‘Cultural treasure-house of East Asia’

China’s cultural riches and 5000 years of tumultuous history place it, without doubt, among the world’s greatest travel destinations. The Great Wall, X’ian’s Terracotta Army, the Forbidden Palace and Tiananmen Square: the very names reverberate with history and legend.

China’s paradoxes are many: Shanghai’s skyscrapers contrast with Beijing’s historical treasures, while in rural provinces, mechanisation has not yet reached many traditional farming villages. Celebrated places and sights abound – this is the land of the Yangxi River, the Silk Route and the bamboo forests of the panda. Spectacular Guilin brings the vistas of rivers and misty peaks in traditional ink paintings to life, while far to the west, the fabled Tibetan city of Lhasa beckons pilgrims to ‘the roof of the world’.

Chinese food – from noodles to Imperial banquets – ranks among the world’s great cuisines. From acrobatics to martial arts, calligraphy to Chinese opera, the vibrant, distinctive culture of this great land is everywhere to be seen.

Now reunited with the mainland, visually stunning Hong Kong offers a warp-speed ‘shop till you drop’ lifestyle combined with enclaves of tradition and tranquil outlying islands. Nearby, exotic Macau is a gambler’s paradise with colonial Portuguese flair.

Beijing, as the site of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, is facing enormous investment, which will see its historic areas refurbished and protected, and transport and accommodation improved.

China’s tourism infrastructure is rapidly improving, but flexibility and patience are still required. In return, China rewards visitors with memories to be treasured for a lifetime.



Lucy Moss

East Asia.

GMT + 8.
Despite the vast size of the country, Beijing time is standard throughout China.

9,572,900 sq km (3,696,100 sq miles).

1.3 billion (2005). Roughly a quarter of the world’s population lives in China.

135.4 per sq km.

Beijing (Peking). Population: 13.8 million. The largest city in the country, Shanghai, has a population of over 18 million and, as of 2004, 11 other cities had a population of over two million and 23 cities had a population of one to two million.

China is bordered to the north by Russia and Mongolia; to the east by Korea (Dem Rep), the Yellow Sea and the South China Sea; to the south by Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan and Nepal; and to the west by India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. China has a varied terrain ranging from high plateaux in the west to flatlands in the east; mountains take up almost one-third of the land. The most notable high mountain ranges are the Himalayas, the Altai Mountains, the Tian Shan Mountains and the Kunlun Mountains. On the border with Nepal is the 8848m-(29,198ft-) high Mount Qomolangma (Mount Everest). In the west is the Qinghai/Tibet Plateau, with an average elevation of 4000m (13,200ft), known as ‘the Roof of the World’. At the base of the Tian Shan Mountains is the Turpan Depression or Basin, China’s lowest area, 154m (508ft) below sea level at the lowest point. China has many great river systems, notably the Yellow (Huang He) and Yangtze Kiang (Chang Jiang). Only 10 per cent of all China is suitable for agriculture.

People’s Republic. China comprises 23 Provinces, five Autonomous Regions, two Special Administrative Regions and four Municipalities directly under Central Government. Head of State: President Hu Jintao since 2003. Head of Government: Premier Wen Jiabao since 2003. Recent history: The National People’s Congress (NPC) is the most powerful organ of state and elects all those with the principal executive functions – the President and Vice-President of the People’s Republic, the Premier and Vice-Premier of the State Council (after nomination by the President), other members of the State Council and the heads of individual ministries. The State Council reports to the NPC or, when the Congress is not sitting, to its Standing Committee. The NPC is held every five years and attended by some 3000 delegates drawn from the provincial administrations, the military and various state organs. The NPC membership and all major appointments are ultimately under the control of the Chinese Communist Party, whose 22-member Politburo is effectively the country’s governing body. Hu Jintao became the Presidential heir-apparent at the 16th Communist Party Congress in 2002, when he succeeded Jiang Zemin as Head of the party. Hu Jintao has made the fight against corruption a priority. However, he has rejected Western-style political reforms.

The official language is Mandarin Chinese. Among the enormous number of local dialects, large groups speak Cantonese, Shanghaiese, Fuzhou, Hokkien-Taiwanese, Xiang, Gan and Hakka dialects in the south. Mongolia, Tibet and Xinjiang, which are autonomous regions, have their own languages. Translation and interpreter services are good. English is spoken by many guides.

China is officially Atheistic, but the stated religions and philosophies are Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism. There are 100 million Buddhists and approximately 60 million Muslims, five million Protestants (including large numbers of Evangelicals) and four million Roman Catholics, largely independent of Vatican control.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin sockets and some three-pin sockets are in use. However, most 4-5 star hotels are wired for the use of 110 volt appliances.

Cultural differences may create misunderstandings between local people and visitors. The Chinese do not usually volunteer information and the visitor is advised to ask questions. Hotels, train dining cars and restaurants often ask for criticisms and suggestions, which are considered seriously. Do not be offended by being followed by crowds, this is merely an open interest in visitors who are rare in the remoter provinces. The Chinese are generally reserved in manner, courtesy rather than familiarity being preferred. The full title of the country is ‘The People’s Republic of China’, and this should be used in all formal communications. ‘China’ can be used informally, but there should never be any implication that another China exists. Although handshaking may be sufficient, a visitor will frequently be greeted by applause as a sign of welcome. The customary response is to applaud back. Anger, if felt, is expected to be concealed and arguments in public may attract hostile attention. In China, the family name is always mentioned first. It is customary to arrive a little early if invited out socially. When dining wait until your seat is allocated by a nod or subtle indication. You should not begin eating until indicated to do so, and if using chopsticks do not position them upright in your rice bowl as the gesture symbolises death. Toasting at a meal is very common, as is the custom of taking a treat when visiting someone’s home, such as fruit, confectionery or a souvenir from a home country. If it is the home of friends or relatives, money may be left for the children. If visiting a school or a factory, a gift from the visitor’s home country, particularly something which would be unavailable in China (a text book if visiting a school, for example), would be much appreciated. Stamps are also very popular as gifts, as stamp-collecting is a popular hobby in China. A good gift for an official guide is a Western reference book on China. Conservative casual wear is generally acceptable everywhere and revealing clothes should be avoided since they may cause offence. Visitors should avoid expressing political or religious opinions. Photography: Not allowed in airports. Places of historic and scenic interest may be photographed, but permission should be sought before photographing military installations, government buildings or other possibly sensitive subjects.