Beijing
IfyourvisionsofBeijingarecentredaroundpodsofMaoistrevolutionariesinbuttoned-downtunicsperformingt'aichiintheSquare,putthemtorest:thiscityhasembarkedonanew-millenniumroller-coasterandit'stakingtherestofChinawithit.
ThespinsterishBeijingofoldishavingafaceliftandthecityscapeischangingdaily.Withinthecity,however,you'llstillfindsomeofChina'smoststunningsights:theForbiddenCity,theSummerPalace,TempleofHeavenPark,theLamaTempleandtheGreatWall,tonamejustafew.
HongKong
HongKonghasthebigcityspecialslikesmog,odour,14millionelbowsandaninsaneloveofclatter.Butit'salsoefficient,hushedandpeaceful:thetransportnetworkisexcellent,theshoppingcentresaresublime,andthetemplesandquietcornersofparksarecontemplativeoases.
HongKonghasenoughtoweringurbanity,electricstreetscapes,enigmatictemples,commercialfervourandculturalidiosyncrasiestoutterlyswampthesensesofavisitor,andenoughspontaneous,unexpectedpossibilitiestomakeacompletemockeryofanyattemptatastrictlyorganiseditinerary.
Macau
MacaumaybefirmlybackinChina'sorbit,butthePortuguesepatinaonthisSino-LusitanianLasVegasmakesitamostunusualAsiandestination.Ithasalwaysbeenovershadowedbyitsglitzynear-neighbourHongKong-whichispreciselywhyit'ssoattractive.
Macau'sdualculturalheritageisaboonfortravellers,whocantaketheirpickfromtraditionalChinesetemples,aspectacularruinedcathedral,pastelvillas,oldfortsandislandsthatonceharbouredpirates.Aslewofmusuemswilltellyouhowitallcameabout.
Shanghai
Althoughthelightshavebeenoutforquitesometime,Shanghaioncebeguiledforeignerswithitsseductivemixoftraditionandsophistication.NowShanghaiisreawakeninganddustingoffitspartyshoesforanothersilkentangowiththewiderworld.
Inmanyways,ShanghaiisaWesterninvention.TheBund,itsriversidearea,andFrenchtownarethebestplacestoseetheremnantsofitsdecadentcolonialpast.Moveontotemples,gardens,bazaarsandthestrikingarchitectureofthenewShanghai.
Xi'an
Xi'anwasonceamajorcrossroadsonthetradingroutesfromeasternChinatocentralAsia,andviedwithRomeandlaterConstantinopleforthetitleofgreatestcityintheworld.TodayXi'anisoneofChina'smajordrawcards,largelybecauseoftheArmyofTerracottaWarriorsonthecity'seasternoutskirts.Uncoveredin1974,over10,000figureshavebeensortedtodate.Soldiers,archers(armedwithrealweapons)andchariotsstandinbattleformationinundergroundvaultslookingasfierceandwar-likeaspotterycan.Xi'an'sotherattractionsincludetheoldcitywalls,theMuslimquarterandtheBanpoNeolithicVillage-atackyre-creationoftheStoneAge.Bytrain,Xi'anisa16hourjourneyfromBeijing.Ifyou'vegotabitofcashtospare,youcangetaflight.