蕾切尔·迪森

With the average Chinese city having well over several million residents， traveling to the countrys cities as a foreigner can be a daunting adventure. But they are not all just people and skyscrapers. Each of them has something unique to boast， and some are brimming with astonishing features.

Dunhuang

With just 200，000 residents， Dunhuang is hardly a major city by todays standards. However， the city lies at the historic juncture of two major Silk Road routes and contains two of western Chinas most incredible， underrated tourist attractions： Yueyaquan and the Mogao Caves. Yueyaquan， or Crescent Moon Lake， is a small oasis in the desert， and a sight unlike any other. The Mogao Caves， also known as the Thousand Buddha Grottoes， lie about 25 kilometers （15.5 miles） from Dunhuang proper and are famous for their significant Buddhist art and Christian artifacts still being discovered within.

Lijiang

Many Chinese people say that if you want to fall in love， go to Lijiang. Perhaps this is because of its attractive locals， or more likely， because the small city is so romantic that it makes even the most cynical find love among the mountains and limestone travertines. Since its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997， many of the local Nakhi people have moved away from the old town and rented their houses to shops and cafés. However， the town is still a special place that preserves the charm of old southern China.

Chongqing

Chongqing is much more than just a city. In Chinese terms， it is classified as a municipality， joining more well-known Shanghai， Beijing， and Tianjin. Chongqing shares many similarities with its neighboring province of Si-   chuan， namely its mouth-numbing cuisine， which Chongqing prefers in its signature form of hot pot. Practically a province unto itself， Chongqing is brimming with beauty and culture. It sits on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and has ancient rock carvings， preserved witchcraft culture， a legendary fortress1， and a pure-white cave all within its borders2.

Guilin

In a country filled with identical cities made up of skyscrapers and convenience stores as far as the eye can see， Guilin stands out. Even though it has an urban area， its location among the mountains gives visitors the impression of being out in nature. The city also has plenty of natural sites， including the 180-million-year-old， artificially lit Reed Flute Cave. Guilin， which means “Forest of Sweet Osmanthus，” lies on the banks of the Li River， which connects the city to the town of Yangshuo， another popular destination.

Urumqi

Urumqi， also spelled Wulumuqi， is the provincial capital of Xinjiang， Chinas westernmost autonomous region. Once a major hub on the Silk Road， Urumqi has become a hot pot of cultures. Though originally the home of the Uyghur people， Urumqi is now a mecca3 for the Han Chinese majority， who were incentivized by the government to move there starting in the 1980s. Many tourists see Urumqi just as the gateway to the more beautiful side of Xinjiang.

Kashgar

Kashgar， also located in Xinjiang， is one of the westernmost cities in China; it lies near the border of Afghanistan， Pakistan， Kyrgyzstan， and Tajikistan. While a large portion of the city has been modernized， it still retains a vibrant old town with well-preserved traditional mud houses4. Top sights in the city include the vibrantly yellow Id Kah Mosque， a weekly livestock market， and several historically significant tombs.

Qingdao

For some people， the name Qingdao brings to mind nights of drinking a few too many Tsingtao beers， and from others， memories of days spent lying on the beach under a clear sky. Seen as one of Chinas most livable cities， Qingdao is more than just a place to visit a brewery. Qingdao is also dotted with plenty of parks and green spaces， not to mention the handful of wonderful beaches and museums.

Harbin

While most visitors rarely venture beyond Harbins world-famous Ice and Snow Festival， the northeastern Chinese city has much more to offer. Beautiful Saint Sophia Cathedral is a visual reminder of the citys Russian past. Zhongyang Street， just behind the cathedral， is Asias longest pedestrian street and home to many Baroque and Byzantine buildings. And what is that music you hear？ Harbin is the birthplace of Chinas oldest symphony orchestra as well as the countrys first music school.

Yiwu

Yiwu is home to one million people， a small city by Chinese standards. However， the city is famous across the country as a commodities center and hub for Chinese exports. Indeed， in 2013， over 60% of all Christmas decorations originated in Yiwu. As an export hub， it is the place to go if you want cheap goods straight from the source.

Lhasa

The eastern half of Lhasa is filled with extremely well-preserved Tibetan culture， with locals frequently engaged in the traditional act of kora， a clockwise walk around a sacred site. It is also the location of the Potala Palace， one of Tibets most iconic places. The rest of the city is nearly indistinguishable from any other Chinese city. However， with plenty of Tibetan handicrafts on sale on Barkhor Street and several significant temples and monasteries， Lhasa is still a unique destination that will amaze the most worldly of tourists.

中国城市平均居住人口已超过数百万，因此，对外国人来说，游览中国城市如同一场令人怯步的历险。然而，中国的城市不只有人山人海与摩天大楼，每座城市都有引以为傲的独特之处，有些更是处处有奇景。

敦煌

敦煌仅有20万常住居民，按照当今的标准，它并不算大城市。然而，敦煌位于古代丝绸之路两条主线路的重要交汇点，并拥有中国西部两个最不可思议且被低估的旅游景点：月牙泉和莫高窟。月牙泉是沙漠中的一弯小绿洲，景观绝无仅有。莫高窟又称千佛洞，坐落于敦煌城外约25公里（15.5英里）处，以其重要的佛教艺术和正在发掘的基督教文物而闻名遐迩。

丽江

在中国流传着一句话：想来一次艳遇吗？就去丽江吧。这一说法也许是因为丽江人颇有魅力，更可能是因为这座小城是如此浪漫多情，以至于即便是最愤世嫉俗的人也能在丽江的群山和石灰巖构成的奇景中寻找到爱情。自丽江于1997年被联合国教科文组织列为世界文化遗产以来，当地众多的原住民纳西族人迁离了古镇，把他们的房子租给商铺与小餐馆。但是，丽江依然独特，保留着中国南部的古老魅力。

重庆

重庆不仅仅是城市，在中国，它还是一座直辖市，与更为人熟知的上海、天津和北京并列四大直辖市。重庆与邻省四川有许多共同特征，那就是让人唇齿发麻的菜肴，而重庆人更喜欢的招牌饮食是火锅。事实上，重庆同为省级地区，处处可见美景，文化气息浓郁。重庆位于长江上游，境内有古老的岩刻遗址、保存完好的巫文化、一座传奇古堡以及一个洁白如雪的洞穴。

桂林

目之所及尽是摩天楼与便利店——在这样一个城市千篇一律的国度，桂林令人耳目一新。尽管桂林拥有城区，但其四围群山环绕，使游客仿若置身于自然之中。这座城市也有丰富的自然景观，包括配备人工照明的芦笛岩，迄今已有1.8亿年历史。桂林，意为“桂花之林”。漓江穿城而过，把桂林和阳朔（另一个旅游胜地）连接在一起。

乌鲁木齐

乌鲁木齐是中国最西边的新疆维吾尔自治区的首府，曾经是丝绸之路上的重要枢纽，如今成为各民族文化的熔炉。虽然乌鲁木齐最初是维吾尔族人居住，但从20世纪80年代开始，汉族人受政府政策激励而迁居乌鲁木齐，这使乌鲁木齐现今成为人口占多数的汉族人的故乡。许多游客将乌鲁木齐视作一道关口，借此可通往新疆更壮美的地方。

喀什

喀什，也位于新疆，是中国最西边的城市之一，与阿富汗、巴基斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦和塔吉克斯坦很近。喀什大部分地区已实现现代化，但它仍然保留着一个充满活力的老城区，拥有保存完好的传统高台民居。喀什的热门景点包括亮黄色的艾提尕尔清真寺、每周一次的牲畜市场和几座具有历史意义的陵墓。

青岛

“青岛”，对一些人而言，这个名字会让他们想起畅饮青岛啤酒的夜晚，而对另一些人而言，则会忆起晴空下躺在沙滩上的时光。作为中国最宜居的城市之一，青岛不仅是一个参观啤酒厂的地方。青岛市区还散布着许多公园和绿地，更不用说那几处迷人的海滩与博物馆了。

哈尔滨

来到哈尔滨，除了举世闻名的冰雪节，大多数游客极少尝试其他旅游项目。但这座中国东北部城市所能参观的景点远不止于此。美丽的圣索菲亚大教堂让人一眼望去就想起这座城市被沙俄强占的那段历史。教堂背面的中央大街，是亚洲最长的步行街，聚集了许多巴洛克建筑和拜占庭风格的建筑。你听，那是什么乐曲？哈尔滨还是中国第一支交响乐团和中国第一所音乐学校的诞生地。

义乌

义乌有100万人口，按照中国的标准，这是一座小城市。然而，义乌闻名全国，是商品批发和出口商品的集散中心。事实上，2013年，全世界60%以上的圣诞装饰品源自义乌。若想直接从厂商那里购买低价商品，义乌作为出口中心是一个不错的去处。

拉萨

拉萨的东半区充满了保存极为完好的藏族文化，当地藏民经常参加传统的转山活动，即顺时针环绕一处佛教圣地。拉萨也是布达拉宫的所在地。布达拉宫是西藏最具标志性的景点之一。拉萨别的地方与其他国内城市几乎没什么区别，然而，有八廓街上琳琅满目的藏族手工艺品和几座重要的庙宇和寺院，使拉萨仍不失为一个独特的旅游胜地，能让世上见识最广的游客都惊叹不已。