China - 中国

For other entries with the same name, please seeChina (disambiguation)。

China MainlandByPeople's Republic of ChinaActually ruled area. The People's Republic of China is located inEast Asia, Is the world’s most populous sovereign country with the third or fourth largest area (officially claimed to be the third largest). There are 14 land neighbors, namelyEast AsiaofNorth KoreawithMongolia，South AsiaofAfghanistan、Pakistan、India、Nepal、Bhutan，Southeast AsiaofMyanmar、Laos、Vietnam，Central AsiaofTajikistan、KazakhstanwithKyrgyzstan,as well asNorth AsiaA federal state across EurasiaRussia。

learn

In the long history of Chinese civilization of more than 5,000 years, it has not only experienced a long period of peace and prosperity, but also experienced numerous great upheavals and revolutions. Many Westerners such as Marco Polo and Gottfried Leibniz have developed a great interest in China through the Silk Road and more cultural exchanges in the past few centuries. The profoundness and greatness of Chinese civilization make them deeply Deeply fascinated. At the same time, China today is also one of the most influential countries in the world, and the Chinese civilization will continue to excite and fascinate travelers from all over the world.

history

See:A trip to the capital of China

If you want to know the history of China, please clickChinese historyandHistory of the People's Republic of China, The two wiki entries have a detailed historical portrayal. China has passed through the following periods: prehistoric period, legendary period, Xia, Shang and Zhou periods (including Spring and Autumn, Warring States period), Qin and Han periods, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, Xia, Jin and Yuan periods, Ming and Qing periods, the Republic of China and the mainland period. The People's Republic of China today has a history of about five thousand years.

politics

The regime of the People’s Republic of China is a political entity that inherits the regime of the Republic of China. The two are not "sovereign states" with opposite meanings. Both are similar to "French First Republic and French Second Republic". For a certain period, both represented China. The People’s Republic of China is a country currently governed by the Communist Party of China. The General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is the highest leader of the country, and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China is the highest military commander. The government is composed of the executive branch-the State Council, the unicameral legislature and the highest authority-the National People's Congress, as well as the National Military Commission, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate. The General Secretary of the Central Committee is the supreme leader of the country and has all the rights to govern the country, as well as the country's military and political sovereignty.

According to the administrative plan of the People's Republic of China, the People's Republic of China has 34 provincial-level administrative regions, including 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities, and 2 special administrative regions.

Including: Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Hebei, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Henan, Hubei Province, Hunan Province, Guangdong Province, Hainan Province, Sichuan Province, Guizhou Province, Yunnan Province, Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province, Qinghai Province, Taiwan Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region , Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region. Generally, each first-level administrative region has a number of second-level administrative regions such as prefecture-level cities, but there are no prefecture-level cities under the four municipalities and two special administrative regions. Provincial governments have powers in their respective provinces (generally economic), and autonomous region governments have greater autonomy than other provincial governments. However, in reality, it is generally not considered that there is too much difference between autonomous regions and provinces. All autonomous region governments can use Apart from its own independent national language, there are no other independent judicial and administrative powers. Compared with Hong Kong and Macau, the two special administrative regions have independent legislative and judicial systems that are different from the mainland, and in reality they are closer to the concept of autonomous regions.

Nationalities and customs

China is a country full of differences with different cultures, languages, habits and economic levels. The differences in economic development are particularly obvious across the country. However, since the 1980s, the Deng Xiaoping government announced reform and opening up, and began to implement a socialist market economy and implement economic system reforms. From recent years to 2010, China's GDP exceeded US$7.2 trillion and has become the world's second largest economy after the United States. It is generally believed that China is still the fastest growing economy in the world, but its per capita GDP is still in the middle of the world. Level (89th), and is gradually constrained by resource constraints and the widening gap between rich and poor. Among the provinces of the People's Republic of China, Guangdong is the strongest province with the highest GDP, and Zhejiang is the richest province with the highest per capita income. The gap between the rich and the poor in China is becoming more and more average. As of 2016, China has almost eliminated poverty in China. All villages (including those deep in the mountains) are paved with modern roads and equipped with street lights.

Naturally, it is not surprising that such a vast country has cultural diversity. There are 56 nationalities officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. The largest nationality is the Han nationality, accounting for approximately 92% of the total population. Even the Han people have many "dialects" that cannot be understood with each other; most linguists classify these dialects as different languages ​​that basically use the same set of Chinese characters. Many ethnic minorities also have their own languages. Unlike what most people think, there is no single unified Chinese culture. Although they all have something in common, such as Confucianism and Taoism, the regional differences of the Han nationality are also very huge. Many customs and gods have obvious regional (sometimes even different from village to village) characteristics. The Spring Festival and other national festivals are also very different in different places. Many customs related to weddings, funerals, and welcoming newborns are also very different. Generally speaking, modern Chinese society has no obvious religious tendency, and there is still traditional Chinese culture hidden behind daily life. Among ethnic minorities, Zhuang, Manchu, Hui and Miao have the largest population. Other major ethnic minorities include: Koreans, Tibetans, Mongolians, Uighurs, Kyrgyz and even Russians. In fact, China has the largest population of Koreans except South Korea, and there are more Mongolians in China than Mongolians in the Republic of Mongolia. Many ethnic minorities have varying degrees of language and customs.

The behavior of some Chinese overseas may not be acceptable:

• Smoking: Almost all places, including places with a "do not smoke" sign, including health clubs, football stadiums and even hospitals. Beijing now does not allow smoking in most restaurants, and few restaurants have smoking areas. The enforcement of smoking bans in public places varies from place to place. In some places that are not upscale, there is generally no ashtray. In China, civil aviation passenger planes and high-speed railway trains are the most thoroughly enforced public places. If your country has already banned smoking in most public places, you may regret the banning of smoking in Chinese society.

• Staring: This is common in many countries, but almost out of curiosity rather than hostility. If someone walks towards you and looks at you (just like watching TV), please don't overreact, there is no harm in it! For a small part of the time, Chinese people have a certain degree of hostility toward the Japanese. This country has caused indelible national scars on China. However, some of these Chinese people have begun to gradually accept the advantages of the Japanese.

• Drinking: It’s common for younger generations to toast older people during dinner. If you don't take a toast (even if it is in good faith), it will be considered a great disrespect.

• Talking loudly, making noise or quarreling: this is very common. This is probably the first phenomenon you discovered when you just arrived in China. Although speaking loudly may be because the speaker is angry or arguing, this is not necessarily the case. Some ethnic groups in China have retained the habit of speaking louder because they need to communicate loudly in their lives, but if you can remind He speaks a little bit. As long as he can understand your language, all Chinese people will pay attention to their words and deeds. Violent incidents such as fighting are not common in China, but they do happen. If you find such a thing, please leave and don't participate. Almost no one in China regards a foreigner as the target of an attack. As long as you are not excessive as a foreigner, then the average Chinese will respect you very much. If you cannot accept this phenomenon when taking a long-distance bus or train, you can seek assistance from a staff member.

Some foreigners who have lived in China for a long time say that these phenomena are getting worse, while some say the opposite. Generally speaking, it may be because sometimes a large number of migrant workers who are unfamiliar with urban life have poured into the city.

Generally speaking, Chinese people are more talking and laughing, because there are many ethnic groups in China, and there are many foreigners from other places, so they are also used to handling things in different ways. Indeed, one of the common topics for Chinese people to come together is to discuss the similarities and differences between their dialects. They are very accustomed to gesturing and react quickly to nonverbal jokes or puns. Chinese people love children very much, they love them very much, and they care about them in every possible way. This is the Chinese people's respect for life, and children are the future of mankind. If you have children, bring them together!

Digital customs

For most Chinese people, 3, 6, 8, and 9 are auspicious numbers.

• "Three" means that the three suns open up Thailand, and the three suns herald the gods of the three ways of happiness, longevity, and lu.
• "Six" represents the great smoothness of six and six. Many people choose to get married on the 6th, 16th or 26th.
• "八" (bā) sounds like Fa (fā), so many people believe that ba is associated with wealth. Therefore, it is no surprise that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will start at 8:8:8 on August 8, 2008.
• "Nine" is considered to have a long-lasting meaning and is the largest in Chinese thinking.
• "四" (sì) is a taboo for most Chinese people because the pronunciation sounds like "死" (sǐ). Therefore, in some large-scale shopping malls in China, some shop numbers with 4 will be replaced by 3A. For example, 104# shop will use 103A# shop instead.
• "73" and "84" are also two more taboo numbers among Chinese elderly. Because among ancient Chinese saints, Confucius died at the age of 73 and Mencius died at the age of 84.
• "250" is also a particularly unpopular number among the Chinese public. People often call people who are not serious, not serious, careless, easy to make a fool of themselves, and have dumb heads as "two hundred and five", which are used to curse people.
• "38" mostly refers to women who are more gossip, long-winded, and suspicious, and can also refer to men who are like women with these characteristics, and are used to curse people.
• "2" means that the other party is stupid, stupid, and curse.
• "18", China has "eighteen layers of hell", some houses use 17A instead of 18 floors or for other purposes.

Generally speaking, Chinese people like homophony. Sometimes "four" can also be an auspicious number. Many people registered for marriage on January 4, 2013 because it sounds like "love you forever".

Gift-giving customs

Talking about the gift exchange of the Chinese people. China has been known as the "state of etiquette" since ancient times, and etiquette is regarded as the core of traditional Chinese culture and the precious spiritual wealth of the Chinese nation. "The use of etiquette, harmony is precious" actually reveals the essential spirit of traditional Chinese etiquette. Deng Yunxiang’s "The Story of Red Mansions and Customs" divides gifts into eight categories, summarizing the general types of gifts:

1. It is purely a gift of friendship. For example, in the thirty-first chapter, it is written that Shi Xiangyun gave the sisters a crimson stone ring. Although the thing is small, it is a gift if it is given or received.
2. The gift of meeting for the first time is the so-called meeting gift. Some of them are for friendship, for politeness, and for saving purpose. The situation is more complicated.
3. Red and white wedding gifts. Marriage, betrothal, and birthdays are red ceremonies; the dead are funerals, but the ceremonial ceremonies are also called "white ceremonies". In addition, there are also building houses and beams, moving to a new house, doing Buddhist ceremonies, etc., all as gifts for ceremonial occasions. Except for those with special relationships, gifts for all kinds of celebrations and ceremonies generally have more "gifts" and less "love".
4. Birthday gifts are generally different from birthday gifts and birthday gifts. The gifts given are also different due to the status of the birthday person.
5. Festivals, New Year, Lantern Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice, Laba and other big and small festivals are all gifts. The festival should be sent between relatives and friends, and between superiors and superiors; the court should also send it to the princes and relatives, but instead of "sending", it is called "reward". There are also festival gifts to "fight the autumn breeze", that is, relying on power, by giving a little worthless gift to the home of the rich (such as couplets on the New Year's Day), in exchange for a more valuable return gift such as money and property, the name of the gift is given. , Profit is real.
6. Sending souvenirs used to be called "sending soil instrument". Traveling in ancient times is not easy. When traveling long distances to other places, you always have to bring some local specialties as gifts. For example, in the 16th chapter of "Dream of Red Mansions", Daiyu came back from Jiangnan, "distribute some paper and pen to Baochai, Yingchun, Baoyu, etc.", it also belongs to this category.
7. Gifts between rich and poor relatives and friends. For example, the exchange of gifts between Grandma Liu and Rongguo Mansion, although Grandma Liu only gave me some melons, fruits and dried vegetables, but received more gifts and subsidies, but its nature is different from "fighting the autumn wind" and holding off bamboo.
8. Gifts for the drill camp. That is to use gift-giving as a means to make friends with powerful people and win relationships, so as to achieve the purpose of speculation and gain greater benefits. This is gradually reduced under the governance of the government.

Besides:

• Chinese people are taboo to give umbrellas, because the homonym of "umbrella" (sǎn) is "散" (sàn).
• Try to avoid sending shoes in China, especially between couples. Because giving shoes represents separation, it is usually used as a breakup gift.
• In China, you must never give a bell when giving gifts to people (especially to the elderly and the sick), because "send bell" is pronounced the same as "sòngzhōng" (sòngzhōng) in Chinese.
• When sending fruit, you cannot send pears, because the Chinese do not like separation. And "pear" is the same as "li" (lí).
• Chinese people like objects with bat patterns, "bat" and "福" (fú) have the same pronunciation.
• Chinese people do not open gifts in front of the guests. They must be opened by the recipient or wait until the gift-giver leaves. Otherwise it will be considered impolite behavior. This is different from the West.

Guest custom

• Generally, there is no need to notify the owner in advance, but accept the invitation of others, otherwise it will be regarded as rude.
• In each region, there will be corresponding etiquette and taboos, please do as the locals do.

Climate and terrain

Due to China's vast territory, the climate will be complex and diverse, ranging from tropical areas in the south to sub-arctic areas in the north.HainanThe island’s latitude is roughly the same as Jamaica, whileHarbin, One of the largest cities in northern China, has the same latitude and climate as Montreal. There are four distinct seasons in northern China, with hot summers and cold winters. The southern climate will be warmer. The closer it is to the northwest, the drier the climate. Once you leave Eastern China and set foot on the magnificent Tibetan Plateau or the grasslands of Gansu and Xinjiang, you will appreciate the vastness of the land there.

In the planned economy era, it was stipulated that heating can be provided in the area north of the Huaihe River in the Qinling Mountains, but not in the area south of the Yangtze River. This means that although the temperature is often below zero in cities like Shanghai and Nanjing, there is still no heating. Although this provision has long lost its original role, the impact is still obvious. Generally speaking, Chinese people use less heating and have less insulation in buildings. In the same weather, Chinese people wear thicker clothes than Westerners. In schools, shopping malls or office buildings, even if there is heating in the room, there is no aisle. There are very few double-glazed windows. Teachers and students in the school wear winter clothes in the classroom. Although air-conditioning is becoming more and more common, the aisles are also absent, and doors and windows are often opened wide.

China has a wide range of terrain, with mountains and plateaus in the interior, and Gobi in the central and western regions. The eastern part is dominated by plains, deltas and hills. The Pearl River Delta region around Guangzhou and Hong Kong and the Yangtze River Delta region around Shanghai are the power centers of the global economy, as well as the North China Plain and the Yellow River Basin around Beijing.Mount EverestLocated on the border between the Tibet Autonomous Region and Nepal, with a height of 8,848 meters, it is the highest mountain in the world. Northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous RegionTurpanThe basin is the lowest point in China, with an elevation of -154 meters. It is also second only to the world’s landmassDead seaThe place with the second lowest altitude.

Holidays

See:China Golden Week

There are six major festivals in China every year:

• lunar New YearOr Spring Festival-is the beginning of a new year in the lunar calendar, but not only on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar, folks from the twenty-third (or twenty-fourth) of the twelfth lunar month (called the twelfth lunar month) to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and to the end of the first lunar month In mid-February. The Spring Festival is the biggest festival for all people in China, and all ethnic groups will celebrate it together. It is equivalent to Christmas in European and American countries.
• Ching Ming Festival——Usually during the 4-6 days of April, or tomb sweeping day, on this day everyone will go to sweep the graves of their ancestors and deliver offerings. The traffic to the cemetery will be very congested on this day.
• Labor day-May 1
• Dragon Boat Festival——The fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, usually between May and June of the Gregorian calendar. People will race dragon boats and eat rice dumplings on this day.
• Mid-Autumn Festival——The fifteenth month of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, usually in the tenth month of the Gregorian calendar. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a grand festival in China second only to the Spring Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival originated in ancient times and was popular in the Han Dynasty. It was finalized in the early years of the Tang Dynasty and prevailed after the Song Dynasty. The Mid-Autumn Festival is a synthesis of autumn seasonal customs, and most of the festival factors it contains have ancient origins. The Mid-Autumn Festival uses the full moon to signify the reunion of people. It is a rich and precious cultural heritage for yearning for the hometown, the love of relatives, and praying for a harvest and happiness. On this day, everyone will eat moon cakes, which are also called moon cakes, harvest cakes, palace cakes, reunion cakes, etc., which are offerings to worship the moon god during the Mid-Autumn Festival in ancient times. Moon cakes were originally used to sacrifice to the moon god. Later, people gradually took the Mid-Autumn Festival to admire the moon and taste moon cakes as a major symbol of family reunion.
• National Day——October 1, to celebrate the founding of New China in 1949.

The Spring Festival and National Holidays generally have more than one day; almost all workers have at least one week during the Spring Festival holiday, and some even have two or three weeks, and students will have four to six weeks of winter vacation. The National Day holiday is usually one week.

Spring FestivalIt is usually very busy during this period. This is not only the longest holiday, but also the traditional time to visit relatives and friends. During this period of time, the whole country is basically at rest. Basically all people who go out to work will go home. This is almost their only chance to go home. Everyone wants to go home, China has a large population! During the Spring Festival, many shops will be closed for several days, a week, or even longer. Therefore, if you have no relatives or friends in mainland China, it is not recommended that you travel to China during this period of time.

In mainland China in early July, there will be a large number of college students returning home (about 20 million!), and then they will return to school at the end of August. This period of time travels from the eastern coastal areas to Sichuan, Gansu, Tibet and Xinjiang. Extremely congested.

If you want to make a complete list of Chinese festivals, then this list will be very long, because many regions and ethnic groups have their own unique local festivals. The following are not mentioned above but are also very important festivals:

• Lantern Festival(Or Shangyuan Festival)-the fifteenth of the first month of the lunar calendar, followed by the Spring Festival, usually from February to March in the Gregorian calendar. In many cities, such as Quanzhou, all kinds of lanterns are decorated throughout the city.
• Tanabata——The seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar is Chinese Valentine's Day.
• Zhongyuan Festival——The fifteenth day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, also known as the "Ghost Festival".
• Double Ninth Festival——The ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, usually in October of the Gregorian calendar.
• winter solstice——December 22 or 23.

In addition to the above festivals, many parts of China, especially big cities, also celebrate Western festivals. During Christmas, Christmas carols can be heard on the streets and alleys, most of which are in English, and there are also Chinese versions. Many shops will be decorated, and some staff will put on Christmas clothes. During Valentine's Day, many restaurants will launch special dinners. Christians in mainland China also hold worship or mass in Protestant and Catholic churches approved by the government.

books

Travel articles:

• Marco Polo's Travels, Author Marco Polo-The journey story of a Venetian traveler in China (See:On the trail of Marco Polo)
• Dialogues Tibetan Dialogues Han, Author: Hannü (ISBN 9789889799939 )
• Behind the Wall- A journey through china, Author: Colin Thubron. Thubron recounted his journey from Beijing to Jiayuguan in China in 1987.

Literature:

• "Earth", Author Pearl S. Buck-A classic work on the lives of Chinese farmers at the turn of the 20th century, Pearl S. Buck ignited the American public's interest in China at the end of the 1930s. Ms. Pearl Buck's work on China won her the 1938 Nobel Prize in Literature.
• "Three Kingdoms" -Chinese classics, telling about the heroes and heroes of the era of the Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Han Dynasty. He is good at describing the art of war and political strategy. One of the four masterpieces. Throughout East Asia, there are constantly TVs, movies, animations and games on this subject.
• "Water Margin" -A story about the people who lived in the Huai River Valley during the Song Dynasty contending with the corrupt government. Known for the resistance of the protagonists to the domination of reality. One of the four masterpieces.
• "Journey to the West" -Probably the most famous Chinese novel, a fantasy novel about Tang Seng with the assistance of Monkey King, Zhu Wu Neng (Bajie) and Sha Wujing. Known for his excellent imagination. One of the four masterpieces.
• "Dream of Red Mansions" -The grievances of the three members of the noble family. He is known for his meticulous description of the family life of the Chinese aristocracy, and is considered to be the top work of Chinese literature. One of the four masterpieces.
• "Red Sorghum Family" -The background is in Gaomi, Shandong during the Republic of China. The hero and the protagonist run a sorghum wine shop together after going through twists and turns. However, in the Japanese war of aggression, in addition to the male protagonist (played by Jiang Wen) and the youngest son, the female protagonist and the diner's staff were all killed by the Japanese army for participating in the resistance movement. The author Mo Yan won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature.

History:

• "Dusk of the Forbidden City"Author: R.F. Johnston (ISBN 0968045952 ). It's also available on Kindle. Johnston was the only foreigner allowed to enter the small court in history. He was born in England and was the emperor's teacher. Johnston occupies a high position and has lived in the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. "Twilight in the Forbidden City" is a statement of important events he has seen with his own eyes.
• "In Search of Modern China"Author: Jonathan Spence-is a history of China after 1644 written by a professor at Yale University.
• "Wanli Fifteen Years"Author: Huang Renyu-Describes an eventful year in China's Ming Dynasty. It is one of the most famous historical works about this period.
• "New History of China"Author: John K. Fairbank-The last work of a famous American scholar, which has a profound influence on modern Sinology.
• "Cambridge History of China" -A series published by Cambridge University Press, including early and modern Chinese history. This is the largest and most comprehensive English book on Chinese history.
• "An Open Empire: Chinese History 1600 Years Ago"Author: Valerie Hansen-A detailed description of the development of Chinese history, culture, and social economy from the Shang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty.
• "1421 China Discovered the World"Author: Gavin Menzies (ISBN 0553815229 )-This book is quite controversial about China's efforts to explore the world and map the world. What is interesting is that this book implies that China is the first country to discover the New World, and all walks of life have expressed a critical attitude towards this view, and pointed out that this is the conjecture of the Chinese academic community.
• "Beijing's Sextant"Author: Wei Zhouan-Summarizes the modern thoughts about China being more open than imagined and not as exclusive of foreigners as imagined.
• "Nanjing Massacre" Author: Iris Chang (ISBN 0140277447 )-The World War II massacre forgotten by the world.
• "Rabe's Diary" Author: John Rabe-The first description of the crimes committed by Japanese soldiers during World War II and Rabe's ultimate success in saving approximately 250,000 innocent lives.
• "Red Chinese Blues-From Mao to the Present, My Long March"Author: Huang Mingzhen is a reporter for the Canadian Globe and Mail. The overview describes his life in China after the Cultural Revolution as the first foreign exchange student and his life experience in China as a journalist until the mid-1990s.

movie

• Bernardo Bertolucci- "The Last Emperor" (1987)
• Zhang Yimou- "Raise the Red Lantern" (1991)
• Chen Kaige- "Farewell My Concubine" (1993)
• Zhang Yimou- "Alive" (1994)
• Wu Ziniu- "Nanjing 1937" (1995)
• Wu Tianming- "Changing Face" (1996)
• Zhang Yimou- "If you have something to say well" (1997)
• Xie Jin- The Opium War (1997)
• Zhang Yang- "bath" (1999)
• Feng Xiaogang- "Endless" (1999)
• Zhang Yimou- "No One Can Be Less" (1999)
• Wang Xiaoshuai – "Seventeen-year-old bicycle" (2001)
• Zhang Yimou- "A Thousand Miles Riding Alone" (2005)
• Gianni Amilio- La stella che non c’è ("The Vanishing Star") (2006)
• Zhang Yuan- "Looks Beautiful" (2006)
• Li Rengang- "Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon" (2008)
• Roger Spottywood- "Children of Yellowstone" (2008)

area

Under normal circumstances, China is divided into seven geographic regions, namely North China, Northeast China, Northwest China, East China, South Central and Southwest China. This method of classification is not adopted here, but some adjustments have been made to make it more suitable for travel. By. For practical reasons, only mainland China is included here.

city

There are many famous big cities in China.

• Beijing, China’s capital and cultural center, the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games. The five dynasties of the Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing, and the Republic of China (in the period of the Northern Government) established their capitals here, so there are a large number of historical sites.
• TianjinIn the city close to Beijing, many western countries have set up concessions here, so it has a large number of Western historical buildings. The night view of the Haihe River and various bridges are the characteristics of Tianjin's landscape. The high-speed railway from Beijing to Tianjin takes about 30 minutes.
• Shanghai, China’s most populous city and economic center, rich in many shopping places.
• Nanjing, "Ancient Capital of Six Dynasties" and "Metropolis of Ten Dynasties", a place with many historical relics, the capital of Jiangsu Province.
• Suzhou, An ancient city with a thousand years of history, has many Chinese gardens.
• Hangzhou, "There is a paradise above, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou below", one of the famous silk producing areas.
• Zhengzhou"Green City", the birthplace of Chinese civilization, is the hometown of Emperor Xuanyuan, the capital of Henan Province, and has many scenic spots such as Shaolin Temple.
• Xi'an, "Ancient Capital of Thirteen Dynasties", terracotta warriors, Huashan and other tourist attractions are world-famous, and the capital of Shaanxi Province.
• Xiamen, A coastal city on the coast of Fujian Province.
• Qingdao, A coastal city in Shandong Province, has a developed economy.
• Guangzhou, One of the most developed cities in southern China, and the cultural center of the Lingnan region.
• Shenzhen, One of the most economically developed cities in southern China, famous for the financial industry and high-tech industries, but lack of tourism resources, andHongkongborder.
• Wuhan, One of the most economically developed cities in central China, also known as "Jiangcheng, Oriental Chicago", the capital of Hubei Province, has the reputation of "Nine Provinces Thoroughfare".
• Chengdu, One of the economic centers of western China, the location of China's national treasure giant panda breeding base, and the capital of the "State of Shu" during the Three Kingdoms period.
• Chongqing, One of the economic centers of western China, was the temporary capital of the Republic of China during the Second World War, and is now China’s largest municipality directly under the Central Government.
• Guilin"Guilin's landscape is the best in the world", is a very popular tourist destination.
• Kunming, "Spring City", the capital of Yunnan Province.
• Shenyang, "The birthplace of a dynasty, the capital of two generations of emperors", the capital of Liaoning Province.
• Hefei, Comprehensive National Science Center, "One Belt One Road" and Yangtze River Economic Belt strategic dual node city, an important national scientific research and education base, modern manufacturing base and comprehensive transportation hub, the capital of Anhui Province, with a population of 7 million.
• Ningbo, Referred to as Yong, is the world’s fourth largest port city, one of the top 15 central cities in mainland China for comprehensive development, one of the central cities of the five major metropolitan areas in the Yangtze River Delta, the economic center of the southern wing of the Yangtze River Delta, a national historical and cultural city, and has won the national civilization for five consecutive times. city.

You can take a ride that extends in all directionsHigh-speed railTravel to these places.

Other destinations

• Great Wall -Over 8,000 kilometers in length, this ancient Great Wall is a symbol of China.
• Terracotta Warriors -One of China's top ten scenic spots, known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World", and was listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
• Hainan -The tropical paradise island is currently undergoing large-scale tourism development.
• Jiuzhaigou -It is famous for its panda habitat, beautiful waterfalls and colorful lakes.
• Leshan -Famous for the Leshan Giant Buddha carved from a whole mountain (nearMount Emei）。
• Himalayas -At the junction of Tibet and Nepal, the highest mountain in the world.
• Tarzan -The top of the "Five Sacred Mountains", one of the five sacred mountains of Taoism in China, is also the mountain with the largest number of climbers due to its historical origin.
• Tibet -Most of Tibet are Tibetan Buddhists, with a strong traditional Tibetan culture, it feels like being in another world.
• Turpan -In the Muslim area of ​​Xinjiang, this area is famous for its grapes, harsh weather conditions and Uyghur culture.
• Yungang Grottoes -There are more than 50 caves and grottoes in these mountains, and there are more than 51,000 Buddha statues in the grottoes.
• Huangshan -One of China's top ten scenic spots, the world cultural and natural heritage, and also a world geological park.

arrival

visa

See:Visa policy of the People's Republic of China、Hong Kong Entry and Exit Handbook、Macau visa policy

Most tourists visiting the mainland need a visa. In most cases, you need to obtain a visa from the Chinese embassy or consulate before leaving. Visas to Hong Kong and Macau can also be applied for at the Chinese embassy or consulate, but they cannot be distinguished from visas to the mainland. but,HongkongwithMacaoVisa-free for tourists from most western countries.

However, the most important exception to this rule is transfers at certain airports. Most airports allow passengers to stay at the airport without a visa for 24 hours (provided that the passenger does not leave the airport), but Shanghai Pudong Airport and Hongqiao International Airport allow no visa. Stay for 48 hours.

For most foreign citizens, visas are basically required to enter mainland China for any reason. However,Japan、SingaporewithBruneiCitizens can stay in Mainland China for 15 days without a visa. In addition, according to bilateral agreements,Belarus、Grenada、Tonga、Seychelles、Bahamas、Barbados、Fiji、Qatar、Serbia、EcuadorwithUAECitizens can stay in Mainland China for 30 days without a visa.MauritiusCitizens can stay in Mainland China for 60 days without a visa. Citizens of the above-mentioned countries can only conduct tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and business activities after entering the country with visa-free treatment.San Marino、Bosnia and HerzegovinawithArmeniaCitizens can enter mainland China visa-free for any reason and stay for 90 days.

HongkongwithMacaoCitizens of the People’s Republic of China need to apply for a Home Visit Permit from China Travel Agency when visiting mainland China. China Travel Service is the only authorized agency. The size of the Home Visit Permit is the same as that of a credit card. It is valid for 1 year and can stay within the validity period, and there are no restrictions on employment.TaiwanResidents canDalian、Fuzhou、Haikou、Qingdao、Sanya、Shanghai、Wuhan、XiamenAt the airport and atHongkongwithMacaoThe CTS application is valid for 3 months of entry documents. Taiwanese travelers must hold a Republic of China passport, Taiwanese ID card and Taiwan compatriot card. allowableDalian、Fuzhou、Haikou、Qingdao、Sanya、Shanghai、Wuhan、XiamenApply for Taiwan compatriot card at the airport. The entry fee is 100 yuan plus 50 yuan for a one-time Taiwan compatriot permit. Passengers must check the latest policy information before traveling.

Type of Visa G visa -Transit L visa -Traveling, visiting relatives F visa -Business, internship, short-term research Z visa -Work permit, multiple entry and exit X visa -More than 6 months of study

Tourist visa application is relatively easy, and no invitation letter is required (both business visa and work visa are required). The general stay period for a single travel visa is 30 days and the validity period is three months. The double entry and exit visa is valid for six months. Tourists from some countries can get a 90-day travel visa.

You can apply for a travel visa extension at the entry-exit bureaus of various places. The required information is: a valid passport, a visa extension application form (including two 2-inch ID photos), and a temporary residence form you got at the local police station.ShanghaiThe Entry and Exit Administration Bureau is located at No. 1500 Mingsheng Road, Pudong. The extension takes 5 working days.

Some travelers need a double visa. For example, if you hold a single visa, and then you go to Hong Kong or Macau, you will need a new visa to return to mainland China from there. According to regulations, in Hong Kong, multiple-entry visas can only be granted to people with Hong Kong status, but relevant departments are willing to make some modifications and can also give short-term residents (including exchange students) three-month multiple-entry visas. In this case, it is recommended to apply directly to the Chinese government, because some agents are unwilling to submit such an application on your behalf.

The visa on arrival can only beShenzhenorZhuhaiThe application for special economic zones can only be used in these areas. After passing Luohu Railway Station (must remember notLok Ma Chau) Go toShenzhenAt the time, you can obtain a 5-day visa valid only for use in Shenzhen. The application time is not limited to working hours. Many nationality tourists (Ireland、new ZealandorCanada) On-site application fee is 160 yuan (price in October 2007), butAmericaTouristCan't apply,andU.KTourists must pay 450 yuan. Now the visa office only accepts RMB, please remember to bring enough cash.

By 2013, most transit passengers can obtain only applicableShanghaiwithBeijingThe 72-hour visa on arrival.

Due to political reasons, visa policies may be constantly changing. E.g:

• As a pairAmericaIn retaliation for increasing the visa fee for tourists from the Mainland of the People’s Republic of China, the visa fee for tourists from the United States has been increased to US$140 (US$110 for tourist groups)
• Visas issued by Hong Kong are generally limited to 30 days, and multiple entry and exit visas become difficult or even impossible to obtain.

A few years ago, the Z (working visa) certificate was a long-term visa. Now the Z card can only stay in China for 30 days; once you are in China, your employer must apply for a residence permit for you. In fact, this is a multiple entry visa, you can use it to travel to and from China. If you come to China with a tourist visa, some visa departments will refuse to apply for a residence certificate for you. In this case, you need to use a work permit. A work visa can only be applied for abroad, so you may need to go to Hong Kong or South Korea (please note that because the Chinese Consulate in Seoul does not apply for visas to non-Korean residents, visitors without a foreigner rank certificate must go to Busan). A work visa requires an invitation letter from the employer. Sometimes you can also change the L visa (travel visa) to the Z visa (work visa). It all depends on whether the specific public security bureau applying for the visa has sufficient relationship with your employer.

Foreigners married to Chinese citizens (seeChinese marriage) Can choose to apply for 6-12 monthsVisiting relativesvisa.Visiting relativesThe visa is essentially an L visa, but it allows you to stay in China for the duration of the visa. Want to applyVisiting relativesThe person signing the visa must first enter China with another visa, and then apply at the public security bureau where your marriage is registered (usually your spouse's domicile). You need to bring your wedding photo and your spouse’s ID card.

Most foreigners canMongoliaofUlaanbaatarVisa.Consulate website. During peak seasons, the consulate may refuse to process after 11 noon. There may be a long queue, so you need to come early. Moreover, during major Chinese holidays, the embassy and consulates will rest for a few days.

Domicile registration

If you live in a hotel or guesthouse, the hotel staff may ask to see or even scan your passport, visa and entry stamp when you check in.

If you live in a private residence, theoretically you need to register with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours (urban area) or 72 hours (rural area) of your arrival. However, this law is very rare in reality (if you must say that there is one) Words) Very few people execute it, as long as you don't cause trouble. The police will ask you to:

1. A copy of your passport
2. Copy of visa
3. Copy of entry stamp
4. Photo
5. Evidence of your place of residence. The name on the voucher does not need to be your name.

• You need to register every time you come to China (with the exception of a residence permit-the holder of the residence permit only needs to register after the new visa is processed)
• If you do not register, you may be fined less than 500 yuan.
• The procedure is relatively long (more than 3 hours), it is best to bring an interpreter (in Shanghai, as long as you have any form of residence permit, you do not need to register).

By plane

The main gateways into mainland China areBeijing、ShanghaiwithGuangzhou; Recently, many large cities have successively opened intercontinental routes,Wuhan、Chengdu、Xi'an、Chongqing、KunmingWait;UrumqiBecause of the geographical advantage of neighboring Central Asia, flights to the Independent National Association countries have also been opened. Almost every city with a certain scale will have an international airport, but the scope of operations is based on regional routes such asHongkong、South Korea、Japan、Southeast AsiaMainly.

To Hong Kong and Macau If you arrive in Hong Kong or Macau, there are ferry boats that can take you directly to other places, such as Shekou,Shenzhen Baoan Airport、Macau International Airport、ZhuhaiAnd other places without "entering" Hong Kong or Macau. There are shuttle buses directly to the ferry terminal, so their entry point will be at the ferry terminal instead of the airport. Please note that sailing has different operating hours. If your flight arrives late in Hong Kong, you may need to enter Hong Kong or Macau or go directly to your final destination. For example, if you go to Macau from Hong Kong International Airport through Macau Ferry Terminal, you will need to go through immigration procedures. For the latest news of Hong Kong Terminal, please refer toHong Kong International Airport website。

Although many major airlines have itBeijing、Shanghai、GuangzhouwithHongkongFlights, but the fares are relatively high. If you want to buy more affordable tickets, it is best to book tickets as early as possible. Airfare is particularly expensive in the early and late summer, because Chinese students have to go home or fly to universities all over the world at this time. Like other tickets, plane tickets will be difficult to buy during the Spring Festival.

If you live in a city with a large number of overseas Chinese communities (for example:Toronto、San Francisco、SydneyorLondon), then you can see if there are low-cost air tickets in the Chinese community or travel agencies run by Chinese people. Sometimes, flights are only advertised in Chinese newspapers, or the prices of flights from Chinese travel agencies are very low.

See:Low cost routes in Asia、List of major civil airports in China

Airlines and flights

Chinese airlines are growing rapidly. Airbus estimates that the number of Chinese passenger aircraft will increase from 1,400 in 2009 to 4,200 in 2029.

Chinese airlines are also working hard to increase their competitiveness in prices and services. Airlines includeChina Southern Airlines，Eastern Airlines，Air China,withHNA。

Passengers may prefer the flights of Asian airlines, because these flights generally have more crews and better service. Can choose Hong KongCathay Pacific. Other airlines such asSingapore Airlines、Japan Airlines、Indonesia Airlines。Korean AirThe prices of routes within Asia are relatively good, such as fromBangkokStopSeoulTo North America. In general, connecting flights are better than direct flights, so keep this in mind. Korean Air also flies in more than a dozen cities in China, including Shanghai.

• North America：Delta AirlinesviaNaritaThere are direct flights from Detroit, Boston, and Seattle to Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.United AirlinesThe most direct flights, fromSan Francisco、Newark,withWashingtonDirect flights to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. At the same time, United Airlines also has direct flights from San Francisco to Chengdu.American AirlinesDirect flights from Chicago and Dallas to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.Air CanadaFromTorontowithVancouverDirect flights to Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.

• Australia：QantasFollowSydney、Melbourne、BrisbanewithPerthDirect flight to Hong Kong. Qantas travels from Sydney to Shanghai and Beijing, but only code-sharing services from Melbourne to Shanghai. There may be cheap flights via Southeast Asia, and there are some discounted flights to Australia. China Southern Airlines hasBrisbane、Sydney,withMelbourneDirect flightGuangzhouFrom there you can fly to other major cities. East

• new Zealand:onlyAir New ZealandThere are direct flights to mainland China. Direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

• Southeast Asia: It is said that due to the large number of Chinese in Singapore, allSingaporeIt has the best route network, with flights to all major cities and some regional central cities (such as Xiamen, Kunming and Shenzhen). Except for Singapore,Kuala Lumpur、BangkokwithManilaThe route is also good.Tiger Airways、Jetstar、AirAsia, And CebuPacific AirlinesAlso fromSoutheast Asia(Bangkok,Chiang Mai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur andManila) To cities in southern China (including Xiamen,Jinghong,Guangzhou,HaikouAnd Macau).

• Europe: Most major European airlines have direct flights to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai (some also fly to Guangzhou), includingAir France、British AirwayswithFinnair. But there are very few routes to other Chinese cities. E.gDutch AirlinesFollowAmsterdamDirect flightChengdu、HangzhouwithXiamenFlight,LufthansaFollowFrankfurtarriveNanjing、QingdaowithShenyangRoute.

• Taiwan: Since 2008, direct flights between the two sides of the strait have resumed. At present, there are direct flights between Taiwan and major cities in mainland China every day.

Flights between China and Europe

airline	take off	landing	flight schedule	Departure date	Economy Class P/W	illustrate
Finnair	Helsinki (HEL)	Beijing (PEK)	7:50	Monday to Sunday	32" / 18"
Finnair	Beijing (PEK)	Helsinki (HEL)	8:30	Monday to Saturday	32" / 18"
Finnair	Helsinki (HEL)	Chongqing (CKG)	8:40	One three five six	32" / 18"	2012.5.9 start
Finnair	Chongqing (CKG)	Helsinki (HEL)	9:25	Two, four and six	32" / 18"	2012.5.9 start
Finnair	Helsinki (HEL)	Shanghai (PVG)	9:05	Monday to Sunday	32" / 18"
Finnair	Shanghai (PVG)	Helsinki (HEL)	10:15	Monday to Sunday	32" / 18"
Hainan Airlines	Berlin (TXL)	Beijing (PEK)	9:25	Three or five days	32" / 19"
Hainan Airlines	Beijing (PEK)	Berlin (TXL)	10:20	Three days	32" / 19"
Hainan Airlines	Budapest (BUD)	Beijing (PEK)	9:20	One five	32" / 19"
Hainan Airlines	Beijing (PEK)	Budapest (BUD)	10:10	One five	32" / 19"
Hainan Airlines	Brussels (BRU)	Beijing (PEK)	9:40	Two, four and six	32" / 19"	From April 2012 to Friday, and from July 2012 to Monday also
Hainan Airlines	Beijing (PEK)	Brussels (BRU)	10:35	Two, four and six	32" / 19"	From April 2012 to Friday, and from July 2012 to Monday also
Hainan Airlines	Brussels (BRU)	Shanghai (PVG)			32" / 19"
Hainan Airlines	Shanghai (PVG)	Brussels (BRU)			32" / 19"
Hainan Airlines	Zurich (ZRH)	Beijing (PEK)	10:00	Two four six	32" / 19"
Hainan Airlines	Beijing (PEK)	Zurich (ZRH)	10:45	Two four six	32" / 19"
Dutch Airlines	Amsterdam (AMS)	Chengdu (CTU)	9:25		31" / 17.5"
Dutch Airlines	Chengdu (CTU)	Amsterdam (AMS)	10:35		31" / 17.5"
Lufthansa	Frankfurt (FRA)	Qingdao (TAO)	13:10	One three five	32" / 17.5"	Stop in Shenyang
Lufthansa	Qingdao (TAO)	Frankfurt (FRA)	14:25	Two four six	32" / 17.5"	Stop in Shenyang
Lufthansa	Frankfurt (FRA)	Shenyang (SHE)	10:15	One three five	32" / 17.5"
Lufthansa	Shenyang (SHE)	Frankfurt (FRA)	11:15	Three or five days	32" / 17.5"

train

You can travel to China by train from neighboring countries around China, and you can even travel all the way from Europe to China by train.

• Russia & Europe - Siberian RailwayTwo lines (across Mongolia and the northeast), fromMoscowDepart from Beijing, stop in many cities in Russia, stop in MongoliaUlaanbaatar. The scenery along this railway is extremely beautiful, but the time is too long, it takes about 140 hours.
• Kazakhstan & Central Asia -From KazakhstanAlmatyYou can take the train to XinjiangUrumqi. It takes a long time to go through customs and change the track track of another country.
• Hongkong - HongkongThere are fixed trains between mainland China and China. There are direct trains between Hung Hom in Hong Kong and Guangzhou East Station. Customs procedures are handled at the respective railway station. In addition, there are also direct trains to Hong KongShanghai、Beijing、Zhaoqing、Foshan. Hong Kong's MTR has direct connections from the urban area of ​​Hong Kong to two points on the border of Shenzhen, namely Lok Mazhou and Luohu, but the main border crossing point is at Luohu, which is also the main station of Shenzhen.
• Vietnam -From Nanning, Guangxi to Vietnam through the Friendship Pass. Since 2002, sinceKunmingThe departing train was suspended.
• North Korea -There are four trains per week from Pyongyang to Beijing.

highway

There are land borders between China and 14 countries; the number of neighboring countries is onlyRussiaIt can be matched. In addition, mainland China andHongkongwithMacaoThere are road borders between the special zones. For practical reasons, these borders are the same as international borders. The western borders of China are all in remote mountainous areas. Although these places are difficult to reach and visit, tourists will see breathtaking scenery there.

India

The relationship between the two countries is always in a poor state, but recently opened up from IndiaSikkimTo the Yadong port in southern Tibet. However, this port of entry is not open to tourists, and special permits are required to visit this port from both countries.

Myanmar

Can pass through ChinaRuiliTo MyanmarLashioTo enter China from Myanmar, you need to apply for a permit from the Myanmar government. Generally, you need to join a tour group.

Vietnam

For most travelers, the starting point for traveling to China by land is in Hanoi. There are three international ports:

• Tongdeng Town (Vietnam)-Pingxiang (China)

You can get from Hanoi East Bus Station (Ben Xe Street, Gia Lam District, Tel: 04/827-1529) to Lang Son, and from there you need to transfer to a mini bus or motorcycle to the port of Dong Deng Town. Another option is to choose a travel agency (tourists in a hurry), who can provide hotel and transit services.

You can exchange foreign currency from the scalpers, but you must confirm the exchange rate beforehand.

The transit procedure takes about 30 minutes. In China, after passing through the "Friendship Pass", make a call (about 20 yuan, bargain hard!)Pingxiang. The minibus fare is about 5 yuan. There is a Bank of China directly opposite the bus terminal station; Maestro cards can be used on ATMs. You can go to Nanning by car or train.

• Lao Cai (Vietnam)-Hekou (China)

You can take the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai, and sleep at about 420,000 VND (as of November 2011). This period is about 8 hours. From there you can walk to Lao Cai/Hekou Port (5 minutes by car).

The transit is very simple, fill out the exit card and wait in line. They will check your luggage (especially your books/written materials). Outside the Hekou Port are various shops, and the bus station is a 10-minute drive from the port. The ticket from Hekou to Kunming is about ¥140; the time is about 7 hours.

• Mong Cai City (Vietnam)-Dongxing (China)

You can take a bus from Dongxing to Nanning. There is a sleeper bus to Guangzhou (approximately RMB 180) and a sleeper bus to Shenzhen (approximately RMB 230, 12 hours).

Laos

You can start fromLang Nam PagodaArrive by car at about 8 o'clock in the morningMo Han(Chinese port) andMenglaCar. But you must have a Chinese visa, because the port cannot apply for a visa. The customs procedure takes an entire hour or maybe more. It takes about 45,000 kip (Lao currency) for one trip.

In addition, fromLuang PrabangThere is a direct sleeper bus to Kunming (about 32 hours). You can download fromLang Nam PagodaGet on the bus where the minibus hits the sleeper bus. The fare will not exceed 200 yuan.

Pakistan

FromPakistanNorth to west ChinaChina-Pakistan HighwayIt is one of the most spectacular roads in the world. Roads will be closed to passengers in winter. Because there are not many tourists taking this route and the good relations between the two countries, the transit is very fast. There are long-distance buses from Kashgar, China to Pakistan.

Nepal

From NepalThe road to Tibet passes near the Himalayas and traverses magnificent mountains. You can only travel with a group from Nepal to Tibet, but individuals can travel from Tibet to Nepal.

Mongolia

Mongolia officially became independent from China in 1945, when the central government was the "National Government." Now China and Mongolia have two border crossings. They areErenhot(Inner Mongolia)/Zamyn UudBorder crossings andTaksken(Xinjiang)/Burgan Border crossing.

There are trains or long-distance buses from Erenhot in China, passing through Zamyn Uud to Ulaanbaatar. Trains and coach stations leave most of the time on the first night and arrive the next morning. The border opens at about 8:30 in the morning. There are long-distance buses and trains from Erenhot to other places in China.

Kazakhstan

The ports to China areHorgos、AlashankouwithJimmy. Almost every day there are cars fromAlmatyarriveUrumqiwithYining. It is not possible to apply for a visa on arrival, so make sure that you have prepared a Kazakh visa and a Chinese visa before departure.

Kyrgyzstan

able to passTulugart PassEntering and exiting Kyrgyzstan, but the road is very rugged, and this port is only open for a few months in the summer (June-September) each year. You can also arrange to go to Kashgar, but you must prepare your visa first.

In addition, another road (although the scenery is slightly worse, but the road conditions are better) passes directly to the south of TurugaertIlkeshtan Port. There are about 2-3 buses (sleepers) on this road every week, and the bus journey takes about 24 hours.

Tajikistan

The only port between Tajikistan and China isKulamai, This port is open on Sundays between May and November. From XinjiangKashgarTo TajikistanKologThere is a bus between. But this bus is not open to people except Tajikistan and Chinese.

Russia

The main port isInner MongoliaofManzhouli. From Manzhouli to RussiaZabaikalskThere is a bus. FromHeiheThere are ferries to Blagoveshchensk and from Fuyuan to Khabarovsk. Further east, atSuifenhe, Dongning, and Hunchun all have road ports. Before you leave, make sure that you have applied for a Russian visa.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

To travel to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as North Korea) in China viaDandong/Sinuiju(신의주), and a tour guide must be arranged in Beijing in advance. On the contrary, it is easier to enter China after traveling from North Korea. In addition, in addition to the above-mentioned ports, there are other entry and exit ports on the Yalu River and Tumen River, but these ports may not allow passengers to pass through. Finally, before customs clearance, please make sure that you have a valid visa for China and North Korea.

Hongkong

Hong Kong has four main land ports to enter mainland China, namely Lok Ma Chau, Sha Tau Kok, Man Kam To and Shenzhen Bay. Passengers from certain countries can apply for visa on arrival at Lok Ma Chau, but they must make arrangements in advance if they use other ports.

Macao

Macau is connected by two land portsZhuhai, They are the Border Gate Building (mainland name: Gongbei Port) and the Cotai Border Checkpoint Building (mainland name: Hengqin Port). Passengers holding a certain country can apply for a visa at the Cotai Border Checkpoint.

other

For the time being, passengers have not yet been able to travel by landBhutanandAfghanistan。

waterway

Hong Kong and Macau

Hong Kong and Macau andPearl River DeltaBetween cities, there are regular high-speed passenger ferry services to and fromGuangzhou,Shenzhenas well asZhuhaiWait for the place. at the same time,Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International AirportThere is also a cross-border express ferry transfer service, so passengers do not need to enter Hong Kong to go thereGuangzhou、ZhuhaiWait for the place.

Japan

There are one to two flights per week (depending on the season).ShanghaiwithTianjinContactOsaka, The boat trip is about two days. also,QingdaoThere are two passenger ships every weekShimonosekiAnd every MondayShanghaiContactNagasaki。

South Korea

The following ports have regular flights to Incheon, South Korea:Shanghai、Tianjin、Qingdao、Weihaias well asDalian。

Taiwan

There are 18 daily ferry departuresXiamenContactGolden Gate, The journey takes about one hour and thirty minutes. In addition, there are 4 shifts every dayGolden GateandQuanzhou, Two shiftsMazuandFuzhou. In addition, there are also flights across the Taiwan Strait every week.XiamentoTaichungorKeelung。

Thailand

There are 3 high-speed passenger ships every weekYunnanJinghongandThailandChiang Saen. Although the flight will passMyanmar，LaosHowever, passengers do not need to hold their visas.

Cruise ship

In the fall, there are several cruise routes that will beAmericaGo toAsia,E.g:Anchorage、VancouverorSeattle. In addition, Star Cruises also operatesKeelung、XiamenAnd someJapanRoutes to the outer islands.

transportation

airplane

China has a vast territory, so if you don't want to waste too much time on the road, it is best to travel by plane. There are many domestic flights between China's major cities and major tourist destinations. The three major international airlines are: Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines. In addition, there are also some local airlines, including: HNA, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Shanghai Airlines. In recent years, big cities and provinces have established their own airlines, including Chongqing Airlines, Chengdu Airlines, and Hebei Airlines. The parent company of Hainan Airlines has developed 11 airlines including Grand China Airlines, Yangtze River Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Golden Deer Airlines.

The routes from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China or Macao Special Administrative Region of China to mainland cities are regarded as international routes, so the price is more expensive. Therefore, if you want to go back and forth between the Mainland and Hong Kong or Macau, it will be cheaper to go to Shenzhen or Zhuhai (across the river from Hong Kong or Macau).a lot of, Or go to Guangzhou (Guangzhou is farther from Hong Kong or Macau, but there are more cities with flights). For example, the distance from Fuzhou to Hong Kong, Shenzhen or Guangzhou is similar, but in 2005, the price of a flight to Hong Kong was 1,400 yuan, but the price to other cities was only 880 yuan, and the discount air ticket to Shenzhen was only 550 yuan. The price of a car in these cities is about 250 yuan.

Domestic flights have standard prices, but they will be discounted, especially on busy routes. Most hotels and guest houses have ticket booking services, and hotel bookings may have a 25% to 30% discount. All cities in China are dotted with travel agencies and ticket companies, and their discounts are basically the same. Even if there are no discounts, flying in China is not expensive. Two major online booking sites in ChinaELongwithCtripAll have English websites, but airline websites are generally only in Chinese, or a Chinese mobile phone number is required to book tickets. When traveling in China, it is generally best to buy tickets at a travel agency, or only on Chinese websites. If you buy it abroad (for example, through Expedia or even through Air China outlets), it will be much more expensive, because foreign countries only sell full-price tickets. Discounted air tickets are only sold in China. The schedule of domestic flights generally cannot be finalized until 2-3 months before the flight time. Unlike the air freight market in most countries, those who buy it early have to pay more, because there will be discounts later. The emptier the aircraft, the easier it is to buy tickets with higher discounts a few days before the flight takes off. As long as you have finalized your itinerary, it is recommended that you pay attention to the airfare and see when it rises and when it falls (usually there will be fluctuations). However, if you travel during peak seasons (such as during the Spring Festival), it is recommended to book tickets as early as possible to ensure that you can buy tickets. Some higher-priced tickets can be refunded first (refund fee of 5%-20%), and then buy low-priced tickets. Recently, first-class domestic flights can also be discounted. The price difference between first class and economy class on some routes is not big, and it is more cost-effective. However, please note that many benefits at the airport (for example: waiting hall, extra baggage and points, etc.) are not applicable to discounted tickets.

Please note that although the government and customers are putting pressure on airlines, it is normal for planes to be delayed for no reason. Sometimes air travel is not as good as other options. Cancellation of flights is not uncommon. If you buy a ticket from a ticket office in China, they will generally contact you (if you leave your contact information) and notify you of the flight change. If you bought a ticket abroad, you must check the flight status one or two days before your flight. In the event of flight delays, Chinese airlines will soon deliver meal boxes or snacks (although these boxed lunches/snacks may not be in the taste of Westerners). It is recommended to prepare plan B at any time when traveling in China. The water cannot pass the security check, but all Chinese airports have boiling water points, so you can bring a cup and tea.

Like all places in the world, the cost of food and beverages at airports in China is surprisingly expensive. Coffee for 25 yuan in the city can be sold for 78 yuan in the same chain store in the airport. The price of KFC does not seem to have changed; the prices in many of their airport stores are the same as those in other local stores. It is better to eat a KFC meal for more than 20 yuan than to eat a bowl of noodles for 5 yuan across the street, but at the airport, KFC is still the most cost-effective.

train

Train tickets during Spring Festival travel in China With the Spring Festival as the center, a total of about 40 days, from the 15th lunar month of the lunar calendar to the 25th of the first lunar month of the following year, migrant workers began to take holidays and returned to their hometowns by transportation. 3/7 of the population (approximately 7 billion people) is equivalent to two large migrations of people across the country. Railway transportation is the top priority during the Spring Festival transportation every year. In order to solve the Spring Festival transportation problem, the Chinese government has to deploy in advance every year, but it is still unable to satisfy Spring Festival travel requirements. Therefore, try to avoid traveling by train during this period, because it will be very difficult to buy train tickets.

Trains are the first choice for most Chinese for long-distance travel. The railway line network is constantly expanding, covering all parts of the country. China occupies about a quarter of the world's railway traffic.

China is currently building a high-speed rail network, similar to France's TGV and Japan's Shinkansen. There are already many high-speed rail lines in operation in China. China's high-speed rail is called "Harmony", and the number of high-speed rail trains usually starts with "G (high)", "C (intercity)" and "D (movement)". If your budget allows, taking the high-speed rail is the "best way to travel". For more details, please refer toChina High Speed ​​Train。

Train type

Chinese trains are divided into different types, which are shown on their respective tickets. The Chinese trains from the fastest to the slowest are as follows:

• High-speed EMU trains (high-speed "G"): The maximum operating speed is 380 kilometers per hour, and the current speed limit is 300 kilometers. The CRH series "Harmony" high-speed electric EMU is used. The train number is G1-G9998. Note: 2017.9.21 Fuxing has been The speed has been increased to 350km/h, and some trains on the line have begun to reinstall Fuxing.
• Intercity EMU trains (intercity "C"): The maximum operating speed is 350 kilometers per hour. The current speed limit is 200-300 kilometers. The CRH series "Harmony" high-speed electric EMU trains are used. Intercity railway uses C2000-C2999 as its train schedule, Zhengzhou Zhengkai Intercity Railway uses C28xx as its train schedule, Shanghai Jinshan Railway uses C3000-C3999 as its train schedule, Wuhan Wuxian Intercity Railway, Wuhuang Intercity Railway uses C50xx, C55xx As the number of trains, Chengdu Chengguan Railway and Chengmianle Passenger Dedicated Line use C61xx-C63xx as its train number, Guangzhou-Shenzhen Railway uses C70xx-C72xx as its train number, and Zhuhai-Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Railway uses C76xx as its train number) .
• EMU trains (EMU "D"): The maximum speed is 200-300 kilometers per hour, and the current speed limit is 160-300km/h. It uses the CRH series "Harmony" electric EMU, and the train number is D1-D9998.
• Direct special passenger express train (direct special "Z"): Xifachao to inter-administrative or intra-administrative trains with a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour, no stopping or only stopping at a few stations Trains running on lines within and outside the scope), the train number is Z1-Z9998.
• Special Passenger Express (Extra Express "T"): Inter-administrative or intra-administrative trains with a maximum speed of 140 km/160 km per hour (a few trains that operate as direct express trains) Train operating within), the train number is T1-T9998.
• Express passenger trains (fast "K"): inter-office or intra-pipe trains with a maximum speed of 120 kilometers/140 kilometers per hour. The number of trains is K1-K9998. There are also evening departures such as K53, K54 (Beijing-Shenyang North) Direct sleeper train.
• Ordinary passenger express train (general express): inter-office or intra-administrative trains with a maximum speed of 120 kilometers per hour (direct express is limited to inter-office trains), the train number range is 1001-5998, without letters.
• Ordinary passenger trains (general passenger trains): inter-office or intra-administrative trains with a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour. The number of trains ranges from 6001-7598 without letters.
• Commuter or road train (commuter): A train used for commuting to and from get off work by railway employees along the line. The number of trains is 7601-8998.
• Suburban EMU trains (suburban "S"): Urban EMU trains with a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour, using the Harmony Great Wall diesel EMU, currently only operate on the S2 line of the Beijing Suburban Railway, with train numbers S201-S299.
• Temporary tourist train (Tourism "Y"): Passenger train operated for peak tourist flow. The number of trains is Y1-Y998.
• Temporary passenger train (Linke "L"): A train that runs during the peak passenger flow during the Spring Festival and Summer Festival. The number of trains is L1-L9998.

In addition, since the Spring Festival Transport in 2015, the number of passenger trains with the L prefix has been greatly reduced. The number of regular passenger trains is 3xxx, K4xxx, K5xxx, K6xxx, T3xx, T4xx, Z4xxx, Z9xxx; the number of passenger trains of EMU is D4xxx, D9xx; the number of intercity trains for intercity EMUs is C9xxx; the number of intercity trains for high-speed EMUs is G4xxx, G9xxx.

Seat class

Ordinary non-harmony trains mainly have five seat levels:

• Soft sleeperIt is the most comfortable way to travel, and it is very cheap by Western standards. One box of the soft sleeper has four berths, two in one row (the updated train also has two berth boxes), the door can be locked, and the space is relatively large.

• Hard sleeperIf there are 3 bunks in a row, there is no door. The upper bunk is very high and the space above the bed is very small. The upper bunk is most suitable for tall visitors (above 1.9 meters), because your feet can stretch out and you don't have to worry about being touched. If you have something to hide (such as a camera), the upper bunk is also the best choice. Things are placed under the pillows on the upper bunk, out of reach of ordinary thieves. The hard sleeper is not a hardboard bed, it also has a mattress, and it is more comfortable. All sleepers have pillows and sheets.

• Soft seatIt is a rare seat that can be put down. Soft is only available on short-distance day trains and high-speed trains (above D) of 4-8 hours.

• Hard seatIt is a normal seat ticket. There are 5 seats in a row, 2 seats on each side of the aisle, and 3 seats on the other side. Most backpackers choose hard seats to travel. Although there is a "don't smoke" sign, smoking is only prohibited in the compartment. Generally, there are many people smoking at the junction of the two carriages, and the smoke will continuously float into the carriages. Most of the junctions of train cars are smoking areas, where there is a Chinese prompt "smoking area". It’s very uncomfortable to spend the night in a hard-seater car, and it’s really bad to feel that you can’t fall asleep after a long night.

• No seatThe ticket is in the hard-seat car, but there is no seat. You can bring a small horse with you for standing tickets. The price is the same as the hard seat.

In addition, there are berths with relatively higher prices, such as single-person package and high-end soft sleeper, but generally only appear in some high-level trains.

At present, most of the trains in China are fully enclosed air-conditioned carriages.

Harmony generally has 5 levels- second class(3 2 seats),First-class seat(2 2 seats) and threeVIP cabin(21 seats, connected to the cab). VIP class is also divided into three levels, namely "business seat", "tourist seat", and "special seat". Unlike airplanes, the business seat of the Harmony is actually better than the "first-class seat". The price of a business seat is the same as that of a tourist seat, but a premium seat is generally more expensive than a "first-class seat", but cheaper than a business seat and a tourist seat.

Train ticket

General tickets can be bought 30 days before the train starts (12306 booking 30 days in advance, telephone 28 days in advance). After driving, there may be a small number of tickets reserved for larger stations passing by. If you want to find a seat, or want to make up a sleeping berth, you can find the conductor and he will tell you if there are any more. The most in demand are hard seat tickets and hard sleeper tickets, so it is best to find your local friends to buy them for you, because the conductor is not willing to sell such tickets to foreigners. Starting from January 2012, all ticket buyers must holdValid documentsCome to buy a ticket (usually an ID card or passport). The name of the ticket purchaser is printed on the ticket, and the ticket must be picked up and boarded with a valid certificate.

There are train ticket agents in many places in the urban area. There are clearly marked "train ticket agents" in both Chinese and English, and there are also the locomotive icons, but because these agents are very small, they may not be It's easy to find. The computer of the agent point of sale and the ticketing system of the station are networked. Tickets older than 10 days can generally be bought at the agency, and they are all sold at the face price. The staff generally do not speak English.

Don't expect the conductor at the station to speak English even in big cities. Even if the conductor finds a colleague who speaks English, don't expect him to operate the booking system. Therefore, if you do not speak Chinese, write down the departure station and arrival station, driving time, number of trains and the type of ticket to be bought on paper in Chinese. You can write the name of the station in pinyin, because the conductor also typed in pinyin. Please note that in many cities, ordinary stations and high-speed rail stations are not together. High-speed rail stations generally have directions (for example: Beijing South, Hangzhou East, etc.).

During peak travel times (for example, during the Spring Festival), tickets at the station are sold out at once. It is best to find an agent to book tickets in advance. In big cities, there are also ticket agencies that add a little fee. These fees can save the long queues at the station and are still worthwhile. The travel agency will collect your money and book the ticket in advance. However, no one can guarantee that you can buy the ticket before the ticket is released at the station. After the ticket is released at the station, the travel agency will buy the ticket that they have previously "guaranteed" to you. .

Travel notes

Toilets on ordinary trains are generally "better" than toilets on cars or in most public places. Because the toilets on trains are very simple, most of them throw excrement directly on the rails, so the smell of toilets on trains is not so pungent. Nose, but now most trains have already installed or partly installed a vacuum feces collection device. Soft sleepers generally have a European-style toilet at one end of the car, and a Chinese-style squat toilet at the other end. Please note that when the non-harmony train stops at the station, the conductor will lock the toilet to prevent excrement from being spilled on the rails within the station.

The long-distance bus will have a dining car, and the dining car will have hot meals, but they are generally expensive, both at 15-45 yuan, and they are really not tasty. The menu is all in Chinese, but if you are willing to take a risk, you can memorize a few Chinese characters, or ask if there are any common dishes. If your budget is limited, you can only wait until the station. The hawkers on the platform usually sell noodles, snacks and fruits, and the prices are generally slightly better. There is usually a boiling water point in the car, so you can bring tea and instant noodles.

Pay attention to your belongings on the train. In recent years, the theft of property on public transportation facilities has become more and more common.

Most of the more advanced trains (T, K, Z and Harmony trains) will play recorded Chinese, English, Cantonese (if the train passes through Guangdong or Hong Kong), Mongolian (Inner Mongolia), and Tibetan (Tibetan). ) Or the station announcement in Uyghur language (Xinjiang). However, there is no English station announcement on short-distance trains, so it is important to know where to get off.

If motion sickness occurs, it is recommended to prepare motion sickness medicine. If you are afraid of being noisy while sleeping, it is recommended to wear earplugs. Long-distance sleeper cars need to exchange tickets for license plates (sleeper cards). When the train is almost at the station, the conductor will ask you to return the original ticket to you to ensure that even if you can't wake up, you won't sleep over the station.

If you have something to share with everyone, then the time will be better. The Chinese people on the journey are equally bored. They are happy to chat with you or watch a movie on the computer together. In general, it’s pretty good to take a train to see the Chinese countryside.

Tickets must be checked when entering and exiting the station. Generally, people check the tickets when entering the waiting hall, getting on the train, and exiting the station. After entering the waiting hall, find the corresponding platform on the electronic display to get on the train (although it is in Chinese, the number of trains printed on your ticket will be displayed). About 10 minutes before boarding the train, you can enter the station to check the ticket. After entering the station, you only need to follow the flow of people. Make sure you don’t sit in the wrong waiting area, because the general train is in the ordinary The station only stopped for a few minutes. Some of the newer stations are high platforms, so that the platforms will be flush with the car doors, but the platforms of small stations are very low, and then you have to walk a few steep steps to get on the train, so if you have large luggage, you must have Psychological preparation. The general passengers are also very friendly, and will take the initiative to reach out to help you.

Smoking is not allowed inside the carriage, but it is possible in the connecting aisle between the two carriages. All high-speed rail trains and EMUs are all non-smoking trains. Smoking is not allowed in the station, but there are separate smoking rooms, but these smoking rooms are very bad, and the ventilation is also very poor.

Useful website

• 12306It is the official ticketing website of China Railway Corporation, and its usefulness is self-evident. There will be a variety of unpredictable failures during the peak ticket purchase period (because China will have more than one billion passenger traffic sent through the railway during the peak transportation period, and there are too many ticket buyers, which is similar to DDoS.) Note that this is a Chinese railway (including High-speed rail) the only official website for ticket purchases.
• Seat 61The introduction of Chinese trains on the website is more comprehensive.
• Absolute China ToursorChina HighlightsThere is fare information (note that although the information here is very useful, it is not 100% complete).
• OK TravelThere are more trains. Most of this website is in Chinese, but the place names are in Roman alphabet, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand Chinese. On the search page, just select from the list: the origin on the left hand side, and the destination on the right hand side. Note that you need to select a province or region in the drop-down bar before the corresponding city will appear. Select the city you need, and then click the button on the bottom left ("Confirm") to search. If you can enter Chinese characters, this website can also help you plan transfers.
• CNVOLThere are all trains operating in China, and they are updated quickly. Just enter the starting point and ending point of your journey, and you will find all the trains (including passing cars), and each train indicates the starting station, terminal station and time. Click on the train you like, and then you can see the fare for each seat.
• Train WikiAllows you to understand the vehicle situation of a certain train.
• Ticket. todayAllows you to understand the trend of remaining votes in a certain interval. Since China's passenger transportation is divided into low and peak seasons, the trend in the off-season is generally the same; the same is true for the peak season. Sometimes 12306 is unable to access the front-end due to excessive passenger flow (provided that the back-end is normal), you can also check the remaining tickets on this website. Because the website will capture all the fares at the same time when querying real-time remaining tickets, the speed is slow. Unless 12306 has a front-end technical failure, it is not recommended to use the real-time remaining ticket function of this website. Since the 12306 interface is closed, this site can only browse the previous data, but cannot use functions such as querying real-time remaining votes/adding new trends.
• YupiaoThe famous train ticket inquiry website can display the number of trains with tickets in all designated sections during the pre-sale period, which is convenient for ticket purchase. However, because the original author stopped maintenance, this website may be offline/temporary failure at any time.
• CtripToday, China's largest travel, accommodation, ticket, air ticket and other booking website, the US Nadasco listed company. There are multi-language support.

car

IntercitybusOr long-distance buses are not expensive and are very suitable for urban and short-distance transportation.

Buses in each city are different---but in general, they have plastic seats, a large number of people, no English signs, and an average driver's attitude. Of course, if you are familiar with bus routes, this is a very economical and convenient way to travel. Under normal circumstances, the stop announcement recording will be played on the bus, such as "Next stop is Zhongshan Road" or "We are now at Shanghai South Railway Station". Some major cities, such as Beijing or Hangzhou, have English station announcements on some main lines. The fare is generally 1 to 2 yuan (usually 1 yuan for the old-fashioned bus, 2 yuan for the new air-conditioned bus), if the bus route goes to the suburbs, the fare will be correspondingly higher. Most buses no longer have conductors (collecting money, changing change, tearing up tickets). Instead, there is an automatic coin-operated iron box next to the passenger gate. You can put the fare you want to pay into the coin-operated box (No change, so you have to bring your own change). Note that ordinary bus drivers will drive faster and don't care much about the feelings of passengers, so they must stand firm.

Sleeper bus Sleeper buses are very common in China; there are no seats on the bus, instead sleeper beds are used. This is a good choice for long-distance travel—the night speed of buses on the highway is generally 100KM or faster—because of the limited berth space, some taller or larger passengers may feel uncomfortable. Generally speaking, in developed coastal provinces, this is a relatively comfortable and convenient mode of transportation, but it is different in less developed regions. Try not to buy a parking space, because when the car is passing the speed bump, the passengers in the parking space will shake more severely and may have symptoms of motion sickness. In some places, you must take off your shoes when you get in the car; a plastic bag will be provided on the car to put your shoes. If you get to the service area or go to the toilet, you need to put on your shoes again. If you usually wear boots, it is recommended that you bring a pair of slippers with you.

Buses everywhere, orLong-distance busThe situation is different, some are very comfortable, while in some places the bus will be very uncomfortable. Generally, the buses from larger cities along the southeast coast are equipped with air-conditioning, soft seats and even sleepers. The road conditions in the southeast coastal area are very good, the car drives very smoothly, you can enjoy the scenery along the way or take a nap. Generally, a car is a bit more expensive than a train, but it is more comfortable. The flight attendants on the bus are very willing to help, but compared with the flight attendants, they are not so familiar with foreigners and very few can speak English. Some buses have toilets, but they are generally very dirty, and cars turn more, which makes it more inconvenient to use the toilet.

Buses in rural areas of China are completely different. The indication in the station is either in Chinese or local language. The route is posted on the window. When you pass by, the driver or the solicitor will shout to you the destination of the bus and the license plate number of the general bus. It should be printed on the ticket, but usually the license plate number printed on the ticket is wrong. Due to differences in customs and habits, foreigners may feel that the coaches and passengers are not polite and the quality of passengers is not good. They will spit and smoke anywhere. If the driver wants to get more people all the way, the bus may be very crowded. Roads in rural areas in China are usually bumpy, so the bus ride will be very bumpy; if you sit in the back seat of the bus, the bumps will be even worse. Departure and arrival times are only estimated time, because many tickets are not sold out (this may delay the departure for several hours), plus minor problems with the car and other things, your itinerary may be greatly extended. If you have to travel for 10 or even 20 hours in this kind of traffic and road conditions, you will definitely feel painful and unbearable. Although this kind of driving is very uncomfortable, in many parts of China, this kind of bus is the only mode of transportation. Of course, the good point is that if you want to travel to a more remote place and there is no direct bus, you can get off at any time on the road. Moreover, you can also stop the car at any time on the road, and the general ticket is different depending on the length of the journey.

In China, it is a common phenomenon for drivers to fail to comply with traffic regulations, and there are more traffic accidents in China. Sudden sharp turns or braking can cause personal injury, so sit firmly and support after getting in the car. Drivers in China often sound the horn, so if you want to sleep on the road for a while, it is better to bring clothes and earplugs.

Buying tickets is sometimes more difficult. There are ticket counters in big stations. The departure time, gate, and license plate number (sometimes not allowed) are printed on the ticket. The fare is fixed. Smaller stations are full of people who solicit passengers shouting the destination of their vehicles. They will lead you over, and then you can buy tickets after you get on the train. Even in big stations, there are soliciting customers. They will call the driver and ask the driver to wait, and then use a motorcycle to pull you over. After you arrive, you can bargain with the driver. Sometimes this situation may be completely a scam, and sometimes you can save 35% of the fare (depending on your bargaining level and Chinese level).

subway

Big cities-Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Shenyang, Zhengzhou, Xi'an, Chongqing, Chengdu and Nanjing, etc.-all have subway systems. Chongqing also has a monorail rail transit system. These facilities are generally modern, clean and efficient. The signs and ticket machines are bilingual in both Chinese and English.

These rail transit systems are now gradually being constructed and expanded. Almost every major city with a subway system is building new lines. China’s long-term goals in this regard are very bold, and every major city is planning to build multiple routes. By 2020, China may have the largest urban transportation infrastructure in the world. Many cities are planning inter-regional rail transit systems such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

taxi

Taxis (or taxis) are more common and the prices are reasonable. The starting fee is generally from 5 yuan to 15 yuan, generally about 2 yuan per kilometer beyond the starting fee (starting at 3 kilometers). Generally, the cost of a taxi in the city is less than 10 to 50 yuan. There is no extra charge for luggage, but in many cities night taxi fares are higher. No tip is required. Some areas will also charge additional fuel charges, generally 1 to 2 yuan, depending on the region.

Although it is not uncommon for taxi drivers to deliberately choose a longer route to deceive passengers, it is also not common, so don't worry too much about this. Even if the driver chooses a longer route, the fare will not differ greatly. However, if you feel that you were cheated by a taxi driver on your way to the hotel, and you are staying in a mid-to-high-end hotel (usually with a doorman), you can ask the doorman and/or the front desk staff for help: generally one sentence can debunk His scam is enough to solve the problem.

Be careful of some black rentals. They will follow you at the airport or station or at the door, and then they will talk to you about a fixed price to take you to a certain place. Their charge is often 1-3 times the cost of the meter. If you are not familiar with your city, then you must go to the designated taxi area outside the airport and insist on letting the driver call the meter. Taxi rates are generally marked in a prominent location outside the car.

It is more difficult to get a taxi during peak hours. If it rains again, it will be even more difficult. Try to avoid peak hours (especially evening rush hours), and remember to take a small ticket after taking a taxi. In China, taxis are the same as everything else. Tips can be given or not. Chinese people have no habit of tipping, so no one cares if they don't.

You can sit in the passenger seat; sometimes only the passenger seat can see the meter clearly. The taxi driver may roll down the window on his side and start smoking without asking passengers for advice. In some cities, taxis will also take passengers along the way (when the general direction is the same). Each passenger has to pay the full price, but this will save the passengers waiting time for the bus.

Although Beijing has done some work during the Olympic Games and Shanghai's World Expo, it is difficult to find English-speaking taxi drivers even in these two cities. It is basically impossible in other cities. If you try to use your accented Mandarin to say where you are going, the driver may not understand it. Therefore, it is recommended that you take a note with the destination you are going to take a taxi with you. It is better to write Chinese characters (rather than pinyin) on the paper, because one pinyin may correspond to several different Chinese characters. Bring the business cards of your hotel and your favorite restaurant, and show them to the taxi driver if necessary. You can learn a little bit of basic Chinese simple conversation first. This kind of textbooks are available online.

If you are staying in China for a long time, consider buying a Chinese SIM card so that you can call your friends in China and ask them to tell the driver where you are going. SIM cards are easily available in China.

Taxi companies in some cities have a rating system for drivers, ranging from 0 to 5 stars. This scorer is on the driver information board above the dashboard, usually in front of the passenger seat. Generally, a score of 0 or lower does not necessarily mean that the driver is not good, but 5 stars means that the driver is familiar with the city and will take you to the destination in the shortest distance. Another way to identify a driver’s abilities is to look at the driver’s information board---the driver code on it. Generally, the smaller the code name, it means that the master has been working for a long time and may be more familiar with urban routes. If you think you have been cheated by a taxi driver, there is a very simple way to attract the attention of the taxi driver, which is to copy the taxi license plate number immediately after getting off the bus. If you can speak simple Chinese, you can tell You need to report him to the municipal agency or taxi company. Most drivers are honest and the fare is not too high, but there are also a small number of bad drivers who will use your inability to speak Chinese to infringe your interests.

Chinese people generally don't let others take a taxi. People who block the car may not be able to take this car. It's not uncommon for others to get in the car before the hitchhiker, or to squeeze the person who stopped the taxi into the car. If several people are taking a taxi at the same time, get in the car as soon as possible after being blocked. However, with the popularity of uber, Didi and other travel tools, booking a taxi through the mobile network has become the first choice for most people who take taxis. It is rare to stop a taxi on the street.

The taxi driver may say that you do not need to wear a seat belt, but you must wear a seat belt anyway after getting in the car (if you can find one).

tram

Some cities have trams. Trams generally stop at more stations than light rails. If there is one in the city you are going to, trams can be a very practical choice for travel. However, there may be traffic jams on trams.

bike

Bicycles, battery cars, and motorcycles are the most common modes of transportation in China; during peak times, there are thousands of two-wheelers in various cities in China. Most bicycles are old-fashioned models with non-adjustable speeds, but ordinary mountain bikes are also more common. For passengers, it is more economical and convenient to ride a bicycle than a bus that squeezes into peak hours.

For cyclists in China, there are two majorDanger：

• One is the otherTraffic vehicle; Cars and motorcycles often make people turn out unpreparedly, and the traffic lights in some places are purely decorations. For more related comments, seeChinese driving habits.
• In various cities in ChinaCar thieves are rampant. Need to observe how other people park their bicycles. In some places, local residents will park their bicycles at will, but in many other cities, people will lock their bicycles in restaurants or Internet cafes. This is a warning. Don't think that your high-end lock will ensure that your bike is foolproof (the thieves only need to fiddle with it to open it). It is recommended to park your bicycle in the parking area designated by the administrator as much as possible; generally you only need to pay 1-2 yuan. Some local residents will deliberately buy second-hand old bicycles, so the thieves won't worry about it.

In most scenic spots — whether it’s likeBeijingSuch a big city still looks likeYangshuoIn this way, a small town with many tourists-renting a car and repairing a car are very convenient. And there are guides for cycling tours.

In China, buying bicycles is very easy. Dahang, Merida and Giant are the three most popular brands in the amateur and semi-professional markets, and all cities have distributors of these brands. Many supermarkets also sell a wide range of bicycles. Prices generally range from 150 yuan to 10,000 yuan. If you want to ride in areas like Tibet, a mountain bike that costs 3,000 to 4,500 yuan is enough. Large cities such as Shanghai and Beijing generally have more professional high-end bicycles, but if your requirements are very special, then Hong Kong is your last hope.

Whether in the city or in the country, there are car repair shops everywhere; foreign tourists who do not speak the language may not be easy to find, but you only need to look for shops with bicycles and bicycle tires outside. If there is a small problem such as a flat tire, there are many places on the roadside where a basin of water and some bicycle tires can be repaired. But if it is a special part such as a brake disc, it is recommended that you carry spare parts with you when riding outside of the city.

China has a vast territory, and its mountains and deserts provide endless challenges for professional cyclists. However, as of May 2010, if foreign tourists want to ride on the Tibetan Plateau, they mustObtain a license in accordance with the law and must hire a tour guide。

A cycling route with scenery beyond imagination but extremely difficult, please refer toKarakoram Highway. Both China Bicycle Network and Intrepid Travel organize small-scale cycling tours on this route.

Shared bicycle

In many cities in China, in addition to city public bicycles, you will also see some bicycles with the same decoration and smart locks equipped with QR codes on the streets. These are shared bicycles.

Compared with urban public bicycles, their biggest feature is that they have no piles. You can freely rent or share bicycles on the street. They have already occupied a very important position in urban traffic. When you travel to some cities, you can use shared bicycles to reach the destination, and you can also enjoy the scenery of all corners of the city

There are many bike-sharing brands, and the deposits and charges of different brands are not the same. However, the prices of shared bikes of most brands are relatively low. Currently, Mobike and Qingju bikes occupy most of the market. In addition to downloading apps to open shared bicycles, you can also use WeChat and Alipay to open some brands of shared bicycles.

Self-driving

See:Driving in China

The People’s Republic of China does not recognize international driver’s licenses and does not allow foreigners to drive in China without a Chinese driver’s license. Note that mainland China treats both Hong Kong and Macau driver’s licenses as foreign driver’s licenses. Therefore, even if you have a driver’s license from these two places, you should not drive in mainland China. This situation changed in 2007-short-distance driving without a Chinese driver's license became legal. However, like many Chinese laws, official changes and changes in reality are not necessarily the same; until December 2008, it was still illegal to drive in China without a Chinese driver’s license. Unless you have diplomatic status, it is basically impossible to transport foreign vehicles into China.

Most of the rental cars are with drivers, similar to a North American car rental service remises; renting a car with a driver is the best way to explore China. Even if you have basic Chinese reading and writing skills and have obtained a Chinese driver’s license, it is best todo not wantYou travel by car-of course, unless you are used to very chaotic traffic conditions. If you are not courageous enough, please do not drive in Chinese cities, and parking spaces are very difficult to find. However, despite this, driving in China is much better than in other developing countries in Asia, such as Vietnam. China is a country that drives on the right. Many neighboring countries of China, such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions, drive on the left.

In large cities with a large number of Western tourists, such as Beijing, Shanghai and other large cities, Chinese and English signs can be seen everywhere. However, in other smaller cities, English signs are very few, while in rural areas, English signs basically do not exist. Therefore, it is best to bring a note with the name of your destination (Chinese characters) written on it every time, so that even if you get lost, the locals can show you the way.

It is recommended that foreigners do not drive outside of big cities. The "one-way" signs are generally "not necessarily one-way". On the highway, some drivers will slow down after passing the exit ramp, and then turn a 270° turn onto the ramp. Drivers would have all kinds of interpenetration techniques.

When crossing the road, be sure to see both sides of the road clearly. Not only can bicycles go retrograde, but also the increasingly common battery-powered bicycles - and they are silent.

motorcycle

See:Driving in China#Locomotive

Motorcycles are very common in China, especially in small cities and rural areas. Motorcycles are generally cheap, flexible and efficient (but occasionally a bit scary). The fare can be negotiated.

The regulations on motorcycles vary from place to place. In some places, a 50cc lightweight motorcycle does not require a driver’s license, but due to frequent accidents, many places have now banned this type of motorcycle, or have new regulations for this type of motorcycle. It’s much harder to ride a "real" motorcycle in China-partly because riding a motorcycle requires a Chinese driver’s license, partly because many cities ban motorcycle driving, and partly because of the development of cars and battery cars. The production and import of cars has fallen sharply. Chinese motorcycles are generally 125cc, generally up to 100km/h, and most of them are old-fashioned. This kind of car is generally slower and not particularly easy to ride. Due to government restrictions on engine size, there are fewer cars, but they are not to be found. Another popular one is the "Maxi" motorcycle imitating the Honda CN250. It is faster and more comfortable. It can automatically shift gears so that it will be easier to ride in the city.

Most cities have various motorcycle markets, and the cars sold to you are generally fake license plates or illegal license plates-there are not many foreigners riding motorcycles in China, and it is easy to be noticed by the police. You must wear a helmet to ride a "real" bicycle, but you don't need a battery bike. In theory, you have to apply for a license plate: the motorcycle license plate is yellow or blue, and the battery car license plate is green or red. The cost of applying for a license yourself may be several thousand (tens of yuan for a battery car), but you can also spend a small amount of money to get a fake license-at your own risk.

Tricycle (rickshaw)

What is the difference in the name? Foreigners in China often mix the terms tricycle and rickshaw, but they refer to two different modes of transportation-one of which no longer exists. The famous (notorious) rickshaw is a two-wheeled vehicle with two handles in front. The driver pulls the handles to take passengers to the destination (walking or running). Rickshaws were especially popular in the late 19th century, but were gradually eliminated in the 1950s. The video of Western elites playing polo on a rickshaw pulled by Chinese workers shows the nature of rickshaw deprivation and squeeze. Derivatives of rickshaws can also be seen in many small underdeveloped cities. Workers pull rickshaw-like vehicles every morning to wait for the transportation of construction materials and other things. Tricycles have replaced rickshaws---tricycles are a three-wheeled vehicle similar to a bicycle.

In some medium-sized cities, tricycles are much more convenient for short-distance travel. There are two types of tricycles: manpowered and powered, and they are very common in rural areas and the less developed (that is, less tourists) areas of China's rural areas and large cities. Remember to negotiate the price before getting on the bus.

Reports of "drivers often cheating tourists" generally refer to things that happened in tourist attractions like Beijing Xiushui Street, Wangfujing, and Laoshe Tea House. The general rule is "beware of anyone selling anything in the tourist area."

If you see the average Chinese using "three rounds", for example, from the Beijing Zoo to the nearest subway station-then this is safe. Don't take any coaches who wear old-fashioned clothing to attract tourists. He will charge you a fare 10 times the market price.

If possible, try to take a pedal tricycle. While choosing to ride a tricycle, you are also helping people who are really poor, so that they can do business, and you are also helping China to leave some traditional things. In Shanghai, electric tricycles derived from the development and improvement of pedal tricycles account for the majority.

Language

The official language of China isStandard Mandarin, It is mainly based on the evolution of the Beijing dialect. Since the 1950s, Mandarin has been the only language used in the Chinese education system, so most people can speak it. Mandarin has tones, and the correct tone is very important for learning and using Mandarin.

Many regions of China, especially the southeast and southern regions, have their own "dialects". These dialects are actually like completely different languages, just like French and Italian. These "dialects" are tonal just like Mandarin. Even if it is the same Mandarin (large brown areas on the map), the accents of different places are different, and each place is mixed with its own local slang and some very lively local languages. In addition to Mandarin, the most used dialect isWu Chinese, Mainly concentrated in Shanghai, Zhejiang andJiangsuSouthern region of the province; followed byCantonese, Concentrated in most of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau; againHokkien(Fujian) language branch, it includes existXiamenThe surrounding areas and Taiwan use moreMinnan Language(There is a sub-dialect of Hokkien called Chaozhou dialect, which is mainly used in Chaoshan area), andFuzhouUsed more in the surrounding areaMindong . Most Chinese can speak their native dialect (dialect) and Mandarin. Some older and less educated people may only speak their native dialect, but this has little effect on tourists. It is best to have a tour guide who can speak the local dialect. Speaking the local language means that the person is familiar with the local area. Although you can travel unimpeded in most parts of China with a standard Mandarin, if you can try to speak a few words of their local dialect to the locals, they will be very happy, so learn a few simple dialects Greetings or slang words will quickly familiarize you with the locals. Generally speaking, if you can understand or prefer the local dialect, it will be very helpful to travel to more remote areas. Of course, in these remote areas, it is still necessary to bring a handbook of common Chinese, because the Chinese written in the whole country is basically the same.

No matter how different the local dialects are, all formal written Chinese are the same. Even many Japanese and Korean languages ​​use many of the same Chinese characters, and they have the same or similar meanings as in Chinese. However, it should be noted that mainland China uses "Simplified Chinese", which was developed in the mid-1950s to eliminate illiteracy. Traditional Chinese are used by Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and many overseas Chinese, but traditional characters can also be seen in some advertisements and commercial signs on the mainland. The simplification of Chinese characters is generally quite systematic. Generally speaking, native speakers of simplified Chinese can basically read traditional characters, and vice versa, so it is generally sufficient to learn to write one Chinese. Note that there are differences in calligraphy. Because calligraphers have different styles, the strokes of each character are very different. There are five Chinese fonts: seal script (seal script), official script (official script), regular script (regular script), running script (running script), and cursive script (cursive script). Regular script is the official font of China. If you want to travel to China, you only need to know one type of font. For those who are deeply interested in traditional Chinese culture, learning Chinese fonts will definitely be of great benefit. In the far west of China, some ethnic minorities speak the Turkish language familyUyghur, Kyrgyz, Kazakh and other languages ​​(for example:Tibetan language). In places where ethnic minorities gather in the north and northeast of China, these ethnic minorities use their own languages, such as Manchu,Mongolian、Korean Wait. Many ethnic minorities live in Yunnan, Guizhou, Hainan, and Guangxi, such as the Miao, Dong, Zhuang, Bai, etc., all of whom use their own languages. Except for the elderly in these areas, ordinary young people can speak Mandarin, and most young people can speak both Mandarin and their own national language. It is a pity that many minority languages ​​(such as Manchu) are slowly dying out.

English and other foreign languages

In the past 20 years, English has become a compulsory course for them from the upper grades of elementary school or junior high school. No matter what major you are in the university, a certain level of English is linked to your degree. However, the end of all teaching is formal grammar, which emphasizes reading and writing instead of listening and speaking.

The proportion of English-speaking local residents in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen is relatively high. In some cities, it is difficult to find English-speaking locals except in tourist attractions and places with foreign-related services. The employees of airlines and major hotels-especially international chain stores can speak some basic English, but very few can communicate deeply in English.

When speaking English in China, please try to simplify your English language as much as possible. Speak slowly, avoid slang and idioms, and try to use simple present tense and some declarative sentence structures. Don't say "Would you mind if I come back tomorrow?" Just say it simple (may be a little offensive), such as "Tomorrow I will return." This is more similar to Chinese semantics, and easier to understand.

One way to make friends in China is to ask for the "English Corner"-the English Corner is a place where local residents have agreed a time and place to meet together and practice English. Usually hosted by a foreigner, usually on Friday evening, Saturday evening or Sunday, in public parks, English training schools, bookstores and university campuses. There may be others such as "French corner", "Russian corner", "German corner" and so on.

If you are going to a more remote area, it is recommended to find a tour guide to help you arrange the itinerary before your journey begins. This will at least help you overcome the language barrier, because the local residents of these places are basically unlikely to speak any foreign languages.

learn Chinese

See:Learn

In the West, somehow, Chinese is famous for her incomprehension. Although Chinese and Western languages ​​are different, travelers will be surprised to find that the basic grammar of Chinese is relatively simple. Verbs do not distinguish between person and tense. Nouns have no part of speech (note: in many languages, such as French, names are divided into feminine and masculine). The main difficulty is that Chinese uses several consonants and tones that do not exist in European languages.

Mandarin, Vietnamese and Thai are all tonal languages, and they use different intonations to express different meanings. The pronunciation of "Ma" can represent any one of the four words "Ma, Ma, Ma, and curse," depending on the tone. Homophones in Chinese are very common; that is, a pronunciation with the same tone will have a dozen different Chinese characters. "Zhōng" can be Zhong, Zhong, Zhong, Zhong, etc. When Chinese people report their names, they usually explain them word by word. "My name is Faye Wong, and the king is a three-horse king, and Philip is a non-grassy head of right and wrong."

For many people, written Chinese seems to be not far from the mysterious codes, but if you can recognize so many trademark patterns (these patterns are generally not logically connected), then it means that you also know a lot of Chinese characters. Potential capacity. Moreover, most Chinese characters are logically connected or have rules to follow.

In theory, Chinese has more than 50,000 Chinese characters. The good thing is that 85% of these are uncommon words. As with many languages, most Chinese people don’t know how many Chinese characters they need to know to read a Chinese book, and never count how many Chinese characters a Chinese knows. Some people claim that elementary school students should learn at least 2,000 Chinese characters, while college graduates should know at least 5,000 Chinese characters.

The development of Pinyin is to bridge the gap between literacy and pronunciation. Pinyin uses the Roman alphabet, which is an auxiliary tool for the Chinese to learn Chinese. Pinyin cannot be pronounced intuitively, because some letters and consonant consonants represent pronunciations that do not exist in many European languages, so the pronunciation of many Pinyin is different from what Westerners imagine. The Chinese do not recognize place names and addresses written in pinyin; it is recommended to use Chinese characters to record written information.

go sightseeing

China has endless beauty, and you will never have nowhere to go in China. Especially in the coastal areas, if you have traveled all over the sights in the bustling city, you will find the next beautiful scenery if you take a short-distance train.

Whether you are obsessed with history, love the landscape, or just want to find a pleasant beach to relax, fromBeijingThe majestic Forbidden City to the breathtakingJiuzhaigou, The China you want can be given to you. Even if you have lived in China for many years, there are always new sights and things waiting for you to discover in other parts of this vast country. Perhaps due to China's vast territory and long history, China ranks third in the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the first and the second are Italy and Spain respectively).

Main Attractions

• Great Wall
• Temple of Heaven
• Tiananmen Square
• The Mausoleum of the First Emperor Qin and the Terracotta Warriors
• Gulangyu
• Zhangjiajie
• Huangshan
• Hukou Waterfall
• Xi'an City Wall
• Potala Palace
• Wuyuan Ancient Town
• Tarzan
• Huangguoshu Waterfall
• Summer palace
• Forbidden City
• Suzhou gardens
• Oriental Pearl Tower
• The Bund
• Huashan
• St. Paul's Arch
• Shaolin Temple
• Jiuzhaigou

• Zhangjiajie
• Landscape of Lijiang River

• End of the World

Karst

Rolling hills, strange rocks and steep peaksIt is a traditional landscape that Chinese artists dream of. There are many different types of karst landforms in the south and southwest of China, also known as "karst landforms". Karst is a limestone landform, soYugoslaviaThe place names of the limestone plateau are named. As the limestone is chemically corroded, the denser, corrosion-resistant stones or plots have formed various peaks. The caves formed under the mountain will collapse to form sinkholes and undercurrents, which are connected to the underground river. In the karst landform, dissolution has formed dotted peaks, arched caves and passages. The most famous example is the Stone Forest near Kunming, Yunnan Province. Many of the most famous scenic spots in China are famous for their karst landscapes— GuangxiofGuilinwithYangshuoAnd the central and western parts of Guizhou Province.

Holy Land

The following scenic spots in China have very famous Buddhist art:

• ShanxiofYungang Grottoes -The grotto is excavated on the mountain, there are more than 51,000 Buddha statues, dating back more than 1,500 years ago
• GansuofMogao Grottoes -Art and murals dating back to the 4th century AD
• Near ChongqingDazu Rock Carvings -Dating back to between the 7-13 centuries
• Near LuoyangLongmen Grottoes -Dating back to the 5th-10th century.

Holy mountain

There are many sacred mountains in China.

The "Five Sacred Mountains" related to Taoism:

• Tarzan , Shandong (1545 meters above sea level)
• Huashan, Shaanxi (2054 meters above sea level)
• Hengshan, Hunan (1290 meters above sea level)
• Hengshan, Shanxi (2017 meters above sea level)
• Songshan (Mount Song), Henan Province (the famous Shaolin Temple is also in Henan) (1494 meters above sea level)

The "Four Famous Buddhist Mountains" related to Buddhism:

• Mount Emei, Sichuan (3,099 meters above sea level)
• Jiuhua mountain, Anhui (1342 meters above sea level)
• Putuo Mountain, Zhejiang (297 meters above sea level, is an island)
• Mount Wutai, Shanxi (3,058 meters above sea level)

The three main sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism:

• Mount Kailash，Tibet(5656 meters above sea level), it is also one of the most sacred peaks of Hinduism for Hindu pilgrimages
• Meili Snow Mountain
• Animaqing Snow Mountain

There are many other very famous mountains in China. Even though many mountains in China were not in holy places, there were still many temples at that time:

• Huangshan, Anhui, with beautiful scenery and fascinating scenery.
• Qingcheng Mountain, Sichuan
• Longhushan, Jiangxi
• Laoshan, Shandong
• Wuyishan, Fujian, the main tourist attraction, with large tea mountains
• Himalayas, Across the border of Nepal and Tibet, the highest mountain in the world
• Wudang Mountain, In HubeiDanjiangkouNearby, the Taoist holy land is the birthplace of Tai Chi and Wudang Boxing
• Changbai Mountain(Korean: 백두산), for the Manchus and Koreans, it is the most sacred mountain in the world, located at the border between China and North Korea.

Revolutionary Holy Land

• Shaoshan -Hometown of Mao Zedong, the first chairman of the Communist Party of China and Chinese leader
• Jinggangshan -The Communist Party's first rural base after the Kuomintang encirclement and suppression in 1927
• Ruijin -The seat of the Chinese Soviet Republic from 1929 to 1934
• Zunyi -The location of the Zunyi Conference, after which Mao Zedong joined the Politburo Standing Committee
• Luding -The legendary flies to the location of Luding Bridge
• Yan'an -The main base of the Communist Party from 1939 to 1945
• Wuhan -The birthplace of the Wuchang Uprising that overthrew the Qing court
• Guangzhou -The location of the Whampoa Military Academy. Many leaders of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party (Chiang Kai-shek, Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong) had the experience of the Whampoa Military Academy and carried out a lot of military and political studies before the Northern Expedition in 1926-27.

Tourist route

The following are some of the tourist routes throughout China:

• Two weeks to one month in China
• One week tour around Hong Kong
• Tour along the Yangtze River
• Tour along the Yellow River
• Tour along the Grand Canal
• Yunnan Tour
• Tibet Tour
• Long March

Other tourist routes involving China:

• Europe to South Asia overland travel
• Silk road -The ancient caravan road from China to Europe
• Karakoram Highway -From China to Pakistan via the Himalayas
• Explore the footsteps of Marco Polo
• Kunming to Hong Kong overland

Activity

massage

Chinese massage establishments are spread all over the country, and they are generally of good quality and low price. In Asia, blind people have a tradition of engaging in massage. Generally, the price of professional massage is between 20 yuan and 40 yuan per hour.

• Basically all hairdressers can wash your hair and give you a head massage for only 20 yuan. This generally includes cleaning up your earwax and some neck and arm massages. Including haircuts and/or shavings, the general charge is 15 to 25 yuan. In big cities, the cost of a haircut is generally more than 50 yuan.

• There are also many places for pedicures. Generally, the signs of pedicure places have pictures of bare feet as signs. The price is generally between 20 yuan and 100 yuan.

• There are also many full body massage places, and the price is generally more than 15 yuan per hour. There are generally two types: massage is generally an ordinary massage; while tuina may use Chinese herbal medicines used in acupuncture. The most professional massages are generally in specialized massage hospitals or general Chinese medicine hospitals, and the price is generally more than 50 yuan per hour. Some of the most cost-effective massages for the blind in unobvious places.

These three types of massage are available in many places.

Some massage places are actually brothels. Although prostitution is illegal in China, it is common and often uses massage as a cover. Many hot springs and saunas provide "full set" relaxation services. In some small places, as long as you see pink lights and girls in short skirts, it is very likely that they will provide more than just massage, and they will not be able to massage very much. The same is true for many hair salons, which are both massage establishments and brothels.

Places without pink lights generally provide very good massage services instead of sexual services. If the advertisement of a massage place indicates that it is a blind massage, it is basically a legal place.

In many massage places you can take a nap for a few hours, or even stay overnight there. Barber shops generally do not have a place to sleep, but you can also sleep on the massage table while doing a full body massage, or on the sofa while doing a foot massage. The general cost is not very high, this is estimated to be the cheapest way to spend the night in China. However, please note that, in addition to high-end sauna venues with independent private rooms, in other massage/sauna venues, you must share the toilet with the staff there, and you cannot lock your luggage. The best way to store your luggage is to store your luggage at the train station (all train stations have a luggage storage office), the general price is around 10-20 yuan.

Traditional Arts

If you plan to stay in China for a long time, it is recommended that you learn a little bit of Chinese traditional art. After all, being in China is an excellent opportunity to learn traditional Chinese art. If you have a little knowledge of a certain traditional Chinese art, you can improve your skills by directly learning from masters in the country where the art is located. In many cities, there are many intellectuals accepting beginners, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand Chinese, because you can learn through examples or imitations. Calligraphy is still an art that Chinese people love. Many calligraphers in cities practice with brushes dipped in water on the sidewalks of city parks. Other traditional arts that you can participate in the training class include playing traditional Chinese musical instruments (you can ask the shops where you buy traditional Chinese musical instruments, many shops have training classes), Chinese cooking, and even Peking opera singing. The cost is generally very reasonable, and there is no need for a particularly large amount of auxiliary materials. The only requirement is to stay in one place long enough; it is best not to participate in such training courses in tourist attractions.

Martial arts and tai chi

Like traditional Chinese culture and art, those who are interested and have time can learn Chinese martial arts, which is prestigious. For some martial arts, such as Tai Chi, the method of learning is very simple. You can go directly to any park in the city in the morning and follow the people there to practice. You will find that there are many people out there who are happy to be your teachers. Other martial arts require more in-depth study. Well-known martial arts training places areSongshanShaolin Temple andDaliWuwei Temple nearby.

Traditional pastime

China has many traditional pastimes that can be played in tea rooms, public parks and even on the streets. As long as there is a stall, it usually attracts many passersby. Strategy games that originated in China include Go and Chinese Chess. Mahjong is a game that uses mahjong tiles as props. Mahjong is very popular in China and often (and not without exception) is played for money. Mahjong rules vary from place to place, so you have to learn new mahjong rules wherever you go. The most famous mahjong games are Guangdong mahjong, Taiwan mahjong and Japanese mahjong. Although checkers did not originate in China, there are many people playing in China. Many Chinese players are very skilled in playing poker; Mr. Deng Xiaoping’s love for bridge is well-known far and wide.

Shopping

China's official currency is the renminbi, often abbreviated as RMB. The basic unit of the renminbi is yuan (written as "round" on paper money), and its international currency code is CNY. All marks are in yuan, either ￥ or "yuan". existHongkongwithMacaoSpecial Administrative Region RMBnoLegal tender, both places issue their own currencies. Of course, some places in Hong Kong also accept Renminbi, but they are all calculated at the 1:1 exchange rate between Renminbi and Hong Kong dollars (as of September 17, 2017, 1 Renminbi = 1.2400 Hong Kong dollars). 1 RMB = 0.1581 USD, 1 USD = 6.3246 RMB (as of March 20, 2018)

Tips 10 MinuteEqual to 1 Horn 10 HornEqual to 1 Yuan,basic unit Yuan Also calledPiece HornAlso calledhair Upper 10 is written asten,orpickup 100 is capitalized asHundred,orBai 1000 is written asthousand,orthousand 10000 is capitalized asten thousand

Below the yuan is the horn, 10 jiao is one yuan, and then there is the cent, and 10 is divided into 1 jiao. Cents are basically very hard to see now (maybe occasionally in very poor areas). Coins generally worth 10 cents are called 1 dime instead of 10 cents. But in speakingMandarinIn, people generally sayPieceInstead ofYuan,SayhairNot to sayHorn. For example, 3.7 yuan will generally be pronounced as 3 yuan 7 (the last unit will be omitted).

In terms of numbers, please note that the last unit is usually omitted, for example: 530, which will be pronounced as five hundred and three. And note that there is a unit in Chinese calledten thousand(Ten thousand), so 50000 is generally called fifty thousand instead of fifty thousand.

Many Chinese coins have both banknotes and coins, including a lot of change. Some areas use more banknotes, and some places use more coins, but regardless of where the banknotes or coins are used, according to Chinese law, it is illegal to refuse to accept Renminbi. Jiao (one-tenth of 1 yuan) is also available in banknotes and two versions of coins. On the contrary, there are coins and two versions of banknotes for one yuan (the 1999 version of the RMB one yuan banknote has a green background, a pattern and a portrait of Mao Zedong on the front, and the "Three Pools Reflecting the Moon" on the back of Hangzhou West Lake). Most importantly, you will be able to recognize different versions of coins.

Counterfeit currency

Counterfeit currency is a serious problem. All people who have been in China for a few months will have more or less experience in this area. From 1 yuan coins to 10 yuan, 20 yuan, 50 yuan and 100 yuan, there are counterfeit coins. The first step in life in China is to take a closer look after receiving money (even coins). When you look at it, you should pay attention to the texture of different parts, the gold thread, and the color changes under different light. If you don’t understand, you can ask others, everyone has their own way.

The cashier will often identify it carefully after receiving your banknotes. Please don't be angry, it doesn't mean they suspect you are using counterfeit money. It's just that they are responsible. Take a closer look after you get the change, especially the ones above 50 yuan. The salesperson may find a way to give you the counterfeit currency they got from someone else.

In recent years, ATM machines spit out counterfeit currency (though not common) has become a very hot topic. If you are worried about getting counterfeit money from the ATM, please go to the bank counter and tell the bank operator "I'm afraid of getting fake money." The average bank staff will understand.

I have also heard that some scalpers exchange counterfeit currency to tourists at the Chinese border. It is strongly recommended to go to the bank to exchange currency (some bank branches cannot exchange it).

Generally, when you pay 50 yuan or 100 yuan in a store or a taxi, you can remember the last few digits of the money number. Maybe he will say that your money is fake. At this time, you can guarantee that the money he returned is the same as the one you gave it.

Currency exchange

Although China still implements foreign exchange control policies, it can be easily exchanged for RMB in many countries, especially in Asia. It is relatively easy to exchange US dollars, Canadian dollars, Euros, British pounds, Australian dollars, Japanese yen and Korean won in China. Except for the Singapore dollar, currencies of other Southeast Asian countries are generally more difficult to exchange. It is recommended to go to a relatively large bank (such as BOC Bank of China) or authorized currency exchange points (generally high-end hotels or airports have, but the exchange rate is generally different) to exchange currency.

There is indeed a black market for currency exchange, but it is strongly recommended that you do not exchange on the black market because when you exchange currency in ChinaCounterfeit currencyThe situation is very serious. Be careful with scalpers found in the market or strolling around the bank. Although their exchange rate is very attractive, without the help of local friends,do not wantExchange with them. Often, after exchanging a large sum of money, it is found that most of the money received is counterfeit. Try to be inBank of ChinaOr the counters of other banks conduct exchanges. Although their exchange rates are relatively close, the possibility of getting counterfeit currency is almost zero.

China's foreign exchange control is very strict. Private currency exchange points, which are common in tourist attractions and shopping centers around the world, are not common in China. It usually takes about 5 to 60 minutes to exchange currency at a bank, and sometimes it is faster to exchange at a hotel. Generally, even branches in large cities are familiar with the exchange process and operate very quickly, while branches in third- and fourth-tier cities are not familiar with the exchange process, and the operation is relatively slow.

No matter where you redeem, you will need to fill out a form and show your passport. Generally, your passport is scanned and a copy of the passport is required. If you plan to leave China with a large amount, keep the exchange receipt. Note that not every bank with the "Exchange" logo will provide cash exchange services to people who are not their customers. For example, Standard Chartered Bank only provides their customers with currency exchanges between US dollars and Hong Kong dollars (however, even if you get a tourist visa, you can open an account, and their exchange rate is more favorable than most local banks).

The procedure to exchange USD for RMB is very simple, but generally the bank will look at your money very carefully before the exchange. If you have the opportunity to buy renminbi abroad (such as entering Hong Kong or Vietnam), you should exchange it abroad, because the foreign exchange rate is better. The same is true for selling renminbi, and the exchange rate for selling renminbi after exiting the Chinese border will be better. In addition, most international banks' savings cards or credit cards can be used to withdraw RMB cash directly from ATMs in China. However, the exchange rate for this is very unfavorable and the handling fee will be very high. It is recommended to bring a little international currency, such as British pounds, US dollars or Japanese yen, in case you cannot find an ATM nearby.

Bank card

Small shops that accept bank card consumption are relatively rare in China, and most of them are accepted by large consumer places. Most shops that accept bank cards only accept China UnionPay cards. Some places with a large audience of tourists outside of China can accept bank cards from international organizations such as Visa/MasterCard, but they are generally large consumer places, such as international hotels, and may require additional handling fees. The Discover card has signed an agreement with China UnionPay to allow it to be used as a UnionPay card on cash registers in mainland China. However, the recently issued chip card of the Discover card may require several attempts or cannot be used at all, and the card is found online It cannot be used as a UnionPay card for consumption. Although Diner's club is currently owned by the discovery card company, it cannot be used as a discovery card or UnionPay card in mainland China. The coverage is similar to that of American Express.

There are ATM machines everywhere in China. All ATM machines accept China UnionPay cards. Most of them also accept cards organized by Visa/MasterCard. Some machines also support JCB/American Express cards. When using it, the card issuer must enable the cross-border withdrawal function. In addition, the card issuer, the card organization, and the bank to which the ATM belongs may charge a certain handling fee or exchange fee.

Note: Although the ATMs of many banks such as Agricultural Bank of China, Minsheng Bank, Shenzhen Development Bank and Bank of Shanghai sometimes have signs such as PLUS/ Cirrus/ Maestro, in fact only a few ATMs can actually accept these cards. And if it can be used, you will know only after you try it. Never rely on bank cards as the only means of payment and withdrawal.

Mobile payment

China's mobile payment is booming, and mobile payments based on QR codes, such as WeChat Pay and Alipay, are now popular. Almost all shops that accept small payments, and even some shops that accept large payments, accept at least one mobile payment method using QR codes. If you see a QR code printed with the logo of the above software in a shop, it means that you are likely to be able to use WeChat Pay, Alipay, etc. to pay. With the development of this payment method, many Chinese have seldom used cash, and do not even need to bring a wallet when going out.

However, mobile payment methods based on NFC technology have not yet been popularized in China. Although most terminals already support contactless payment, they are generally limited to using UnionPay chip card contactless instead of mobile phone NFC. Even if it can be used, the clerk of small shops will no longer use it and accept Apple Pay. Shops in can only use UnionPay cards bound to Apple Pay in China or Hong Kong.

As Google is blocked, Google Pay cannot be used on UnionPay terminals. Even if you encounter a terminal that accepts Visa/MasterCard, you will not have the opportunity to spend through Google Pay, because these terminals are usually located in large-value consumer places such as airports and international hotels. , The use of NFC contactless is not accepted, the same is true for Apple Pay in other regions.

diet

See:Chinese Food‎

There are many restaurants and roadside stalls in China. If you are coming to China for the first time, it is recommended to try the street food first. This is generally cheaper.

Local cuisine

• Beijing cuisine: family noodles and steamed buns, Peking duck, cabbage, and great kimchi. If you don't like it, you can be very satisfied.
• Palace cuisine: Palace food in the late Qing Dynasty, famous by Cixi, can be tasted in high-end professional restaurants in Beijing. The cuisine combines Manchu foods such as unique novelties such as camel palm, venison, shark fin and bird's nest.
• Anhui cuisine: one of China's eight major cuisines, specialties such as edamame, stinky mandarin fish, etc.
• Cantonese cuisine: The style of most Western tourists is already familiar to some extent. Not too spicy, the focus is on freshly cooked ingredients and seafood. Dim sum is usually eaten at breakfast or lunch and is a highlight. In other words, authentic Cantonese cuisine is famous among various cuisines in China. Even in China, they have a very broad definition of what food is.
• Shanghai cuisine: Due to its location, Shanghai cuisine is considered a good mix of northern and southern Chinese cooking styles. The most famous dishes are xiaolongbao and leek dumplings. Another specialty is "ramen", from which Japanese ramen and Korean bowl ramen are believed to come from. Sugar is usually added to fried dishes to give Shanghai cuisine a sweet taste.
• Sichuan
• Henan cuisine: Henan cuisine, is a general term for dishes, pastries and banquets made with the techniques and materials with the characteristics of the Central Plains under the guidance of the culinary theory with the traditional cultural connotation of the Central Plains. Henan cuisine is the origin of China’s major cuisines. It is called the “mother dish” of China’s eight major cuisines by the Chinese culinary circle. Yi Yin, known as the “cooking originator” and “Chinese chef”, was born in Henan.Luoyang, Contemporary Henan cuisine is based on the original palace cuisine, government cuisine, market cuisine and folk cuisine, according to the material conditions of the Central Plains, gradually accumulated and evolved and developed.

Because Henan is located in the Central Plains region, its food culture tastes due to regional influences. The northern part of Henan is mostly pasta, and the south is mostly rice. The names of some dishes in Henan cuisine are more gorgeous and beautiful, mainly because some dishes originated from the courts of Han, Song and Tang, and some food culture history can be traced back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

• Hunan
• Chaozhou cuisine
• Fujian cuisine
• Qiancai
• Zhejiang cuisine
• Qiongcai
• Shandong cuisine: one of China's four major cuisines (together with Sichuan, Cantonese, and Su cuisine), with exquisite materials and superb skills, it is mainly popular in the northern regions and has an impact on the food in Beijing, Tianjin, Northeast and other places. It is divided into three branches: Jinan, Kongfu, and Jiaodong. Representative dishes include milk soup pucai, nine-turn large intestine, scallion roasted sea cucumber, oily fried double crisp, first-class tofu, etc. Most of the ingredients are seafood and meat. Confucian cuisine is good at vegetarian cooking. The taste is more salty, good at milk soup dishes. In addition to representative dishes, Shandong cuisine home-cooked dishes are also very popular.

fast food

All types of Chinese food are fast, cheap, delicious and convenient. You can buy food from every city.BeijingThe snack street in Wangfujing area is a very noteworthy tourist area suitable for street food. In some talkCantoneseArea (mainlyGuangdong, But not includingShenzhen), street food vendors are called Gaibindong, such a company can develop into a substantial business, and in the sense of traditional street food, these stalls can hardly be "mobile". Fast foods across the country include:

• A lot of bakeries. The various candies and sweets found in China are usually sold as snacks instead of dessert packages in Western restaurants.
• All kinds of grilled meat, including lamb kebabs are very common.
• Dumplings can be used to cook, steam or fry wonton-like items with various fillings. And almost all over Asia.
• Steamed buns and steamed buns are stuffed with salty stuff, and they are sweet or vegetable stuffing or meat stuffing.
• Steamed buns can be seen as white bread with a skin on them, or they can be eaten with a little bit in the middle.
• Lanzhou ramen, the industry is dominated by the Hui ethnicity-looking for a small restaurant with staff in Muslim clothing, men wearing white hats and women wearing headscarves.
• There are dim sum in Guangdong and other places, and in any major tourist destination in China, you can find people who provide dim sum to Hong Kong customers.
• Pancake, an egg pancake, wrapped in a cookie with sauce and optional chili sauce. Also known as "pancake fruit".

The Western concept of fast food can be said to be as popular as domestic varieties. KFC, McDonald's, Subway and Pizza Hut are ubiquitous in medium-sized cities and above. Chinese chain stores such as Burger King and Papa John are also common. These include Dicos: chicken burgers, fries, etc., cheaper than KFC, some people say better-and (real Kung Fu)-there are more Chinese menus.

etiquette

Respect the old and love the young, and have a civilized meal.

Pay the bill

There is no habit of tipping in China, so you don’t need it. If you want to tip waiters, they may find it strange; mobile payment in China is very convenient, you can use WeChat Pay or Alipay to pay very conveniently, without cash. However, it is best to carry some cash when you go out to prevent accidents, such as when you cannot use mobile payment.

Dining at the restaurant

Dining alone

Nightlife

There are many bars, KTV and other entertainment venues in China. Some people say this is very insecure. But please rest assured that China has a police system with the fastest response capacity in the world. If you are in danger, please call the police at 110, the police will arrive and solve the danger for you.

stay

In China, as long as it is not a remote mountainous area, there will be hotels. But please note that in tourist attractions, especially during holidays, hotel prices can be very expensive, high-star hotels cost 800~5000 yuan.

Take Shanghai Disneyland Hotel as an example, (2017/09/18-2017/09/19, 1 room, 1 guest)

The price for normal working days in September (Deluxe Garden View Room) is ¥1,950 per night (not including service charge)

October National Day holiday price (2017/10/03-2017/10/04, 1 room, 1 guest) (Deluxe Garden View Room) is ¥2,750 per night (not including service charge)

You can search and book hotels in advance on some websites or APPs that provide hotel reservation services. You may find some cheap rooms, and sometimes you can even spend more than 100 yuan in Beijing for two nights.

As for the time you choose and whether the price of the room type is cost-effective, it is up to the benevolent to see the benevolent and the wise.

Learn

See:Study in China

The main universities in mainland China include Tsinghua University, Peking University, Wuhan University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Nanjing University, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shenzhen University, Tongji University and Fudan University.

Work

See:Go to China to work

In recent years, China has grown very fast, and it is expected to become the world's largest economy. Although the labor market is difficult for foreigners to visit, there are important opportunities for those who wish to experience China. Employment opportunities include English teaching, engineering and work in multinational companies.

Safety

In China, the personal safety of tourists can be guaranteed on the whole, and the main streets at night are basically safe, but in crowded occasions, please be sure to keep your personal belongings to avoid theft. It is difficult for the police to pay attention to small property losses and recover them. The probability is not high. There are almost no firearms among the Chinese people! China is very safe now, and the Chinese police treat criminals very harshly. But if you do not violate the laws and regulations, the Chinese police will be your closest person. You can turn to them for almost anything beyond your own processing power!

Medical treatment

Epidemiology

In addition to the routine vaccinations that all travelers should get, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recommends additional vaccinations for people who lack immunity to the following infectious pathogens:

• Most travelers should be vaccinated
  • Hepatitis A vaccine (HAV)
  • Typhoid vaccine (Thyroid)
• Some travelers should be vaccinated
  • Hepatitis B vaccine (HBV), if you may have sex with a local person, or have surgery and tattoos in the local area.
  • Japanese encephalitis vaccine (JE), if your journey is longer than one month or you plan to visit rural areas.
  • Polio vaccine (Polio), if you plan to visit Xinjiang.
  • Rabies vaccine (Rabies), if you may be exposed to dogs.
  • Yellow Fever vaccine (Yellow Fever) (There is no risk of yellow fever in China. This is recommended because the Chinese government mandates that some passengers from yellow fever affected areas are vaccinated, otherwise they will not be allowed to pass. If you are not from an affected area , Can not be vaccinated)
  • Malaria vaccine (Malaria), if you travel to subtropical regions.

Some vaccines may take as long as 6 months from the first vaccination to the time of immunization, so please vaccinate in advance. When visiting East Asian countries, a large number of recommended vaccines are repeated, so get vaccinated as soon as possible.

manner

UsuallyPower SystemsThe use is 220 volts/50 Hz. Generally supports two-pin Europe and North America, as well as three-pin Australian plugs. However, please read the voltage information on the device carefully to ensure that they accept 220V (twice the 110V used in many countries) before plugging in, otherwise it may cause burnout and permanent damage to equipment such as hair dryers and razors. damage. Universal extension cords that can handle various plug shapes (including the United Kingdom) are widely used.

For the name of a relatively long street, the middle word is usually used to indicate a part of the street. For example, Baima Street or Baima Road can be divided into Baima Road, Baima North Road, Baima Middle Road, and Baima South Road. In addition, "East" or "West" can also be used.

However, in some cities, these names do not indicate part of a street. For example inXiamen, Hubin North Road and Hubin South Road are parallel, running east-west on the north and south sides of the lake. existNanjing, Zhongshan Road, Zhongshan North Road and Zhongshan East Road are three independent main roads.

LaundryServices may be expensive or difficult to find. In some high-end hotels, the cost of washing each piece of clothing is RMB 10-30. Cheap hotels in some areas don’t even have laundry services, but in other areas, such as alongYunnanThis service is common for many tourist routes and is often free. In most areas, except for the central areas of big cities, you can find small shops where you can wash your clothes. The sign to look for on the gate is laundry, or clothes hanging from the ceiling. The cost is about RMB 2-5 per piece. In even the smallest cities, dry cleaners are widely distributed and can wash clothes, but in some areas, you will be stuck in the process of washing clothes by hand, which is time-consuming and tiresome, so you may choose to dry quickly For fabrics such as polyester or silk, if you do find a hotel with a laundry shop, they usually wash all the clothes together, even with other items in the hotel, so it’s best to carry light-colored clothes.

Prohibited on public buildings and public transportationSmokingExcept for some restaurants and bars (including KTV)-many of them are obviously smoking places, although many multinational restaurant chains prohibit smoking. These bans are enforced nationwide. Generally speaking,ShanghaiwithBeijingSmoking laws are the most stringent, while other places are more stringent. Many places (especially train stations, hospitals, office buildings and airports) will have smoking rooms. Some long-distance trains may have smoking areas at the end of each car.China's high-speed railway trains are all non-smoking. The facilities for non-smokers are often poor; in most restaurants, bars and hotels there will be no non-smoking areas except for high-end facilities, although many modern buildings have smoking systems that draw cigarette smoke out of the room through ceiling vents—— This means that smoke will not float indoors.

Public holidays in China deserve attention. Although you will never be alone among the most popular tourist attractions, including special mountainous areas, popular hikes on weekends and public holidays, these areas may be close to impassable due to local tourism. You might plan it as a contemplative hike, which might turn into a queue for more than an hour! Know the date of National Day and plan accordingly (See）。

communication

telephone

See:Mainland China telephone area code

There are three major state-owned telecom operators in mainland China: China Unicom, China Telecom and China Mobile. China Unicom and China Telecom cover both mobile phone and fixed phone business, while China Mobile only has mobile phone business (and after the merger with Tietong, it also has fixed phone business), it is the largest mobile operator in mainland China. However, in recent years, virtual operators have also begun to provide mobile communication services. The 170, 171, 173, and 176 numbers used by such operators are all dedicated numbers for virtual operators.

Larger hotels in China generally have IDD direct dial international calls, which can make international calls to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Many hotels have network cable interfaces, wireless Wi-Fi Internet access, voice message systems, video systems, etc., to achieve convenient and efficient communication services.

In terms of mobile communications, China Unicom mainly uses FDD-LTE, China Telecom uses FDD-LTE, and China Mobile only uses TD-LTE as the 4G standard. The signal coverage of various mobile operators is very wide.

Telecom fraud cases occur from time to time in China. If you receive an unfamiliar call or text message, do not transfer or make payment to the other party.

The internet

China Telecom and China Unicom are two typical operators with national backbone networks in China. Therefore, compared with other small operators, these two networks have better network performance and higher prices. Most hotel rooms have Internet connections, and many airports, shopping malls, restaurants and other public places also have wireless network coverage, but most of them need to go through steps such as mobile phone SMS verification before they can be used.

China’s Internet censorship is very strict, and some foreign websites may be blocked by the Great Wall Firewall (GFW). Facebook, Twitter, Google (including Wikipedia, YouTube) and other services are also among them (seeWebsites that have been blocked by the mainland), but some technologies (VPN) can bypass this kind of blockade. It is recommended that tourists in need download the corresponding software and configure it in advance (Google Play Store is also blocked in China, so Android device users must prepare in advance). Currently, there is no law in China that prohibits access to foreign websites by bypassing the network blockade.