China's Historical & Cultural Cities (Sept 10 update)

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China has classified 110 cities as historical and cultural cities. The cities were selected as they either had been political, culture or economic centers in the past or significant historical events had taken place.

This blog entry is a summary of the historical and cultural cities we have visited.

Total of 30 cities visits are:-
1. Beijing
2. Shanghai
3. Chengdu
4. Dujiangyan
5. Leshan
6. Yibin
7. Zigong
8. Tianjin
9. Yinchuan
10. Shanhaiguan
11. Tai an
12. Datong
13. Qufu
14. Qingdao
15. Jinan
16. Pingyao
17. Nanjing
18. Suzhou
19. Jingdezhen
20. Chengde
21. Louyang
22. Kaifeng
23. Zhengzhou
24. Anyang
25. Hangzhou
26. Shaoxing
27. Shengyang
28. Chongqing
29. Xian
30. Nanchang

Update 1
31. Haerbin
Update 2
32. Wuhan
33. Xiangfan

Note: The contents (text and photos) of this article remain the copyright of the Author, Jenny. Under no circumstances should the photos or text be used without the express written permission of the Author. Please contact the Author by leaving a message if you wish to use or publish photos or text from this article.

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Photos

Beijing
Capital for the last 2 dynasties but has been around as a city since 1153.

Chongqing
3000 years old city that took advantage of its strategic position where Jialing Jiang and Changjiang meets.

Nanchang
Birth place of the Chinese army.

Chengde
Qing Dynasty's summer palace.

Chengdu
2000 years old political, cultural and economical centre for west China.

Datong
A strategic city in North China in its 2000 years history.

Anyang
One of the cradle of Chinese civilisation where the earliest form of chinese words was excavated.

Dujiangyan
2000 years old city where the grand irrigation project was built in 256BC. The irrigation system is still working now.

Hangzhou
Cultural city describled by Marco Polo as the most beautiful city in the world.

Jingdezhen
The porcelain capital of China. The porcelain is also exported to the rest of the world since ancient times.

Jinan
City famous for its spring waters

Kaifeng
Capital for 7 dynasties. A political and cultural city.

Leshan
A city where 3 major rivers meet. Also a Buddhism centre with the Ermei Mountain and the Leshan Buddha.

Louyang
Capital for 13 dynasties and where the earliest Buddhism temple was built.

Pingyao
A cultural and economical city that has been around for 2700 years.

Qingdao
Witness to foreign rule from 1897 till end of WWII.

Shanghai
East Asia's financial hub in the 1800s.

Qufu
Birthplace of Confucius whose teaching and philosophy influenced East Asia's thoughts.

Shanghaiguan
A strategic city in Northeast China. Ming dynasty's rule ended when the Manchurian troops march in from here.

Shaoxing
Once the political and cultural centre of East China during its 4000 years history.

Shenyang
Birthplace of Qing Dynasty. Shenyang was the Manchurian's capital before their invasion of China in 1644.