Xian is one of the world’s four famous ancient capitals of civilization and one of the birthplaces of the Chinese civilization, having a history of more than 1 million years. It served as the imperial capital for 13 Chinese dynasties, including Western Zhou, Qin, Western Han, Xin, Eastern Han, Western Jin, Former Zhao, Former Qin, Later Qin, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui and Tang. Xian got its name, city layout and characteristics during the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). As the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, Xian contributed a lot to the regions and countries along the road for the transmission of civilization, foreign trade and exchanges in ancient China.
Shanghai It is one of the country’s most international cities, with 956 headquarters of multinational companies and 561 foreign-invested R&D centers established by the end of 2023.
Combining fresh sea air and dashing good looks, Qīngdǎo (青岛) – the name means ‘Green Island’ – is a rare modern city that has managed to preserve some of its past while angling a dazzling modern face to the future. Its blend of concession-era and modern architecture puts China’s standard white-tile and blue-glass developments to shame. The winding cobbled streets, colonial German architecture and red-capped hillside villas are captivating and there’s so much to enjoy in the city’s diverse food scene, headlined by the ubiquitous home town beer Tsingtao. Meanwhile, the seaside aspect keeps the town cooler than the inland swelter zones during summer, and slightly warmer in winter.