A Pictorial Tour of China’s Hidden Gems

August 24, 2010 0 Comments

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While I’m contemplating a China tour this November, I’m browsing through websites to seek out rural, secret parts of China that are largely unexplored. Although it’s almost impossible to find such places these days – considering how tourism has taken over our world – there are definitely still some stunning, isolated spots to be discovered. Here’s a pictorial tour of what I’ve uncovered, and hopefully, will get to see for myself come end of the year.

Jiu Zhai Gou, Sichuan

Tucked in the mountainous regions of Sichuan is a nature reserve commonly known as Jiu Zhai Gou, the Valley of Nine Villages. Made up of a series of multi-level waterfalls and crystal clear colorful lakes, the UNESCO World Heritage site stands out for its poetic setting. The remote region was inhabited by various Tibetan and Qiang peoples for centuries, but was not officially discovered by the government until 1972.

Flickr photo by GreenArcher04

Flickr photo by randomix

Xi’an

Unknown to many, there’s more to Xi’an than the world-famous Terracotta warriors. As one of the oldest cities in Chinese history, Xi’an is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China having been the capital (under various names) of some of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. From the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda to the Drum Tower and the majestic Mount Hua, there’s a tinge of history in every corner of the city.

Photo by Ignacio Izquierdo

Flickr photo by Szymon Kochański

Guizhou Province

For a peek into China’s minority groups, head to Central China’s Guizhou province. Minority groups account for more than 37% of the population here; amongst them the long-horn tribe, one of the small branches of Miao, stand out the most. The wooden horns worn on their heads remain the daily attire for most women.

Both Flickr photos by Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Guilin, Guangxi

Guilin is no secret to travelers: Its mystical karst landscape, calm river and shimmering pagodas resembling those of IndoChina have put it on the world map. There is the popular saying “Guilin shanshui jia tian xia”, which means Guilin’s mountain and water scenery is the best under heaven. Just what about Guilin is a secret then?

Flickr photo by nigelfj

Not many know about the outdoor activities that Guilin has to offer: its series of caves and calm waters make for excellent leisure rafting, biking and mountain climbing.

Shangri-La, Yunnan

In James Hilton’s novel, Lost Horizon, he described a fictional place that was a mythical Himalayan utopia — a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. In 2001, the Zhongdian county was renamed to Xianggelila, Shangri-La in Chinese to attract tourists. While the story behind it is some sort of a tourist gimmick, the largely Tibetan county is still packed with natural beauty and magnificent temples.

Flickr photo by M.Y