World Heritage Sites in China
There are currently 27 cultural sites in China that are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Many of these are religious in nature and profiled on Sacred Destinations. Below is an index of World Heritage Sites in China with articles on this website, with the World Heritage number listed in parantheses next to the title. Scroll down for the full list of cultural World Heritage Sites in China.
 Sichuan These magnificent Buddhist sculptures were carved in stone cliffs around Dazu, Szechuan province, between 892 and 1245. They are a World Heritage Site for their importance to Buddhist art.  Sichuan Mount Emei is the highest of the four Buddhist sacred mountains of China, rising 3,099 m. It is noted for its breathtaking scenery, mysterious natural wonders, and historical Buddhist sites.  Sichuan This is the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world, carved out of a cliff by an 8th-century monk to calm the turbulent confluence of three rivers. Each eyebrow is 18 feet long.  Henan Stretching for a half-mile along the west bank of a river, this site includes some 1,350 caves and 40 pagodas, filled with thousands of Buddhist statues carved out of the hard limestone cliffs.  Gansu These Buddhist cave temples were a center of culture on the Silk Road from the 4th to the 14th centuries and contain well-preserved religious murals and carvings spanning that entire period.  Shandong Mount Tai is the most important of five sacred Taoist mountains in China and an important historic site. Rising to a height of 5,000 feet, it is home to 22 temples plus many ruins and inscriptions.  Shandong The memorial temple of Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher and educator, was built next to his family mansion and family cemetery in 478 BC. Rebuilt several times since, it is now a World Heritage Site.  Beijing Completed in 1420, this magnificent temple was considered the meeting point of Earth and Heaven. For 500 years it hosted the emperors' sacrifices and prayers for a good harvest at the winter solstice. |
List of All Cultural World Heritage Sites in China
- 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)
- Dazu Rock Carvings (1999)
- Fujian Tulou (2008)
- Historic Centre of Macao (2005)
- Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (1994)
- Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang (1987)
- Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000)
- Longmen Grottoes (2000)
- Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (2007)
- Lushan National Park (1996)
- Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (1987)
- Mogao Caves (1987)
- Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (1996)
- Mount Huangshan (1990)
- Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000)
- Mount Taishan (1987)
- Mount Wutai (2009)
- Mount Wuyi (1999)
- Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (1994)
- Old Town of Lijiang (1997)
- Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (1987)
- 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 Great Wall (1987)
- Yin Xu (2006)
- Yungang Grottoes (2001)
