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Grand Buddha
Lè Shān’s serene, 1200-year-old Grand Buddha sits in repose, carved from a cliff face overlooking the confluence of three busy rivers: the Dàdù, Mín, and Qīngyì. The Buddhist monk Haitong conceived the project in AD 713, hoping that Buddha would protect the boats and calm the letha
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Mindroling Monastery
Although a small monastery was founded at the present site of Mindroling as early as the 10th century, the date usually given for the founding of Mindroling is the mid-1670s. The founding lama, Terdak Lingpa (1646–1714), was highly esteemed as a terton (treasure finder) and scholar
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Confucius Temple
A Ming dynasty relic, its worth poking around the Confucius Temple for its daily antiques market (Wénmiào Gǔwán Chéng) selling piles of books, propaganda posters and pamphlets from the Cultural Revolution – weekends are busiest.
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Láo Shān
A quick ride 28km east from Qīngdǎo, an arresting jumble of sun-bleached granite and hidden freshwater springs rises over the sea. It’s easy to understand why Láo Shān has attracted spiritual pilgrims throughout the centuries. Its a great place to recharge over a weekend today. In
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Cāngzhōus Iron Lion
Standing proud in a long-forgotten corner of southeast Héběi, Cāngzhōus Iron Lion is the oldest and largest cast-iron sculpture in China. Cast way back in 953 AD, it weighs in at around 40 tonnes, and stands almost 6m tall, but unsurprisingly for a creature that is more than 1000 y
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Xījiāng
Snugly ensconced in the pretty Léigōng Hills, Xījiāng is thought to be the largest Miao village (its full name in Chinese is 西江千户苗寨; Xījiāng Qiānhù Miáozhài – Xījiāng 1000-Household Miao Village) and is famous for its embroidery and silver ornaments (the Miao believe that silver ca
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Héng Shān
Seventy-two peaks spanning 400km comprise Héng Shān, but most visitors focus on Zhùróng Peak , rising 1290m above sea level.The lung-busting, 13km ascent up winding paths, steep staircases and, in places, a road busy with tourist shuttle buses, takes around four hours one way, alth
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Yumbulagang
A fine, tapering finger of a structure that sprouts from a craggy ridge overlooking the patchwork fields of the Yarlung Valley, Yumbulagang is considered the oldest building in Tibet. At least that is the claim for the original structure – most of what can be seen today dates from
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Tsurphu Monastery
If you are short on time, concentrate on the large assembly hall and the upstairs former living quarters of the Karmapa. The latter still has some some of the 17th Karmapa’s boyhood possessions, including a globe, a toy car and an eyebrow-raising collection of books that includes P
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Wǔlíngyuán
There are two principal access points to Wǔlíngyuán. Zhāngjiājiè village (张家界村; Zhāngjiājiè cūn ), the site of the south entrance, is the more appealing option, situated nearly 600m above sea level in the Wǔlíng foothills, surrounded by sheer cliffs and vertical rock outcrops. Its
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Wànshòu Temple
Ringed by a red wall on the southeastern corner of Suzhou Jie (off the 3rd Ring Rd), the tranquil, little-visited Ming-dynasty Wànshòu Temple, or Longevity Temple, was originally consecrated for the storage of Buddhist texts. Its name echoes the Summer Palace’s Longevity Hill (Wàns
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Drölma Lhakhang Monastery
This significant although small monastery is jam-packed with ancient relics and hidden treasures. It’s only 30 minutes drive southwest of Lhasa and is worth a stop for those interested in Tibetan Buddhism. As you take the Lhasa–Tsetang road out of Lhasa, you’ll pass a blue rock car
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Ling Chapel Walking Circuit
As renovation work continues at Samye, the original ling (royal) chapels – lesser, outlying chapels that surround the Ütse – are slowly being restored. Wander around and see which are open. Following is a clockwise tour of the major chapels open at the time of research. The square
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Zhūjiāyù
Eighty kilometres east of Jǐ’nán is one of Shāndōng’s oldest hamlets. Zhūjiāyù’s intact structures mostly date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, and many have been recently spruced up to serve as movie and soap-opera sets, but strolling the stone-paved streets is still a journey
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Pabonka Monastery
One of the most ancient Buddhist sites in the Lhasa region, Pabonka Monastery is infrequently visited, but is only a short drive from the Sera Monastery turn-off and is worth the effort. Built on a flat-topped granite boulder said to resemble a tortoise, Pabonkas timeless chapels m
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Old Summer Palace
Located northwest of the city centre, the Old Summer Palace was laid out in the 12th century. The ever-capable Jesuits were later employed by Emperor Qianlong to fashion European-style palaces for the gardens, incorporating elaborate fountains and baroque statuary. In 1860, during
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Pelkhor Chöde Monastery
The high red-walled compound in the far north of town houses Pelkor Chöde Monastery, founded in 1418. The main assembly hall is the main attraction but there are several other chapels to see. There’s a small but visible population of 80 monks and a steady stream of prostrating, pra
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Yàdīng Nature Reserve
The magnificent Yàdīng Nature Reserve, 140km south of Dàochéng, centres around three sacred snow-capped mountains, a holy trinity encircled by forested valleys, crystal clear rivers and glacier-fed lakes. These are, quite simply, some of the most stunning landscapes youll ever see.
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Summer Palace
As mandatory a Běijīng sight as the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace was the playground for emperors fleeing the suffocating summer torpor of the old imperial city. A marvel of design, the palace – with its huge lake and hilltop views – offers a pastoral escape i
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Yúngāng Caves
One of China’s best examples of Buddhist cave art, these 5th-century caves are impressive in scope. With 51,000 ancient statues, they put virtually everything else in the Shānxī shade. Carved by the Turkic-speaking Tuoba, the Yúngāng Caves drew their designs from Indian, Persian an
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