188 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in China - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in China

Hanging Temple of Hengshan

A 5th-century temple improbably built into the side of a cliff.

Panjin Shi, China

Red Beach

A part of the world's largest marsh seems to be growing bright red Martian grass.

Zhangjiajie, China

Avatar Hallelujah Mountain

This vertical pinnacle in China was the inspiration for the floating mountains in the movie “Avatar.”

The Forbidden City

The most famous location in China was home to whole dynasties worth of imperial rulers.

Huanglong Travertine Pools

Intensely colorful calcite pools in Southern China.

Shengshan Island, China

Houtouwan

This abandoned fishing settlement may well be the greenest village in the world.

Zhangjiajie, China

Tianmen Shan

999 stairs lead visitors through a massive hole in a mountain known as the Gateway to Heaven.

Dragon Escalator

The world's longest outdoor escalator takes visitors to the top of China's largest dam and is also shaped like a dragon.

See All 188 Things to Do in China See All 188 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in China

Dragon's Beard Candy

The ancient confection consists of wispy sugar-strands that look like dragon whiskers.

Hmong Stuffed Chicken Wings

Next-level egg rolls are wrapped in an entire chicken wing.

Fujisan Bread

Worlds collide in this braided bread that tastes like brioche and is meant to look like Mount Fuji.

Jiānbǐng

Every morning, Chinese vendors sling savory, crispy crepes to lines of patient fans.

See all 34 things to eat in China See all 34 things to eat in China

Atlas Obscura Trips

Springtime in Eastern China: Exploring the Birthplace of Tea

From bustling night markets to fine-dining institutions, this journey down China’s east coast reveals the story of countless delicious dishes and culinary traditions.

Noah Schneider

Community Forums / East Asia / China

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Stories
About China

The 99-million-year-old beetle, bathed in pollen.

Found: Pollen on a 99-Million-Year-Old Beetle, in Amber

The pollen-dusted beetle pushes back the earliest evidence of insect-flower pollination by 50 million years.

by Sabrina Imbler

November 19, 2019

The "Manchu-Han Imperial Banquet" brought peace to an empire, so the story goes.

The Greatest Banquet in Chinese History That Never Was

How grilled ape, braised bear paw, and steamed camel hump came to symbolize national unity.

November 13, 2019

Mao found mangoes to be too messy.

How a Fruit Basket From Mao Made China Mad for Mangoes

Regifting the fruit created a potent political symbol.

by Jessica Gingrich

November 4, 2019

An aerial view of a villager drying bamboo sticks to produce bamboo chopsticks in Ji'an, in China's Jiangxi Province, on October 11, 2019.

Picturing China's Bamboo Chopstick Industry From the Sky

Aerial views highlight a sliver of the huge business.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

October 15, 2019

An aerial view of a massive collection of red chili peppers drying in the sun on October 7, 2019, in Xinjiang, China.

The Gobi Desert Is a Red Sea of Chili Peppers

They dry in the sun every autumn in China's Uyghur Autonomous Region.

by Reina Gattuso

October 9, 2019

A historical illustration of a common carp.

Found: 588 Carp Teeth From China's Oldest-Known Fish Farm

Chinese farmers domesticated the common carp as early as 6200 BC, researchers say.

by Sabrina Imbler

October 1, 2019

Say again?

It's All Greek to You and Me, So What Is It to the Greeks?

A close look at a strangely global idiom about how little we understand each other.

by Dan Nosowitz

Performances with copper kettles are becoming increasingly popular attractions in Chengdu.

In Chengdu, Kung Fu Tea Is Torn Between Tradition and Performance

A martial arts-influenced style of pouring tea is catching on in China.

by Jordan Porter

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