美國人眼中的十大中國名勝
China is a vast and extraordinary country spanning thousands of miles from the deserts in the west to the ocean on the east. Culturally, China has one of the most rich and textured histories of all civilizations that encompasses over 5,000 years. This is rich stuff for a traveler.
中國是一個地域廣闊、非同尋常的國家，其版圖綿延幾千英里，西到沙漠，東至大海。文化上，中國擁有超過5000年的多文化歷史，是世界上最豐富和最具神韻的國家之一。這對於旅行者而言是豐富的資源。
1. The Forbidden City紫禁城
The Forbidden City, or Palace Museum, sits at the center of Beijing, directly north of Tiananmen Square where the famous portrait of Mao Zedong hangs on the palatial crimson wall. It was the imperial seat for Ming and Qing dynasty emperors from 1420 until 1912 when the last emperor, Pu Yi, abdicated. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
紫禁城，或者頤和園，坐落在北京城的中心，處在天安門廣場的北面——天安門的深紅色宏偉城牆上懸掛着著名的毛澤東畫像。1420年到1912年間，它是明清兩朝統治者的權力中心，直到中國的最後一個皇帝溥儀退位。它在1987年被聯合國教科文組織列爲世界文化遺產。
2. The Great Wall長城
The Great Wall winds its way across China covering over 4,000 miles (6,700km). While the latest construction occurred after 1368 during the Ming Dynasty, construction of the Great Wall began over 2,000 years ago. In fact, the Great Wall is actually made up of a number of interconnecting walls spanning China that different dynasties and warlords constructed over the years.
長城橫貫中國綿延4000英里（6700公里）。長城的建造始於2000年前，止於1368年的明朝時期。事實上，長城是由不同朝代和統治者在不同時期修建的幾段城牆構造而成。
3. The Terracotta Warriors兵馬俑
Discovered in 1974 when a local farmer was digging a well, the terracotta army, buried in 210 BC with the first emporer of the Qin dynasty, is a breathtaking site. The thousands of life-size figures have individually unique faces and hair and armor styles appropriate to their rank. The museum of the Terracotta Army is located in Xi'An, Shanxi province.
兵馬俑是1974年當地農民在開鑿水井時發現的。這些與公元前210年秦朝第一個統治者一起下葬的陶土俑是令人歎爲觀止的名勝。幾千個真人大小的雕塑擁有各具神態的面部表情和標識他們等級的不同髮型和鎧甲。兵馬俑博物館坐落於陝西省西安市。
4. Karst Mountains in Yangshuo陽朔桂林山水
Illustrating the 20 Renminbi (Chinese currency) note, the karst mountains are famously beautiful in China. Located in the south of China in Guangxi province, they can best be viewed from Yangshuo, a small town outside Guilin, a major city in Guangxi Province.
作爲20元人民幣的插圖，桂林山水在中國以美麗著名。它坐落於南中國的廣西省桂林市，最佳觀景地點在桂林郊外的陽朔鎮。
5. The Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam長江和三峽大壩
Best seen by tour boat down the Yangtze River, the Three Gorges Dam is a modern construction marvel. The dam is the world's largest as well as the world's biggest hydroelectric power station. The river itself is the world's third longest and the Three Gorges are the natural highlight of the boat cruise.
三峽大壩是一個現代建築奇蹟，其最佳觀賞方式是乘坐順江而下的遊覽船。三峽大壩是世界上最大的大壩，同時也是最大的水利發電站。長江是世界第三長的河流，而三峽則是乘船遊覽的好去處。
6. Jiuzhaigou九寨溝
Jiuzhaigou Valley is a nature reserve located in China's Sichuan province. A beautiful example of China's varied landscape, Jiuzhaigou is famous for crystal blue lakes and multi-level waterfalls. It is populated by a number of Tibetan villages so is also a superb place to see and experience Tibetan local culture.
九寨溝是位於中國四川省的自然保護區。作爲中國豐富地貌的美麗範本，九寨溝以五花海和多級瀑布而聞名。其間的一些藏族村落極受歡迎，因此，這裏也是絕佳參觀和體驗藏族地方文化的旅遊勝地。
7. Potala Palace, Lhasa拉薩布達拉宮
Now a Chinese museum, the Potala Palace was traditionally the seat of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhists' spiritual leader. Famous for its imposing white walls surrounding the inner red palace, the building sits at 3,700 meters or over 12,000 feet. The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
現在作爲博物館的布達拉宮，曾經是藏傳佛教精神領袖達賴喇嘛的寢宮。以莊嚴的白牆圍繞內部紅色宮殿聞名，這座建築修建在3700米或者12000英尺的山上。布達拉宮坐落於西藏自助區的首府拉薩。
8. The Bund, Shanghai上海外灘
The Bund, meaning embankment, was historically the seat of Shanghai's most powerful businessmen in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Bund is a fabulous place to see examples of Shanghai's rich architectural history, illustrated by the HSBC Building, built in 1923 and at the time said to be "the most luxurious building between the Suez Canal and the Bering Strait."
外灘，在18世紀到19世紀期間是上海最有權勢商人們的住所。這裏是遊覽上海富豪建築歷史範本的絕佳地點，包括史建於1923年的匯豐銀行大樓，當時它被稱爲“蘇伊士運河和白令海峽之間最奢侈的建築”。
9. Giant Pandas大熊貓
3 hours outside Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is the Wolong Nature Preserve, the largest panda reserve in China. The center tries to ensure the Giant Panda species can continue to exist. Tourists can observe pandas in their natural habitat and can also help researchers feed and play with these beautiful and threatened animals.
距離四川省會成都3小時車程的臥龍自然保護區是中國最大的熊貓保護區。這個中心致力於保護防止大熊貓的滅絕。遊客可以觀察大熊貓的自然習性，還可以幫助研究人員飼養並與這些美麗瀕臨滅絕的動物玩耍。
10. Modernity in Hong Kong現代化的香港
See modern China - and Asia - at the cutting edge with a visit to Hong Kong. Walking down the Kowloon side promenade gives the traveler a view of some of the most beautiful modern architecture in China, dominated by the Bank of China Tower designed by I.M. Pei.
想看看現代中國和最前沿的亞洲嗎？那麼到香港旅行吧。漫步於九龍區人行道的遊客可以看到一些中國最美麗的現代建築，圍繞在貝聿銘設計的中銀大廈周圍。
