TREASURES OF CHINA is a stunning photographic journey through more than 360 of China's natural and cultural treasures. Rather than focusing on the best-known landmarks, the editors of Reader's Digest have hand-picked special places that are notable for their particular significance in Chinese history. Anecdotal text and captions illuminate over 400 glorious color photographs and 11 newly commissioned satellite maps that explain not just the history of each location but also ancient folklore and legend as well. With the worlds largest population inside its borders, its easy to imagine China as an urban wasteland swarming with people. This overview of some of the countrys most magnificent sights shows that nothing could be further from the truth. The "stair lakes" at the abandoned Yellow Dragon Monastery in the mountains of Huanglong sparkle in bright sunshine; the Yuanmou Earth Forest of Chinas southern region calls to mind the southwest desert of the United States with its jagged, colorful rock formations; and a view over the source of the Yangtze River in the Tanggula Mountains features such spectacular greens, blues and snowy whites as to make one think the photo is a painting. In addition to these natural landscapes, classical pagodas and splendid palaces also grace the pages, with glimpses of the 900-year-old Sakya Pagoda and the inside of the legendary Forbidden City. The book provides a general history and overview of the five major regions and contains showpiece sections highlighting landmarks like the Great Wall and the Silk Road. This book will both impress people and leave them wanting more; some armchair travelers may even be tempted to visit the many gorgeous geographical and historical sites depicted here.