China has an abundance of history, dating back centuries. From age-old inventions, including fireworks, sophisticated methods of navigation at sea, and sublime ancient architecture that has come to be revered throughout the modern world, Chinese innovation is as old as its extremely long past, so a short history here is often hard to come by. However, with rail travel being a relatively modern phenomenon (especially in the broad scope of some 5,000 years of Chinese history), our favourite method of travel is one area which can be described briefly – and here we have our take, in 4 snapshots.

Visitors flock to China to explore its multitude of attractions, and to experience an entirely different outlook on life, that stands in stark contrast to the typical western worldview.