China is the site of one of the world's oldest civilizations and is rich in history, culture, architecture, and religious expressions.

Beijing is rich in form, color, and texture reflecting centuries of Chinese art and culture. From the mid-fourteenth century to the early twentieth century, Beijing has been the capital of the Ming and Qing dynasties and remains the political, economic, cultural, and transportation center of the People's Republic of China. The Forbidden City is famous for the gilded roofs of its imperial palaces. The Palace Museum faces Tien An Men Square and a three-story KFC restaurant. The Summer Palace, at edge of the city, is the site of picturesque courtyards, pavilions, pagodas, temples, and a boat carved from solid marble.

The Great Wall, built over 2,500 years ago, is called the "10,000 Miles Long Wall" by the Chinese. Though the wall is actually 4,000 miles long, it is the only man-made structure visible from outer space. In the Ming tombs are the remains of 13 of the 16 emperors of the Ming dynasty (and their wives). The Museum of Art and History features artifacts, pottery, ceramic figures, bronzes, jade, and jewelry from all the Chinese dynasties.

Shanghai is situated on the east coast, upstream from the Pacific Ocean on the Yangtze River. A modern metropolis, Shanghai is a thriving industrial, scientific, and financial center. The Bund is a waterfront boulevard lined with mansions, clubs, and banks once owned by Europeans.

Guangzhou (Canton) is just 80 miles from Hong Kong by rail. Situated on the bank of the Pearl River, the city has been a center for foreign trade for more than 2,000 years. Roman traders visited Guanzhou in A.D. 200. The Guangzhou Fair, an international trade fair held every two years, is one of the country's most important sources of foreign exchange revenues. Hangzhou, situated in a region of small lakes, is the traditional resort destination for Chinese leaders.

Suzhou is known as a city of gardens, some of which date from the Ming Dynasty. The city is laced with canals, which serve as the main transportation routes. The waterways are lined with pagodas, temples, and traditional Chinese houses. Suzhou is also noted for its fine cuisine, jade artifacts, and silk garments.

Guilin, in the subtropical region, is one of the most scenic resort towns in eastern Asia. The Yangtze River bridge at Nanjing is one of the longest bridges in the Eastern Hemisphere. Sun Yatsen Mausoleum and the Ming Tomb are also foundin Nanjing. In the interior, there are airports in Xi'an, Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Urumqi, and Kashgar.

A train leaves Xi'an three times a day for Urumqi, stopping at other cities along the Silk Route, by which silk, spices, and other goods were transported from China to the Middle East and Europe from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Chinese trains have three classes of travel--hard seat, hard sleeper, and soft sleeper. Soft sleeper class includes a compartment with four beds, sheets, quilts, lace curtains, and hot water. East Lake, known as the "Lake of 99 Bays," is dotted with ancient pagodas, temples, and a memorial for the poet Qu Yuan.

The western third of China is located on the highlands of the Plateau of Tibet. The plateau descends into two low-lying plains that make up the eastern third of the country. In the north is the Manchurian Plain, and in the south is the North China Plain. The Gobi Desert separates China from Mongolia.

The People's Republic of China is slightly larger than the United States, but has four times as many people. The largest city is Shanghai, with a population of over 7.2 million. About 6.7 million people live in the capital, Beijing.

Leisure travel to China is focused mainly on rural areas. About 70 percent of the inhabitants live a simple farming lifestyle in rural areas of the country. Numerous Chinese dialects are spoken throughout the country. The most important are Putonghua, the standard Chinese language; Mandarin, the Beijing dialect; and Yue, also called Cantonese.