China

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Chapter 13

• China

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China

• Country name People's Republic of China, China
• Capital Beijing
• Location Eastern Asia, bordering the East China
  Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea,
  between North Korea and Vietnam (its size is
  bigger than Europe 4th largest country in the
  world coming after Russia, Canada and United
  States)

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• Border countries Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma,
  Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea,
  Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Nepal,
  Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Vietnam
• Government type Communist state
• Population 1,286,975,468 (July 2003 est.). Most
  populated country (app. 1/6th of world
  population) in the world (followed by India and
  United States)

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• Languages Standard Chinese or Mandarin
  (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue
  (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou),
  Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka
  dialects, minority languages
• Administrative divisions 23 provinces and 4
  municipalities
• Religions Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim
  1-2, Christian 3-4
• GDP per capita purchasing power parity -
  4,700 (2002 est.) (127th in the world)

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• Industries iron and steel, coal, machine
  building, armaments, textiles and apparel,
  petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers,
  footwear, toys, food processing, automobiles,
  consumer electronics, telecommunications
• Currency yuan (CNY) (CIA, World Fact Book)

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Important Facts

• One of the top 5 destinations in the world (with
  France, Spain, US, and Italy as the 5th)
• 36,8 million international tourist arrivals
• 20,4 billion international tourism receipts
  (WTO, 2003)
• Coastline 14,500 km
• Terrain mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts
  in west plains, deltas, and hills in east (2/3
  of China is covered by mountains)

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• Climate extremely diverse tropical in south to
  subarctic in north (CIA, World Fact Book).

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Selling Points

• The Greta Wall, the terra-cotta warriors,
  acrobats, shopping, Hong Kong, Tibet, pandas,
  ancient instrumental music and Chinese opera,
  food, the Forbidden City and a diverse landscape
  (from mountains to desert).

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Very Brief History

• represents one of the earliest civilizations in
  the world (the oldest continuous major world
  civilization) has a recorded history of about
  3,600 years
• in its ancient history, several dynasties were
  present starting from the 21st century BC (Xia
  Dynasty)to 1911 AD (Qing Dynasty). The last
  dynasty was having power between 1644 to 1911

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• 13th century, northern part conquered by the
  Mongols
• between 1386 and 1644, Portuguese are permitted
  to settle in Macau
• 1839 1842, the First Opium War after the
  Chinese defeat, Hong Kong was ceded to Britain in
  1842 under the Treaty of Nanking
• 1856 1858, the Second Opium War after another
  defeat, Britain was granted a perpetual lease on
  the Kowloon Peninsula under the 1860 Convention
  of Beijing

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• in 1898, Britain executed a 99-year lease of the
  Hong Kong (and adjacent lands)
• between 1912 -1949, it was the Republic of China
  which sank between Nationalists and Communists.
  Foreign powers, missionaries and adventurers
  took  advantage of the situation. Japan invaded
  and occupied much of the country. After the war
  the Nationalists failed to resume power  and were
  defeated by the Communists. Many fled to Taiwan

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• in 1949, the People's Republic of China is
  founded and so China entred into the socialist
  stage in its history. After the communist
  takeover, hundreds of people emigrated from China
  to Hong Kong
• in 1955, Portugal declares Macau its colony
• in 1978, the Open Door  policy introduced to
  modernize the economy and welcome visitors from
  overseas.  Today, China is committed to economic
  reform and opening to the outside world

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• in 1987, Portugal and China declare that Macau
  will go back under Chinese administration on
  December 20, 1999
• 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong
  Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China. In
  the agreement, under its one country, two
  systems formula, China promise that it will not
  exercise its socialist economic system in Hong
  Kong

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Most Famous Cities

• Beijing (capital of the country)
• Hong Kong (special administration region)
• Shanghai (most populous city)
• Guangzhou (Canton) (most modern city)
• Xian (starting point of Silk Road, home of Qin
  Army Vault Museum)
• Lhasa (capital of Tibet, home of Dalai Lama)
• Suzhou (Soochow) (famous with 11th century
  gardens)
• Chengdu (71 meters tall worlds largest Buddha)

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Beijing (Peking)

• Forbidden City (14th century Imperial Palace
  with 6 palaces, 800 smaller buildings, 9000
  rooms)
• Summer Palace (wooded setting on a splendid lake
  with a marble replica of Mississippi riverboat)
• Tiannanmen Square - site of
• Monument to the Peoples Heroes (36-m obelisk)

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• Mao Zedongs Mausoleum
• the Great Hall of People (Congress Building)
• Museum of Chinese History
• Museum of Chinese Revolution
• Temple of Sleeping Buddha
• Tempe of Azure Clouds (with Diamond Throne
  Pagoda)
• Temple of Heaven (a large park with Hall of
  Prayer for Good Harvests)
• Grand View Garden (a theme park based on the
  famous Chinese novel the Dream of the Red
  Chamber)

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• Fragrant Hills Park (for a panoramic view)
• Friendship Store (government-run store)
• day trips to the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs

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Great Wall of China

• is 75 km far from Beijing
• built to defend China from the northern enemies
  started on the 3rd century BC re constructed
  between 3rd and 5th centuries AD
• stretches at least 6000 km
• interesting places to see the wall are
• en route to Chengdu (where there are double
  walls built in case enemies scaled the first
  one)
• near Shanhaiguan (where the wall meets the ocean)

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Hong Kong

• its territory consists of a mainland peninsula
  and more than 200 islands scattered around the
  China See
• became part of China in 1997, China has promised
  that, under its "one country, two systems"
  formula, China's socialist economic system will
  not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong
  will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
  matters except foreign and defense affairs for
  the next 50 years.

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• world financial capital, a city of rocky,
  mountainous terrain and limited space
• Places worth seeing include
• Victoria Harbor (or Fragrant Harbor abuzz with
  luxury liners, yachts, cargo ships and
  old-fashioned sampans)
• Aberdeen (south side of Hong Kong Island, best
  known with its Harbor, floating city and ship
  restaurants)
• Ocean Park (more than 400 fish species with
  trained dolphins and killer whales)

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• The Middle Kingdom (a theme park that re-creates
  the architecture/atmosphere of 13 Chinese
  dynasties spanning 5000 years)
• Central District in the Northern Hong Kong island
  (government and financial centers, remnants of
  old Hong Kong )
• Western District (interesting old streets)
• Victoria Peak (a trap goes up this hill, Peak
  Tower is a place for restaurants and shops)
• Kowloon (nine dragons) peninsula (most visitors
  stay here. Nathan Road and Golden Mile has best
  hotels)

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• Ladies Market and Temple Street Market (local
  bazaars)
• Po Lin Monastery (a Buddhist temple on Lantau
  Island)
• New Territories (north of Kowloon with
  traditional markets)
• Castle Peak (beaches and good restaurants)
• Sai Kung Peninsula (best seafood in Hong Kong)

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Macau

• turned to Chinese territory in 1999, like Hong
  Kong
• has a Mediterranean and Portugese flavor
• colonial architecture and temples are the main
  attractions
• gambling is also an important attraction, it is
  the playroom and bedroom of Hong Kong

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Xian (Sian)

• pronounced as SHE-on
• starting point of the Silk Road
• places to see include
• Qin Army Vault Museum (located 40 km east of
  town contains more than 8000 life-size ceramic
  soldiers, chariots and horses buried there 2200
  years ago to protect the tomb of the first
  emperor of China)

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• Banpo Museum (located 10 km away from town built
  around the actual site of 6000-yr-old Neolithic
  village)
• Great Mosque (used by the citys surprisingly
  large Muslim population)
• Big Wild Goose Pagoda (AD 625 most famous pagoda
  of China has great view from the top)

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Shanghai

• countrys most populous city (17 million)
• once considered the Paris of the Orient
• new buildings, subway and business districts are
  being constructed
• things to see include
• Shangai Municipal Museum (one of best historical
  art museum in the country)
• Huangpu River (for boat trips)
• Yu Yuan Market (oldest and largest in the city)
• Shangai Acrobats

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Guangzhou (Canton)

• most modern city of China
• places to see include
• Shamian Island (site of the White Swan Hotel and
  colonial architecture)
• Qingping Free Market (20 min walk from Swan
  Hotel a market where many Chinese shop for food
  - snakes, monkeys, cats etc.)
• Guangzhou Cultural Park (Chinese operas, acrobat
  and puppet shows, art exhibits, roler-skating)

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• Guangzhou Zoo (second largest zoo of China, has
  Pandas)
• Pearl River (to have boat trips)

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Chengdu

• capital of Sichuan region
• things to see include
• City zoo (one of the best places to see pandas,
  included rare red panda)
• worlds largest Buddha (71 m tall carved into
  the face of a cliff located south of Chengdu)

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Hangzhou

• West Lake (beautiful view like a painting)
• Lingyin Temple (Buddhist rock carvings)
• Silk Factory

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Guilin

• Li River (cruising on the beuatiful river is the
  most famous attraction)
• a place flooded with tourists

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Suzhou (Soochow)

• one of cities on the Grand Canal
• the city has a dozen Chinese gardens (from 11th
  century most famous of them is Lion Garden)

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Tibet

• until the early 1950s, Tibet was
  semi-independent, now fully under Chinese control
• Places to see include
• Lhasa (is the capital a dirty place sits at an
  elevation of 3660 meters)
• Barkhor Bazaar (hours can be spent by watching
  people)
• Jokhang (located in the midst of the bazaar has
  the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temples full of
  pilgrims)

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• Potala Palace (winter residence of Dalai Lama
  (who now is in exile since 1959 in India) an
  architectural wonder since it has thousands of
  rooms and built without use of a single nail)

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Things to Remember

• do learn to use chopsticks before going to China,
  or take your own fork
• dont be surprised if Tibetans stick tongues out
  at you. Its a friendly greeting
• Western hand signals are completely different
  from Chinese. Do learn to count to ten in Chinese