Known for years as the sleeping giant of tourism, China has now awakened with a roar, attracting 120 million inbound tourists each year (including two and a half million Americans), and accounting for increasing sales of guidebooks to its three major attractions: Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. Our author of this 288-page guide to those three primary cities--Graham Bond--has lived in China for many years, is currently pursuing a doctorate in Chinese history, but continues to keep his touristic information up-to-date and rewarding through constant travels there. He is already the author of Frommer's Shanghai, a previously-published guidebook, and now cements his reputation as the nation's foremost authority on visits to China by American and other western travelers. The book is profusely illustrated with maps, and provides every detailed assistance on the mechanics of living in and touring China.