Whether it’s an Army made of clay or a cave full of ancient temples or plum blossom flowers dazzling over the roofs of some marvelous houses, the land of China will change the way you know the world. Throughout history, China has fascinated travelers, traders and scholars from all around the world with its mysterious beauty esteemed culture. And it is only fitting that this heavenly land gave birth to one of the greatest and civilizations in the world. Here are the 10 most popular tourist attractions in China.

10. Mogao Caves

One of the most religious landmarks of China, Mogao Caves is a collection of 493 cave temples. Located at an oasis on the Silk Road in Gansu province, these caves are also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas. The temples contain many Sculptures, statues and wall paintings some of which are nearly 1000 years old. With many temples open of visiting, the Mogao Caves are an amazing tourist attraction of great religious, cultural and historical significance. And one f the most prominent tourist attractions in China.

09. West Lake in Hangzhou

Known locally as “paradise on earth”, the west lake in the Hangzhou region is a place where human creation and nature blends together. An inspiration for all the famous Chinese Gardens, this lake is surrounded by many beautifully fabricated parks with some stunning temples, pagodas and artificial islands. This amazing landscape is an escape from the outside world and has been depicted in many poems and paintings. Thus, this is one of the most remarkable tourist attractions in China.

08. Potala Palace

Lying in a hilltop on the Lhasa valley of Tibet, the most spiritual place on earth; is an amazing wonder named Potala Palace. It has been the residence of Delai Lama, who is the head of all the monks of the region; since its construction in 1645. It is a 13 story building rising up to 1000 feet and contains about 10,000 shrines and numerous spectacular statues. It stands on a hill that is known as a protector of Tibet and is of the utmost respect to the people of Tibet. It is indeed a holy place with great religious significance where many people from all over the world travel to enrich their spirituality.

07. Leshan Giant Buddha

Leshan Giant Buddha is one of the greatest statues of Buddha and the largest statue built before the modern technologies. Located by the union of 3 great rivers, Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi, this statue was carved out of the stone of a riverside cliff that faces the great Mount Emei. The statue of the seated Buddha with a height of 71 meters (233 feet) is a much respected landmark. Although this 1500 year old statue have faced heavy erosion, it still remains one f the most amazing tourist attractions in China.

06. Victoria Harbor

In Hong Kong, one of the busiest cities in the world; lies another great attraction of China; the Victoria Harbor. This ever active harbor surrounded by the amazing, ultra-modern skyscrapers of Hong Kong creates some truly spectacular views especially during the night hours. The Harbor has long been of utmost economic importance and today, a top notch tourist attraction. The best view of the city and the harbor can be obtained from the Victoria peak. A visit during an annual firework display at night might be a truly unforgettable experience for anybody.

05. The Li River in Guilin

One of the most photographed places in China either with camera lens or paintbrushes, Li River is a very peaceful place. Flowing through the Guangxi region of China, the Li River is surrounded by green hills with steep slopes and some picturesque villages.

You can always find small boats to set on a cruise through the river and see the stunning bamboo forests. The spectacularly formed hills make a Divine view in the mist of the river.

04. The Yellow Mountains

Yellow Mountains in the Anhui province in eastern China is a place offering some of the most amazing sceneries in China. Also known as Huangshan, the yellow Mountains is a mountain range that formed some 100 million years ago. It is well known for some very peculiar looking peaks and rock formations and the pine trees. Housing some of the most famous national parks of china, it truly is an amazing landmark where visitors can see sun rise and set into the misty clouds below their feet. It is one of the major tourist attractions in China with an average of 15 million visitors each year.

03. The Terracotta Army

A phenomenal archeological discovery that took the world by a storm in 1974 is the discovery of the Terracotta Army. It is a grand army made of clay, built in the 300 B.C. to escort the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang to his afterlife and guards his tomb that lies in the Xi’an region of Shaanxi province. Built over a span of 36 years by 700,000 workers this army contains about 8000 clay figures each unique in appearance and many horses and chariots. With many fearsome stories of this notorious ruler, this is a spectacular and must visit site in China.

02. The Forbidden City in Beijing

The Forbidden City, one of the most exclusive residents in the world is also the largest palace complex in existence. Laying across an area of 72 hectares, the palace consists of 980 buildings that are among the finest specimens of Chinese architectures. These palaces filled with amazing statues, sculptures and decorated with colorful paintings and signs are among the most popular tourist attractions in China. The Forbidden City served as an imperial residence for 500 years where ordinary citizen were forbidden to enter. Today, it serves as a museum and displays many fabulous artworks and artifacts from the ancient China. This historic site paints a perfect picture of the majestic, magical and mysterious China from ancient times.

01. The Great Wall of China

It may not be visible from the moon as many say but the Great Wall of China still remains the most visited tourist attraction in China. The longest defensive structure in the world, these connected walls or the Great Wall cover an area of 8800 kilometers among which of 6,259 kilometers are pure wall. Created over a span of 2000 years starting from the 7th century BC, the Great Wall truly is an astonishing example of human supremacy. Countless battles, wars, revolution and evolution the wall has seen it all. The great wall fascinates an average of 10 million annual visitors and grabs the first spot on our list without any competition.