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China Information

Population: 1.26 billion

Time Zone: +8 GMT/UTC

Driving side: Drivers drive on the right hand side of the road

Languages: Mandarin is the official language but 8 main diale

Religion: The Chinese government professes atheism but has freedom of religion in its constitution.
The three main religions are Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism.
Small groups of Muslim and Christianity adherants are also present even though Christianity

Emergency #: International assistance - 115
Fire brigade - 119
Police - 110

China Local Customs

left hand side of the road

China Culture

Much of the Chinese cultural heritage was lost during the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1970. Mao and the communistic regime purged the country of most its arts, religious and literary heritage during that time. China is the cradle of an ancient civilisation from which Western adventurours and travellers - such as Marco Polo - brought many treasures to the Western world. Beautiful porcelain, silks, even the Italian spaghetti which was adapted from the Chinese noodle. Not to mention gunpowder for fireworks or more sinister uses.

The Chinese are very aware of losing "face" - do not confront, rather negotiate at all times until a mutually satisfactory result is acheived; also a smile may cover worry or embarrassment and does not necessarily an expression of glee. Gift giving is always a pleaser but no cash please, a thoughtful gift to a host or new friend may "buy" you a helpful favour when needed. A friend in need in a strange country is a friend worth having!

China Popular Destinations

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There are many man made splendours to be seen in China, one of which is the Great Wall of China which stretches from Beijing to the Gobi Desert. The Forbidden City in Beijing is a fascinating ancient complex of buildings - and is happily not forbidden to visitors! Another must - see are the 2000 year old Terracotta Soldiers, a major archaeological find of life sized warriors and horses found in 1974.

The beautiful peaks of Huang Shan mountains and the purity of the Tibetian natures reserves are a couple of natural destinations that are waiting to be explored, as is the great Yangzi River, down which a leisurely cruise can be taken. Visit the scenic province of Kunming or take a pilgrimage to the legendary Kathmandu.

China Beaches

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Moving Around China

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The best way to travel around China is by train. The buses are probably the best way to see as much of the countryside as possible but are only recommended for the most hardened of traveller. Trains are by far the safest and most reliable long distance mode of travel and if the journey is over 12 hours long there should be a dining car.

There are four types of seating, namely: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper or soft sleeper- the names speak for themselves. If travelling longer than a day try to reserve a soft seat / sleeper though this can be quite expensive. Purchase sleeper tickets in advance. Car hire is not an option in China unless you have a Chinese drivers license. Energetic tourists can hire a bicycle- there are around 300 million bikes in the country- but be cautious about where you ride, plan your route carefully so as not to enter in a closed area. For short or long trips with shared costs a taxi can be used, the cost should be negotiated before the journey.

There are some good boat and ferries for that sightseeing trip up the Yangzi or other major rivers. Tour buses are reasonably priced and do get to some of the more remote attractions, many are mini-bus operations and are usually contactable through the hotels.

National festival and holidays

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Public Holidays -

New Years Day 1 January
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) usually February for 3 days according to lunar calendar
International Women's Day 8 March
International Labour Day 1 May
Youth Day 4 May
International Childrens Day 1June
Birthday of the Chinese Communist Party 1 July
Anniversary of founding of the PLA 1 August
National Day 1 October

Festivals - Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the 1st moon of the year (February) and Dragon Boat Festival which is usually in June according to lunar calendar

Useful China Links

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1000+ Maps of China
More than 1000+ all kinds of maps of China, including provice maps, city maps, attraction maps, etc. Keep updating.

One-Stop Shop for China Information
A one-stop shop for the best information about China on the internet.

China Maps
A huge collection of maps of China.

China Maps
A collection of maps of China for your China travel.

China Tours

Recent China Travelogue

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China Trip

I spent 10 weeks last summer travelling throughout China. It was incredibly exciting, frustrating, eventful, and cheap (I spent about $1000 total, including food, lodging, travel, souvenirs, etc.) I travelled with a friend who had... read more

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