China is a very large country with many interesting places to visit. With a history going back 4,000 years, China's historical sites are often high on a traveler's list of places to see. With a unique fusion of a number of religions, most cities have fascinating temples and local shrines.

The Great Wall
Considered one of the Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 2,000-year-old wall stretches nearly 5,500 miles from east to west.

The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, was the palace of the emperor during the Ming and Ching dynasties. It was completed in 1420 and required the labor of more than 1 million people. The Forbidden City is located in Beijing.

Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven, located in Beijing, was built at the same time as the Forbidden City. With an area of 2.7 million square meters, this temple is larger than the Forbidden City. During the Ming and Ching dynasties, offerings to Heaven would be made on winter solstice at the Temple of Heaven

Temple of Confucius
The Temple of Confucius, also located in Beijing, was initially built in 1302. It is 22,000 square meters and is second in size only to the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong. Beijing's Temple of Confucius is home to a 700-year-old cypress tree. This tree is reputed to be able to distinguish between good and evil and is called the Touch of Evil Cypress, or Chu Jien Bai.

Jade Buddha Temple
Shanghai is home to one of the best-known Buddhist temples in the world. The Jade Buddha Temple was built in 1882 to house two jade Buddhas from Burma. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that resulted in the Republic of China, but the statues were saved. An exact replica of the original temple was built on the original site in 1928.