1 . If you want to understand China but can’t afford an expensive international flight, these four books can give you a complete overview of the country.

River Town

River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze by Peter Hessler — This book is a journal of the author’s two years spent teaching English in a small town called Fuling, situated on the banks of the Yangtze River. Hessler writes about his experiences living in a foreign culture and observing the lives of the town’s residents. The book was published in 2001 and has won several awards, including the Kiriyama Prize.

Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China

It is a book that tells the story of China’s modernization. It was written by Ezra Vogel and published in 2011. The author describes how Deng Xiaoping’s policies led to significant changes in China’s economy and society. The book has received critical honors and won the Lionel Gelber Prize in 2012.

The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence

This book is a comprehensive history of China from the Ming dynasty to the present day. The author, a prominent scholar of Chinese history, provides a detailed analysis of the social, cultural, and political changes that have taken place in China over the past 500 years. The book was first put out in 1990 and has since been revised and updated several times. This book was the top bestseller for years.

Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China

Written by Leslie T. Chang, this book, published in 2008, is a reportage on the lives of young women who leave their rural homes to work in factories in China’s cities. Chang, a former New York Times journalist, interviewed hundreds of factory girls to provide insight into the social and economic changes in China.

4 . The upcoming China-Central Asia Summit is to be held in Xi’an, which has a history of over 3,000 years and enjoys a reputation as a “Living History Museum”. If you are among the participants, just enjoy the following.

The Terracotta Army

It is one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century. Discovered in 1974, the army of Terracotta Warriors was constructed by China’s First Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC) with a collection of thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers and horses differing in facial features and expressions, clothing, hairstyle and also body position.

Ancient City Wall

It was built in the 14th century by Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Now it is one of the oldest and best-preserved Chinese city walls. The wall is now a landmark, where you can enjoy a good view of the city.

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

One of China’s most famous Buddhist pagodas, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, was built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) for the study of Buddhist scriptures (经典). One of its main functions was to store scriptures brought to China from India by the famous monk and traveler Xuan Zang.

Shaanxi History Museum

It is home to over 370,000 precious treasures unearthed in Shaanxi. Its collections range from bronze wares to pottery (陶) figures, gold and paintings from the Tang Dynasty tombs. Among its precious collections, some pieces have been listed as national treasures.

Do you know Xu Xiake? He is the     1    (famous) travel writer and geographer in Chinese ancient history. And his hometown Jiangyin is popular among tourists     2     home and abroad. Of course, ancient adventurer Xu Xiake remains the main reason     3     people come there. Up to now, his masterpiece, the Travel Diaries of Xu Xiake,     4    (read) widely.

Xu Xiake spent over three decades travelling throughout 16 provinces,     5    (describe) his explorations in his dairies in detail. His diaries belong to the category of travel literature,     6     is known not only for taking travel as its subject but also including author’s     7    (experience).

Xu Xiake was born to a wealthy father, who     8    (prefer) nature to power, and landscapes over official positions in particular. Xu Xiake took after his father. He enjoyed books on history, geography and adventure. He     9    (especial) enjoyed reading about China’s mountains and rivers. The little child decided he would see them     10    (he) one day. With this dream, he finally made it when he grew up.

9 . The best spring destinations in Tibet

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has long been an ideal and mysterious destination for visitors. Now with the arrival of spring, the climate is becoming more pleasant and Tibet has become an even better trowel destination. Here we recommend some of the best tourist destinations in Tibet which might suit your travel taste.

The peach blossoms in Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region have been named as “the most beautiful peach flowers in the world”. A great time to visit Nyingchi for the peach blossoms would usually be from March 20 to Apil 15 each year.

The peach blossom valley in Bomi County, Nyingchi, stretches for 30 kilometers, making it one of the longest in China. Peach blossoms can be seen everywhere- around houses, across farmlands and along streams. Peach trees bloom depending on the altitude and climate, so visitors will have the chance to enjoy the blossoms throughout April.

The Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon is the deepest canyon in the world. With a total length of about 500 kilometers, its altitude spans from 1,182 meters at Namchak Barwa, the highest peak of the eastern Himalayas, to 550 meters around the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley in Metog County.

One unique feature of the spring sight here is that visitors can enjoy both the peach blossoms and the snow-capped mountains at the same time.

Nanyigou scenic spot is 20 kilometers away from Milin County and is an important birthplace of the mysterious Tibetan medicine culture. The scenic area rovers a total area of 820 hectares. The ecological conditions here are so good that the place is rich in various animal and plant species.

Surrounded by mountains and shrouded (遮蔽) in clouds, Nanyi Valley is an ideal spring destination for visitors, where you can find peach and azalea blossoms everywhere.