1. Explore the Golden Triangle, Beijing, Xian, Shanghai.
Stop–start capital since the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Běijīng is one of China’s true ancient citadels. It is also an aspiring, confident and modern city that seems assured of its destiny to rule over China ad infinitum.
A vast and symmetrical metropolis, Běijīng is the orderly seat of the communist political power in China, so its architecture traces each and every mood swing from 1949 to the present, from felled hútòng (narrow alleys) to huge underground bomb shelters scooped out during the paranoid 1970s. One moment you are sizing up a blank Soviet-style monument, the next you spot a vast, shimmering tower rising up from the footprint of a vanished temple.
History may have been trampled in Běijīng over the past half century, but there’s still much more substance here than in China’s other dynastic capitals, bar Nánjīng or Kāifēng. You just need to do a bit of hunting and patient exploration to find the historical narrative. It’s also essential to sift the genuine from the fake: some of Běijīng’s once-illustrious past has been fitfully resurrected in the trompe-l’oeil of rebuilt monuments. Colossal flyovers and multilane boulevards heave with more than three million cars but ample pockets of historical charm survive. It’s the city’s epic imperial grandeur, however, that is truly awe-inspiring.
Frank and uncomplicated, Běijīng’s denizens chat in Běijīnghuà – the gold standard of Mandarin – and marvel at their good fortune for occupying the centre of the known world. And for all its diligence and gusto, Běijīng dispenses with the persistent pace of Shànghǎi or Hong Kong, and locals instead find time to sit out front, play chess and watch the world go by.
Xī’ān today sits in the fertile Wei River valley, one of the epicentres of early Chinese civilisation. The area was home to the capitals of several major dynasties (historians can count 11), stretching all the way back to the Zhou in the 11th century BC. The remnants of this ancient world are everywhere – from the First Emperor’s Terracotta Army to the Muslim influence that still characterises the city.
Understandably, Xī’ān is one of China’s major attractions, but the modern city is also one of the country’s great polarisers – you either love it or hate it. Most people only spend two or three days here, but history buffs could easily stay busy for a week. Topping the list of sights in and around the city are the Terracotta Warriors, the Tomb of Emperor Jingdi, the Muslim Quarter and the City Walls. With a little more time, throw in the pagodas, museums or any number of sites outside the city. Better still, arrange an overnight trip to nearby Huá Shān or Hánchéng.
Shanghai
Shanghai is much more Hong Kong than Běijīng; there are no dusty imperial palaces here. Instead, European-style cityscapes and tempting, tree-lined neighbourhoods rub shoulders with the sci-fi skyline of Pǔdōng. Shanghai was where China first met the West and it’s still a frontier town, obsessed with the latest fads, fashions and technology.
But tucked between the shopping malls and the eye-popping modern architecture is the old Shanghai, where temples nestle down alleys, along with street markets and classical Chinese gardens. Shanghai is a city of stunning contrasts, where visitors can go from sipping a cocktail in a designer bar overlooking the Bund, to eating dumplings at a street stall, or gazing at a 10th-century Buddhist monastery, in the space of a few hours. Summer is hot and humid, winter can get cold, but Shanghai never stops.
2. Yangtze River Cruise
The Yangzi is the historical divider between northern and southern China, providing a natural barrier against invaders and waterway for transport and commerce. During the Three Kingdoms Period (260-280 AD), the gorges played an important role in the course of China's history. During World War II, the gorges provide protection against the onslaught of the Japanese invasion. And in recent years, the Three Gorges have drawn international attention for both their majestic scenic beauty and for the controversial construction of the Three Gorges Dam - the largest dam project ever attempted. Begun in 1992 and completed in 2009, China's coming of age as a world power is heralded by this colossal feat of engineering, a Great Wall for the future.
3. Silk Road Adventure
The natural landscape along the road is peculiar and magnificent. Qinghai Lake, Bayanbulak Grassland – a paradise for swan, Heaven Lake on Heaven Mountain, Yadan landform in Lop Nur, the Mountain of Flames in Turpan and Ghost City in Karamay add infinite fascination to the Silk Road. The numerous minorities live along the Silk Road. They are friendly and skilled in dancing and singing. With different history of development, ethnic groups here have retained their own traditional culture, religious beliefs and characters. Silk Road travel will be enjoyed by the tourists who are interested in history. 
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