With a vast extent of land, spectacular landscapes, numerous minority nationalities, time-honored historical and cultural sightseeing and world heritages, China attracts millions of tourists from all over the world. It is the world's third-largest nation by area and the largest by population. China is bordered by the Mongolian Republic and Russia on the north, by Russia and North Korea on the north-east , by the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea on the east, by the South China Sea on the south, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, and Nepal on south-west, by Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan on the west ; and by Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan on the north-west. China covers 6,000,000 square miles and spanning 60 longitudinal degrees.
Below is a brief introduction about China's geography, population and economy:
Official Political Name of the Country: People's Republic of China
Population: 1.3 Billion
Capital: Bejing
Ethnical Composition: 56 Nationalities (Han-Chinese 93 %, in addition: Mongols, Zhuang, Manchu, Uyghur, etc.)
Language: Putonghua (Mandarin is the official language)
Religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism
Government of Peoples Republic of China: The National People's Congress of the P. R. of China is the highest organ of state power.
Head of State: Hu Jintao
The climate of China varies greatly. The northern zone (containing Beijing) has summer daytime temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius and winters of Arctic severity. The central zone (containing Shanghai) has a temperate continental climate with very hot summers and cold winters. The southern zone (containing Guangzhou) has a subtropical climate with very hot summers and mild winters.
Due to a prolonged drought and poor agricultural practices, dust storms have become usual in the spring in China. Dust has blown to southern Mainland China and Taiwan, and has reached the West Coast of the United States. Water, erosion, and pollution control have become important issues in China's relations with other countries.so use the following information as a rough guide.
North
Winters in the north fall between December and March and are incredibly cold. Beijing's temperature does't rise above 0℃(32F ), although it will generally be dry and sunny. North of the Great Wall, into Inner Mogolia or Heilongjiang, it is much colder with temperature s dropping to -40℃, and you'll see the curious sight of sand dunes coverd in snow.
Summer in the north is around May to August. Beijing temperatures can rise toto 38℃ or more. July and August are also the rainy months in this city. In both the north and south most of the rain falls during summer.
Central
In the Changjiang (Yangtze River) valley area (Including Shanghai) summers are long, hot and humid. Wuhan , Chongqing and Nanjing have been dubbed 'the three furnaces' by the Chinese. You can expect very high temperatures any time between April and October. Winters are short and cold, with temperatures dipping well below freezing-almost as cold as Beijing. It can also be wet and miserable at any time apart from summer. While it is impossible to pinpoint an ideal time to visit, spring and autumn are probably best.
South
n the far south, around Guangzhou, the hot, humid periods last from around April to September, and temperatures can rise to 38℃. This is also the rainy season. Typhoons are liable to hit the south-east coast between July and September.
There is a short winter from January to March. It's nowhere near as cold as in the north, but temperature statistics don't really indicate just how cold it can get, so bring warm clothes.
Autumn and spring can be good times to visit the south, with day temperatures in the 20℃ to 25℃ range. However, it can also be miserably wet and cold , with perpetual rain or drizzle, so be prepared for all weather.
North-West
It gets hot in summer, but at least it's dry. The desert regions can be scorching in the daytime. Turpan, which sits in a depreeion 150m below sea level, more than deserves the title of the 'hottest place in China', with maximums of around 47℃.
In winter this region is as formidably cold as the rest of northern China. In Urumqi the average temperature in January is around -10℃, with minimums down to almost -30℃. Teperatures in Turpan are only slightly more favourable to human existence.
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
In Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, it is easy to get the impression that all four seasons have been compressed into one day. Temperatures can vary from below zero during the evening and early morning to a sizzling 38℃ at midday, but it always feels remarkably cool in shade. Winter brings intense cold and fierce winds. Snowfall is far less common in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau than the name 'Land of Snows' implies—it's an arid place and the sun is quick to melt off snowfalls. Rainfall is scarcest in the north and west of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Northern monsoons can sweep across the pains for days on end, often whipping up dust storms, sandstorms snowstorms, or (rarely) rainstorms.
| Cities | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Beijing | -1.6 | 2.1 | 4.7 | 14.4 | 19.3 | 25.3 | 28.0 | 25.5 | 20.9 | 12.9 | 5.9 | -0.7 |
| Xi'an | 2.4 | 6.0 | 9.4 | 16.7 | 20.9 | 24.4 | 26.5 | 26.3 | 22.2 | 14.3 | 7.9 | 2.7 |
| Shanghai | 6.2 | 7.3 | 9.5 | 14.8 | 20.9 | 22.1 | 25.3 | 26.9 | 25.8 | 19.9 | 12.9 | 7.4 |
| Guilin | 9.9 | 12.5 | 12.8 | 19.8 | 22.8 | 27.1 | 27.5 | 27.0 | 25.7 | 21.2 | 15.9 | 11.1 |
| Hangzhou | 6.1 | 8.0 | 9.2 | 16.1 | 21.4 | 22.8 | 26.0 | 26.7 | 25.8 | 19.4 | 11.8 | 6.8 |
| Wuhan | 6.5 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 17.5 | 22.6 | 24.9 | 28.0 | 27.3 | 26.4 | 18.0 | 12.1 | 7.5 |
| Chongqing | 8.5 | 11.3 | 13.2 | 18.7 | 21.4 | 25.1 | 27.0 | 27.6 | 25.8 | 18.8 | 14.5 | 8.4 |
| Kunming | 9.6 | 14.2 | 16.3 | 19.8 | 17.7 | 21.5 | 20.3 | 19.4 | 19.1 | 17.1 | 12.7 | 8.1 |
| Lhasa | -1.4 | 3.9 | 7.0 | 12.4 | 13.4 | 16.4 | 15.7 | 14.9 | 12.5 | 10.3 | 3.8 | -0.8 |
| Nanjing | 4.3 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 15.4 | 21.0 | 23.0 | 25.9 | 26.0 | 24.6 | 17.5 | 10.4 | 4.8 |
| Luoyang | 2.7 | 6.1 | 8.0 | 16.4 | 21.4 | 25.9 | 26.8 | 25.8 | 22.8 | 14.9 | 9.4 | 4.0 |
| Pingyao | -3.1 | -0.2 | 5.4 | 14.4 | 19.2 | 23.4 | 24.3 | 23.0 | 19.0 | 10.9 | 4.1 | -2.6 |
| Qingdao | 2.0 | 3.7 | 6.0 | 11.9 | 17.4 | 20.7 | 24.6 | 25.5 | 22.9 | 16.3 | 9.5 | 3.5 |
| Guangzhou | 15.0 | 16.7 | 17.8 | 23.9 | 24.2 | 28.7 | 28.7 | 27.6 | 27.1 | 25.3 | 20.0 | 14.0 |
| Zhangjiajie | 6.0 | 10.5 | 13.5 | 17.4 | 21.5 | 26.7 | 27.4 | 27.2 | 25.4 | 18.0 | 12.3 | 8.1 |
| Huhhot | -9.5 | -4.5 | 1.4 | 11.1 | 17.6 | 23.0 | 24.6 | 23.0 | 16.3 | 6.8 | -0.3 | -9.1 |
| Dalian | -1.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 10.0 | 16.9 | 21.5 | 25.4 | 25.1 | 21.5 | 14.2 | 6.5 | -0.1 |
| Nanning | 13.8 | 16.4 | 17.7 | 24.1 | 24.4 | 28.0 | 28.1 | 26.9 | 26.1 | 23.4 | 18.5 | 12.5 |
| Haikou | 17.9 | 20.2 | 22.6 | 26.4 | 26.7 | 28.9 | 29.4 | 28.1 | 27.6 | 26.2 | 23.1 | 17.3 |
| Chengdu | 7.2 | 9.7 | 11.5 | 18.3 | 20.7 | 23.7 | 24.9 | 24.3 | 22.8 | 17.7 | 12.9 | 6.7 |
| Guiyang | 6.2 | 9.5 | 11.0 | 16.9 | 19.1 | 22.7 | 23.4 | 22.9 | 21.8 | 17.4 | 12.5 | 7.7 |
| Xining | -7.5 | -3.1 | 2.3 | 8.5 | 12.3 | 15.0 | 16.9 | 16.1 | 12.7 | 6.1 | -0.2 | -6.3 |
| Lanzhou | -3.4 | 1.2 | 6.7 | 14.1 | 17.4 | 21.0 | 22.4 | 23.1 | 19.1 | 11.0 | 3.9 | -3.5 |
| ** Notice: Temperature in C° | ||||||||||||
China is a multi-racial country with 56 ethnic groups. In the long course of its development, all the nationalities have joined in the effort to create the great culture that China represents.
Apart from the Han nationality, the other 55 ethnic groups, with a total of more than 96.5 million people, constitute roughly 8.04% of the total population. Those with more than one million people are: Zhuang ( Some in Guilin Longsheng), Hui ( Some live in Xian), Uyghur ( in XInjiang), Yi ( in Yunnan), Miao (in Guilin, Guizhou, Yunnan), Manchu (Some in Beijing), Tibetan ( in Tibet), Mongolian, Tujia ( in Yunnan), Bouyei, Korean, Dong ( in Guangxi), Yao (in Guilin, Guizhou, Yunnan), Bai( in Yunnan) and Hani.
The constitution guarantees all non-Han groups certain national rights and privileges, such as the exemption from the one-child-policy, lower academic requirements for entering colleges and universities, tax breaks and government subsidies. ( China Ethnic Tour )
China is a multi-religious country, where Taoism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity are practised. Freedom of belief is a government policy, and normal religious activities are protected by the constitution.
Chinese is commonly used in the modern China. It is one of the five working languages designated by the United Nations. In China, the majority of the 55 other ethnic groups have their own languages. There are also many dialects around the country.
As a written language, Chinese has been used for 6,000 years. And it need much more time to learn the Chinese Written Characters. Here our Topchinatours teach you a useful and easier way to learn Chinese spoken Language.
For example: I love China我爱中国
Pronunciation:
The first我is the similar pronunciation as Working.
The 2nd 爱 is just as Like.
The 3rd 中 pronounce similarly as Drone.
The last 国 is like Gourmet.
【If you are interested in such learning way and want to know more, please contact our experienced tour advisor Sunny by sunnyyang23@hotmail.com (MSN).】
Chinese family names came into being some 5,000 years ago. There are more than 5,000 family names in China, of which 200 or 300 are popular. But this, in turn, the order of Chinese name is family name first, followed by the given name.
For example: Li Mingde 李明德
Li 李is the family name; Mingde 明德 is the given name.
China is divided into 23 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government, and two special administrative regions. The Capital of the People's Republic of China is Beijing.
The 23 provinces are Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Hainan.
The five autonomous regions are Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Guangxi and Tibet.
The four municipalities are Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing.
Hong Kong and Macao are special administrative regions.
You can refer to the China Geographic Map for an exact reference.
1. What is high season? What is the definition for high season, shoulder season and low season?
High season marks the most popular times of the year for travel in China, due to the weather, holiday periods or other reasons. Therefore hotels, airlines and travel agencies are heavily booked, and prices are higher than at other times.
The seasons are usually defined as follows:
High season: April 1 to May 31, Sep 1 to Nov 15.
Shoulder season: June 1 to Aug 31.
Low season: Nov 16 to Mar 31.
However, there may be some variation to these dates by different hotels, airlines or travel agencies in different regions. For example, high season in Tibet is from July 1 to Oct 15 and the rest of the year is considered to be low season.
Travelers should also be aware that the peak holiday periods: first week in May, first week in October, Chinese Spring Festival (often takes place in late January or early February) are particularly busy. Prices and bookings will be even higher than usual.
Top China Tours reserves the right to vary prices as a result of seasonal charges being imposed.
2. When is the best time to visit China?
Choosing the best time to visit China depends on which places you wish to visit, what type of weather you enjoy. May, September and October are the peak tourist months at China's most popular destinations when the weather is most comfortable, but prices are higher, and everywhere is more crowded. Prices drop a bit in the shoulder season, which runs from late March through April and from June through August. The low season arrives in late November, and continues through the winter when there are fewer crowds and the prices are lower.
Spring Festival (the lunar calendar Dec.8 to Jan.15)
Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people and is the reunion day of family members, just like Christmas in the West. For the old saying that the Nian Master scares the red color, fire and noise, so people sets off firecrackers, pastes couplets and knocks drums as customs year by year. It originated in the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1100 BC). At that time, this festival was held to show people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one. In fact, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Among them, Dec.8 is the Laba Rice Porridge Festival, Dec.23 is to sacrifice the Kitchen God, Dec.24, sweeping the dust, means thorough cleaning the house to sweep away the bad luck in the past year. Dec.25 is greeting the God of Wealth.
Dec.26 is going to market for special purchase for New Year. Dec.27 is steaming bun and bread. Dec.28 is pasting couplets, window paper-cuts and hanging up lanterns. Dec.29 the little New Years Eve, is greeting ancestors back/ worshiping ancestors. Dec.30, New Years Eve, is gathering families together to make dumplings and enjoy the New Year Eve Dinner till the late night. Children get lucky money from elders. Jan.1 is setting off the first firecrackers in the early morning and then has a New Years Visit to relatives. Jan.5 is greeting the God of wealth to start working after 4 days non-working. Jan.15 is Lantern Festival.
Lantern / Lampion Festival (the lunar calendar Jan.15)
Lantern / Lampion Festival is celebrated in the evening of the 15th day of the first lunar month. Streets, narrow lanes and places are decorated with an array of different, festive lanterns. After the especially delicious meal is eaten – round, sweet flour dumplings from swelled rice flour stand for the feeling of togetherness – the people go out to enjoy the exciting nightlife or to play the letter puzzle under the lanterns
Festival of the Pure Brightness (the lunar calendar Apr.5)
this fest is celebrated on the day of the pure brightness in spring and is one of 24 designations of the altitude of the sun. During this day excursions are made, people pray to their ancestors and play traditional games like kite flying and tug-of-war.
Dragon Boat Festival (the lunar calendar May 5)
Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. On this day all over Chinese people eat"Zongzi", pyramid shaped flour dumplings made of gluten containing rice, participate in dragon boat races, some commemorate also Qu Yuans, a patriotic poet, who lived during the age of the"The Warring States Period" (476 B. C. – 221 B.C. ).
Qixi / the Chinese Valentine’s Day (The lunar calendar Jul.7)
Qixi takes place at the 7th evening of the 7th lunar month, the time also, when the cowherd and the spinning girl like to meet, once a year. One looks up to the Milky Way and abroad river, which separates the two lovers and all brindled magpies are asked to help, to build a bridge over the river to prepare the annual lover's reunion. That's the Chinese Valentine's Day.
Middle of Autumn Day (The Lunar calendar Aug.15)
Middle of Fall/Autumn happens on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. At this evening all family members sit together, eating moon pie and enjoy with this symbolic act the beautiful, round, free and bright moon, together.
Chongyang (The lunar calendar Sep.9)
Winter Solstice: Proclamation of the cold season. The Chinese belief, if they eat warm flour dumplings in this particular day, they shall endure the bitterly cold winter to come.
The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. It is not exclusive to China, but followed by many other Asian cultures. It is often referred to as the Chinese calendar because it was first perfected by the Chinese around 500 BC. In most of East Asia today, the Gregorian calendar is used for day-to-day activities, but the Chinese calendar is still used for marking traditional East Asian holidays such as the Chinese New Year (the Spring Festival), the Duan Wu festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival, and in astrology, such as choosing the most auspicious date for a wedding or the opening of a building. Because each month follows one cycle of the moon, it is also used to determine the phases of the moon.
At over nine million square kilometers, China is a force to be reckoned with by anyone wishing to see as much as possible. Fortunately, there are a number of transportation options.
- City Buses
Chinese buses are generally comfortable and affordable, and go just about everywhere you'd want to. To pack light-there's not a lot of room to stow luggage. All cities have local buses that will take you around the city for a nominal fee (anything from five jiao to a few yuan). Don't be shy to ask people which bus to take, or to ask on the bus where to get off. In the big cities these buses are almost always impossibly crowded-push and shove along with the Chinese to get on. Don’t try to take bus at the rush hours (around 09:00in the morning and 18:00 in the afternoon.) if you are a freshman to China.
- Taxis
Taxis are now widely available in most Chinese cities. If you have trouble hailing one on the street, check at upscale hotels. There will likely be plenty of taxis lined up outside, or the concierge can make arrangements for one. To be safe, don’t take taxi alone as well as wander on streets at very late night, especially far away from city center.
Intercity Transportation
- Boats
Boats are one of the cheapest forms of transportation in China and often can be a welcome respite from trains and buses. Passenger boats sail the Yangtsi River, Li River, Xi River and others. There are also a few interesting options for reaching China from Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan by sea. There are plenty of other, shorter trips too, and they are well worth a try.
- Long-distance Buses
Long-distance buses and minibuses are useful to take you places where trains don't go. Watch carefully to see how much the other passengers are being charged and make sure you're charged the same rather than some bogus "foreigner fare." Overnight buses are not fun, but the more popular routes sometimes have sleeper buses, which ease the pain slightly. You’d better not to choose overnight buses when you go on an no guide individual tour. Overnight train will be much better recommended
- Trains China Railways Maps
China is home to one of the most famous transportation options of all: the Trans-Siberian Railway. Train tracks go nearly everywhere in China, and long hauls are common. Train travel is usually comfortable(except in overcrowded hard seat class) and usually on time, but tickets can be a little difficult to get.
There are four price ranges for train passager:
| *Soft sleeper | Definitely the most comfortable class, this will get you a nice, soft bunk in a closed compartment of four beds. These tickets are almost always available, but run as high as a plane ticket. |
| *Soft seat | This is a nice, comfortable, cushy seat. These are not available on every journey. |
| Hard sleeper | This gets you a padded bench-like bed in an open compartment of six beds, plus pillow, sheet, and comforter. This is perfectly comfortable, however, these tickets are notoriously hard to come by. |
| Hard seat | This gets you a seat on a padded bench. This is the cheapest option, and you certainly get a taste of the real China! This is okay for a day journey, but not recommended for overnight trips. |
China is served both by numerous major international flights to most countries of the world and a host of domestic regional airlines. Air traffic within mainland China is often connected through Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou. They are, respectively, the main hubs for Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines.
China is a huge country and flying is the only way to get anywhere quickly. More Chinese are flying each year and as a consequence, airplane tickets are difficult to secure during tour and holiday seasons, such as the Chinese New Year.
Air Tickets public discount:
0-2 years infants will be fixed 10% of the full ticket.
2-12 years children will be fixed 50% of the full ticket.
Above 12 years will be inquired the full ticket.
However, to adults, for low season and other reasons, they often get a lower discount than children in fact.
Notes: Keep this handy list of the main emergency phone numbers handy just in case.
110 (free) -- Police
119 (free) -- Fire Department
120 (free) – Ambulance
122 (free) -- Traffic Accident
114 -- Directory Assistance
117 -- Time (talking clock)
121 -- Weather
Of course, you’d better kept well the Mobile numbers of your private tour advisor and local guides. You can get help at any time when you need in China.
Chinese Cuisine has long history just as the Chinese culture. Past and present, Chinese pay more attention on food in daily life. Fewer words from us on how the Chinese cuisine is, Top China Tours here list out several time-honored brand & typical local flavor restaurants which you will not miss to have a try the real Chinese dishes in each place, and then I think you will know exactly what I want to tell you!
Beijing: Quanjude Duck Roast Restaurant
全聚德烤鸭店
北京崇文区前门大街30号
Xi’an： Defachang Dumpling Banquet
德发长饺子宴
西安西大街3号钟鼓楼广场附近。
Shanghai: Shanghai Lvbo Lang Restaurant (Shanghai Cuisine)
上海绿波廊
上海黄浦区豫园路115号
Guilin: Guilin Shengfa Restaurant (Guangxi Flavors)
桂林胜发饭店
桂林雉山路13-5号
Lhasa： Lhasa Xue Yu Restaurant / Lhasa Makye Ame Restaurant (Tibet Food)
拉萨雪域餐厅 拉萨大昭寺广场
拉萨玛吉阿米餐厅 拉萨八角街
Chongqing: Chongqing Dezhuang Hotpot (Sichuan Cuisine)
重庆德庄火锅
重庆渝中区渝中中山一路148号申新大厦1楼
Hangzhou: Hangzhou Lou Wai Lou Restaurant (Hangzhou Cuisine)
杭州楼外楼
杭州西湖区孤山路30号
Suzhou： Suzhou De Yue Lou Restaurant (Su Cuisine)
苏州得月楼
苏州李公堤路22号
Guangzhou： Guangzhou Nan Yuan Restaurant (Guangdong Cuisine)
广州南园酒家
海珠区前进路142号
Lijiang Old Town: Lijiang Qiu Yue Ge Restaurant (Yunan Flavors)
丽江秋月阁
丽江古城区
If you are interested a China Stomach Tour, Please contact us strictly!!!
When you travel in China, those typical Chinese style performances will impress you well not only with the shock performance on stage, but also a deeper comprehension about the Chinese culture.
Beijing: Beijing Opera
Xi’an: Performance of the Tang Dynasty
Shanghai: Shanghai Acrobatics
Guilin: Impression Sanjie Liu
Lijiang: Impression Lijiang
Sanya: Impression Sanya
Cell phone
The prepaid SIM card for China with a world cell phone is the most convenient and economical solution for staying in touch while in China. All incoming calls while you travel China are no more than $0.19 USD per minute (Only $0.07 in Guangdong province), regardless of where they originate. Pay the local rate for local calls and use your cellular phone in China like you do at home. And unlike home, your China SIM card and cell phone service is prepaid so there is no need for a contract.
Please Note:
Your China SIM Card (China Mobile) will require a SIM-unlocked GSM 900 compatible international cell phone. If you do not have your own international cell phone, we have several models available for rental or purchase.
Generally speaking, Fresh, clean, bottled water is everywhere in China. It costs between 1-2 RMB per bottle.
Hotels will provide guests with bottled water (free) for drinking. In larger hotels there may be a little sign in the bathroom that reads something along the lines of "tap water not potable," but don't take the absence of this notice as an indication that tap water is safe to drink. Nowhere in China is it advisable to drink tap water without boiling it first. But it is okay to use tap water to brush your teeth or wash your face.
1. Medical Treatment in China
Hotels usually have access to a doctor.
In the event of a serious condition which requires hospitalization, your tour guide will do everything possible to ensure that you receive that best treatment possible. Please call your Top China Tours Advisor so that we can help in any way possible.
The major cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou have hospitals that will reach the Standard of foreign hospital, however the hospital systems differ considerably. Hospitals in other cities may not offer the same standards of hospitals in foreign countries.
On entering hospital all patients are required to pay a substantial deposit before any treatment will be administered. Nursing care in hospital is strictly limited to medical treatments so patients will require a person who can assist with all other activities. No food is supplied.
We highly recommend that all travelers buy comprehensive travel insurance in their home country before departure.
2. Health Precautions while travel in China
Drink only boiled or bottled water or carbonated drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks and ice cubes.
Don't eat food purchased from street vendors.
Don't drink beverages with ice.
Don't handle animals (especially monkeys, cats, dogs), to avoid the risk of rabies.
Don't swim in fresh water (excluding well-chlorinated pools) in some parts of China to avoid infection with schistosomiasis.
Don't share needles with anyone.
Eat only thoroughly cooked food, or fruits and vegetables that you have peeled yourself.
Never eat uncooked meat, raw eggs, or unpasteurized dairy products. Raw shellfish is dangerous for people who have liver disease or compromised immune systems.
Electricity in China is 220V, 50 cycles, AC. Two-pin sockets and some three-pin sockets are in use. Most of the hotels have a socket in the bathroom for both 110V and 220V. Most hotels have built-in convectors in bathrooms for shaving, hair dryers, etc. Outside of the bathroom, only 220V sockets are provided so a converter will be required to change the voltage from 220v to 110V and well as an adopter to allow different pins to be used. Most hotels will have adopters but it is always wise to be prepared if you have some piece of electrical equipment which is essential to operate.
Tourist hotels provide postal services. If you want to send important items such as antiques and cultural relics that are under customs control, you will have to ask for the help of the local branch of the international post office, instead of the small post office in a hotel.
You can also send their postcards, letters and express mail to any place in the world via China Post, FedEx or China Air Express, etc.. However, any form of publication (such as books, magazines and newspapers) and parcels must be sent from an authorized post office.
Faxes can generally be sent from any hotel business center.
Express mail can be sent to:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brukina Faso, Canada, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Cote d’lvoire, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Macao, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portuguese, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, , Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and United States.
Airmail can be sent to:
Amsterdam, Bangkok, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Karachi, Kiev, London, Madrid, Manila, Moscow, Osaka, Paris, Pyongyang, Rome, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, Stockholm, Sydney, Taiwan, Teheran, Tokyo, Ulan Bator, Vancouver, Vienna, Warsaw, and Zurich.
China's legal tender is Renminbi (RMB). Foreign currencies can not be used directly in China, though some shops illegally accept foreign currencies.
The basic unit of RMB is yuan. 1 yuan (or kuai) =10 jiao (or mao). RMB is available in both paper notes and coins. The denominations of paper notes are 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 yuan; 5, 2 and 1 jiao. The denominations of coins are 1 yuan; 5 and 1 jiao. Hong Kong uses HK dollars.
The official exchange rate at this time is 6.65 yuan to 1 U.S dollar. Keep the receipt of the transaction as you might need when you leave China to change your US dollars back in Bank of China at the airport.
China uses metric system in weights and measures, but many people are still using traditional Chinese system which is more commonly applied in markets.The following conversion table between the old Chinese system, metric system and the other Western systems is made for your easy use.
| Metric System | Traditional Chinese System | British-American System | |
| Units of Length | 1 kilometer (1,000 meters) | 2 li | 0.621 mile |
| 1 meter | 3 chi | 3,281 feet; 1.094 yards |
|
| 0.1 meter | 3 cun | 0.328 foot; 0.109 yard |
|
| 1 centimeter | 3 fen | 0.394 inch | |
| Units of Area | 1 square kilometer | 4 square li; 1,500 mu | 0.386 square mile; 100 hectares; 247.1 acres |
| 1 square meter | 9 square chi | 10.764 square feet; 1.196 square yards |
|
| Units of Weight | 1 kilogram | 2 jin | 2.205 pounds |
| 50 grams | 1 liang | 0.110 pound | |
| 0.454 kilogram | 0.907 jin | 1 pound | |
| Units of Capacity | 1 liter | 1 sheng | 1.760 pints 0.220 gallon |
| 4,546 liter | 4.546 sheng | 1 gallon |
Shopping tips and shopping opportunities
The small hotel shops within a hotel are normally limited to a kiosk-like selection (films, cigarettes, drinks, post cards, etc.). In stores and shopping malls prices are fixed, bargaining is not an option. In metropolitan areas like Beijing, Shanghai stores and malls are open from Mon. – Sun. 09.00h (9 a.m.) – 20.00 h (8 p. m.) , some are open until 21.00 h (9 p. m.)
Small presents can be found in regional factories and / or businesses which are specialized in craftwork. They usually offer a colourful mixture of Silk, Jade, Porcelain, Chinese picture rolls, handicraft products with lacquer, stones and wood. Besides all of that, dragons, stamps of stone and traditional medicine are quite often precious memorabilia.
The free and open street markets have no fixed pricing – here you can, or better, you have to bargain!
1, Chinese pearl
pearl necklace and earrings are the best gift for any ladies; Chinese pearl enjoy superior materials and perfect manual work.
2, Chinese silk garment --- Traditional ladies' dress has embroidery. China’s ancient patterns of silk garment are gems of our national culture, Theses patterns reflecting the intelligence of the Chinese people.
3, Silverware --- The delicate pieces are welded together and made into jewelry, wall decorations and other beautiful pieces.
4, Chinese calligraphy
Calligraphy has developed over many centuries in China, Brush calligraphy is not only loved and practiced by Chinese. Many Asian countries also adore calligraphy as a very important treasure.
5, Jade --- Many countries have the jade ware cultures, but none of them can match China's long jade ware history. Jade has always been the material most highly prized by the Chinese and it includes two categories: hard and soft jade.
6, Paper cutting
The craft of paper cutting has been done for many years in many countries all over the world, but china has the longest history of paper cutting.
7, Chinese tea and good quality tea pot --- Chinese tea and silk began to be known the world more than a thousands years and different places grow various kinds of tea.
8, Chinese painting
Chinese Painting is very famous in the world, The tools used in traditional Chinese painting are paintbrush, ink, special paper and so on.
Attention: Do buy those recommended souvenirs in the state formulates tourism souvenir shops to avoid unnecessary troubles and fake ones.
To bring a nice camera or video camera is very necessary for your trip to China. Definitely you will take a lot of pictures in China. You need to declare your camera when you go through the customs.
Popular digital cameras, video cameras, memory cards, films and batteries can be easily found in China. The prices of them are very reasonable compared with the price in most places in the world. In every city there are film processing services.
Walking along the most streets in China, you're bound to see a newsstand packed with English-language newspapers and magazines. The China Daily is the first and the only national English-language daily newspaper in China. Readers can know Chinese politics, economics, culture and society. You can get one for about 3 RMB. Some of the hotels in China also provide you with the newspaper for free. Also you can watch the TV o Channel CCTV 9 the English speaking news.
| The list of other English language newspapers: | |||
| Beijing Scene (China's Bilingual Lifestyle Magazine) | The Information of People's Daily | English People Daily | |
| InsideChina.com | LateLine Headline News | The South China Morning Post | Shanghai Daily |
| Guangdong | Hong Kong | China Top News | Chinese News Digest |
| Today News | News | ||
Serious crime in China against foreigners is rare. However, crime does occur both in cities and in the countryside.
You should be aware that the theft, particularly in the larger cities, is increasing. Major tourist sites attract thieves and pickpockets. Take extra care around street markets, at Beijing International Airport and when visiting popular expatriate bar areas after dark. Resisting a robbery attempt, could lead to serious violence; the use of knives is fairly common.
There are occasional incidents with pedicab drivers who usually insist the passenger misunderstood the cost of the fare (pedicabs are not metered). Foreign females travelling alone are particular targets. If you do use a pedicab, be sure to negotiate the price (in RMB) in advance and be clear about how much you will pay. There is also the possibility that taxi and pedicab drivers might try to switch your genuine bank notes for counterfeits. Ask in the bank or where you change your money how to identify fake notes, and then check before accepting notes - it is quite normal to do so.
It is inadvisable to trek alone in isolated or sparsely populated areas, including those that follow parts of the Great Wall. If you do so, you should leave your itinerary, mobile number and expected time of return at your hotel/hostel or with a third party.
Areas bordering on Siberia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Laos and Burma are poorly policed. In Yunnan, drug smuggling and related crimes are increasing. There is an ongoing risk of attack from armed bandits in the more remote areas of China.
On the whole, travel in China remains incident-free. However, you should remain alert and keep your valuables, including passport, in a secure place. In public places, ensure you keep your belongings with you at all times.
Severe weather conditions are possible in eastern and southern coastal provinces during the typhoon season (May-November). You should check before travelling to these provinces during these months.
There are severe penalties in China for drugs offences. These include the death penalty, which was imposed on a British national who was executed in China for a drugs offence in December 2009.
Foreign nationals are required to carry their passports with them at all times as the Police carry out random checks; failure to produce your ID can lead to a fine or detention.
There are restrictions on undertaking certain religious activities, including preaching and distributing religious materials.
Homosexuality is not illegal although there are no laws specifically protecting the rights of homosexuals.
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