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The Atlas Obscura Guide To China

218 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in China

Updated October 1, 2024

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  2. Beijing
  3. Changsha
  4. Chengdu
  5. Chongqing
  6. Datong
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  10. Hangzhou
  11. Harbin
  12. Jinhua
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  15. Kunming
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  18. Shanghai
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  22. Tianjin
  23. Tianshui
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  25. Wuhan
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  27. Xilin Gol
  28. Yanan Shi
  29. Zhangjiajie
  30. Zhangye Shi
  31. Zhengzhou

Unusual Attractions in China

See All 218 Things To Do in China

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in China

See all 9 Places to Eat in China
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Architecture 36
Museums 24
Natural Wonders 22
Nature 22
Statues 22
Architectural Oddities 21
Ecosystems 21
Buddhism 18

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Stories About China

The Video Game 'Black Myth: Wukong' Has Ancient Roots

A trickster monkey hero, a complex pantheon, and more than a millennium of storytelling are behind the hit.
by Michael Naparstek
The mummies of Tarim Basin are up to 3,600 years old.

This Mummy Cheese Is Full of Ancient Secrets

The world's oldest known cheese holds the key to kefir's mysterious origins.
by Roxanne Hoorn
Chinese bagels range from sweet to savory.

These Stuffed, Fluffy Bagels Are Taking China by Storm

Chinese bakers are putting their own spin on a North American classic...minus the poppy seeds.
by Andrew Coletti
Chen with children in a radish field.

'Joyce Chen’s China': How a Film Used Food to Bridge a Cold-War Divide

The 1972 documentary cast a warm light on a vilified country.
by Sam Lin-Sommer
Though traditional tāngyuán are plain dumplings, you can also make artful variations.

5 Recipes to Make for Lunar New Year

Welcome the Year of the Dragon with fortune-telling soups, lucky goldfish dumplings, and more.
by Sam O'Brien
An aerial view of a villager spreading corn grains to dry on the ground at Heixi town in Chongqing, China.

Feast on 2,000 Years of Chinese Culinary History

Fuchsia Dunlop's 'Invitation to a Banquet' is a delicious tour de force.
by Diana Hubbell
More than 100 years ago, Dr. Yamei Kin was an evangelist for tofu.

Meet America's Godmother of Tofu

A century ago, Dr. Kin Yamei broke ground trying to popularize tofu. The nation's tastes have finally caught up.
by Mayukh Sen
Beijing's Forbidden City, built in the 15th century, was constructed based on cosmological principles that endured in China for millennia.

A Square, Flat Earth and Round Heaven Meant the World to Ancient China

For millennia, this cosmological principle guided everything from calendars to urban planning.
by James Hannam

Lists Featuring China

Red Seabeach
The otherworldly landscape of Padar Island.
Black Sand Beach

10 Unique Beaches From Around the World

From bright red grass to stranded shipwrecks, these beaches are anything but ordinary.

10

Including Driftwood Beach, Red Beach , and Padar Island

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