AAAAA Tourist Attractions of China

AAAAA (Chinese: 国家5A级旅游景区; pinyin: Guójiā Wǔ "A" jí Lǚyóu Jǐngqū) is awarded to the most important and best-maintained tourist attractions in the People's Republic of China, given the highest level in the rating categories used by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. As of 2025, there are 359 tourist attractions listed as 5A.^[1]

History

The origins of the rating system for tourist attractions are based on criteria first set out in 1999 by the China National Tourism Administration (predecessor to the current Ministry of Culture and Tourism) and revised in 2004.^[2] The criteria include quality and management factors like ease of transportation links, site safety, cleanliness, etc., and also takes into account the uniqueness and recognition of the sightseeing offers.^[2] Tourist attractions were graded according to the criteria on a scale initially from A to AAAA with AAAAA or 5As added on later as the highest rating. A group of 66 tourist attractions was certified as the first set of AAAAA rated tourist attractions in 2007.^[2] The first batch included many of the most iconic historical sites in China including the Forbidden City and Summer Palace. Additional batches of additional sites have been added including 20 new 5A sites in February 2017.^[3] On rare occasions, a few locations have been downgraded from the highest rating category for deficiencies in visitor experience.^[4]

List

Beijing

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Beijing	Beijing	Forbidden City ("Palace Museum")	2007	A .72 km2 compound of 980 buildings,[5] initially constructed by the Yongle Emperor from 1406 to 1420,[6] used as the main palace of the Ming and early Qing dynasties, converted into a public museum in 1925.[7] Its southern Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tian'anmen) displays a famous portrait of Mao Zedong and has been the scene of numerous important events in modern Chinese history, including the 1 October 1949 celebration of the founding of the PRC and the Tian'anmen Square protests of 1989.
Beijing	Beijing	Temple of Heaven	2007	A 2.73 km2 compound of 92 buildings,[8] initially constructed by the Yongle Emperor in 1420,[8][9] used for the traditional worship of Heaven during the Ming and Qing dynasties, converted into a public park in 1918.[9]
Beijing	Beijing	Summer Palace	2007	A 2.97 km2 compound surrounding Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake,[10] initially constructed by the Qianlong Emperor from 1750 to 1764[10] to represent other famous sites of China and Chinese mythology in miniature, used as the unofficial main palace for the rest of the Qing,[11] infamously[12] razed by European troops in 1860 during the Second Opium War, rebuilt by the empress dowager Cixi and a center of late Qing government, damaged and looted by foreigners again in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion, converted into a public park in 1924,[10] and extensively restored since 1953.
Beijing	Beijing	Badaling and Mutianyu Great Wall	2007	A 3,741 m section of the Great Wall[13] initially constructed in 1505 to protect the Juyong Pass,[14] restored after 1952,[15] and opened to tourists in 1958.[13] It has received scores of foreign leaders, most notably US president Richard Nixon during his 1972 visit.[15]
Beijing	Beijing	13 Ming Tombs[16]	2011	A 34.35 km2 necropolis[17] constructed between 1409 and 1644 at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, used as the resting place for 13 of the 16 emperors of the Ming.[16]
Beijing	Beijing	Prince Gong Mansion ("Prince Kung's Mansion")[18]	2012	A 6 ha (15 acre) compound with an expansive garden,[18] initially constructed in 1777[19] by the Qianlong Emperor's notoriously corrupt[20] official Heshen, used as a residence for members of the imperial family including the diplomat Yixin during the rest of the Qing,[18] repurposed as the women's campus of Fu-Jen Catholic University under the Republic and as residences for leaders of the Ministry of Public Security under the People's Republic,[11] restored after 1982,[18] and opened as a museum in 1996.[21] It is one of the few surviving Qing palaces, out of the 74 still used by imperial princes at the fall of the empire.[11]
Beijing	Beijing	Olympic Green	2012	An 11.59 km2[22] Olympic Park constructed for the 2008 summer games, now featuring the Bird's Nest stadium, the National Indoor Stadium, the Water Cube aquatics center, the Olympic Forest Park, and national science & technology and the ethnic museums.
Beijing	Beijing	Old Summer Palace	2020	An 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northwest of the walls of the former Imperial City section of Beijing. Constructed throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Old Summer Palace was the main imperial residence of Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty and his successors, and where they handled state affairs; the Forbidden City was used for formal ceremonies. Widely perceived as the pinnacle work of Chinese imperial garden and palace design, the Old Summer Palace was known for its extensive collection of gardens, its building architecture and numerous art and historical treasures. It was reputed as the "Garden of Gardens" (万园之园; 萬園之園; wàn yuán zhī yuán) in its heyday.
Beijing	Beijing	Grand Canal Cultural Tourism Scenic Area	2024

Tianjin

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Tianjin	Tianjin	Guwenhua Jie ("Ancient Culture Street")	2007	A 560 m[23] street lined with imitation Qing shops opened in 1986,[24] selling traditional wares and snacks[23][25] beside Mazu and Taoist temples (originally dating to 1326 and 1368, respectively)[24] and a folklore museum.[26]
Tianjin	Tianjin	Mount Pan ("Panshan Scenic Area")	2007	A 105 km2 forest park surrounding 850 m Mount Pan,[26] whose temples were first built in AD 25 during the Han. The four surviving temples include a 13-story dagoba and have all been renovated since the 1990s.[26]

Hebei

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Hebei	Qinhuangdao	Shanhai Pass ("Shanhaiguan Scenic Area")	2007	A cluster of fortifications which once guarded the 10 km Shanhai Pass between Horn Mountain in the Yan chain and the Bohai Gulf,[27] protecting "China Proper" from Manchuria, initially constructed in 583[28][29] during the early Sui dynasty and taking most of its present form from Xu Da's work in 1381 during the early Ming, when it became the eastern end of the Great Wall.[27] Its strategic importance made it the site of numerous major events,[29] most famously the 1644 battle that directly led to the establishment of the Qing.[30]
Hebei	Baoding	Baiyang Lake ("Lake Baiyandian")	2007	The largest lake in northern China, although growing urban and agricultural water use after 1950 reduced its size from more than 1000 km2 to almost nothing in the 1980s.[31][32] It is presently composed of 143 smaller lakes around 366 km2 and is used for nature tourism,[33] but its size is now maintained by unsustainable use of highly polluted groundwater.[31][34]
Hebei	Chengde	Chengde Mountain Resort ("Imperial Summer Resort and the Surrounding Temples")	2007	A 6.1 km2[35] compound initially constructed from 1703 to 1792 during the Qing,[35] with an imperial summer resort surrounded by areas of mountains, plains, and lakeshore mimicking China's overall topography,[36] serving as a culmination of traditional Chinese gardening and an influence on landscape gardening worldwide.[35] The palace was a particular favorite of the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors, and its intermixed ethnic architectural styles consciously affirmed their government's commitment to a multicultural state, and it.[35]
Hebei	Baoding	Yesanpo National Park	2011	A 334.8 km2[37] park at the intersection of the Taihang and Yan chains,[37] comprising three main scenic areas—the Baili Gorge, the Longmentian Pass, and Fodongta Peak with Yugu Cave.[37]
Hebei	Shijiazhuang	Xibaipo	2011	A village including a museum and other memorials reconstructing its role as the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party and People's Liberation Army in late 1948 and early 1949, an important period of the Chinese Civil War.[38] (The original sites are underwater as a result of local hydroelectric projects.)[39]
Hebei	Tangshan	Eastern Qing Tombs	2015	A 78 km2[40] necropolis of 508 buildings constructed between 1661 and 1908[41] in a hollow of Changrui Mountain,[42] used as the resting place of 5 emperors of the Qing,[42] as well as the dowager empress Cixi.[43]
Hebei	Handan	Nüwa Imperial Palace ("Wahuang Palace")[44]	2015	A 1.7 km2[44] compound beside Phoenix Mountain (Fenghuangshan)[45] honoring the goddess Nüwa,[44] who temples were first built under the Han.[44] The surviving palaces and temples were initially constructed under the Wanli Emperor of the Ming,[45] were restored in the 1990s, and include one of China's most impressive rock carvings: 130,000 characters of Buddhist scripture engraved into the mountains from the Northern Qi onward.[44][46]
Hebei	Handan	Guangfu Ancient City	2017	A 1.5 km2[47] town in the center of Yongnian Marsh,[47] first settled during the Spring and Autumn period[48] and serving as the capital of Dou Jiande's and Liu Heita's short-lived principalities of "Xia"[47] and "Handong"[49] during the late Sui, with city walls initially constructed under the Tang and modern construction mimicking the town's appearance under the Ming.[50] It has museums to locals Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang, the founders of the two largest schools of tai chi.[47][51]
Hebei	Baoding	Mount Baishi ("Whitestone Mountain Scenic Area")[52]	2017	A forest park surrounding 2096 m Mount Baishi, the northern end of the Taihang Mountains[52] and site of the 1937 Battle of the Great Wall during the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Hebei	Baoding	Western Qing tombs	2020
Hebei	Chengde	Jinshanling Great Wall	2020
Hebei	Tangshan	Nanhu Kailuan Scenic Area	2024
Hebei	Hengshui	Hengshui Lake	2024

Shanxi

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Shanxi	Datong	Yungang Grottoes	2007	An 8.5 km2[53] area of 252 caves in the Wuzhou Mountains with 51,000 niches filled with Buddhist statues and 18,000 m2 of carved wall space,[54] initially constructed under the Northern Wei in the 5th & 6th century,[55] expanded by the Liao in the 11th,[56] and restored since 1952.[57] There is also a ruined Ming fortress and beacon tower over the caves.[58]
Shanxi	Xinzhou	Mount Wutai	2007	A 423.12 km2[59] area surrounding the five peaks of Mount Wutai (3,061 m), considered holy since at least the Han (1st century AD), the site of imperial pilgrimage since the Northern Wei (5th century),[59] and the seat of the Buddhist bodhisattva Manjushri (Wenshu) since the 7th century,[60] and now hosting 53 monasteries in architecture spanning over a thousand years, including a timber hall from the Tang.[59]
Shanxi	Jincheng	House of the Huangcheng Chancellor	2011	A 10 ha[61] (25 acre) walled estate with 9 gates, 19 gardens, and 640 rooms, initially constructed in 1633 for Chen Changyan and expanded in 1703 for Chen Tingjing, tutor to the Kangxi Emperor and chief editor of the Kangxi Dictionary.[62]
Shanxi	Jinzhong	Mount Mian[63]	2013	A 75 km2 area[64] surrounding the peak of Mt Mian (2,440 m),[63] considered holy since at least the Spring and Autumn period (8th–5th centuries BC),[65] most famed as the scene of Jie Zhitui's supposed immolation by Duke Chong'er of Jin c. 636 BC[64] and thus the home of China's Cold Food and Tomb-Sweeping Festivals,[66] the site of imperial pilgrimage since the Tang (7th century),[64] when Li Shimin won an important victory nearby[65] and constructed a temple for the Princess Changzhao to retire to as a Buddhist nun.[64]
Shanxi	Jinzhong	Pingyao ("Pingyao Ancient City")[67]	2015	A 2.25 km2[68] walled town of about 4000 buildings[69] in central Shanxi, first protected by earthen ramparts c. 800 BC,[68] thoroughly reconstructed and fortified c. 1370 under the early Ming,[68] serving as the financial center of the region from the 16th century and of the entire Qing Empire during the late 19th century.[68] The town exemplifies Ming & Qing urban planning, with over a hundred streets and lanes lined with 17th–19th century shops criss-crossing the town.[68] Organized restorations have been undertaken periodically since the 15th century, the most recent phase beginning in 1979.[68] The World Heritage Site also includes the nearby Shuanglin and Zhenguo Temples.[69]
Shanxi	Xinzhou	Yanmen Pass Scenic Area[70]	2017	A cluster of fortifications which once guarded the 1 km Yanmen Pass beside Mt Gouzhu,[71] protecting "China Proper" from the nomads of the Eurasian steppe, initially constructed around 306 BC during the Warring States period[72] and taking most of its present form from Lu Ting's work in 1374 during the early Ming,[71] when it formed part of the "inner" line of the Great Wall.[72] Its strategic importance made it the site of numerous major events, most famously the 980 battle which formed an important element in the Chinese legends, plays, &c. about Yang Ye and the other Generals of the Yang Family.[73]
Shanxi	Linfen	Locust tree of Hongdong Scenic Area	2018
Shanxi	Changzhi	Huguan Taihang Grand Canyon and Baquan Gorge	2020
Shanxi	Linfen	Mount Yunqiu	2020
Shanxi	Linfen	Hukou Waterfall	2022
Shanxi	Taiyuan	Jinci and Mount Tianlong	2024

Inner Mongolia

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Inner Mongolia	Ordos	Xiangshawan	2011	Desert resort
Inner Mongolia	Ordos	Mausoleum of Genghis Khan	2011	A 225 km2[74] area surrounding a compound of 4 buildings[74] constructed between 1954 and 1956[75][76] to house relics used in the veneration of Genghis Khan, Tolui, and their wives since the Yuan, repurposed as a salt depot in 1968,[77] restored in the early 1980s,[75] and now the world center of Genghis Khan's cult,[77] despite having only replicas[78] after its desecration during the Cultural Revolution.[75] The site also includes an expansive prairie, an equestrian sports center, a hot air balloon area, and a village showcasing traditional Mongolian culture.[79]
Inner Mongolia	Hulunbuir	Manzhouli China-Russia Border Tourist Area	2016[80]	The area includes the Matryoshka Resort, a cultural resort with a matryoshka theme, and National Gate Resort, a huge border gate with an observation deck at the top for visitors to overlook the border area between China and Russia. Other attractions at the scenic area include the No 41 Border Monument, Locomotive Square and the historical site of the 6th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party held in 1928.[80]
Inner Mongolia	Hinggan League	Mount Arxan and Chaihe River scenic area[81]	2017	An amalgam of the Arxan National Forest Park and Geopark, the Zhalantun Scenic Area, and Rose Peak.[81]
Inner Mongolia	Chifeng	Ashatu Stone Formation	2018
Inner Mongolia	Alxa League	Populus euphratica Tourist Area	2020
Inner Mongolia	Hulunbuir	Hulunbuir Grassland and Morgele River Scenic Area	2024
Inner Mongolia	Hohhot	Laoniuwan Yellow River Canyon Scenic Area	2024

Liaoning

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Liaoning	Shenyang	Shenyang Botanical Garden	2007
Liaoning	Dalian	Tiger Beach Ocean Park, Tiger Beach Polar Museum	2007
Liaoning	Dalian	Golden Pebble Beach	2011
Liaoning	Benxi	Benxi Shuidong National Park	2015	Benxi Water Caves
Liaoning	Anshan	Qianshan National Park	2017
Liaoning	Panjin	Red Beach Scenic Area	2020
Liaoning	Benxi	Wunü Mountain	2024

Jilin

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Jilin	Changchun	Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo	2007
Jilin	Baishan	Changbai Mountains	2007
Jilin	Changchun	Jingyuetan National Forest Park	2011
Jilin	Changchun	Changchun Movie Wonderland	2015
Jilin	Yanbian	Mount Liuding	2015
Jilin	Changchun	Changchun World Sculpture Park	2017
Jilin	Tonghua	Goguryeo Heritage Sites	2019
Jilin	Songyuan	Qianguo Chagan Lake Scenic Area	2024
Jilin	Baicheng	Da'an Nenjiangwan Scenic Area	2024

Heilongjiang

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Heilongjiang	Harbin	Sun Island	2007	One of the main exhibition areas for ice sculptures during the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.
Heilongjiang	Heihe	Wudalianchi	2011
Heilongjiang	Mudanjiang	Jingpo Lake	2011	Has received a serious warning from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism[citation needed]
Heilongjiang	Yichun	Stone Forest Scenic Area	2013	Located within the Tanwanghe National Park.
Heilongjiang	Daxing'anling	Arctic Village	2015
Heilongjiang	Jixi	Hutou Scenic Area	2020
Heilongjiang	Qiqihar	Zhalong Nature Reserve	2024

Shanghai

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Shanghai	Shanghai	Oriental Pearl TV Tower	2007
Shanghai	Shanghai	Shanghai Wild Animal Park ("Shanghai Wildlife Park")	2007
Shanghai	Shanghai	Shanghai Science & Technology Museum	2010
Shanghai	Shanghai	Sites of the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (1st, 2nd and 3rd)	2021
Shanghai	Shanghai	Xisha Pearl Lake Scenic Area	2024

Jiangsu

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Jiangsu	Nanjing	Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum	2007	Located on Purple Mountain
Jiangsu	Wuxi	CCTV Wuxi Film/TV Studio	2007
Jiangsu	Suzhou	Classical Gardens of Suzhou (Humble Administrator's Garden, Lingering Garden and Tiger Hill)	2007 (Humble Administrator's Garden) 2010 (Lingering Garden and Tiger Hill)
Jiangsu	Suzhou	Zhouzhuang	2007	Located on Kunshan
Jiangsu	Wuxi	Ling Shan Grand Buddha	2010
Jiangsu	Nanjing	Fuzimiao and Qinhuai River	2010
Jiangsu	Yangzhou	Slender West Lake	2010
Jiangsu	Suzhou	Tongli	2010
Jiangsu	Changzhou	Oriental Jurassic Park	2010
Jiangsu	Taizhou	Qin Lake Scenic Area	2012
Jiangsu	Suzhou	Jinji Lake	2012	Located in Suzhou Industrial Park
Jiangsu	Nantong	Hao River	2012
Jiangsu	Zhenjiang	Three Mountains of Zhenjiang (Jinshan, Jiaoshan and Beigushan)	2012
Jiangsu	Wuxi	Yuantouzhu	2012
Jiangsu	Suzhou	Lake Tai	2012
Jiangsu	Changzhou	Tianmu Lake	2013
Jiangsu	Suzhou	Shajiabang and Yushan	2013
Jiangsu	Zhenjiang	Mount Mao	2014
Jiangsu	Huai'an	Former Residence of Zhou Enlai	2015
Jiangsu	Yancheng	Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve	2015
Jiangsu	Xuzhou	Yunlong Lake	2016
Jiangsu	Lianyungang	Mount Huaguo	2016
Jiangsu	Changzhou	Chunqiu Yancheng	2017
Jiangsu	Wuxi	Hui Shan Ancient Town	2020
Jiangsu	Lianyungang	Lian Island	2024

Zhejiang

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Zhejiang	Hangzhou	West Lake	2007
Zhejiang	Wenzhou	Yandang Mountains	2007
Zhejiang	Zhoushan	Mount Putuo	2007
Zhejiang	Hangzhou	Qiandao Lake	2010
Zhejiang	Ningbo	Xikou-Tengtou scenic spot	2010	Located in Fenghua
Zhejiang	Jiaxing	Wuzhen	2010
Zhejiang	Jinhua	Hengdian World Studios	2010	Located in Dongyang
Zhejiang	Jiaxing	South Lake	2011
Zhejiang	Hangzhou	Xixi National Wetland Park	2012
Zhejiang	Shaoxing	Lu Xun Native Place	2012
Zhejiang	Quzhou	Root Palace Buddhist Cultural Tourism Zone	2013	Located in Kaihua County
Zhejiang	Huzhou	Nanxun Old Town	2015	Located in Nanxun District
Zhejiang	Taizhou	Tiantai Mountain	2015
Zhejiang	Taizhou	Shenxianju	2015	Located in Xianju County
Zhejiang	Jiaxing	Xitang	2017
Zhejiang	Quzhou	Mount Jianglang and Nianbadu	2017
Zhejiang	Ningbo	Tianyi Ge and Moon Lake	2018
Zhejiang	Lishui	Xiandu	2020	Located in Jinyun County
Zhejiang	Taizhou	Walled City of Taizhou Fu	2022
Zhejiang	Lishui	Yunhe Terraces Scenic Area	2024
Zhejiang	Jinhua	Shuanglong Scenic Area	2024

Anhui

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Anhui	Huangshan	Huangshan ("Mount Huangshan Scenic Area")	2007
Anhui	Chizhou	Mount Jiuhua	2007
Anhui	Anqing	Mount Tianzhu	2011	Has received a serious warning from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Anhui	Huangshan	Xidi and Hongcun	2011
Anhui	Lu'an	Tiantangzhai	2012
Anhui	Xuancheng	Longchuan	2012
Anhui	Fuyang	Bali River	2013
Anhui	Huangshan	Huizhou Cultural Area	2014
Anhui	Hefei	Sanhe Ancient Town	2015
Anhui	Wuhu	Fantawild Adventure Wuhu	2016
Anhui	Lu'an	Wanfo Lake	2016
Anhui	Ma'anshan	Caishi Rock	2020
Anhui	Chuzhou	Mount Langya	2024

Fujian

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Fujian	Xiamen	Gulangyu	2007
Fujian	Nanping	Wuyi Mountains ("Mount Wuyi")	2007	Has received a serious warning from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Fujian	Zhangzhou Longyan	Fujian Tulou	2011	Has received a serious warning from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Fujian	Sanming	Taining	2011
Fujian	Ningde	Baishuiyang	2012
Fujian	Quanzhou	Mount Qingyuan	2012
Fujian	Ningde	Mount Taimu	2013
Fujian	Fuzhou	Sanfang Qixiang	2015
Fujian	Longyan	Gutian	2015
Fujian	Putian	Meizhou Mazu Temple	2020
Fujian	Xiamen	Xiamen Botanical Gardens	2024
Fujian	Longyan	Mount Guanzhi	2024

Jiangxi

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Jiangxi	Jiujiang	Mount Lu	2007
Jiangxi	Ji'an	Jinggang Mountains	2007
Jiangxi	Shangrao	Mount Sanqing	2011
Jiangxi	Yingtan	Mount Longhu	2012
Jiangxi	Shangrao	Jiangwan Village	2013	Located in Wuyuan County.
Jiangxi	Jingdezhen	Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Museum	2013
Jiangxi	Yichun	Mingyue Mountain	2015
Jiangxi	Ganzhou	Cradle of the People's Republic of China	2015
Jiangxi	Fuzhou	Mount Dajue	2017
Jiangxi	Shangrao	Guifeng Peak	2017
Jiangxi	Nanchang	Pavilion of Prince Teng	2018
Jiangxi	Pingxiang	Wugong Mountains	2020
Jiangxi	Jiujiang	Mount Lu West Sea	2020
Jiangxi	Ganzhou	Mount Sanbai	2022
Jiangxi	Shangrao	Huangling	2024

Shandong

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Shandong	Yantai	Penglai Pavilion	2007
Shandong	Jining	Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu	2007
Shandong	Tai'an	Mount Tai	2007
Shandong	Qingdao	Mount Lao	2011
Shandong	Yantai	Mount Nanshan	2011
Shandong	Weihai	Liugong Island	2011
Shandong	Zaozhuang	Taierzhuang Ancient Town	2013	Located in Tai'erzhuang District.
Shandong	Jinan	Baotu Spring	2013
Shandong	Linyi	Yimeng Mountain	2014	Located in Yishui County.
Shandong	Weifang	Qingzhou Ancient Town	2017
Shandong	Weihai	Huaxiacheng	2017	Quarry complex turned into a scenic area and tourist attraction. Received more than 2.3 million tourists in 2018.[82]
Shandong	Dongying	Huanghekou	2020
Shandong	Linyi	Firefly Water Cave and Underground Grand Canyon Tourist Area	2020
Shandong	Jining	Weishan Lake	2022
Shandong	Qingdao	Olympic Sailing Marine Cultural Tourism Zone	2024
Shandong	Zibo	Zhoucun Ancient Commercial City	2024

Henan

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Henan	Zhengzhou	Mount Song and Shaolin Monastery	2007
Henan	Luoyang	Longmen Grottoes	2007
Henan	Jiaozuo	Yuntai Mountain	2007
Henan	Kaifeng	Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden	2011	Cultural theme park that recreates the painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival.
Henan	Luoyang	Baiyun Mountain	2011
Henan	Anyang	Yinxu	2011	Site of the archaeological discovery of oracle bones and oracle bone script, which resulted in the identification of the earliest known Chinese writing.
Henan	Pingdingshan	Mount Yao and Spring Temple Buddha	2011
Henan	Luoyang	Mount Laojun and Jiguan Cave	2012
Henan	Luoyang	Longtan Grand Canyon	2013
Henan	Nanyang	Laojieling and Xixia Dinosaur Relics Park	2014
Henan	Zhumadian	Mount Chaya	2015
Henan	Anyang	Red Flag Canal and Taihangshan Gorge	2016
Henan	Shangqiu	Mount Mangdang	2017
Henan	Xinxiang	Baligou	2020
Henan	Xinyang	Mount Jigong	2022
Henan	Zhoukou	Taihao Fuxi Mausoleum Cultural Tourism Zone	2024
Henan	Zhoukou	Baoquan Tourism Area	2024

Hubei

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Hubei	Wuhan	Yellow Crane Tower	2007
Hubei	Yichang	Three Gorges Dam	2007
Hubei	Shiyan	Wudang Mountains	2011
Hubei	Yichang	Three Gorges Tribes Scenic Area	2011
Hubei	Enshi	Shennong Stream	2011
Hubei	Shennongjia	Shennongjia Nature Reserve	2012
Hubei	Yichang	Qing River	2013
Hubei	Wuhan	East Lake	2013
Hubei	Wuhan	Huangpi Mulan Scenic Area	2014
Hubei	Enshi	Enshi Grand Canyon	2015
Hubei	Xianning	Chibi	2018
Hubei	Xiangyang	Longzhong	2020
Hubei	Enshi	Tenglong Cave	2020
Hubei	Yichang	Three Gorges Waterfall	2022
Hubei	Jingmen	Mingxian Mausoleum Cultural Tourism Scenic Area	2024
Hubei	Huanggang	Mount Guifeng	2024

Hunan

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Hunan	Hengyang	Mount Heng	2007
Hunan	Zhangjiajie	Wulingyuan and Tianmen Mountain	2007
Hunan	Yueyang	Yueyang Tower and Junshan Island	2011
Hunan	Xiangtan	Shaoshan	2011
Hunan	Changsha	Yuelu Mountain and Orange Isle	2012
Hunan	Changsha	Huaminglou Town	2014
Hunan	Chenzhou	Dongjiang Lake	2015
Hunan	Shaoyang	Mount Langshan	2016
Hunan	Zhuzhou	Yandi Mausoleum	2020
Hunan	Changde	Taohuayuan (Peach Garden)	2020
Hunan	Xiangxi	Aizhai, Shibadong, Dehang Waterfall Tourist Area	2021
Hunan	Xiangxi	Fenghuang Ancient Town Tourist Area	2024

Guangdong

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Guangdong	Guangzhou	Chimelong Tourist Resort	2007
Guangdong	Shenzhen	OCT	2007
Guangdong	Shenzhen	Mission Hills Resort	2011
Guangdong	Meizhou	Yannanfei Tea Fields	2011
Guangdong	Guangzhou	Baiyun Mountain	2011
Guangdong	Qingyuan	Lianzhou Underground River	2011
Guangdong	Shaoguan	Mount Danxia	2012
Guangdong	Foshan	Mount Xiqiao	2013
Guangdong	Foshan	Changlu Park	2014
Guangdong	Huizhou	Mount Luofu	2014
Guangdong	Yangjiang	Dajiao Bay Maritime Silk Road Park	2015
Guangdong	Zhongshan	Former Residence of Sun Yat-sen	2016	Located in Cuiheng Village, Nanlang Town
Guangdong	Huizhou	Huizhou West Lake	2018
Guangdong	Zhaoqing	Xinghu	2020
Guangdong	Jiangmen	Kaiping Diaolou	2020

Guangxi

See also: Guilin Scenic Area

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Guangxi	Guilin	Li River	2007
Guangxi	Guilin	Merryland World	2007
Guangxi	Guilin	Jingjiang Princes' Palace	2012
Guangxi	Nanning	Mount Qingxiu	2014
Guangxi	Guilin	Two Rivers and Four Lakes Scenic Area	2017
Guangxi	Chongzuo	Detian Waterfall	2018
Guangxi	Baise	Memorial Park of Baise Uprising	2019	Site of the 1929–1931 Baise Uprising
Guangxi	Beihai	Weizhou Island E'yu Mountain	2020
Guangxi	Hezhou	Huangyao Ancient Town	2022
Guangxi	Liuzhou	Chengyang Bazhai Scenic Area	2024
Guangxi	Chongzuo	Huashan Rock Art	2024

Hainan

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Hainan	Sanya	Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Zone	2007
Hainan	Sanya	Nanshan Daxiaodongtian	2007
Hainan	Baoting	Yanoda Rainforest	2012
Hainan	Lingshui	Boundary Island	2013
Hainan	Baoting	Binglang Canyon Scenic Area	2015
Hainan	Sanya	Wuzhizhou Island	2016
Hainan	Sanya	Tianya Haijiao	2024

Chongqing

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Chongqing	Chongqing	Dazu Rock Carvings	2007
Chongqing	Chongqing	Small Three Gorges	2007
Chongqing	Chongqing	Wulong Karst	2011
Chongqing	Chongqing	Youyang Taohuayuan Scenic Area	2012
Chongqing	Chongqing	Black Valley Scenic Area	2012
Chongqing	Chongqing	Jinfo Mountain	2013	Jinfo Mountain is an isolated mountain with cliffs up to 300 m surrounding its relatively flat top, surrounded by forest. With its outstanding karst features and superb biodiversity, Jinfo Shan has been listed as a tentative World Heritage site since 2001.
Chongqing	Chongqing	Simian Mountain	2015
Chongqing	Chongqing	Longgang Geological Park	2017	Longgang Geological Park is characterized by peculiar landforms such as karst, deep karst caves, grasslands and stalagmites. The world's longest cantilever bridge can also be found here.
Chongqing	Chongqing	Ayi River	2020
Chongqing	Chongqing	Zhuoshui	2020
Chongqing	Chongqing	Baidicheng and Qutang Gorge	2022
Chongqing	Chongqing	Wuling Mountain Great Rift Valley Scenic Area	2024

Sichuan

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Sichuan	Chengdu	Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System	2007	Construction of the Dujiangyan irrigation system began in the 3rd century B.C. This system still controls the waters of the Minjiang River and distributes it to the fertile farmland of the Chengdu plains. Mount Qingcheng was the birthplace of Taoism, which is celebrated in a series of ancient temples.[83]
Sichuan	Leshan	Mount Emei	2007	The first Buddhist temple in China was built here in Sichuan Province in the 1st century A.D. in the beautiful surroundings of the summit Mount Emei. The addition of other temples turned the site into one of Buddhism's holiest sites. Over the centuries, the cultural treasures grew in number. Mount Emei is also notable for its exceptionally diverse vegetation, ranging from subtropical to subalpine pine forests. Some of the trees there are more than 1,000 years old.[84]
Sichuan	Ngawa	Jiuzhaigou	2007	Stretching over 72,000 ha in the northern part of Sichuan Province, the jagged Jiuzhaigou valley reaches a height of more than 4,800 m, thus comprising a series of diverse forest ecosystems. Its superb landscapes are particularly interesting for their series of narrow conic karst land forms and spectacular waterfalls. Some 140 bird species also inhabit the valley, as well as a number of endangered plant and animal species, including the giant panda and the Sichuan takin.[85]
Sichuan	Leshan	Leshan Giant Buddha	2011	The most remarkable is the Giant Buddha of Leshan, carved out of a hillside in the 8th century and looking down on the confluence of three rivers. At 71 m high, it is the largest Buddha in the world.[84]
Sichuan	Ngawa	Huanglong	2012	Situated in the north-west of Sichaun Province, the Huanglong valley is made up of snow-capped peaks and the easternmost of all the Chinese glaciers. In addition to its mountain landscape, diverse forest ecosystems can be found, as well as spectacular limestone formations, waterfalls and hot springs. The area also has a population of endangered animals, including the giant panda and the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey.[86]
Sichuan	Guang'an	Former Residence of Deng Xiaoping	2013	The Former Residence of Deng Xiaoping was built in the late Qing dynasty (19th century). It is located in Paifang Village of Xiexing Town, Guang'an District, Guang'an City. It has a building area of about 833.4 m2 (8,971 sq ft), embodies buildings such as the old houses, the statue of Deng Xiaoping, the Dezheng Place, the Cultural relics Exhibition Hall, the Hanlin Yard .
Sichuan	Nanchong	The Ancient City of Langzhong	2013	Since 1985, the PRC government has awarded Langzhong with various accolades on three separate occasions. In 1986 the State Council named it a famous and historical town. In 1991, it was finally upgraded to county-level city status.
Sichuan	Mianyang	Beichuan Qiang City Tourist Area	2013	Located in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, the tourist area is composed of ruins of the old Beichuan county seat, new Beichuan county seat, and Beichuan Earthquake Museum, etc.
Sichuan	Ngawa	Wenchuan Special Tourist Area	2013	Wenchuan County is a county in Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan. The county was the site of the epicentre and one of the areas most severely hit by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, also known as the Wenchuan earthquake.
Sichuan	Guangyuan	Jianmen Pass Scenic Area	2015	Jianmen Pass is a mountain pass located southwest of the city of Guangyuan in Sichuan province. It has also been called "Jianmenguan Pass". The mountain pass was a part of the Shu Roads. The construction of the gate was related to the Three Kingdoms era strategist, Shu Han chancellor Zhuge Liang.
Sichuan	Nanchong	Former Residence of Zhu De	2016	Zhu De's Former Residence was built in the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911). It is located in Linlang Village, Ma'an Town, Yilong County. It has a building area of about 2560 square meters, embodies buildings such as the old houses, the Zhu De Memorial Hall, the statue of Zhu De, the Cultural relics Exhibition Hall, and Lancao Garden.
Sichuan	Garzê	Hailuogou Glacier Forest Park	2017	Hailuogou is a glacier national park located southeast of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province. It is by the east face of Mount Gongga(Miya Konka) at the east boundary of Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Inside this park there are hanging glaciers, hundreds of ice caves, giant icefalls and quiet forest. Among them the Great Icefall is 1000 meters’ long and 1100 meters’ wide. The glaciers locate by the elevation of around 2800 meters above sea level. The difference of plantations is massive between the base at Moxi and Camp 4 at the highest location of the park.[87]
Sichuan	Ya'an	Bifengxia	2020
Sichuan	Garzê	Yading	2020
Sichuan	Chengdu	Anren Ancient Town	2022
Sichuan	Ngawa	Mount Siguniang Scenic Area	2024
Sichuan	Chengdu	Mount Tiantai	2024

Guizhou

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Guizhou	Anshun	Huangguoshu Waterfall	2007
Guizhou	Anshun	Longgong National Park Scenic Area	2007
Guizhou	Bijie	Baili Dujuan National Forest Park Scenic Area	2013
Guizhou	Qiannan	Zhangjiang Scenic Area	2015
Guizhou	Guiyang	Qingyan Ancient Town	2017	Originally built in the year 1378, during the Ming dynasty. Qingyan's pig's feet is a local delicacy found in the town. The pig's feet symbolize good luck. Located in Huaxi District.
Guizhou	Tongren	Mount Fanjing	2018	The highest peak of the Wuling Mountains in southeastern China, at an elevation of 2,570 m (8,430 ft). Mount Fanjing (also known as Fanjingshan) is also a sacred mountain in Chinese Buddhism.
Guizhou	Qiandongnan	Zhenyuan Old Town	2020
Guizhou	Zunyi	Chishui Danxia	2020
Guizhou	Bijie	Zhijin Cave	2022
Guizhou	Qianxinan	Wanfenglin	2024

Yunnan

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Yunnan	Kunming	Stone Forest	2007
Yunnan	Lijiang	Jade Dragon Snow Mountain	2007
Yunnan	Dali	Three Pagodas	2011
Yunnan	Xishuangbanna	Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden	2011
Yunnan	Lijiang	Old Town of Lijiang	2011
Yunnan	Dêqên	Potatso National Park	2012	Located in Shangri-La
Yunnan	Kunming	World Horti-Expo Garden	2016
Yunnan	Baoshan	Tengchong Volcanic Scenic Area	2016
Yunnan	Baoshan	Heshun Town	2024

Tibet

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Tibet	Lhasa	Potala Palace	2013	The 5th Dalai Lama started construction of the Patala Palace in 1645, and it served as the residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising. The palace consists of thirteen stories of buildings —containing over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues— that soar 117 metres (384 ft) on top of Marpo Ri, the "Red Hill", rising more than 300 metres (980 ft) in total above the valley floor.
Tibet	Lhasa	Jokhang Temple	2013	Located in Barkhor Square in Lhasa, the oldest part of the temple was built in 652 by Songtsen Gampo. Tibetans, in general, consider this temple as the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. The temple is currently maintained by the Gelug school, but they accept worshipers from all sects of Buddhism.
Tibet	Nyingchi	Tsozong Gongba Monastery	2017	A small Tibetan Buddhism monastery founded in the 1400s in the Nyingma tradition, it is located on Tashi Island in the middle of Pagsum Lake in the Nyenchen Tanglha Mountains
Tibet	Shigatse	Tashi Lhunpo Monastery	2017	Founded in 1447, it is a historic and culturally important monastery that is the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. The monastery is located on a hill in the center of the city. The full name of the monastery in Tibetan means "all fortune and happiness gathered here."
Tibet	Nyingchi	Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon	2020

Shaanxi

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Shaanxi	Xi'an	Huaqing Pool	2007
Shaanxi	Yan'an	Mausoleum of the Yellow Emperor	2007
Shaanxi	Xi'an	Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Terracotta Army	2007	Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum
Shaanxi	Weinan	Huashan	2011
Shaanxi	Xi'an	Giant Wild Goose Pagoda	2011
Shaanxi	Baoji	Famen Temple	2014
Shaanxi	Shangluo	Golden Gorge Scenic Area	2015
Shaanxi	Baoji	Mount Taibai	2016
Shaanxi	Xi'an	Xi'an City Wall and Stele Forest	2018
Shaanxi	Yan'an	Yan'an Revolutionary Scenic Area	2020
Shaanxi	Xi'an	Daming Palace	2020
Shaanxi	Yan'an	Hukou Waterfall	2022
Shaanxi	Yan'an	Qiankunwan Scenic Area	2024
Shaanxi	Xianyang	Qianling Mausoleum	2024

Gansu

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Gansu	Pingliang	Kongtong Mountains	2007
Gansu	Jiayuguan	Jiayu Pass	2007
Gansu	Tianshui	Maijishan Grottoes	2011
Gansu	Jiuquan	Singing Sand Dunes and Crescent Lake	2015
Gansu	Zhangye	Qicai Danxia	2020
Gansu	Linxia	Bingling Temple	2020
Gansu	Longnan	Guanegou	2022
Gansu	Gannan	Yeliguan	2024

Qinghai

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Qinghai	Haibei	Qinghai Lake	2011
Qinghai	Xining	Kumbum Monastery	2012
Qinghai	Haidong	Huzhu Homeland Park	2017
Qinghai	Haibei	Amidongsuo	2020

Ningxia

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Ningxia	Zhongwei	Shapotou	2007
Ningxia	Shizuishan	Shahu Lake Scenic Area	2007
Ningxia	Yinchuan	Zhenbeipu West Film Art Center	2011
Ningxia	Yinchuan	Shuidonggou	2015	The oldest known paleolithic site in China, and a section of the Great Wall.
Ningxia	Wuzhong	Qingtongxia Yellow River Grand Canyon Tourist Area	2024
Ningxia	Guyuan	Liupanshan Red Army Long March Tourist Area	2024

Xinjiang

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Description	Image
Xinjiang	Changji	Heavenly Lake of Tianshan ("Tianchi")	2007
Xinjiang	Turpan	Grape Valley	2007
Xinjiang	Altay	Kanas Lake ("Resort Kanasi Lake")	2007
Xinjiang	Ili	Nalati Grasslands	2011
Xinjiang	Altay	Koktokay	2012
Xinjiang	Kashgar	Jinhuyang Forest	2013
Xinjiang	Bayingolin	Bosten Lake	2014
Xinjiang	Ürümqi	Tianshan Grand Canyon	2014
Xinjiang	Kashgar	Old Kashgar	2015
Xinjiang	Ili	Kalajun Grassland	2016
Xinjiang	Bayingolin	Bayanbulak Grassland	2016
Xinjiang	Beitun	Baisha Lake	2017
Xinjiang	Kashgar	Pamir Tourism Area	2020
Xinjiang	Karamay	Devil's City	2020
Xinjiang	Bortala	Sayram Lake	2021
Xinjiang	Aral	Taklimakan 359 Brigade Cultural Tourism Zone	2021
Xinjiang	Changji	Jiangbulake Scenic Area	2022
Xinjiang	Aksu	Tianshan Tuomur Scenic Area	2024

Downgrading

Tourist sites found deficient by the China National Tourism Administration (merged into the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in 2018) have lost their 5A accreditation due to deficiencies in visitor experience.^[4] In 2015, Shanhai Pass in Hebei was the first tourist site to be downgraded from 5A. The next wave of downgrading occurred in 2016 with the removal of Orange Isle in Hunan and Shenlong Gorge in Chongqing for "security concerns, overpricing, poor environmental management and poor facility maintenance, as well as bad service mainly resulting from a lack of staff members."^[4]

Province	Prefecture	Name	Date of inclusion	Date of delisting	Description	Image
Chongqing	Chongqing	Shenlong Gorge	2013	2016
Shanxi	Jinzhong	Qiao Family Compound	2014	2019[88]	A 1.1 ha[89] (2.6 acre) courtyard house comprising six large courtyards and 313 rooms built in the shape of a 囍,[89] the character for "double happiness", initially constructed in 1755 for the tofu and tea merchant Qiao Guifa,[90] rebuilt twice,[91] including for the financier Qiao Zhiyong,[89] converted into the Qixian Folk Museum in 1986, and the setting for Zhang Yimou's 1991 Raise the Red Lantern and over 40 other movies.[89]

See also

• List of protected areas of China
• List of national parks of China