Top 10 cultural cities in China

BEIJING - If you're planning a cultural tour of China soon, here's a list of cities you might want to consider: Beijing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Nanjing, Lhasa, Dali, Guangzhou, Guilin, Pingyao and Qingdao. These ten cities were recently named by China Radio International (CRI) Online as the top ten cultural cities in the country through its 2011 Chinese City Rankings event. The cities were selected based on the evaluations of a panel of experts and the votes of netizens from all over the world. Around 5.76 million votes were cast since the contest began last April. During the selection process, 26 CRI Online websites making use of different foreign languages solicited votes from the online audience. Voters also sent in comments through text messages and the websites. At the awards ceremony here last Sept. 16, CRI director-general Wang Gengnian said the ranking will help foreigners gain a deeper understanding of the "real China" and its natural and social attractions. Speaking for the foreign diplomats invited to the awarding, Thai representative Warawudh Chuwiruch said the project will help people around the world learn more about China and promote mutual understanding among different cultures at the same time. Some of the sites already attract thousands of visitors every year. Beijing is the primary destination of tourists who want to see the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, while Xi'an is famous for the terra cotta army that was unearthed near the city. Lhasa in Tibet is popular among backpackers, who visit many of the temples in the highland destination. GMA News Online and 10 other foreign media outfits were invited to the ceremony and also to participate in a 10-day tour of Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing and Suzhou. The project was launched by CRI Online in partnership with the Information Office of China's State Council, China's Ministry of Culture, and the National Tourism Administration. - YA, GMA News