As of 2015, 48 noteworthy Chinese sites were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List: 37 Cultural Heritage, 8 Natural Heritage, and 3 Cultural and Natural Heritage. China is second only to Italy for World Heritage sites.
A catalogue of all of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in China is shown below, with links to specific web pages that provide in-depth information.
List of World Heritage Sites in China
| Year of Recognition | World Heritage Sites (48 sites) | Location | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category: C = Cultural Heritage; N = Natural Heritage; CN = Cultural and Natural Heritage | |||
| 1987 | The Great Wall | Beijing | C |
| 1987, 2004 | Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang: The Forbidden City, Shenyang Imperial Palace | Beijing, Shenyang | C |
| 1987 | Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Terracotta Army) | Xi'an | C |
| 1987 | Mount Taishan | Tai'an, Shandong | CN |
| 1987 | Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian | Beijing | C |
| 1987 | Mogao Grottoes | Dunhuang | C |
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| 1990 | Mount Huangshan (The Yellow Mountains) | Huangshan, Anhui | CN |
| 1992 | Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area | Sichuan | N |
| 1992 | Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area | Zhangjiajie | N |
| 1992 | Huanglong Scenic and historic Interest Area | Sichuan | N |
| 1994 | Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde | Chengde | C |
| 1994, 2000, 2001 | Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (Jokhang Temple, Norbulingka) | Lhasa | C |
| 1994 | Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion | Qufu, Shandong | C |
| 1994 | Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains | Shiyan, Hubei | C |
| 1996 | Mount Emei Scenic Spot and Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Spot | Leshan, Sichuan | CN |
| 1996 | Lushan National Park | Jiujiang, Jiangxi | C |
| 1997 | Old Town of Lijiang | Lijiang, Yunnan | C |
| 1997 | Pingyao Ancient Town | Jinzhong, Shanxi | C |
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| 1997, 2000 | Classic Gardens of Suzhou: Lion Grove, Humble Administrator Garden, Lingering Garden, Garden of Master of the Nets | Suzhou, Jiangxi | C |
| 1998 | Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing | Beijing | C |
| 1998 | Temple of Heaven, an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing | Beijing | C |
| 1999 | Dazu Rock Carvings | Chongqing | C |
| 1999 | Mount Wuyi | Wuyishan, Fujian | CN |
| 2000, 2003, 2004 | Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: Xiaoling Tomb (Nanjing, Jiangsu), 13 Ming Tombs (Beijing), Jingtailing Tomb (Beijing),Three Imperial Tombs of the Qing Dynasty (Shenyang, Liaoning), Xianling Tomb (Hubei), the Eastern and Western Qing Tombs (Hebei), | Jiangsu, Beijing, Liaoning, Hubei, Hebei | C |
| 2000 | Xidi Village and Hongcun Village | Huangshan, Anhui | C |
| 2000 | Qingchengshan Mountain and Dujiangyan Irrigation Project | Chengdu, Sichuan | C |
| 2000 | Longmen Grottoes | Luoyang, Henan | C |
| 2001 | Yungang Grottoes | Datong, Shanxi | C |
| 2003 | Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas | Yunnan | N |
| 2004 | Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom | Tonghua, Jilin | C |
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| 2005 | Historic Centre of Macau | Macau | C |
| 2006 | Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries: Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains | Sichuan | N |
| 2006 | Yin Xu | Anyang, Henan | C |
| 2007, 2014 | South China Karst | Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, Chongqing | N |
| 2007 | Kaiping Diaolou and Villages | Jiangmen, Guangdong | C |
| 2008 | Mount Sanqingshan National Park | Shangrao, Jiangxi | N |
| 2008 | Fujian Tulou | Fujian | C |
| 2009 | Wutai Mountain | Xinzhou, Shanxi | C |
| 2010 | Danxia Landform | Guizhou, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Zhejiang | N |
| 2010 | Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in "The Centre of Heaven and Earth" (Dengfeng Shaolin Temple) | Dengfeng, Henan | C |
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| 2011 | West Lake | Hangzhou, Zhejiang | C |
| 2012 | The Site of Xanadu | Inner Mongolia | C |
| 2012 | Chengjiang Fossil Site | Yunnan | N |
| 2013 | Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces | Yunnan | C |
| 2013 | Xinjiang Tianshan | Xinjiang | N |
| 2014 | Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor | Gansu, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang | C |
| 2014 | The Grand Canal | Beijing, Hangzhou | C |
| 2015 | Tusi Sites | Hubei | C |
| 2016 | Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape | Guangxi | C |
World Heritage Candidates
| Yunju Temple Pagoda and Stone Sutras at Fangshan | Lugou Bridge | Anji Bridge |
|---|---|---|
| Yongle Palace | Niuheliang Site | Lunan Stone Forest |
| West Lake Liangzhu Site | Water Towns South of the Yangtze River: Zhouzhuang and Tongli | Copper Mine Remains of Tonglushan |
| Shennongjia Natural Reserve | The Wooden Tower in Fogong Temple | Li River of Guilin |
| Beihai Park | The Pagoda in Kaiyuan Temple | Dule Temple |
| The Dingcun Old Residence | The Daming Palace Site of the Han Dynasty | The Ancient City Wall of Xi'an |
| Yongji Bridge at Chengyang | The site of Chang'an of the Han Dynasty | Stele Forest of Xi'an |
| Wudalianchi in Heilongjiang Province |
Map of World Heritage Sites in China
Visit World Heritage Sites with China Highlights
If you are interested in visiting world heritage sites in China, please see our popular tours below for inspiration:
- World Heritage & Southern China Discovery — 15-Day Shanghai, Kunming, Shangri-la, Lijiang, Chengdu, Xi’an and Beijing Tour
- 11-Days Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Shanghai Tour — Classic Wonders
- 12 Days Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shanghai Tour — Get Close to Giant Panda
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