The World Heritage sites hold universal significance for both present and future generations of humanity. Beijing, as a city rich in historical and cultural heritage, boasts seven World Heritage sites that visitors must not miss when traveling here.

1. The Great Wall

In 1987, the Great Wall of China was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Spanning over two millennia and stretching over 10,000 li (approximately 5,000 kilometers), the Great Wall resembles a colossal dragon traversing mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, lying across the northern lands of China.

The Great Wall is a magnificent military defense project continuously built by various Chinese dynasties from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD along the northern border of the country. Stretching from Shanhaiguan in Hebei Province in the east to Jiayuguan in Gansu Province in the west, it spans over 20,000 kilometers in total length. Its main components include walls, horse tracks, watchtowers, barracks, and other military facilities such as forts and passes.

Today, the Great Wall embodies the spirit of guarding peace, openness, and inclusivity of the times, welcoming friends from all over the world to appreciate its magnificent grandeur.

To book tickets:

- Badaling Great Wall: "Throughout the Great Wall" WeChat official account

- Mutianyu Great Wall: "Mutianyu Great Wall" WeChat official account

- Juyong Pass Great Wall: "The Juyong Pass Great Wall" WeChat official account

- The Simatai Great Wall: "Beijing Wtown" WeChat official account

- Xiangshuihu Great Wall: "Xiangshuihu Great Wall" WeChat official account

- Huanghuacheng Lakeside Great Wall: "Lakeside Great Wall" WeChat official account

2. Palace Museum

In 1987, the Palace Museum in Beijing was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Lu Xun once described the Palace Museum as follows: "Looking down at the colors of the ancient city of Beijing. The red walls, golden glazed tiles, deep red columns, dark green cypress trees, and white marble railings of the Forbidden City... These colors are always exceptionally distinct." Western planning scholars praised it as follows: "Under the azure sky, the glittering golden glazed tiles on the roofs of ordinary houses are a spectacle unique to the world."

The Palace Museum, formerly known as the "Forbidden City," was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties in China. It is an important carrier and culmination of Chinese civilization spanning over 5,000 years and is renowned worldwide as a cultural heritage site.

The Palace Museum is a cultural emblem of Beijing, with its grand architecture, rich collections, and vast array of literary treasures... It is a destination that captivates people from all over the world. When visiting Beijing for the first time, a trip to the Palace Museum is a must.

To book tickets, please visit the WeChat official account of "Palace Museum".

3. Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian

In 1987, the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Located in Longgu Mountain, north of Zhoukoudian Town, Fangshan District, Beijing, it is one of the most abundant, systematic, and valuable sites of early human habitation during the Paleolithic Era in the world.

The Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site scenic area is divided into two parts: the site park and the museum. The site park mainly showcases the original fossil excavation sites and provides on-site displays of various stratigraphic layers. The museum offers rich and detailed exhibitions where visitors can learn about intriguing archaeological findings, such as the "earliest shoe-wearer".

At Zhoukoudian, visitors can stroll through cultural markets, watch a 4D film about the "Peking Man", and experience immersive encounters with ancestors to gain insights into ancient cultures. Children can participate in activities guided by science educators, such as cleaning and restoring fossils using professional tools. They can also engage in simulated archaeological excavations within a 300-square-meter area of the site, using specialized tools to unearth and clean fossils, thus gaining a comprehensive understanding of paleontology.

To book tickets, please visit the "Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site Museum" WeChat official account.

4. Summer Palace

In 1998, the Summer Palace was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Originally known as the Garden of Clear Ripples, the Summer Palace was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty in 1750. It primarily consists of Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. The garden features over a hundred scenic buildings, more than twenty courtyards, over 3,000 ancient buildings, covering an area of over 70,000 square meters. It also boasts over 1,600 ancient trees, including well-known structures such as the Tower of Buddhist Incense, the Long Corridor, Qingyan Boat, Suzhou Street, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, and the Garden of Harmonious Interests, etc.

The artificial landscapes within the garden blend harmoniously with the natural mountains and open lake surface, exhibiting extremely high aesthetic value and considered masterpieces of Chinese garden design.

Every mid-March, the peach blossoms bloom along the West Causeway of the Summer Palace. Delicate peach branches extend over the water, with the clear Kunming Lake providing a picturesque backdrop, creating an elegant and extraordinary scene. Let's make an appointment to visit the Spring-filled West Causeway of the Summer Palace, where peach blossoms dance in the air.

To book tickets, please visit the "Summer Palace" WeChat official account.

5. Temple of Heaven

In 1998, the Temple of Heaven was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Located at the southern end of Beijing, the Temple of Heaven was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties annually conducted ceremonies to pray for good harvests. With its meticulous architectural layout, unique structures, and magnificent decorations, the Temple of Heaven enjoys great renown both domestically and internationally.

Covering an area of 273 hectares, the Temple of Heaven is divided into inner and outer altars. The inner altar consists of the Circular Mound Altar and the Altar of Prayer for Grain, while the outer altar is a forested area with over 3,500 ancient pine and cypress trees. Representative buildings within the Temple of Heaven include the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Circular Mound Altar, etc.

As part of efforts to promote the cultural heritage of the Temple of Heaven, the Temple of Heaven Park has launched a new cultural and creative space called "Temple of Heaven Collect Time". In December 2022, the "Temple of Heaven Collect Time" cultural and creative space was successfully selected as a "2022 Beijing Internet-famous Check-in Site," offering another destination for experiencing the cultural richness of the Temple of Heaven alongside the "Temple of Heaven 1420" and the "Minyuan Restaurant".

To book tickets, please visit the "Temple of Heaven" WeChat official account.

6. The Ming Tombs

In the year 2000, the The Xianling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, Eastern Royal Tombs of the Qing Dynasty, and the The Western Qing Tombs were inscribed on the World Heritage List. In 2003, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and the Ming Tombs were added to the World Heritage List. In 2004, the Shengjing Three Tombs—Fu Mausoleum, Zhao Mausoleum, and Yong Mausoleum—were included in the World Heritage List as an extension project of the Ming and Qing imperial tombs.

The Ming Tombs are located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, approximately fifty kilometers from Beijing. Surrounded by mountains, with plains in the central area, and meandering rivers in front of the tombs, the scenery is picturesque and pleasant. Each of the thirteen imperial tombs is built according to the mountains, distributed on the eastern, western, and northern slopes, forming a grand and majestic complex of mausoleums. According to Ming dynasty geomancers, this area boasts excellent position and is considered an auspicious land, hence selected as the "eternal realm" for constructing imperial tombs.

The construction of this tomb complex began in 1409, making it over 300 to 600 years old. Covering an area of 40 square kilometers, it is the largest existing complex of imperial tombs in China and even the world, with the most emperors and empresses buried here. Over a span of more than 200 years, from the construction of Chang Tomb in the seventh year of the Ming Yongle era (1409 AD) to the construction of Si Tomb in the early Qing Shunzhi era, thirteen imperial tombs were successively built, with 13 emperors, 23 empresses, and around 10 concubines buried within.

To book tickets, please visit the "The Juyong Pass of Great Wall" WeChat official account.

7. The Grand Canal

The Grand Canal of China was inscribed on the World Heritage List in June 2014. Originating in 486 BC, the Grand Canal consists of three main parts: the Grand Canal of Sui and Tang Dynasties, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and the Canal in East Zhejiang , comprising ten sections of waterways and passing through 27 cities in 8 provinces and municipalities.

In Beijing, the heritage-listed sections of the canal include the Beijing Old City section of the Tonghui River in Xicheng District, known as Shichahai (including Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai), the Yuhe ancient canal in Dongcheng District (from Wanning Bridge in the west to Dongbuya Bridge in the east), and the Tonghui River section in Tongzhou District (from Yongtong Bridge in the west to Tongzhou Beiguan Lock in the east). The heritage sites include the Chengqing Upper Lock (Wanning Bridge) in Xicheng District and the Chengqing Middle Lock (Dongbuya Bridge) in Dongcheng District, which are important open urban landscapes in Beijing.

The ancient river, flowing through the ages, has created a dynamic world cultural heritage site—the Grand Canal.

Starting from the northern origin at the Baifuquan site in Beijing, one can experience the picturesque scenery and the cultural essence of Beijing at Shichahai, with its bustling taverns and shops, and explore the historical and cultural charm of the three temples and one tower architectural complex. Walking through the Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park, one can admire the natural beauty and embark on a journey to the Universal Resort Beijing to begin a global dream. Following the flow of the canal, one can explore the historical relics along the northern route of the canal and learn about the profound canal culture.

Translator: NIU Lihua 

Reviewer: TANG Yuxin