宽窄巷子

Kuanzhai Alley retains a group of courtyard streets and alleys in the original Mancheng area of Chengdu's old city. It has now been transformed into a pedestrian commercial area integrating teahouses, snacks, retail and cultural displays. This is a suitable place to observe the scale of the courtyard and the commercial use of heritage, but one should not mistake the uniformly operated tourist block for an unaltered residential alley.

洱海

Erhai Lake is the second largest plateau lake in Yunnan, located in the north of Dali City. It is named because it looks like a human ear and is the location of the "moon" in "Wind, Flowers, Snow and Moon". The lake is about 1972 meters above sea level. The nineteen peaks of Cangshan Mountain are reflected in the lake, forming a classic scene of "Snow on Cangshan Mountain and Moon on Erhai Lake". Dotted around the lake are Longchun Wharf, Fengxi S Bay, Covered Bridge, Shuanglang Ancient Town, Wenbi Village and other internet celebrity spots. There are ecological corridors in Haixi (motor vehicles are not allowed), and the scattered scenic spots in Haidong are more suitable for self-driving.

茨中教堂

Cizhong Church reflects the complex religious and cultural encounters in the upper reaches of the Lancang River. European-derived church forms, indigenous building practices, vineyards, and Tibetan village settings evolved together rather than as separate spectacles. This remains a space of worship and community memory, and architectural interest cannot override religious activities, privacy, and the rights of residents to use their space normally.

敦煌市博物馆

The Dunhuang City Museum is suitable for establishing a historical framework of the oasis before heading to the scattered ruins. The exhibition connects prehistoric settlements, border counties of the Han Dynasty, Silk Road trade, Buddhist culture and local life in later generations through unearthed artifacts, documents and models, making grottoes, passes and desert routes no longer just unrelated attractions.

沙面

Shamian is a small island by the Pearl River. Its checkered blocks, mature old trees, and the concentrated distribution of consulates, banks, and residential buildings from the 19th to the early 20th century record the modern history of Guangzhou's opening as a port. The public spaces may seem leisurely, but these buildings also carry the unequal background of foreign concessions and the complex process of China facing modern global trade.

青岩古镇

Qingyan developed from a military settlement in the Ming Dynasty into a compact ancient town composed of stone lanes, city gates, courtyards and religious buildings. Courtyards such as Ciyun Temple and Wenchang Pavilion show the multi-layered local construction tradition, and the houses and food shops that are still inhabited make this place more than just a commemorative scenic spot. The tour should not just stop at the most photogenic street, but also distinguish between historical relics and later commercial restoration.

班玛红军沟

The Banma Forest Valley preserves sites and community memories related to the Long March, and is located among Tibetan villages and the ecology of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Interpretation should link national history to local testimonies and landscapes, rather than isolating monuments.

杭州博物馆

The Hangzhou Museum connects prehistoric settlements, the Wuyue Kingdom, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty, craft traditions and modern urban development on an urban scale. Archeology, ceramics, calligraphy and painting, and daily artifacts connect famous outdoor landscapes with the people and institutions that shaped them, making them suitable as a historical guide before exploring the old city.

黄山风景区

Huangshan's granite peaks, pine trees, sea of clouds and historical mountain roads form a world heritage cultural landscape. Ropeways shorten ascents but do not eliminate exposed steps, weather risks and huge distances; a route should be chosen and closures obeyed.

伊犁州博物馆

The Yili Prefecture Museum provides context for understanding a river valley shaped by grassland passages, Silk Road exchanges, Qing governance, agriculture, and multiple ethnic groups. Exhibitions of archeology, fabrics, metal tools and local history prevent the grassland trip from leaving only deserted scenery and vague era.

新都桥景观廊道

Xinduqiao is an inhabited river valley composed of villages, fields, poplar trees and mountain light, rather than a single enclosed viewing point. Seasonal colors and snow peak clarity will change, but homes, farmland and road shoulders remain private or safety-sensitive areas.

翠湖与云南陆军讲武堂

Cuihu is a compact urban park where daily exercise, music activities and winter migratory birds reflect contemporary Kunming life; the adjacent Yunnan Army Lecture Hall showcases the political changes in the influential military education institution and its trainees in the early 20th century. Parks and museums connect the city's daily life with modern history without having to travel far.

兰州水车博览园

The Waterwheel Expo Park displays the large wooden waterwheel that was used to lift water from the Yellow River to the shore for irrigation canals. Restoration Machinery illustrates how water flow, blades, flumes, and gravity work together to support farmland and urban settlements in arid environments. See it as a practical water conservancy technology rather than a decorative riverfront landscape to understand its true value.

罗布林卡

Norbulingka was developed as the summer palace of the Dalai Lama of the past dynasties. It combines Tibetan palaces, Buddhist halls, gardens and water features in the lush environment of western Lhasa. Together with the Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple, it constitutes a world heritage historical building complex, but its space is quieter and more life-like. Visiting along the garden road, you can understand the relationship between ceremonial space, summer climate, landscape design and palace life.

泸沽湖

Lugu Lake is a plateau lake shared by Yunnan and Sichuan. Peninsulas, forest ridges, and communities such as Mosuo are located around the lake. Local culture cannot be reduced to a single vision of matrilineal life, family structures, rituals, and tourism economies are all more complex. The long road distance, elevation, and cross-province management differences make it a stand-alone multi-day destination rather than a drop-in attraction in Lijiang city.

洪洞大槐树寻根祭祖园

The commemorative landscape revolves around the collective memory of official immigrants related to Hongdong in the early Ming Dynasty. The existing ancient Sophora japonica imagery and the park serve as symbolic functions for genealogy and homecoming ceremonies, and are not literal evidence of the departure of each family; the exhibition should be read in conjunction with the documented history of immigration.

二里头夏都遗址博物馆

The museum displays the archaeological culture and large-scale planned settlements of Erlitou in the early second millennium BC. Turquoise craftsmanship, bronze production, palace areas, roads, and rammed earth foundations support discussions of specialized crafts and early state formation. The correspondence between the site and the Xia Dynasty recorded in documents still involves interpretation, and excavation evidence should be distinguished from later textual identification.

南京城墙与中华门

The Nanjing Ming City Wall conforms to the boundaries of mountains, rivers and palaces. It is not a regular rectangle. It is a brick defense system with outstanding preservation scale. The Zhonghua Gate contains multiple barbican and hidden soldier spaces, while other open sections present different relationships with lakes and communities. The city wall is not a continuous open trail along its entire length, so it is more reasonable to choose a section for an in-depth experience.

独龙江河谷

The Dulong River Valley is located to the west of Gaoligong Mountain. It is a humid and highly biologically diverse border landscape, and is also the home of the Dulong community. The tunnel improves access but does not eliminate landslides, snowfall, registration or ecological restrictions, so transportation and accommodation must be confirmed.

平遥县衙

Pingyao County Government retains the spatial logic of traditional local government: ceremonial gates and courtyards lead to the trial and administrative halls, with clerical, residential and prison areas at the rear. The building separates public power, official work and private life. Exhibitions are helpful for understanding the system, but the restored scenes should be read in conjunction with the real pattern.

八大关历史文化街区

Badaguan is a landscaped residential area composed of winding roads, mature trees and a variety of early 20th century style villas. The name and street system refer to China's historical passes, while the architecture records Qingdao's complex colonial and modern history. This should be understood as the terrain, plants and buildings as a whole, rather than as several isolated photographed facades.

泉州天后宫

Quanzhou Tianhou Temple is one of the important existing Mazu belief centers, located near the south gate of the ancient city and the old port channel. The layers of temples, decorative roofs and ceremonial spaces reflect the tradition of sailors and merchants praying for protection before dangerous voyages, and also show how Fujian communities spread their beliefs to a wider region along with coastal migration and overseas trade networks.

中华艺术宫

The China Art Palace is located in the China Pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The large exhibition hall focuses on Chinese modern and contemporary art, Shanghai-style art and special exhibitions. The building itself also records an important stage in Shanghai's recent urban development. The museum is quite large, making it more suitable to choose a themed route rather than trying to see all the floors.

兰亭

Lanting is located at the foot of Lanzhu Mountain about 13 kilometers southwest of Shaoxing City. It is famous all over the world because Wang Xizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty wrote the "Preface to the Lanting Collection", "the best running script in the world" here. It is a pilgrimage place for calligraphy lovers. The scenic spot is famous for the Chinese garden aesthetics of lush forests and bamboos and winding water bottles. The core attractions include Echi ("Echi" monument of father and son), Lanting Stele Pavilion (Kangxi imperial pen), winding water bottle ruins, Wang Youjun Temple, Imperial Stele Pavilion (the same stele for the ancestors of Kangxi and Qianlong), Linchi Eighteen Tanks, Tianzhang Temple Ruins and Lanting Calligraphy Museum.