Zhuhai 珠海

1) Zhuhai 珠海

Zhuhai beat out dozens of other great cities to win the honor "Chinese City Europeans Love the Most." This list was compiled with the help and support of the International Tourism Association. Over fifteen hundred tourists from France, Italy, Spain, England, Switzerland and Germany among other countries were surveyed. Zhuhai, known as City of a Hundred Islands, borders the South Sea and Shenzhen and is only 140 kilometers south of Guangzhou. Zhuhai is also very close to Hong Kong and can reach Macau by a land bridge. Over 700 kilometers of coast make this island city the ideal place to enjoy the beach. Zhuhai also has a very long history of tourism since it was one of the four special economic areas to be opened up in the early 80s.

Xi'an 西安

2) Xi'an 西安

Located on the Guanzhong plateau in central China, Xi'an is hemmed in by the Wei River to the north and mountains to the south. The climate is temperate and the earth fertile. Formerly known as Chang'an, the city of eternal peace, Xi'an was visited by Marco Polo and was once the starting point for the Silk Road. The city, one of China's seven ancient capitals, has over 3100 years of history.

Hangzhou 杭州

3) Hangzhou 杭州

In the northeast of Zhejiang, Hangzhou is only 180 kilometers from Shanghai. Also one of the seven ancient capital cities, Hangzhou is officially a historical and cultural protection zone, open to tourism. Since the Qin dynasty 2200 years ago, Hangzhou has been an important city, serving as the capital for the Wuyue Kingdom and the Southern Song Dynasty. Hangzhou is now the capital of Zhejiang and is the province's political, economic and cultural center.

Lhasa 拉萨

4) Lhasa 拉萨

The capital of the Tibet for over 1300 years, Lhasa is located on the Yarlong Zangbo River at an altitude of over 3600 meters. The whole city is over 30,000 square kilometers and has a population of 130,000 people, 87% of whom are officially Tibetans. 31 other ethnic groups make up the remaining 13%.  Lhasa means "the place of Buddha" or "the Sacred Place" in Tibetan and has long been the Tibetan people's religious, cultural, economic and political center. In the seventh century AD, Songtsan Ganpo founded the Tibetan Empire, uniting all the tribes of the region together for the first time. In 1951, the People's Liberation Army brought Lhasa into a new era, and in 1982 the city became one of the country's official 24 historical and cultural centers. 

 

Beijing 北京

5) Beijing 北京

Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the political and cultural center of the entire country and also serves as a major meeting point between China and other nations. Beijing is one of the most important capital cities in the world. 700,000 years ago, human habitation began in the Beijing area as is shown by the discovery of Peking Man. The city has also been known as Ji throughout the centuries. In 1045 BC, the area now known as Beijing was a major city for the Ji and Yan Kingdoms. From the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC to 937 AD, Beijing was a capital city of various kingdoms. In 938 AD, the Liao Dynasty, which conquered much of Northern China made Beijing (then known as Yanjing) their capital. The Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties all made Beijing their capital over the next 650 years. In 1949, Beijing became the capital of the People's Republic of China.

Lijiang 丽江

6) Lijiang 丽江

The ancestral capital of the Naxi people, Lijiang is located in southwest Yunnan province. Also known as Dayan Village on the Li River Dam, Lijiang is the only ancient capital in China that did not have a city wall. Lijiang has also been called Gongbenzhi and Gongben, which means 'granary' in the Naxi language. Lijiang was once a massive granary for the Nakhi people. Founded during the Song Dynasty at the turn of the Fourteenth Century AD, Lijiang has an elevation over 2400 meters and takes up an area of only 3.8 square kilometers. It has been a place of strategic importance since ancient times.

Kunming 昆明

7) Kunming 昆明

The capital of Yunnan province, Kunming has over 2400 years of history and is the political, economic, cultural, technological and transportation center for the southwest region. Kunming has wonderful natural scenery and many tourist destinations. The city is known as "the Spring City" because its climate remains the same year round. Fresh flowers bloom everywhere and picture perfect scenery surrounds the city. Kunming was one of the first cities in the country to be singled out as an outstanding tourist destination and guests from around the world visit throughout the year.

Chengdu 成都

8) Chengdu 成都

Since ancient times, the region of Sichuan has been heavily populated and local cultures have flourished. The natural scenery is gorgeous and wonderful local customs continue to thrive. Chengdu is located on the southwest corner of the Chengdu Plateau and its cool climate, pleasant scenery and rich history attracts tourists year round. With over 2000 years of history, there are still dozens of ancient places to visit throughout the city and surrounding areas.

Luoyang 洛阳

9) Luoyang  洛阳

Luoyang, located at the west end of the Eurasian landmass and split down the middle by the Yellow River, is one of the sources of Chinese culture. Luoyang is also one of the seven ancient capital cities in China, having been the capital of several dynasties. Luoyang is in a rough, mountainous region and has long been a place of strategic importance.

Weihai 威海

10) Weihai 威海

Located on the east coast of Shandong province, Weihai is surrounded on three sides by water and is across the sea from the Korean Peninsula and Japan. With a coastline stretching nearly 1000 kilometers, the area is ideal for viewing the sea, and Weihai has also been rated one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the country and has long drawn tourists because of its clean streets and wonderful natural scenes. Known as the "Garden City," Weihai is a perfect place to go to escape the heat in the summer and to spend a short vacation relaxing and recuperating. 

Read the original in Chinese ifeng.com

***

Related Links

China's Ten "Fallen Cities"
The Ten Safest Cities in China
China's Ten Happiest Cities

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.