Discover China

Located on the northeastern edge of the Loess Plateau, Datong in Shanxi province is the site of some of the earliest settlements of Chinese civilization. Find out more about Datong and three of its key attractions – Yungang Grottoes, Hengshan Mountain and Pagoda of Fogong Temple – in the China Daily article Height of art.

Nanxun Town (南浔镇) is an ancient water town located in Eastern China’s Zhejiang province. It is one of the most well-preserved ancient towns in the region and is known for its cultural heritage – you can explore it in the China Daily photo gallery The water township of Nanxun.

For insights into some other ancient Chinese water towns see Shaoxing – the Venice of China and 1,000 year-old Zhujiajiao water town.

In the China Daily article Flow of history Chitralekha Basu and Song Wenwei travel to Yangzhou, looking for the origins of the ancient Grand Canal – the world’s longest man-made watercourse.

The China Daily article Brazen heights provides a fascinating insight into the Yinxu palaces of late Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century BC) and this ancient kingdom and its society. Yinxu is located in Anyang city in Henan province. The treasure-filled Yinxu’s Archeological Museum is built under the earth, so as to not tamper with the natural landscape above it.

Spring is an ideal time to climb mountains in China, with warm weather and lush vegetation. For hikers who want to explore some famous mountains and experience Chinese history and culture, the Shenzhen Daily features some destination peaks in the articles Explore China’s famous mountains and Explore China’s famous mountains (II). I visited one of these peaks, the spectacular Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), during my trip to Henan, Anhui, and Zhejiang Provinces in 2009.