China Visit Guide
Jiaohe ancient earthen city ruins on the Silk Road in Xinjiang
Historic site · SHAANXI · UNESCO
Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor
丝绸之路：长安-天山廊道的路网 · Sīchóu Zhī Lù: Cháng'ān–Tiānshān Lángdào de Lùwǎng
About
UNESCO-listed transnational serial property along the central Silk Road, jointly inscribed by China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, covering 33 sites from Xi'an to the Tianshan foothills.
The Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014 as a transnational serial property shared by China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The inscription covers 33 component sites along the 5,000-km-long central corridor of the ancient Silk Road, tracing the route from the Tang-dynasty capital Chang'an (present-day Xi'an) westward through the Gansu Corridor, across Xinjiang's Tarim Basin, and into the Tianshan foothills.
The Chinese section encompasses 22 of the 33 sites, spanning five provinces and autonomous regions: Shaanxi, Henan, Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang. Major included sites in China include the ruins of the Tang imperial capital at Chang'an (Xi'an), the Jade Gate Pass (Yumenguan) and Yangguan Pass at the edge of the Gobi Desert in Gansu, the Kizil Caves near Kuqa in Xinjiang (an early centre of Buddhist art predating the Mogao Caves), and the ruined city of Jiaohe near Turpan — one of the best-preserved ancient earthen cities in the world.
The Silk Road was never a single route but a network of trade, diplomatic and pilgrimage corridors that carried not only silk, spices and precious metals but also Buddhism, Islam, artistic styles, agricultural knowledge and infectious disease across Eurasia for over a millennium. The heritage corridor captures this complex interchange through the physical remains of caravanserais, watchtowers, relay stations, Buddhist cave temples, royal tombs and administrative cities.
Visitors interested in the full corridor can build itineraries combining Xi'an with Dunhuang and its Mogao Caves, Jiayuguan Fort, and Turpan's ancient sites. Each can be reached by high-speed rail or domestic flights.
How to get there
Xi'an (Chang'an) is the eastern anchor, served by high-speed rail from Beijing (4.5 hours) and Shanghai (6 hours). Continue west by train or flight to Dunhuang, Jiayuguan and Turpan. High-speed rail now connects all major cities in the corridor.
When to visit
April–June and September–October for the Gansu and Xinjiang segments. Xi'an is pleasant year-round.
Crowds: The Chinese corridor sites outside of Xi'an are rarely crowded. Jiaohe and Jiayuguan in particular offer a relatively quiet experience even during peak season.
Other attractions in Xi'an
Other historic sites in China
- Ancient City of Ping Yao — Heritage Overview平遥古城—文化遗产综览
UNESCO · The walled city of Pingyao, inscribed by UNESCO in 1997, preserves the most complete example of Ming-Qing urban planning in China — its banking heritage, city wall, temples and courtyard residences forming a cohesive historical ensemble.
- Ancient Villages of Southern Anhui — Xidi and Hongcun皖南古村落—西递、宏村
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed pair of Ming-Qing Huizhou merchant villages in southern Anhui, renowned for whitewashed walls, inky horsehead gables and moon-shaped ponds.
- Anqing Zhenfeng Pagoda安庆振风塔
A seven-storey Ming Dynasty pagoda standing on the bank of the Yangtze River in Anqing, considered one of the finest riverside pagodas in southern China and long used as a navigation landmark by Yangtze river pilots.
- Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City良渚古城遗址
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed archaeological site in Hangzhou preserving the remains of a 5,000-year-old city with a sophisticated water-management system, jade ritual culture and social hierarchy — regarded as one of the earliest state-level societies in East Asia.
- Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom高句丽王城、王陵及贵族墓葬
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed capital cities and royal tombs of the Koguryo Kingdom in Jian, Jilin — the Chinese portion of a transnational heritage property shared with North Korea, representing one of the most powerful states of ancient East Asia.
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO)苏州古典园林
UNESCO · UNESCO-listed collection of private gardens in Suzhou — four inscribed in 1997 and five more added in 2000 — representing the pinnacle of Chinese garden design through the refined integration of architecture, water, rock and plant.
- Danba Tibetan Watchtowers丹巴碉楼
Clusters of ancient stone watchtowers rising above Tibetan village complexes in the Dadu River valley, said to be among the oldest surviving examples of Tibetan defensive architecture.
- Drum Tower and Bell Tower鼓楼钟楼
Yuan-dynasty drum and bell towers that kept official time for imperial Beijing. Climbable; daily drum performances.
Other UNESCO World Heritage sites in China
- Ancient City of Ping Yao — Heritage Overview平遥古城—文化遗产综览
The walled city of Pingyao, inscribed by UNESCO in 1997, preserves the most complete example of Ming-Qing urban planning in China — its banking heritage, city wall, temples and courtyard residences forming a cohesive historical ensemble.
- Ancient Villages of Southern Anhui — Xidi and Hongcun皖南古村落—西递、宏村
UNESCO-listed pair of Ming-Qing Huizhou merchant villages in southern Anhui, renowned for whitewashed walls, inky horsehead gables and moon-shaped ponds.
- Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City良渚古城遗址
UNESCO-listed archaeological site in Hangzhou preserving the remains of a 5,000-year-old city with a sophisticated water-management system, jade ritual culture and social hierarchy — regarded as one of the earliest state-level societies in East Asia.
- Badain Jaran Desert — Lakes and Dunes巴丹吉林沙漠—沙山湖泊群
UNESCO Natural World Heritage site in Inner Mongolia — the third largest desert in China, featuring some of the world's tallest stationary dunes and a unique network of freshwater and saline lakes sustained by a still-unexplained subterranean water system.
- Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom高句丽王城、王陵及贵族墓葬
UNESCO-listed capital cities and royal tombs of the Koguryo Kingdom in Jian, Jilin — the Chinese portion of a transnational heritage property shared with North Korea, representing one of the most powerful states of ancient East Asia.
- China Danxia中国丹霞
UNESCO Natural World Heritage site — a serial property of six Danxia landscapes across six provinces, representing China's defining red-cliff-and-pillar sandstone landform type, including Danxia Mountain, Zhangye, Taining and Langshan.
- Classical Gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO)苏州古典园林
UNESCO-listed collection of private gardens in Suzhou — four inscribed in 1997 and five more added in 2000 — representing the pinnacle of Chinese garden design through the refined integration of architecture, water, rock and plant.
- Couple's Retreat Garden耦园
UNESCO-listed Suzhou garden organised symmetrically around a central residence. Less crowded than the four most-visited gardens.
Frequently asked questions
- When is Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor open?
- Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor opening hours: Individual sites have separate opening hours; major excavation sites typically 08:00–18:00 Apr–Oct, 09:00–17:30 Nov–Mar.
- How long do you need at Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor?
- Allow 4–720 hours for Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor. Add buffer time if you plan to visit at peak season or include nearby sights in the same trip.
- When is the best time to visit Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor?
- April–June and September–October for the Gansu and Xinjiang segments. Xi'an is pleasant year-round.
- How do you get to Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor?
- Xi'an (Chang'an) is the eastern anchor, served by high-speed rail from Beijing (4.5 hours) and Shanghai (6 hours). Continue west by train or flight to Dunhuang, Jiayuguan and Turpan. High-speed rail now connects all major cities in the corridor.
- How do you avoid the crowds at Silk Roads: Chang'an–Tianshan Corridor?
- The Chinese corridor sites outside of Xi'an are rarely crowded. Jiaohe and Jiayuguan in particular offer a relatively quiet experience even during peak season.
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