scale and with the backdrop of Beijing's hazy overcast smog, the whole experience was slightly surreal if fitting, given its notoriety as the location of the Tian’anmen Square Massacre in 1989, which saw the armed suppression of a pro-democracy movement.

The Temple of Heaven

Another of Beijing's tourist hotspots, the Temple of Heaven is actually a complex of different religious sites which were visited by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, all set within a lush green park. Here older locals can be seen playing games whilst others jog through the manicured grounds. The crowds of tourists meanwhile snake their way through the different temples often at a snails pace. The ticketing system is twofold, whereby you pay entry into the park itself and purchase separate tickets for each of the temples within.