Book excerpt: The emerging powerhouse of our times, China is a fascinating and complex country, taking in ultra-modern cities, dramatically varied scenery and ancient cultural treasures. This new edition of Insight Guide China is a comprehensive full-colour travel guide to this enigmatic destination, highlighting all the unique sights and experiences to have while you're there. Inside Insight Guide China: Lively features by a local writer cover a whole range of subjects: traditional medicine, Chinese literature, Red Tourism, and of course, the country's many cuisines. Stunning photography brings this intriguing country and its people to life. Highlights of the country's top attractions, including sights such as the incomparable Great Wall and Terracotta Warriors, the dazzling city of Shanghai and the dreamlike landscapes of Guilin. Descriptive region-by-region accounts cover the whole country from the evocative capital Beijing and Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau to the mountains of Yunnan and Tibet and the spectacular landscapes of Guangxi and Sichuan. Detailed, high-quality maps throughout will help you get around and travel tips give you all the essential information for planning a memorable trip.