CHINA
China is located in Asia and borders India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Mongolia and the Pacific Ocean. The distance from north to south is 3500 km and from east to west 5000 km. The climate in China has extremes from warm to cold. There is always a chance of rain, especially in the south. Towards the south the climate becomes warmer and in the mountains it is cooler than on the coast.The east of China is densely populated and there has been intensive agriculture for 5000 years. Chinese civilization developed in the valleys of 3 major rivers, the Yellow River, the Yangtze (Blue River) and the Xi Jiang (West River). The rivers are important waterways. Much of the country is mountainous and the Himalayan highlands lie on the western border.
China was already highly developed in the 5th century BC. The compass, gunpowder, the clock and printing are Chinese inventions that only became known in Europe centuries later.
Empires continued to exist for thousands of years. In 1911, the country became a republic. In 1921, the Chinese Communist Party was founded. After years of civil war, Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic of China in 1949. China followed the Russian socialist example, with little success.
After Mao’s death in 1976, Deng Xiao Ping began modernizing and industrializing China from 1978 onwards. The cities near the coast grew rapidly and became increasingly prosperous, but the farmers in the countryside lagged behind. There was mass migration to the cities. Chinese companies are building more and more ports and roads in poor countries in Africa and South America. In return, they receive mining concessions or tax breaks.
The former European colonies Hong Kong and Macau have a Western system but must eventually integrate into China.
The population of China consists of 56 ethnic groups. Customs, food and religion differ per region. The lunar calendar is used to determine national holidays. Number symbolism is important in daily life.
During Chinese New Year (January/February) everyone has a holiday and millions of people travel to their families. In July and August, public transport is extremely busy because students have a holiday.
There are different religions in China. Ancestor worship, Confucianism and Buddhism are the most important. There are minorities of Muslims and Christians. Hundreds of languages are spoken. The official language is Standard Mandarin.
There are many mines in the north of China. The country is rich in minerals and fertile agricultural land. The old capital is Xi’an (10 million inhabitants). The famous army of 8,000 terracotta soldiers, bronze chariots and horses were found nearby.
Today, Beijing is the capital (20 million inhabitants). It is a center of the metal and automotive industry.
Tiananmen Square or Tiananmen Square is known for student protests in 1989. The square is 880 x 500 meters. On the Gate of Heavenly Peace you can see a huge portrait of Mao Zedong. Behind it lies the Forbidden City from the 16th century. There are palaces where emperors and their court lived. Since 1925 it has been a museum. There are exhibitions of Chinese pottery, porcelain and clocks. You can walk around there all day and when you get tired, relax in the gardens. It is always busy in the Forbidden City, especially with Chinese visitors. When visiting museums and temples, you must show your passport.
East of the Forbidden City, you will find the night market on Wangfujing Street. This is a culinary paradise.
Beijing’s hutongs (old working-class neighborhoods) are also interesting. People live outdoors in narrow streets. In Nanluoguxian you will find boutiques, restaurants and cafes. The 798 Art District consists of old factory halls that are used as art galleries and studios. A visit to the market is often combined with a cooking class and a meal. The Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace are other sights in Beijing.
The Great Wall runs from east to west for thousands of kilometers and was intended to prevent invasions from the north. At Mutianyu, 2.5 km of the wall has been restored. There are elevators and stairs, the wall is 8 m high and 5 m wide and there are enormous watchtowers. It is the most famous landmark in China.
Eastern China has many cities with millions of inhabitants. Shanghai (23 million inhabitants) is the financial and business center of the country. Nanjing was the old capital of this region.
In southern China lies the Three Gorges Dam, a huge reservoir with a power station that was built from 1994 to 2006. The natural balance has been seriously disrupted, with negative consequences for agriculture.
There are two cities on the coast that have been foreign trading posts. Hong Kong was in British hands from the 18th century to 1997 and Macau was a Portuguese colony from 1557 to 1999.
Hong Kong is a super modern trading city that was British until 1997. Victoria Peak offers beautiful views of skyscrapers. On the edge of Hong Kong is a fishing village called Aberdeen Fishing Village. Hong Kong has its own laws and more economic freedoms than China. From Hong Kong you can take a day trip to Macau.
Shanghai (20 million inhabitants) is a port city with a mix of Asian and Western cultures. Colonial buildings have been preserved. Bund is a boulevard along the Huangu River with beautiful views of the skyline of Pudong. Nanjing Road is a shopping paradise. The Yuyuan Gardens were built in the 16th century. In parks and squares, thousands of people do Tai Chi exercises at sunrise. Also famous is the Jade Buddha Temple.
Zuzhou is a 2500 year old city with numerous canals and bridges.
In Luzhi you will see traditional teahouses and high arched bridges.
Hangzhou was the capital of China during the Song Empire. Along the lake are ancient pagodas and temples. The Buddhist Jinci Temple is over 1000 years old.
In the area surrounding the city of Guilin there are rice fields and mountains.
On the Li River you can see fishermen with bamboo rafts.
Wuyishan is located in the Wuyi Mountains with a great biodiversity and jagged limestone cliffs as you see in traditional Chinese pen drawings.
Xiamen is a Chinese port city not far from Taiwan. It is an atmospheric student city and the local cuisine uses a lot of shellfish, mushrooms and bamboo shoots.
In the southwest lies the province Hunan, where Mao Zedong was born in Shaoshan. In the province Fujian live the Hakka people. Their traditional round Tulou houses in the villages have thick walls of clay.
In the western province of Yunnan live several ethnic minorities.
The Silk Road is a network of international caravan routes from southern China via Tibet to Europe. Caravans already traveled to Rome before our era. Buddhism and Islam came to China from the west.
Because the distances in China are enormous, you can travel from Beijing to Hong Kong, for example, and visit other places along the way. Little English is spoken in China. Western social media is prohibited. A visa is required for some visitors. A group tour is the best option to see a lot of the country and understand the culture.
Do you want to visit the oldest culture in the world and the most modern major cities? Book a trip to China!
$1101,-
| Capital | Beijing (Peking) |
|---|---|
| Population | 1,350 million (Beijing (Peking) 20 million / Guangzhou (Canton) 14.8 million) |
| Language | Several languages, most spoken Mandarin Chinese/td> |
| Currency | Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY) |
| Visum vereist | www.visum.nl |
| Vaccinatie(s) | yes |
| Voltage | 220 V |
| Traffic | Left-hand traffic (Chinese license required) |
