There are 119 key scenic spots designated by the state in China, and the Lijiang River in Guilin and the West Lake in Hangzhou are the most well-known among them. Guilin is located in northern Guangxi Zhuang Nationality Autonomous Region and the Lijiang River is the major river that meanders through the city of Guilin like a jade belt. The river water is so crystal clear, one can count the fish swimming in the water. West Lake is west of the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province. The lake is surrounded on three sides by hills and has an area of 6.03 square kilometers. The Bai and Su Dykes divide the lake into five parts that are dotted with small isles including Long Hill, Small Island and Lake Center Pavilion. The lake and the hills form a picturesque landscape.

中国国家重点风景名胜区共有119处，其中著名的有桂林漓江和杭州的西湖。桂林，位于广西壮族自治区北部。漓江是流经桂林的主要河流，河水清澈，游鱼可数，象玉带般旋绕城区。在中国自古就有“桂林山水甲天下”的赞誉。西湖，位于浙江省杭州之西。西湖三面环山，面积6.03平方公里。湖面上有白、苏二堤，将湖面分成五个部分，湖中有孤山、小岛、湖心亭等，湖光山色，风景如画。

By 1998,21 sites from China were included in the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List with the approval from the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Among them were Taishan, Huangshan, Lushan and Emei, famous mountains dating back to ancient times. Taishan Mountain is located in the center of Shandong Province. Its highest peak is 1,545 meters above sea level. At the beginning of each new imperial reign and during periods of peace and prosperity, ancient Chinese emperors would climb this mountain to hold grand ceremonies to thank heaven and earth. The Huangshan Mountain is located in southern Anhui Province. The name of the mountain came from the legendary Yellow Emperor who once cultivated his body and made pills of immortality here. Reputed as the "most beautiful mountain under heaven", it is a renowned tourist attraction. The Lotus Peak, its highest point, is 1,860 meters above sea level. Lushan Mountain, located south of Jiujiang City in Jiangxi Province, lies right beside the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake, with the highest point Hanyang Peak at 1,474 meters above sea level. Emei Mountain, a famous mountain worshipped by Buddhists, is situated southwest of Emei County in Sichuan Province. Its name came from its shape, which resembles a long, beautiful and winding eyebrow. Its highest point, Wanfuo Peak, is 3,099 meters above sea level. There are over 100 temples of various sizes scattered over the mountain.

1998年，中国被联合国教科文组织世界遗产委员会批准列入世界文化与自然遗产名录的景观有21个，其中泰山、黄山、庐山和峨眉山都是中国历史上的名山。泰山，位于山东省中部，主峰海拔1545米。古代帝王登基之初，太平之岁，多来泰山举行封禅大典，祭告天地。黄山，位于福建省南部，因传说黄帝曾在此修身炼丹，故名黄山，是知名的游览胜地，有“天下第一山”之誉。最高的莲花峰海拔1860米。庐山，位于江西省九江市南，飞峙长江边，紧傍鄱阳湖，最高的汉阳峰海拔1474米。峨眉山是中国佛教名山，在四川省峨眉县城西南。因山势逶迤，“如螓首蛾眉，细而长，美而绝”，故名。主峰万佛顶海拔3099米。现有大小庙宇近百座。