﹛﹛Suzhou , a beautiful city in the Jiangsu province to the north of Shanghai has a history of 2,500 years. Small rivers crisscross the city, winding through clusters of residential houses with white-washed walls and pitch-black tiles. Centuries-old stone bridges span over the rivers and covered boats pass by under the bridges. Such an attractive scene is just like a water-color painting. Suzhou well-known as a garden city, there are about 60 classical gardens. The gardens with their sophisticated layout and exquisite art of gardening reflect a unique urban culture that has nourished the city for centuries. No wonder Suzhou is praised as "the heaven on earth." Silk products, from gown and shirt to scarf and tie, and embroidery are the best souvenirs you must not miss. And Suzhou-styled noodles tantalize your palate with pleasantly sweetish toppings. As a pearl shining in the Yangtze Delta Region, Suzhou is only one hour car ride from Shanghai .

﹛﹛History has bestowed this China's capital a tremendously rich heritage of culture. The biggest pearl on this crown is the Forbidden City . The largest and best preserved Ming-Dynasty architecture in China today, the Forbidden City served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties that spanned about 500 years in China 's history. As the palace museum, it appeals the tourists with ornate imperial rooms filled with glistening treasures. Roaming through other historic places as the Great Wall, the Tian'an Men Square , the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven is like wandering the passage of time in China 's long history. Another big delight that one shall not miss in the day time is a tricycle tour through Hutong. Hutong is the popular name of lanes called by the local people. Small alleys that crisscross the blocks of the traditional residential courtyards are almost disappearing amidst the rapid urban development of Beijing . Some of them have been preserved by the city government as the special area of the Hutong Tour. And in the evening, hitting any of those river-side chic bars in Houhai, an old neighborhood just a stone's throw from the Forbidden City , will be very enjoyable. Beijing is about one hour and 40 minutes by air from Shanghai .

﹛﹛The reputation of Qingdao is partly thanks to the Tsingtao beer. Tsingtao is an old spelling of the city on the Shandong Peninsula . It came down as the heritage of German culture that dominated this port city when it was occupied by German armies about a century ago. The influence of German culture is also seen from a large number of architectures well preserved till today. Most of these buildings are located in the old part of the downtown Qingdao , where a stroll along the streets of ups and downs turns out to be very enjoyable. Every year, the city hosts a large-scale beer festival, a somewhat celebration like the Octoberfest. Restaurants and street-side food stands would put up a wide selection of mouth-watering seafood for people to wash down with Tsingtao beer one keg after another. The beaches in Qingdao draw a huge number of travelers who seek summer resorts. Qingdao is about an hour by air from Shanghai .

﹛﹛Since its establishment as a city more than 3,100 years ago, Xi'an was chosen as the capital by the emperors of l2 dynasties in Chinese history, which spanned 11 centuries in total. The most dominating of them was the Tang Dynasty, in which China witnessed its golden age in history. At that time, the city was a commercial and trading hub in the Far East, ranking with the ancient Rome as the two famous cosmopolitan cities in the world. And it was the starting point for the Silk Road . The glorious history of Xi'an has left with it abundant heritages for people to marvel at today. The city itself is a museum. The breathtaking exhibition in it is the armies of terra cotta warriors unearthed around the mausoleum of China 's first emperor who reigned the Qin Dynasty 2,200 years ago. It is one of the first historic sites in China listed as the World Heritage. The mausoleum has been guarded untouched by its mystic aura, with curiosity of archaeologists growing day by day. The towering city wall that encircles the city of Xi'an ', dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is the best preserved bulwark in the world. Other noteworthy heritages include Shaanxi Museum of History, the museum with the largest stock of antiques and relics in China , and the Ming-Dynasty Stele Museum , which displays more than 3,000 steles with beautiful Chinese calligraphy carved on them. Xi'an is about two hours by air from Shanghai .

﹛﹛It is in Chengdu where your taste buds will be stunned and burned by how hot and spicy the authentic Sichuan food truly is. But besides, everything else is mild, from the climate to the characters of local Sichuanese and their culture. Chengdu not only boasts a number of historic relics that date back to the fifth century, but also rich natural resources. It is the home town of panda. There are only 1,000 pandas living the world today, 80 per cent of them are in Chengdu and the mountain regions in the vicinity of Chengdu . Most of them live in the three major panda preserves. The world largest panda reproduction and research center is located in Chengdu . The city of Chengdu nestles amid the rolling mountains with lush vegetations that offer tourists enough choices to explore. Well-known scenic spots include the Qingcheng Mountain , the Nine-Peak Mountain , the Dragon-Fountain Lake and the Yellow-Dragon Creek. In the southwest of China , the city also serves as a key transit point to travelers on their way to other appealing destinations, such as the Ermei Mountain , the Three Gorges and Tibet . Chengdu is two and a half hours by air from Shanghai .

﹛﹛Located in the southern tip of Liaoning Province , Dalian boasts a beautiful coastal landscape and a comfort climate. These make it "the best city for living" as commented by the United Nations. A number of beach resorts spread out on the 1,000-kilometer long coastal line, drawing travelers from all over China in the summer season. Its most famous beaches include the Tiger Beach , the Golden Rock Beach and Xinghai ( Star Sea ) Park. The central downtown features a cluster of well preserved heritage buildings in grandiose European style, which can date back to the early 20th century when Russian culture had a strong influence on the city. Dalian is about an hour and a half by air from Shanghai .

﹛﹛Guilin , by the banks of the Li River, is considered to be one of the most beautiful tourist cities in China . With more than 2,000 years of cultural history, Guilin has gained reputation both at home and abroad for its unique scenery: green hills, rocky cliffs, clear water, numerous caves, stones of various shapes. Since its opening up in the early 1980s some 70 million tourists from more than 150 countries and regions and tens of heads of the foreign governments and states have visited Guilin . The scenery of Guilin has been called the finest under heaven. It attracts innumerous tourists from all over the world. Guilin 's scenery is characterized by its "green hills, crystal water, unique rocks and fantastic caves", which are typical of the sub-tropical  karst formation. Li River, a picturesque river, adds a great charm to the landscape of Guilin . 

﹛﹛Located in Qufu , Shandong Province, the Confucius Temple is one of the oldest heritages in China . Confucius was the founder of Confucianism and one of China 's greatest philosophers, Every year a national ritual to venerate Confucius is held in the temple since it was converted from the residence of Confucius in 478BC, a year after his death. This huge complex consists of more than 100 buildings of 16,000 square meters floor space that were set up in different dynasties. The architectural design is unique and the temple houses a huge amount of relics, and thus, turning the temple into a museum to trace the history of Confucius and his great thoughts. More than 1,000 steles are preserved in the temple, on which engraved records, odes, poems and essays that emperors, celebrities, and men of letters wrote to extol Confucius in the past centuries. Many of those Steles feature beautiful calligraphy left by masters in China 's history. In addition, there are countless stone sculptures in the temple complex, which are invaluable historic relics and works of art. Also well preserved in Qufu, Confucius' hometown, are the residence of Confucius' descendants, which is located in the east of the Confucius Temple . The cemetery of the Confucius family is in the north of the city, which consists of more than 100,000 tombs of people deceased in the past 2500 years.

﹛﹛In the south of Anhui Province , the Yellow Mountain has long been one of the hottest destinations for travelers from both home and abroad. The Yellow Mountain is known for its four wonders: bizarre pines, grotesque rocks, sea of cloud, and hot springs . Visitors could marvel at 72 peaks that feature the human or animal figures or liken to other objects, which make people wonder if they are created by the hands of the Mother Nature. The three tallest peaks are all above 1,800 meters high. All these can be seen in the 154 square kilometers Yellow Mountain Scenic Zone. The best part of the whole Yellow Mountain covers 1,200 square kilometers. In 1990, the Yellow Mountain was selected by UNESCO as one of the World Heritages.

﹛﹛The Three Gorges refers to the l92-km stretch of the Yangtze River that winds eastward from Baidi Town of Fengjie, Chongqing to Yichang , Hubei Province. The stretch covers three gorges, the Qutang Gorge, the Wu Gorge and the Xiling Gorge, which highlight the most picturesque views of the mountains and river landscape along the Yangtze River . As one of the ten most famous scenic spots in China , the Three Gorges appeals visitors on a cruise line with grand, charming and precipitous mountains. It also tops the country's 40 best sightseeing places. This stretch of the Yangtze River has become a tourist destination for business travelers as well. There are 43 luxurious cruisers running along the Three Gorges, with a total passenger capacity of more than 600, 000. Currently, ten more luxurious boats are being built for the river cruise. The completion of the Three Gorges Dam has provided another wonder for visitors to marvel at.