Beyond the Great Wall: 15 lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China

China is vast and diverse, filled with countless unexpected wonders. Yet, UNESCO have managed to designate 59 of its most significant natural and cultural landmarks across the country as World Heritage Sites, with this number increasing every year.

Going beyond the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, intriguing stories can be found in hidden in every corner of the country. Tucked away in the Mogao Caves is the world’s largest and most richly endowed Buddhist collection. Around 700km away, the natural landscape of Hoh Xil is considered the world’s ‘Third Pole’ and home to some of the hardiest flora and fauna. Meanwhile, Wulingyuan is much more than the otherworldly Avatar Hallelujah Mountain with its soaring 3,000 sandstone pillars, and Fanjingshan’s temples that perch precariously atop of a piercing peak will leave you in awe. 

Here, we picked 15 lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China that you need to know about…

Year inscribed: 1992

Located in the northwest of Sichuan Province in southwest China, Huanglong, which means ‘Yellow Dragon’ in Chinese, is home to a series of terraced travertine pools that imitate the scales of a dragon. Formed by mineral-rich hot springs that deposit calcium carbonate, the hillside-stacked pools and lakes fill with turquoise-blue water, with the ‘Jade Pool’ being the largest and most renowned. The 600 sq km area also encompasses forests, snow-capped peaks of over 5,500m, as well as China’s easternmost glaciers. Rare wildlife can be found here too, including the giant panda and Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey.

Year inscribed: 1987

Situated at an important junction of the ancient Silk Road in Gansu, northwest China, 492 Buddhist caves are carved into the cliffs above the Dachuan River, forming what’s known as the Mogao Caves. Offering a glimpse into the 1,600 history of Chinese culture, the caves are home to the largest collection of Buddhist art in the world, including thousands of murals and sculptures. The caves originated in 366 AD, with its Dunhuang art seeing influences from ancient India, Turkey, and Tibet. Despite being considered the world’s greatest discovery of ancient Oriental culture, this Magao Caves are under increased threat of erosion by sand and dust particles.

Year inscribed: 2013

Located in southern Yunnan in southwest China, a 160 sq km area of rice terraces layer each other down the slopes of the Ailao Mountains to the banks of the Hong River: a stunning agricultural and cultural landscape formed by the Hani ethnic group. Around 1,300 years ago, in order to combat the challenging environment for agriculture, the Hani people constructed the terraces with a complex system of dikes, channels, and ponds that store and control water from the mountain streams – a demonstration of their wisdom and resilience. The rice paddies provide a habitat for many aquatic species, which is a great example of an ancient sustainable agricultural practice. 

Year inscribed: 2017

Situated in the ‘Third Pole’ is the world’s largest and highest plateau: at an altitude of over 4,500m and a sub-zero average temperature all year round. Hoh Xil is an area of unique biodiversity thanks to its harsh climates, with over one-third of plant species and all herbivorous mammals endemic to the plateau. The landscape of snow-capped peaks, alpine grasslands and lake basins form critical calving grounds for the endangered Tibetan antelope. Sadly today, this ‘Third Pole’ is seeing the affects of global warming and shifting precipitation patterns.

Year inscribed: 2017

Kulangsu is a small yet culturally diverse island close to Xiamen in Fujian, southeast China. With international settlement emerging here from 1903, this island became an important port for Sino-foreign trades, attracting merchants, missionaries, and diplomats from around the world, and evolved into an international community that is home to settlers from over 13 countries. This diversity has brought a mixture of architectural styles to more than 900 buildings, fusing together Traditional Southern Fujian Style, Western Classical Revival Style and Veranda Colonial Style. It was also where the modern hybrid architectural style – the Amoy Deco Style emerged later on. People often call this pedestrian-only island the ‘Piano Island’ due to its rich musical heritage. 

Year inscribed: 2010

The Danxia landform is comprised of six areas in southeast China, where rugged landscapes of continental red sedimentary rock formations have been shaped through weather and erosion to create cliffs, pillars, ravines, peaks, valleys, and waterfalls. One of the most renowned areas of the Danxia is Jianglangshan, located in Zhejiang, with its 360m-tall ‘Three Jianglang Brothers’ being the most sought-after formations: the parallel peaks rising dramatically from the ground. Whereas Longhushan, or the Dragon Tiger Mountain, in Jiangxi, is another classic example with its turtle-like Gui Peak, 1,300m tall Tianmen Mountain, and elephant-like Xiangbi Mountain. Other Danxia landforms can be found in Chishui in Guizhou, Taining in Fujian, Langshan in Hunan, and Danxiashan in Guangdong.

Year inscribed: 1987

Rising to a height of 1,500m in Shandong, northeast China, Taishan has been considered a sacred mountain for over 3,000 years, with Taoism and Buddhism temples (Dai Temple being the largest and most significant), shrines and inscriptions. It was an important place of worship by ancient emperors – as early as Huang Di in 219 BCE – with the grand important Fengshan ceremony to honour Heaven and Earth performed on the summit of Taishan. With outstanding natural scenery and great cultural significance, it is the first among the ‘Five Great Mountains’ of China, and an important part of oriental East Asian culture.

Year inscribed: 2008

Located in the mountainous regions of Fujian, southeast China, these rural earthen structures of residential buildings are the accommodation of the Hakka ethnic group. With their construction beginning during the Song and Yuan dynasties (12th century) and continuing through Ming and Qing dynasties (14th-20th centuries), The Hakka people, facing social unrest and bandit attacks, built these fortified structures for protection and communal living. The buildings have 3-5 storeys, and come in various shapes and sizes, but most notably round. Walking into the Tulou is like visiting a community, with extended families living together – a reflection of the Chinese family teaching of ‘togetherness’ and ‘cohesion’. Currently 46 Tulou buildings are included in UNESCO’s world heritage, including Yongding Tulou and Nanjing Tulou.

Year inscribed: 1994

Putuo Zongcheng Temple, located in Chengde, northeast China, is one of the largest and most important Tibetan Buddhist temples outside Tibet. Constructed in the late-18th century, it shows a fusion of traditional Chinese and Tibetan architectural styles, featuring red walls, golden roofs, and white stupas – with its layout and scale closely resembling the Potala Palace. The Main Hall features the Grand Red Terrace, which houses the Mahavira Hall – showcasing large Buddha statues and religious artefacts. The temple is part of the Chengde Mountain Resort, the Qing dynasty’s summer palace that is among the rare historic remains of the last dynasty in feudalism China. 

Year inscribed: 2000

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System was an enormous and important agricultural project back in the 256 BC in Chengdu, between the Sichuan basin and the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, showcasing the wisdom of the ancient Chinese. First constructed in 256 BC by the engineer Li Bing and his son, it features a smart utilisation of natural topography and hydrology for flood control without the use of dams and diverting water for irrigation — now irrigating 6680 km sq of farmland. The irrigation system is the oldest functioning irrigation project in the world, and has played a crucial role in controlling the Min River’s waters and supporting agriculture in the Chengdu Plain. Mount Qingcheng, to the south of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, is known as one of the birthplaces of Taoism, where philosopher Zhang Ling founded the doctrine of Chinese Taoism in 142 BC. It houses many ancient Taoist temples and relics, such as Jianfu Palace, Shangqing Palace, and the Tianshi Cave.

Year inscribed: 2016

Nestled in Hubei, central China, the protected Shennongjia area encompasses mountains, forests, deep valleys, and rock formations. Named after Shennong, a legendary figure in Chinese mythology credited with teaching agriculture and herbal medicine, it is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including rare and endangered species like Chinese giant salamander, gvarious orchids. Visitors can ‘climb to the roof of central China’ up Shennong Peak, while Dajiu Lake is great for trekking and spotting wildlife, such as the  golden snub-nosed monkey. Moreover, Shengnongjia is also home to the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups who share some of their vibrant festivals and traditional customs with travellers.  

Year inscribed: 1992

Despite being widely known for its Avatar Hallelujah Mountain, Wulingyuan is so much more than that. Located in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan, southern China, it is renowned for its karst landscape formed over millions of years, featuring over 3,000 narrow sandstone pillars and peaks. Some over 200 metres high, the formations create a surreal and otherworldly landscape. But that’s not all — natural bridges, ravines, waterfalls, streams, pools, caves and dense broadleaf forest alongside form a magical wonderland. While sunny days have nice hiking weather, a visit on cloudy days will offer you the magnificent view of the pillars floating on the sea of clouds.

Year inscribed: 2018

Located in Guizhou, southwest China, the landscape of Fanjingshan features unique rock formations, but most notably the gigantic Red Clouds Golden Summit, where the sacred Temple of the Buddha and Maitreya Temple balance atop. Fanjingshan has been a centre of Buddhist worship for centuries, and an important pilgrimage site, attracting Buddhist devotees and tourists who come to experience its spiritual atmosphere and nature. What is little known by visitors is that Fanjingshan is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and hundreds of rare and endangered animals, like the Guizhou golden monkey and the Fanjingshan fir.

Year inscribed: 2007

The South China Karst, spanning the provinces of Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Chongqing, is one of the world’s most spectacular karst landscapes. One of it’s most iconic components is the Guilin Karst, located within Lijiang National Park in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southeast China. Its towering limestone hills line the Li River, with Elephant Trunk Hill and Lingqu Hill being top spots. One of the best ways to take it all in is by cruising down the Li River, which offers opportunities to see traditional fishing villages along the water’s edge. Numerous caves and grottos can be found here, such as the Reed Flute Cave and Longji Cave, dripping with spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. Other regions included in the South China Karst property are Shilin Karst, Libo Karst, Wulong Karst, Guilin Karst, Shibing Karst, Jinfoshan Karst, and Huanjiang Karst. 

Year inscribed: 2019 (extended in 2024)

Stretching from the Yalu River Estuary in the north to the Yangtze River Estuary in the south, this coastal landscape is shaped by the continuous discharge of sediments and nutrients from major rivers like the Yellow River and Yangtze River, which have formed the world’s largest continuous mudflat coast. The area features a wide range of natural habitats, including deltas, sandbars, mudflats, rocky shores, islands, reed marshes, and shell ridges. These diverse ecosystems provide critical habitats for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Moreover, human-modified landscapes such as salt works, fish ponds, and rice fields also serve as important stopover sites for migratory species.

A total of 14 sites are included in the area, such as Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in Shandong featuring bird type like the Siberian crane, Changhai Provincial Nature Reserve for Rare Marine Life in Liaoning is home to spotted seal and common minke whale, and Beidaihe-Geziwo/Xin River Estuary in Hebei is a good place to see endangered red-crowned crane.