Malaysian in China

My recent trip to China in April was my second. I had first gone to China in 1990 and I came away both impressed and irritated by my experience then.Impressed by the immensity of the country and the energy of the population. It is also this sheer population size that presents difficulties often times for the average independent traveller when it comes to the simple chores of buying train tickets etc.
China of the 21st century is still much the same. The energy of the population is still there but with it (I sensed) comes also a sense of added confidence. A sense that theirs is going to be The Country of the 21st Century!
I was in Shanghai, a metropolis like any other. In 1990 , I was in Beijing and I must say I preferred this northern city to Shanghai. But, then again ,I was in Beijing 20 years ago, so perhaps , she too has morphed into a metropolis with little character.
Xian is a better city to visit.For the Terracota Armies, I had thought that I'd be dissapointed(like I was when I saw the Great Wall!), but I was wrong. The Terracota Armies is indeed a world wonder!
Which brings one to the question of the epithet "World Heritage site". I often wondered what value it is for a place to be conferred so. Is it to protect the site and if so , for whom. Many of these sites charge high fees for entry and it would seem only people who can well afford will visit such heritage sites. Certainly in China , it seems many of their World heritage sites are 'off limits' to the average local populace by virtue of their high entry fees. This is a shame!