5 Truths & 1 Lie

Mt. Huangshan, Anhui — China

Mt. Huangshan's twisted pines and granite peaks inspired over 1,500 years of Chinese landscape painting — including the iconic Welcoming Guest Pine that's been alive for over 1,300 years.

Terracotta Army, Xi'an — China

Of the 8,000+ terracotta warriors guarding Emperor Qin Shi Huang's tomb, no two faces are identical — each was modeled on a real soldier from his army 2,200 years ago.

Shangri-La, Yunnan — China

Shangri-La in Yunnan was renamed in 2001 — the town officially adopted the name of the fictional paradise from James Hilton's 1933 novel “Lost Horizon” to attract international tourists.

Mutianyu Great Wall, Beijing — China

The Great Wall of China is the only man-made structure visible from space with the naked eye, stretching over 21,000 kilometres across the country.

Zhangjiajie, Hunan — China

Zhangjiajie's sandstone pillars directly inspired the floating Hallelujah Mountains in James Cameron's Avatar (2009) — the producers visited, and one pillar was officially renamed “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain.”

Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan — China

Jiuzhaigou's brilliant turquoise lakes get their colour from calcium carbonate deposits left by ancient glaciers — the water is so clear you can see up to 40 metres down.