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Getting to know the destination and prepare for your adventure is (almost) as fun as being there. The following sites provide some resources to help you.
http://goasia.about.com/od/china/ - A number of articles and resources about China, covering everything from Chinese culture to the train timetables.
http://www.longitudebooks.com/ - Longitude books has expert book and map recommendations, featuring hard-to-find maps, field guides, classic accounts of exploration, travel narratives, books on art and archaeology, novels, and essays.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ - With content sections labeled The Thorn Tree, World Guide, On the Road, and The Scoop, you know Lonely Planet's site is much more than just their terrific guidebooks.
http://www.maps.com/ - The maps.com Online World Atlas covers 7 continents, 12 regions, 190 countries, and 50 US States, including maps, flags, and statistics.
The top ten places the Wushu Scholar team recommends you to visit in China:
- Forbidden Palace & Temple of Heaven, Beijing: see the grand buildings where Chinese Emperors lived and held court for over 500 years.
- Great Wall of China, Hebei Province: one of the most famous man-made structures in the world, built by the order of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the 3rd century BC.
- Xi'an, Shaanxi Province: the capital of ancient China, you must see the Xi'an Museum, the City Walls and of course the world-famous Terracotta Warriors.
- Taishan, Liangshan & Qufu, Shandong Province: Taishan is China's holiest mountain, where through the ages Emperors came to communicate with Heaven. Qufu is the birthplace of China's greatest philosopher and Sage, Confucius and where his family temple stands to this day. Liangshan is the famous mountain retreat of the Outlaws of the Marsh, a band of Song Dynasty rebels immortalised in the novel "Watermargin".
- West Lake in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province: Hangzhou used to be the capital of China during the Song Dynasty and the West Lake is one of China's most beautiful locations, described by countless poets and painters.
- Songshan Shaolin Temple, Henan Province: the historical birthplace of Chinese Martial Arts and of Zen (Chan) Buddhism is a must to visit for anyone interested in the Martial Arts.
- Longmen Caves, Henan Province: located next to one of China's ancient capitals - Luoyang - this cave complex is filled with thousands of priceless Buddhist Carvings and Statues.
- Wudang Shan, Hubei Province: Wudang mountains are the alter ego of Songshan, the home of Daoism and Daoist Martial Arts.
- Emei Shan, Sichuan Province: the second centre of Daoist Martial Arts in China, rivalling Wudang, Emei Mountain is an area of outstanding natural beauty.
- South Shaolin, Fujian Province: Fujian was the centre of resistance to the Manchu invaders by the remnants of the Ming Dynasty and the site of the legendary South Shaolin Temple, burned down by the Manchus. Now there is not one, but three Shaolin Temples rebuilt there: in Fuqing, Putian and Quanzhou areas.
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