If a traveler wanted to see China, but not just the tourist sites, where should he go?

Go to Henan. It is the most populated province in China. It's capital city Zhengzhou has the largest train station in China. The most famous Shaolin fung fu temple in the world is nearby Zhengzhou! The Chinese language and Chinese astrology were invented in Northern Henan in the city of Anyang. The greatest Chinese dynasty "The Tang Dynasty" had its capital in Henan! Henan women are as beautiful as the most most beautiful women in the world! Henan people are famous in China for reasons that are not positive. Henan people are warm hearted, sincere and you will never forget them!

I like Shandong Province quite much, the hometown of Confucius - Qufu, more then 2000 years history, Pang Lai, Jinan - Dai Ming Hu,...QingDau was a German colony in early 1900, the first beer factory in China was built in Qingdau. The cities are beautiful and people are nice, easy to get along with. The food are ok too.

Absolutely, I can help you! Other than don't miss the must-sees in China, like the Great Wall and the Terra Cotta Warriors; those iconic landmarks that you don't want to regret for not visiting, we also arrange experiences on the less beaten paths. For example, you can visit the Simatai section of The Great Wall, which is much less touristy, more original looking with the challenge (i.e. risky) of climbing on this un-restored section. In Shanghai, you can visit Zhujiajiao - the newly discovered ancient water town where the locals love to go as well. In Xi'an, you can visit a farmer's studio, where you will visit the farmer artists with their unique and colorful painting and have lunch there in their studio. Of course, Tibet is always on the to do list on most Chinese.travelers' list, where you can visit the capital Lhasa on "the roof of the world"! ... There are simply many choices depends on your time and interest. Actually I have clients who have the same desire as you do, and we create customized tours for them. If you like, I would be more than happy to discuss and work out with you a unique travel itinerary and help arrange the tour. My company specializes in customized tours to China. Please feel free to contact me through our website at: www. jiasdreamtours.com

Xi'an, that place is like the origin of the Chinese Han culture that's also the origin of the East Asian culture. It was the capital of many of the ancient Chinese dynasties. You can find beautiful ancient architectures and monuments there that has stark similarities to the styles that you find in korea or japan. It also lies along the route of the silk road, i think. It's definitely rich in culture. Another place is Szechuan Province. besides being the panda's natural habitat, that place should be an exotic to spot to visit. Their style of culinary cooking diverts distinctly from the rest of China. It has some of the hottest temperatures in China. You should visit this beautiful natural site called "Jiuzhaigou Valley". It's enlisted as a U.N.'s world heritage site. It has some of the clearest lakes on earth you won't believe that still exists in China. Also if you travel further west then you're going to visit some of the original Tibetan regions. If you ever visit Henan province - make sure you visit the Shaolin Temple and the "Chen Village" - where Taichi originated from.

If you want to see the real China, just step out of your hotel, and just follow the flow without a guide and immerse yourself in the world. Whether you are in Beijing or in a small country village, you will be able to see real Chinese who live pretty normal lives. You can go as far as Tiber or Xinjiang to see the "real" China, but you can stay right where you are in Beijing or Shanghai and behind the expensive hotels and restaurants and shopping malls and the busy career people, you will find little streets and entire neighborhoods where people live, shop, sell food and birds and everything else, eat, cook, sing, play cards and checkers, throw garbage in the sewer. Open your eyes, your nose, your ears, your mind. It will be sweet and putrid, ugly and beautiful, noisy and peaceful, and everything in between.