There's no better place to begin start exploring the People's Republic than in the modern capital of Beijing, for centuries the epicentre of the Chinese universe. At its heart lies Tiananmen Square, the great monument to communist achievement dominated by the modern tomb of revolutionary leader Mao Zhedong, while behind it the red walls envelop the unsurpassed grandeur of the immense Forbidden City, home to the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites include the sumptuously decorated Temple of Heaven, which the emperors would visit to pray for a bounteous annual harvest, and the Summer Palace, situated beside a lake, and used as an imperial residence in the oppressive summer heat. The Great Wall is only a short day trip away - make sure you head to one if the quieter sections, such as Simatai. There's enough here to keep you occupied for at least a week!