🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Tianlongshan Western Grottoes — Shanxi Western Cliff
Northern Dynasties to Tang · Northern Qi–Tang northern Shanxi Buddhist
Taiyuan Heavenly Dragon western 8-cave extension 560–750 with 1924 removal and scaffolding holes.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Xiangtangshan Northern Grottoes — Fengfeng North Cave
Northern Dynasties (Northern Qi imperial) · Northern Qi Imperial Buddhist (Ye capital Gao clan)
Qi royal 9-cave north cluster 550–577 North Cave Buddha with 1909 Freer looting and 3D reunion.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient city
Shijiahe
Qujialing → Shijiahe 2600–2300 BCE (Jianghan Late Neolithic) → Meishan · Shijiahe culture (Middle Yangzi walled city)
Jianghan Plain walled mega-town (c.3000–2300 BCE, Shijiahe culture 2600–2300 BCE climax) northwest of Tianmen — 120 ha walled enclosure (1.2 km wall of rammed earth, moat) with inner palace 7 ha,…
🇨🇳 China · Ancient village
Zhaobaogou
Zhaobaogou 5400–4500 BCE → Hongshan 4700–2900 → Lower Xiajiadian · Zhaobaogou (Liao Neolithic, post-Xinglongwa)
Type-site for Zhaobaogou culture (c.5400–4500 BCE, post-Xinglongwa) on the Aohan plain adjacent to Xinglongwa near Chifeng — 1.5 ha village with 18 pit houses and rich artistic pottery, excavated…
🇨🇳 China · Cave
Dunhuang Mogao Cave 257 Jataka Panel
Upper Palaeolithic (35000–12000 BP) · Upper Palaeolithic
Dunhuang Mogao Cave 257 Jataka Panel in Gansu, Dunhuang, China is a Upper Palaeolithic (35000–12000 BP) cave attributed to Upper Palaeolithic.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Maijishan Western Cliff Grottoes
Sixteen Kingdoms to Song · Later Qin, Northern Wei, Western Wei, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song
Sheer west face 80 m with 72 hanging grottoes on plank balconies — Maijishan postcard cliff.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Tianlongshan Grottoes — Heavenly Dragon Mountain
Northern Dynasties to Tang (550 – 907 CE) · Northern Qi, Sui, Tang (central Shanxi Buddhist)
Taiyuan 25 caves with Northern Qi wet-drape bodhisattvas 550–907 CE.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient village
Liangzhu Fanshan Altar Jade Cong Hoard
Neolithic to Iron Age (6000 BCE–500 CE) · Neolithic
Liangzhu Fanshan Altar Jade Cong Hoard in Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China is a Neolithic to Iron Age (6000 BCE–500 CE) ancient village attributed to Neolithic.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient village
Kuahuqiao
Kuahuqiao culture 8000–7000 BP (8500–7700 calendar BCE) → Hemudu · Kuahuqiao (Lower Yangzi pre-Hemudu)
Pre-Hemudu pile-dwelling village (c.8000–7000 BP, 6000–5500 BCE) at Xiaoshan wetland south of Hangzhou — Kuahuqiao excavated 1990–93 by Zhejiang Institute, revealing earliest dugout canoe in China…
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Bingling Temple Upper Gorge Grottoes
Sixteen Kingdoms to Early Tang · Western Qin, Northern Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang
8-km-upstream Western Qin cliff with 420 CE earliest murals above reservoir.
🇨🇳 China · Hydraulic works
Zhengguo Canal – Jingyang Irrigation Canal (Zheng Guo Qu)
Warring States to Han continuous · Qin with Han engineer Zheng Guo (鄭國)
246 BCE 'sabotage' canal that irrigated 27,000 ha and enabled Qin to unify China.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient village
Pengtoushan
Pengtoushan culture 7500–6000 BCE → Zaoshi → Tangjiagang → Chengtoushan · Pengtoushan (Middle Yangzi earliest Neolithic)
Type-site for Pengtoushan culture (c.7500–6000 BCE, 9000–8000 BP) on the Li River plain near Li County — earliest permanent village in the Middle Yangzi (Hunan), contemporary with Peiligang and…
🇨🇳 China · Ancient village
Jinsha River Gold Mask Pit
Neolithic to Iron Age (6000 BCE–500 CE) · Neolithic
Jinsha River Gold Mask Pit in Sichuan, Chengdu, China is a Neolithic to Iron Age (6000 BCE–500 CE) ancient village attributed to Neolithic.
🇨🇳 China · Hydraulic works
Lingqu North Pound Extension Canal (Qin Lingqu Northern Stepped Pound)
Qin 214 BCE to Tang 825 CE (Lingqu North pound) · Qin imperial (Shi Huang–Shi Lu) Lingqu Yue conquest hydraulic
North pound extension 1.2 km ×8×1.5 m with 3 Qin granite pound-locks 8×4 m ×1.0 m lift — earliest locks globally 214 BCE.
🇨🇳 China · Rock art
Huaishan Central Helan Rock Art
Early Bronze to Western Xia (Tangut) · Zhukaigou, Ordos, Han, Western Xia (Tangut)
Zhongwei Huaishan central terrace with naturalistic ibex and Western Xia inscriptions.
🇨🇳 China · Tumulus
Mawangdui Han Tomb 1 East Chamber
Bronze Age (2200–800 BCE) · Bronze Age
Mawangdui Han Tomb 1 East Chamber in Hunan, Changsha, China is a Bronze Age (2200–800 BCE) tumulus attributed to Bronze Age.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Tianlongshan North Manshan Grottoes
Tang (post-An Lushan) · Late Tang Jiedushi patronised Buddhist
North spur 8-cave late Tang group with Tianlong's only caitya pillar and wet-drape naturalism.
🇨🇳 China · Ancient village
Bashidang
Pengtoushan late 7000–5000 BCE → Zaoshi 5800–5000 BCE · Pengtoushan (Middle Yangzi late) → Zaoshi transitional
Moated Neolithic town (c.7000–5000 BCE, Pengtoushan culture late phase) at Bashidang on the Li River swamp south of Pengtoushan — 3 ha circular settlement with earthen wall and ditch, excavated…
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Bingling Temple South Cave 169
Sixteen Kingdoms to Tang · Western Qin to Tang Buddhist (Bingling synthesis)
South partition of monumental natural Cave 169 with 384 Sui–Tang niches and Tang donor cartouche.
🇨🇳 China · Rock art
Yinshan Central Dahekou Ridge Rock Art
Late Bronze to Turkic Early Medieval · Northern Ordos, Xiongnu, Xianbei
Central ridge above Dahekou gorge bridging Yinshan naturalism and Helan mask styles.
🇨🇳 China · Rock art
Chifeng Ongniud Banner Petroglyphs
Neolithic to Medieval (Hongshan to Liao-Jin) · Hongshan, Lower Xiajiadian, Ordos and Khitan Liao
Eastern Yinshan steppe granite with 3000 Neolithic–Khitan images, Hongshan–Yinshan bridge.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Maijishan North Niche 135
Northern Dynasties (Western Wei to Northern Zhou) · Northern Zhou Buddhist (Yuwen court patronage)
North-face shaded Maitreya pensive niche preserving straw-plastic polychrome.
🇨🇳 China · Temple complex
Tianlongshan East Cave Taiyuan
Sui to Tang · Sui-Tang Buddhist (Taiyuan Jinyang school)
Eastern 8-cave Sui peak of Tianlong Mountain above Taiyuan with Amitabha hall.
🇨🇳 China · Hydraulic works
Turpan Shengjinkou Karez Gorge Head (Shengjinkou Gorge Karez System)
Han to Qing continuum (200 BCE–1900 CE) karez re-use · Gaochang / Uyghur oasis
Gorge-head karez at Shengjinkou Yardang Gorge mouth northwest Turpan Depression (−45 m, below sea level, unique globally).