China’s World Heritage List(55)
As of 2019, 55 noteworthy Chinese sites were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List: 37 Cultural Heritage, 14 Natural Heritage, and 4 Cultural and Natural Heritage, ranking first in the world.
Honored for their “cultural and natural heritage of outstanding value to humanity,” these 55 diverse sites include palaces perched on mountaintops, giant panda sanctuaries, and traditional villages that transport back in time.
The most celebrated places like the Great Wall of China or Emperor Qin’s terra-cotta warriors need no introduction. Yet the immense nation of China offers an incredible wealth of World Heritage Sites, just begging to be explored.
Cultural (37)
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (1994)
Ancient City of Ping Yao (1997)
Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun (2000)
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (2004)
Classical Gardens of Suzhou (1997,2000)
Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (2013)
Dazu Rock Carvings (1999)
Fujian Tulou (2008)
Historic Centre of Macao (2005)
Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (1994,2000, 2001)
Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth” (2010)
Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang (1987,2004)
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000,2003, 2004)
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (2007)
Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement (2017)
Longmen Grottoes (2000)
Lushan National Park (1996)
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (1987)
Mogao Caves (1987)
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000)
Mount Wutai (2009)
Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (1994)
Old Town of Lijiang (1997)
Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (1987)
Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor (2014)
Site of Xanadu (2012)
Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (1998)
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu (1994)
Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (1998)
The Grand Canal (2014)
The Great Wall (1987)
Tusi Sites (2015)
West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou (2011)
Yin Xu (2006)
Yungang Grottoes (2001)
Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (2016)
Liangzhu ancient city ruins (2019)
Natural (14)
Chengjiang Fossil Site (2012)
China Danxia (2010)
Fanjingshan (2018)
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Hubei Shennongjia (2016)
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Mount Sanqingshan National Park (2008)
Qinghai Hoh Xil (2017)
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries – Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains (2006)
South China Karst (2007,2014)
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (2003)
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Xinjiang Tianshan (2013)
Habitat of yellow (bo) sea migratory birds (phase I) (2019)
Mixed (4)
Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (1996)
Mount Huangshan (1990)
Mount Taishan (1987)
Mount Wuyi (1999)