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 |
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 — 18-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
See more China tours. Our tours can be customized. Just tell us your interests and requirements and we will create your own China tour.