On your China vacation take in the history and culture with a visit to LeShan Giant Budda in Sichuan province in China.

Carved into a cliff and more than 230-feet high, the LeShan Grand Buddha appears anything but hidden. Its stories and secrets, however, create an aura of mystery surrounding this world’s-largest Buddha. Sitting tall above the Dadu He and Min He rivers, the Grand Buddha took 90 years to complete.  The dedication to this construction was inspired by the threat of a deadly river monster and the fundraising skills of a Buddhist monk.

In 713 AD, a river monster was allegedly terrorizing local seamen by flooding and capsizing boats. A Buddhist monk suggested construction of the Grand Buddha, promising that its presence would calm the waters. In addition to the spiritual safety offered by the looming Buddha, and to further safeguard the monk’s pledge, the construction team built the statue with a hollow body to allow sailors a place of refuge.

Another creative (and functional) touch is the Buddha’s drainage system. Still in working order, pipes carved into the sculpture’s body ensure that rain water flows off of the structure to reduce weathering. As a testament to the Buddha’s excellent construction, it continues to reign as the tallest carved statue in the world. And with a big toe nail measuring 28-feet long and 1,021 buns of curly hair and individual rocks so large they could each host a picnic, the Grand Buddha is poised to face any challenger that comes its way – river monster or otherwise.

Continuing our post from yesterday, here are 5 more Beijing must-see sights to make your vacation to China more memorable.

Silk Alley Market
Whether you want to find designer clothing knock-offs or just want entertaining afternoon, a visit to this market is recommended. The bustle and searching is part of the fun, as is the bargaining. In fact, you’re expected to haggle and should never take the first (and probably second, and third…) price offered.

Don Jiao Pi Fa Wholesale Market
For a locally inspired shopping experience, visit this market near Guang Hui Bridge. Don Jiao’s has everything from Chinese porcelain, produce, and flowers to electronics and home furnishings. If you walk past a big red gate, peak inside for more shopping. This is a very local experience, one that tourists usually miss. Only cash is accepted.

Club Obiwan
Despite its name, this bar has nothing to do with “Star Wars.” Instead, it’s a replica of the lively 1930s Shanghai bar from “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” The first floor boasts several red sofas and large, square, black and white tables, while the second floor is a café/bar indoor lounge. There’s also a rooftop deck. On Thursdays, the chef serves a three-course menu tied to the theme of the movie playing that night. Obi Wan is cash-only.

Zhang Yiyuan Teahouse
Make sure you experience a traditional tea ceremony before you leave Beijing. It’s an opportunity to soak in centuries of history at the same time you relax with a soothing cup. Zhang Yiyuan has earned a reputation over many decades as a purveyor of quality teas, and the building is made up of seven private rooms, offering diverse environs.

D-22
Very popular among locals, D-22 showcases local punk and experimental music groups and artists. Expand your horizons with some true local sounds. D-22 is closed Mondays, and only accepts cash.

We hope that these Beijing must-see sights will help you get more vacation from your vacation.  Make your trip even more unique and use our travel planning resources to help get your dream vacation underway.

In the capital city of China, enjoy a day of sightseeing as history comes to life and you experience cultural traditions that date back hundreds of thousands of years.  While traveling in Beijing take some time to get off the beaten path by visiting this must-see sites on your China vacation.

Forbidden City
The world’s largest imperial palace consists of 980 surviving rooms and an impressive amount of art and artifacts. Dating back to the mid-Ming dynasty, the palace was the home of Chinese royalty for nearly five centuries. No one was allowed to enter or leave without permission from the emperor.

Summer Palace
In tune with the theme of scale, Summer Palace is the world’s largest imperial garden. It may also be one of the most ambitious birthday presents ever: Emperor Qinlong ordered it for his mother in 1750, though it wasn’t completed for 15 more years. The classical Chinese garden architecture is stunning.

Temple of Heaven
Emperors traditionally offered sacrifices to Heaven, and this temple was built between 1406-1420 for that reason, especially for prayers about the harvest. Visitors are regularly amazed by the size, the rich blues designating heaven, and the whispering wall.

The Great Wall of China
Stretching over 4,000 miles, there’s not a comparable defensive structure to this seemingly endless wall. Historians have estimated that somewhere between two and three million people died during the centuries it took to construct the Great Wall, which was once guarded by approximately one million soldiers during the Ming dynasty. Beijing offers three popular viewing areas.

Li Qun Roast Duck Restaurant
Don’t let the graffiti-lined alleys dissuade you; you’ll want to try succulent Peking duck in Beijing, and Li Qun is the place to do it. This family-run eatery is authentic, casual, and less expensive than many other recommended Peking duck sites. And you’ll find yourself immersed in Beijing as you head through its back streets on the way to dinner.

Check back tomorrow for Part #2 of our Beijing, China not-to-be-missed sights.  Start planning your China vacation today!

Prepare to travel to Asia as we explore China on our next vacation series.  While the way to China may seem long, the trip is definitely worth all the wonders that are waiting for you there.

From the fast-paced cities of Beijing and Hong Kong to the peaceful Yangtze River, we will cover all of China’s major destinations over the course of our series.

Discover China’s ancient history and fascinating culture as we uncover the must-see sights of this great region.  Explore the Forbidden City, see the impressive Great Wall of China and dine at one of Hong Kong’s greatest dim sum restaurants.

There’s no other place on earth so uniquely tied to an enchanting past while living on the verge of the future’s most exciting promises as China.

As its name implies, the Friendship Store originally developed as a means to foster relationships with foreign visitors. It is no coincidence that the store chain opened at the same time communist China opened itself to the outside world. Offering a myriad of authentic Chinese goods, from art to silk to antiques, the Friendship Stores provided one-stop souvenir shopping – only accepting foreign exchange currencies. The original intent of the stores was to welcome foreigners while also encouraging the spread of Chinese culture as shoppers shared their souvenirs with loved ones around the world.

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In as early as the 11th Century BC, the Chinese developed a way of baking white clay at extremely high temperatures (up to 1100°F), thus creating porcelain. It was not, however, until the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) that the first functional porcelain masterpieces were created. Read the rest of this entry »

Although Beijing’s Imperial Vault of Heaven itself astounds tourists and worshippers, it is the temple’s outer wall that truly amazes those who discover it. Dubbed the “Echo Wall,” this temple’s surrounding circle utilizes the theory of sound waves, enabling long distance conversation to travel the length of the wall. Words whispered from the landmark’s east base reverberate along the wall allowing an individual at the west side to hear the spoken words.  At the Echo Wall, speech can travel more than 100-feet unaided by modern technology – now that is true wireless communication!

Xi’an – one of the most important cultural cities in China – was once the capital of the Chinese Empires for more than 1,500 years. However, when the center of China moved to the east, Xi’an quickly moved out of the spotlight and was soon known as a secondary city. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the discovery of the Terra-Cotta Warriors there put Xi’an back on the map. The Terra-Cotta Warriors were actually a cultural landmark left by Emperor Qin Shihuang – the first Chinese emperor. Read the rest of this entry »

The Great Wall of China – known as one of the seven wonders if the world – is the only man-made object that can be seen from space by the naked eye. The current remains of the Great Wall wander through the northern part of China – connecting the eastern China Sea to the barren desert in the west. Today, more than 5,000 kilometers of the wall are still visible. Read the rest of this entry »

Originally a religious ritual born nearly 2,000 years ago, The Lantern Festival – or Yuanxiao Jie – began when Buddhist leaders lit lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month, on the last day of the Chinese New Year, to show respect to their spiritual founder. Shortly after this religious observance developed, the ceremony spread to the Imperial Palace by edict of Emperor Mingdi and Chinese society followed by turning it into a national celebration. Read the rest of this entry »