The Giant Pandas, Chengdu

The giant pandas are not only a Chinese national treasure but are also beloved by people the world over. They are found only in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. In total there are fewer than 1000, of which 80% are distributed within the territory of Sichuan province. Therefore, when visitors from home and abroad come to Chengdu, Sichuan Province one of their main objectives will be to see the giant pandas for themselves.

Located just 6 miles (10 km) away from downtown Chengdu, the Panda Breeding Research Center has been created and imitated the pandas' natural habitat in order that they might have the best possible environment for rearing and breeding. It cares also for other rare and endangered wild animals with an area of 560 mus (92 acres), 96% of which is verdure. Giant pandas, lesser pandas, black-necked cranes, white storks as well as over 20 species of rare animals are fed and bred there throughout the year. Verdant bamboo, bright flowers, fresh air, a natural hill scene and a beautiful artificial view are merged ingeniously at the base.

The necessary facilities for giant pandas have been completed and include a fodder room, sleeping quarters and a medical station. Additionally there is a Giant Panda Museum together with research laboratories and a training center.

A great number of plants and as many as ten thousand clumps of bamboos and bushes have been cultivated to provide for the giant pandas' diet and habitat. The center is planned to be expanded by another 3000 mus (500 acres) of land on which to simulate a natural environment order to prepare the giant pandas bred for release into the wild.

The Giant Panda Museum was opened in 1993 to further scientific education and to improve public awareness of the protection of both wild creatures and their environment. This is the world's only thematic museum for rare and endangered animal species. The three main exhibitions are in the Giant Panda Hall, the Butterfly Hall and the Vertebrate Hall. The exhibits include all kinds of precious pictures, more than 800 materials and show more than 2140 different samples gathered in Sichuan. These include examples of animals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects as well as fossils and models. The resources held in store at the museum include up to ten thousand samples as well as a library of thousands of books and documents. This excellent and comprehensive museum provides a wonderful venue for all who are interested in seeing something of the propagation and protection of the region's natural bio-diversity.

Admission Fee:	CNY 58
Opening Hours:	07:30 to 18:00 (tickets sales closed at 17:00)
Best Time to Visit:	09:00-10:00 in the morning for it is active breakfast time
How to Get There:	Take taxi from the city proper and it costs CNY30 or so. Take bus 60 from Xinnanmen Tourism Coach Station and get off  at Longqing Road Shulong Road. Then walk along the Panda Avenue  for about several minutes to the panda center. Take bus 1, 32, 49, 53, 63, 64, 69, 70, 71, 83, 156 to Zhaojuesi Bus Stop.   Then change to Bus 198 to Panda center. Chengdu Bus / Subway Search

Car Rental: Full-day car rental service from downtown to the Panda Base is offered by TravelChinaGuide, with experienced chauffeur. 

Special Notice:

At present, holding a panda to take photos is not allowed due to the earlier canine distemper accident happened in Xian.  The restart time depends on when the epidemic ends.

Hereunder is earlier information on holding pandas to take photos for your reference: CNY 2,000 is needed for holding a 8-to-10-month-old panda and taking photos with him / her for one or two minutes. Visitors need to make a reservation by sending an email to pandabase@panda.org.cn or calling at 86-28-83505513. Once the reservation is confirmed, you can have a close contact with the panda on the appointed date. In addition, CNY 2000 should be paid in cash.   

Bifeng Gorge of China Panda Conservation and Research Center is in north Ya'an, 93 miles (150 km) southwest of Chengdu.

Dujiangyan Panda Base about 34 miles (56 km) northwest of Chengdu, is also an ideal choice to see the cute animals. 

Wolong National Nature Reserve remains closed due to the influence of the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008.

source : http://www.travelchinaguide.com/

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Li River, Guilin

The Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo is the centerpiece of any trip to northeastern Guangxi Province. Gorgeous Karst peaks give you surprises at each bend of the limpid river under the blue sky. Water buffalo patrol the fields, peasants reap rice paddies, school kids and fisherman float by on bamboo rafts. With its breathtaking scenery and taste of a life far removed from the concrete metropolis, the scenery along the river become one of China's top tourist destinations.

The trip starts from the dock south of Liberation Bridge in Guilin downtown area. Otherwise some agencies will transport tourists to take a one-hour bus ride to the Bamboo River Dock (Zhujiang Dock) or the Millstone Hill Dock to start the cruise from its essential part.

The river trip is over 52 miles (83 kilometers) long and is estimated to take four to five hours. The eye-feasting landscape and country scenery will never disappoint you.

The river generally has three sections. Various attractions like peaks and villages along the river have interesting descriptive names, which calls for much of your imagination to see what it is like. Listening to tour guide's legendary stories about the attractions is a delightful experience when you are appreciating the landscapes. Most are mystical fairy and love stories.

The following Introduction to the attractions are presented in order of the attractions' locations along the river. You can refer to the map of the river course. Now start our impressive river trip from section to section!

In the first section, which is from Guilin to Ox Gorge, you can enjoy the following scenery: Elephant-Trunk Hill,Rooster Fighting Hill, Pagoda Hill, Forest of Odd Shaped Peaks, Daxu Ancient Town , and Ox Gorge.

Elephant Trunk Hill

Situated majestically on the western bank of the river, the hill resembles an elephant sucking water from the river with its long trunk. It is supposed to be the landmark of Guilin landscape, which you can find on travel brochures or books. The most impressive is said to be the water reflection of a moon-like cave when the moonlight sprinkles over the river, hence the name 'Moon over the Water'.

Pagoda Hill

A few minutes down from the Elephant Hill on the west bank is a small hill topped with a pagoda. The hexagonal pagoda is called Longevity Buddha Pagoda (Shoufo Ta) dating from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is said the second floor has stone Buddha figurines on display and the hill is compassed in Chuanshan Park. In autumn, the hill illuminated with red maples is very charming.

Daxu Town

Perching on the northern bank of the river, the ancient town keeps in its antique style from the  Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). A flagging street, lined with old residences, shops and stalls, runs two kilometers along the river bank through the town. Some well-preserved residences hidden behind the street door may give you surprises you when you occasionally explore further into a shop. These are quarters for businessmen in the past times. Have a try on various dumping snacks on the stalls or peddle cars along the street. Some will surprise you with both its taste and cheap price. People in the town are very kind to tourists. Further to south, there is a single-arched bridge in the town named Longevity Bridge. The town is really a sight off-the-beaten track. Opposite the town on the other side of the river, a millstone-like rock with the running waters creates the scene of Grinding Grain.

In the second section, which is from Ox Gorge (near the Bamboo River Dock and the Millstone Dock) to Water-Dropping Village, the most charming scenery of the cruise awaiting you include: Wangfu Rock (Yearning-for-Husband's-Return Rock), Crown Cave, Half-Side Ferry, Yangdi Village, Mural Hill, Yellow Cloth Shoal, and Xingping Town.

Crown Cave (Guanyan)
A crown-like crag earns the hill its name. What makes the hill a worthy stop for both river cruise tourists and those arrive from Guilin City by bus tour is its twelve kilometer long water-eroded cave. It is a wonderland of various stalactite, stone pillars and rock formations in the cave. Since it is open to tourists in 1995, illuminating lights, sound control tour guide system and escalators are equipped in the scenic area and sightseeing cars and boats enable visitors to tour inside the cave. The government plan to build this site as an all-round tourist area including cave visiting, country sightseeing and ethnic minority exploration. It is estimated to become an important excursion site along the the river. Tourists can stay in the hotels and villas in the scenic area.

Half-Side Ferry (Ban Bian Du)

Not very far from the Crown Cave on the western bank, a huge rock descends into the river and cuts off a footpath by the water edge. Villagers have to take a ferry to reach the other side and continue the way. So, this spot gets its name Half-Side Ferry (for usually ferry means to transport people by boat across a body of water and reach the opposite bank)

From Yangdi to Xingping

Down stream from Yangdi to Xingping, the river passes an endless procession of distinct peaks and bamboo groves and the stunning landscape. This part is the highlight of the cruise. Pinnacled peaks pop up and surprise visitors at each bend of the river. Water buffalos patrol on the fields; ducks paddle in the waters; peasants reap paddies in front of village houses; fishermen use the cormorants to catch the fish and return them to the boat and kids go home singing songs. All these create an idyllic and beautiful scene of the life removed from concrete cities.

A reputed attraction is Mural Hill, a 100-meter-high cliff face, which has been weathered and has stratified rock surface in various shades of colors. It is rumored that the colors present nine horses and a person who can identify them out is considered smart. Legendary stories are given to hill rocks and peaks and it is a delightful experience to appreciate the stunning landscape while listening to tour guide's interpretation of the stories behind it.

Fisherman and Cormorants

Cormorants are good sized birds who enjoy diving underwater in search of fish. Fishermen use the cormorants to catch the fish and return them to the boat. Usually fishermen seem to be more sun-tanned. The fisherman drive the birds into the water where they dive below the surface in search of fish. When the birds catch a fish they return to the boat and the fisherman removes the fish from their throat and places it in the basket. The secret is that the fisherman places a cord around the bird's neck to keep the bird from swallowing the fish.

You will see buffalos gazing along the river bank or patrolling on the fields. They seem to be indispensable friends of peasants, especially for kids.

Yellow Cloth Shoal

Boating downstream southward from the Mural Hill about 500 meters, peaks become steep and the river become wide and quiet. A huge yellow flagstone lying under the limpid waters can easily be seen. It is like a cloth piece and people called it Yellow Cloth Shoal. There are seven green peaks standing nearby. A legend goes that the seven peaks are fairy girls from the heaven who took baths in the river. Enthralled by the charming scene, they stayed here and become into the peaks. With verdant bamboos, the green peaks under the blue sky reflected on the quiet waters create a spectacular scene. Sometimes, people doubt they see boats floating on hill tops. Many Chinese paintings and poems present this charming scene and tourists run out of their films for it.

Xingping

The river takes a big turn at Xingping and endowed with beautiful and poetic scenery. It has been reproduced in many Chinese landscape paintings. Even the newly-issued 20 RMB note has the scenery on its back. A photographer once said: 'Shots from any perspective for this place turn to be impressive and stunning'.

A 'village' on the river bank is worthy a visit. Chinese call it a 'village' because of the fact that nowadays it is inhabited by villagers. Actually, it is an age-old castle complex survived from over 500 years ago. Although some courtyard buildings have weathered through ages, the simple but elegant flying-eaves, roofs with colorful paintings, lattice windows and unique timber structures present the folk residence from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The villagers have the same surname of Zhao, so it is rumored that they are descendents of the imperial family in the Song Dynasty. Both Dr. Sun Yet-sun, the pioneer of China's democratic revolution and US president Colinton paid a visit to the village on their visits to the river.

The third section goes from Water-Dropping Village to Yangshuo where you can see Snail Hill, Green Lotus Peak (Bilian Peak), and Schoolboy Hill (Shutong Hill). The scenery is equally beautiful.

Yangshuo

The river cruise makes the small town known to foreigners. The town is very small that everyone will know you after one month. Located some 90 kilometers south of Guilin City, this town is the downstream end of the cruise but not the least. The enchanting fairyland of Yangshuo is renowned as the best in Guilin.

When the cruise ends in Yangshuo, tourists will disembark at the Shuidongmen Dock near the Green Lotus Peak or Fu'an Dock near the Schoolboy Hill. Walking to the famous West Street is a great choice if you disembark from the Shuidongmen Dock. The West Street lined with western cafes, restaurants and hotels is a wonderful place for people who want to explore Chinese life.

Yangshuo is a great place for hikes and cycling excursions. There's no doubt that taking a close-up exploration to the country villages, you will have a taste of the rural life. One thing surprised us is the one-hour bamboo raft trip along Yulonghe River. We didn't expect the scenery to be such a paradise.

Car Rental: full-day car rental service to the river Cruise and back to downtown offered by TravelChinaGuide, with experienced chauffeur.

source : http://www.travelchinaguide.com/

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The Terracotta Army, Xian

The Terracotta Army (Terracotta Warriors and Horses) are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Quan Shi Huang's Mausoleum in Lintong, Xian, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.

Upon ascending the throne at the age of 13 (in 246 BC),Qin Shi Huang, later the first Emperor of all China, had begun to work for his mausoleum. It took 11 years to finish. It is speculated that many buried treasures and sacrificial objects had accompanied the emperor in his after life. A group of peasants uncovered some pottery while digging for a well nearby the royal tomb in 1974. It caught the attention of archeologists immediately. They came to Xian in droves to study and to extend the digs. They had established beyond doubt that these artifacts were associated with the Qin Dynasty (211-206 BC).

Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses

The State Council authorized to build a museum on site in 1975. When completed, people from far and near came to visit. The Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses have become landmarks on all visitors' itinerary.

Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. They are replicas of what the imperial guard should look like in those days of pomp and vigor.

The museum covers an area of 16,300 square meters, divided into three sections: No. 1 Pit, No. 2 Pit, and No. 3 Pit respectively. They were tagged in the order of their discoveries. No. 1 Pit is the largest, first opened to the public on China's National Day - Oct. 1st, 1979. There are columns of soldiers at the front, followed by war chariots at the back.

No. 2 Pit, found in 1976, is 20 meters northeast of No. 1 Pit. It contained over a thousand warriors and 90 chariots of wood. It was unveiled to the public in 1994.Archeologists came upon No. 3 Pit also in 1976, 25 meters northwest of No. 1 Pit. It looked like to be the command center of the armed forces. It went on display in 1989, with 68 warriors, a war chariot and four horses.

Altogether over 7,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and even weapons have been unearthed from these pits. Most of them have been restored to their former grandeur. Since Oct. 1st, 2010 the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum have been combined into one large attraction area,Emperor Quan Shi Huang's Mausoleum site museum, which also includes three other small sites opened in 2011. The Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum and the nearby three unopened sites (namely the Museum of Terracotta Acrobatics, the Museum of Terracotta Civil Officials and the Museum of Stone Armor) constitute the so-called Lishan Garden. Besides, 30 free shuttle buses have been available for visitors' convenience to travel between the Lishan Garden and the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses from then on.

The Terra Cotta Army is a sensational archeological find of all times. It has put Xian on the map for visitors. It was listed by UNESCO in 1987 as one of the world cultural heritages.

Transportation:

How to get to the Warriors from Xian Xianyang International Airport?

Visitors can take Airport Shuttle Line 2 to Xian Railway Station. The bus departs every hour from 10:15 to 19:15 at 1F of T2 and the ticket costs CNY 25. After, take tourism bus no.5 (306), bus no.914, 915 and get off at the final station.

Visitors can also hire a taxi from the airport. Remember to take the legitimate green colored taxies and the fee is about CNY 200. Please make it clear to the taxi driver that you only go to the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses and refuse to go to other scenic sites including souvenir shops.

How to get the Warriors from Xian Ralway Station or downtown?

You can go to the the east square of Railway Station to take tourism bus no.5 (306) for reaching destination. The whole journey takes about one hour. The bus fare for tourism bus no. 5 (306) is CNY7 (US$1.12) per person. Or one can take bus no.307 from the south gate of Tang Paradise. It costs CNY8 (US$1.28) per person if tourists take bus no. 307.

How to get to the Warriors from Xian North Railway Station?

There are free shuttle buses between North Railway Station and the museum. They are scheduled from the railway station from 08:00 to 16:00 and return from the museum during 10:30 and 19:30. The whole journey takes around an hour.

Note: To take the free shuttle bus, you will get a boarding pass/card by showing your train ticket on the arrival day and the entrance ticket to any attraction of Lintong. Upon arrival, you can buy the tickets of Lintong attractions at the Tourists Service Center on the underground floor of the railway station.

From Lintong District:

Take bus 914, 915 or Speical Line 101 and get off at Terracotta Warrior Museum. The whole journey takes about 15 minutes.
Getting Around:
30 shuttle buses are traveling between the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses and the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum for tourists' convenience. One can take them for free by showing the entrance ticket. 

Operating hours: 08:30-18:30

Xian Bus / Subway Search

Car Rental : car rental service to Terra Cotta Warriors Museum offered by TravelChinaGuide, with experienced chauffeur.

Admission Fee:	CNY150 (March 1 - end of November) CNY120 (December 1 - end of Februay) The fare is for the Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Site Park Through Ticket including the Museum of Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Lishan Garden and shuttle buses inside the scenic area.
Guide Services:	The exhibits are so well explained in both Chinese and English. However, visitors can also enjoy the guide services. It costs around CNY 100 to hire a guide.
Opening Hours:	Sell ticket from 08:30 to 17:00 (March 16-Nov.15), stop check-in at 18:35; Sell ticket from 08:30 to 16:30 (Nov.16-March 15), stop check-in at 18:05
Recommended Time for a Visit:	It usually takes around three hours in the museum. Tip: The museum is crowded in the morning because there are too many group visitors. Therefore, independent visitors may visit it in the early afternoon to avoid the crowds. However, they should not miss the last bus that returns from the museum to Xian at 19:00.

source : http://www.travelchinaguide.com/

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The Bund, Shanghai

The Bund, also called Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (East Zhongshan 1st Road), is a famous waterfront and regarded as the symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years. It is on the west bank of Huangpu River from the Waibaidu Bridge to Nanpu Bridge and winds 1500 meters (0.93 mile) in length. The most famous and attractive sight which is at the west side of the Bund are the 26 various buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. The 1,700-meters (1,859 yards) long flood-control wall, known as 'the lovers' wall', located on the side of Huangpu River from Huangpu Park to Xinkai River and once was the most romantic corner in Shanghai in the last century. After renovation, the monotone concrete buildings that lovers leaned against in the past have been improved into hollowed-out railings full of romantic atmosphere. Standing by the railings, visitors can have a 'snap-shot' view of the scenery of Pudong Area and Huangpu River.

History 

Before the 1840s, the Bund was a muddy narrow lane with tall reeds. It initially became a British settlement. After Shanghai was established as the trading port in 1846, a street was paved there and the riversides were reinforced. Then, rows of commercial buildings were constructed. As the UK Concession, a building boom at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century led to the Bund becoming a major financial hub of East Asia. It was the centre of the city's politics, economy and culture more than a hundred years ago, consulates of most countries and many banks, businesses and newspaper offices were settled there, and that's why we have these art-like buildings. 

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the thawing of economic policy in the People's Republic of China, buildings on the Bund were gradually returned to their former uses. Government institutions were moved out in favor of financial institutions, while hotels resumed trading as such.

In the 1990s the Shanghai government attempted to promote an extended concept of the Bund to boost tourism and land values in nearby areas, as well as to reconcile the promotion of 'colonial relics' with Socialist ideology. From 2008, a major reconfiguration of traffic flow along the Bund was carried out. After a 33-month upgrade, the Bund was reopened to visitors on March 28, 2010. The veil on the new Bund was finally lifted.

After the reconstruction, most transit vehicles which originally got through the ground level roads began to make their way through the new underground tunnel. The original eleven driveways on the Bund ground were compressed into four two-way lanes. Thus more space was left for expending the four major squares: Huangpu Park, Chen Yi Square, the Bund Financial Square, and the Observatory Plaza. After being reconstructed, the new Bund waterfront is neat and atmospheric. The public activity space is expansive embracing more visitors.

The Bund has been called a 'museum of international architecture' and indeed it was and still is. But it was also much more. Here were located the banks, hotels, exclusive clubs, press organizations and headquarters of international concerns. The twenty-six major structures, of various heights along approximately 1.5 kilometers of Zhongshan Lu and the Huangpu River, have changed little externally since the 1930s. All were constructed in western-inspired styles. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 the old tenants were gone. They had already been impacted by the wartime crises. Many of the structures were subdivided into government offices, department stores or storage areas. Furnishings were sold off or destroyed, and architectural features covered. 

Night View

It is worth a visit to see the florid night view of the Bund. Under the tenet of keeping harmony and unity, the use of period lamp-posts is in keeping with the aesthetic feeling of the building structures. It fully exhibits the magnificence of the various buildings of different architectural styles and make up of the best night scene of Shanghai together with the colorful lights floating in the river and the flashing lights on the far side of the river. The night piece of the Bund was named in 'Shanghai top ten night light views' in 2009.Tip: There is an eco-friendly mobile charging system with solar photovoltaic power generation at the photography point of the Bund scenic area. It can provide the power of the computer for photographers to print the photos, as well as mobile phone emergency charging service for visitors.

City Sculptures

Near the Nanjing Road intersection stands what is currently the only bronze statue along the Bund, a statue of Chen Yi who was the first Communist mayor of Shanghai. At the northern end, along the riverfront, is Huangpu Park, in which is situated the Monument to the People's Heroes - a tall, abstract concrete tower which is a memorial for those died during the revolutionary struggle for Shanghai dating back to the Opium Wars. As the victor of the war, the British nationals in the Bund put up a 'cross' to mark their 'aggression' which is the Red Rock Monument. On the south side of the Bund Garden Bridge stands an Ever Victorious Army Monument, which was funded by Li Hongzhang to commemorate the officers and soldiers of the Victorious Army who died in the battles against the Taiping Army from 1862 to 1864. Located in front of Shanghai Custom House at Jiujiang Road, the statue Hart was regarded as the most famous statue in Shanghai history. Hurt, British Northern Irishman, had served as Secretary General of Chinese Customs up to 48 years. Another famous sculpture is the World War Monument which was the largest one in the city at that time. It was made to commemorate the soldiers who died in the World War I coming from Shanghai.

Transportation

By Subway:
Take Line 2 or Line 10 to East Nanjing Road Station. Then walk about 10 minutes toward the Huangpu River.

By Bus:
Take bus 33, 37, 55, 65, 147, 305, 307, 317, 330, 921 and get off at East Zhongshan 1st Road / East Nanjing RoadTake bus 123, 135, 145, 576, 934 and get off at East Zhongshan 1st Road / Hankou RoadTake bus 576 or 868 and get off at East Zhongshan 1st Road / Guangdong RoadTake bus 220 or 939 and get off at Middle Sichuan Road / Hong Kong RoadTake bus 42, 71, 311, 316, 320 and get off at East Yan’an Road / East Zhongshan 1st RoadTake bus 20 and get off at Jiujiang Road / East Zhongshan 1st RoadTake Tunnel Line 9, bus 26 or 926 and get off at East Jinling Road / East Zhongshan 2nd Road Take City Sightseeing Bus Line 1 and get off at the Bund

By Ferry:
There are scheduled ferryboats between East Jinling Road Ferry Dock / The Bund in Puxi and Dongchang Road Ferry Dock in Pudong.  The ferry ticket costs CNY 2. Walk toward Huangpu River from East Nanjing Road and turn right to walk down along the Bund, East Jinling Road Ferry Dock can be seen soon. Dongchang Road Ferry Dock is about 10-15 minutes' walk south of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

The Sightseeing Tunnel:

There is a total 646.7 meters sightseeing tunnel from the Bund in Puxi to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Lujiazui area in Pudong. It only takes 3-5 minutes by the speed train through the tunnel with colorful radiating lights around. It is open from 8:00 to 22:30, perhaps till 22:00 in winter . CNY 45 for single trip is not cheap for this 3-5 minutes journey, but CNY 55 for round trip sounds more resonable. This is a short but unique experience. The Puxi Entrance/Exit is in the north side of Chenyi Square, which can be easily found at the Bund from East Nanjing Road or East Beijing Road. Pudong Entrance/Exit is next to the south of Shanghai International Convention Center, near to the south entrance of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

source : http://www.travelchinaguide.com/

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Great Wall

The Chinese Great Wall is the great construction in the history of human civilization. It was praised as the Eighth Wonder of the World many years ago. The construction of the Great Wall began during the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring Period (770BC-221BC). After unification of China by Qinshihuang (the first emperor in China), Qinshihuang ordered his people to build a new wall on the base of the original one in large scale. Subsequent dynasties continued to strengthen and extend the wall. The most part of the extant wall from Shanhaiguan in Pohai to Jiayuguan in Gansu Province were built by Ming dynasty (1386 – 1644AC). The Great Wall is 7.8 meters high, 6.5 meters across at its base and 5.8 meters at its top. There is a watchtower rise to about 12 meters every one hundred meters. 

Dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period, more walls were put up to defend the borders of the different kingdoms and nomad nationalities in the northern China. The Great Wall had become the dominant fortification for Han people since Qin Dynasty. In fact, the walls didn't resist the attacks of the dangerous enemies. Ming Dynasty tried their best to renovate the wall, regardless of the expense to humans in effort, time and financial well-being, but ironically, the leader of Qirat not only led his army to crack the defense of the wall, but also took the emperor Yingzong of Ming Dynasty alive in 1499AC. At any rate, the Great Wall is just a wall which cannot protect a nation. Interestingly, the most prosperous Tang Dynasty was one of dynasties which never renovated the wall.

The Great Wall is the symbol of the Chinese civilization. It is the fruit of the Chinese nation's wisdom. Now, the Great Wall is the famous scenic spot attracting tens of thousands of tourists. There is a well-known Chinese saying on the wall, "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man". The Great Wall was selected on the list of the World Heritage in 1987.

If you want to experience the culture and enjoy the beauty of the Great Wall, meandering along the bricks of the Badaling is your first choice. It is famous for its deep-rooted culture, magnificent sights and complete military facilities - the essence of the Great Wall. You may find many pictures of it in magazines and guide books and printed on stamps. Being the must-see section of the Great Wall, it is sometimes flocked with visitors especially during holidays.

You  may want to  avoid  the peak  seasons  or  visit  the  Mutianyu  instead. It  is  even  more beautiful and has fewer tourists. If you are nostalgic for old times, the Simatai and Gubeikou sections should be on your itinerary. These two sections are well maintained in their original states. The strong, primitive walls enhance the beauty of the wilderness.

If you are energetic and daring,  adventures  on  the Huanghuacheng and  Jiankou sections await you. The steep peaks  and  broken  bricks  will  challenge  your  courage and curiosity. Remember to bring complete a mountaineering outfit, food and water. Water is unavailable on the wild sections.

Travel Tips

Badaling Great Wall

Admission Fee: 45RMB, or 85 (Badaling Great Wall plus cinema)

Open Time: 6:30-19:00(high season), 7:00-18:00(low season)

How to Get to: Take coach bus in downtown for about 1 hour. The coach bus starts at east Qianmen Lou in the morning. (Round-way fare: 90RMB)

1. If you travel alone, don't believe the tour guide on coach bus.

2. A bottle of water around Great Wall is more expensive so that you should buy water beforehand in downtown.

Badaling Great Wall

Great Wall At Badaling

Mutianyu Great Wall

Admission Fee: 20RMB to 45RMB

Open Time: 8:00-16:00

How to get to: Take Bus No.936 (7:00 or 8:00) at Dongzhi Gate

Tips:

1. It is steep at Mutianyu Great Wall so you should be very careful

2. If you plan to stay overnight, please take the thick coat and some food.

Mutianyu

Jiankou Great Wall

Admission Fee: 20RMB Open Time: 7:00-17:00

​How to get to: Take Bus No.916 to Huairou and then rent mini-bus to Jiankou Great Wall.

Woman At Jiankou Great Wall

Jiankou Great Wall

Jiankou To Mutianyu

Source : http://www.chinatour.com/

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