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ChinaThe Inside StoryAncient and modern clash full-on in China from thepowerhouse that is Shanghai to spiritual Lhasa. Beijingis a must with the exquisite Forbidden City and mightyTiananmen Square at its heart, while the futuristic Shanghaiskyline looks down on gems of gardens and the Europeanarchitecture on the Bund.Discover timeless China with the limestone islets of Guilin,ancient streets in Yangshuo and the heavenly gardens ofSuzhou. To be truly inspired, walk a section of the mindbogglingGreat Wall and wonder at the skill of the artisanswho crafted Xian’s Terracotta Army.China is rich in diversity; in the west discover the ancientoasis towns along the Silk Road with their colourful markets,the everlasting wildness of the Tibetan plateau and itsmonasteries once again populated by monks, the ruggedmountains and ethnic minorities of Yunnan Province andthe iconic panda in Szechuan Province.Storyto tell -ChristinaGibbonsWhy I loveChinaThe sheer variety ofcultures and landscapesin China never fails toenthral. I love uncoveringthe history of the ancientdynasties and, such isthe vastness and depthof the country, thereis always somethingunexpected todiscover.400s BCWarring states build fortificationswhich later form part of theGreat Wall206 BC – 220 ADHan Dynasty opens uptrade routes along theSilk Road589 – 618Sui Dynasty builds legal,governmental, and societalframework960-1279Neo-Confucianism adoptedas official state ideologyduring Song Dynasty1368 – 1644Ming Dynasty elongatesGreat Wall by 4,000 miles210 BCTerracotta Army builtto guard tomb of firstEmperor of China, Qin220 – 589Power struggles and anarchydominate Three Kingdoms era618 – 907Chinese art and cultureflourish under Tang Dynasty1271 – 1368Kublai Khan (grandsonof Genghis) establishesMongol Yuan Dynasty