



For other places with the same name, see China (disambiguation).

Location [[File: china map Flag Quick Facts Capital Beijing Government Single-party state Currency yuan (¥, CNY) Area 9,596,960km² Population 1,357,380,000 (2013 estimate) Language Mandarin (Putonghua)

recognized regionally: Wu (Shanghaiese), Cantonese (Yue), Mindong (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages Religion Buddhist c. 80%, Daoist (Taoist), Confucian, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%, Atheist c. 10%. Most Chinese are religious pluralists, observing a mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist beliefs and philosophies, but not necessarily practising. The state is officially atheist. Electricity 220V, 50Hz (US Type A, European Type C and Australian Type I plugs) Country code +86 Internet TLD .cn Time Zone UTC +8 Emergencies dial 110 for police

119 for fire

120 for medical

Map of the People's Republic of China's territorial claims

China (中国; Zhōngguó), officially known as the Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó) is a huge country in Eastern Asia (about the same size as the United States of America) with the world's largest population.

With coasts on the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, it borders 14 nations (Afghanistan, Pakistan (through the disputed territory of Kashmir), India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam to the south; Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to the west; Russia and Mongolia to the north and North Korea to the east). This number of neighbouring states is equalled only by China's vast neighbour to the north, Russia.

This article only covers mainland China. For Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, please see their respective articles.

Understand [ edit ]

"I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge. I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there." — Confucius

The roughly 5000-year-old Chinese civilization has endured through millennia of tumultuous upheaval and revolutions, periods of golden ages and anarchy alike. Through the recent economic boom initiated by the reforms of Deng Xiaoping, China is once again one of the leading nations in the world, buoyed by its large, industrious population and abundant natural resources. The depth and complexity of the Chinese civilization, with its rich heritage, has fascinated Westerners such as Marco Polo and Gottfried Leibniz through the Silk Road and more ways of culture exchange in centuries past, and will continue to excite - and bewilder - the traveler today.

History [ edit ]

The recorded history of Chinese civilization can be traced to the Yellow River valley, said to be the 'cradle of Chinese civilization'. The Xia Dynasty was the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical chronicles, though to date, no concrete proof of its existence has been found. Nevertheless, archaeological evidence has shown that at the very least, an early-bronze-age Chinese civilization had developed by the period described.

The Shang Dynasty, China's first historically confirmed dynasty, and the Zhou Dynasty ruled across the Yellow River basin. The Zhou adopted a decentralized system of government, in which the feudal lords ruled over their respective territories with a high degree of autonomy, even maintaining their own armies, while at the same time paying tribute to the king and recognizing him as the symbolic ruler of China. It was also the longest-ruling dynasty in Chinese history, lasting about 800 years. Despite this longevity, during the second half of the Zhou period, China descended into centuries of political turmoil, with the feudal lords of numerous small fiefdoms vying for power during the Spring and Autumn Period, and later stabilized into seven large states in the Warring States period. This tumultuous period gave birth to China's greatest thinkers including Confucius, Mencius and Laozi, who made substantial contributions to Chinese thought and culture.

China was eventually unified in 221 BC by Qin Shi Huang, the 'First Emperor', and the Qin Dynasty instituted a centralized system of government for all of China, and standardized weights and measures, Chinese characters and currency in order to create unity. Up to today, the ideal of a unified and strong centralized system is still strong in Chinese thought. However, due to despotic and harsh rule, the Qin dynasty lasted for only 15 years as the Han Dynasty took over in 206 BC after a period of revolt. With the invention of paper and extensive trade with the West along the Silk Road, along with relatively benevolent imperial rule, the Han was the first golden age of Chinese civilization. Ethnic Chinese consider themselves to be part of the 'Han' race till this day.

The collapse of the Han Dynasty in 220 CE led to a period of political turmoil and war known as the Three Kingdoms Period, which saw China split into the three separate states of Wei, Shu and Wu. Despite lasting for only about 60 years, it is a highly romanticised period of Chinese history. China was then briefly reunified under the Jin Dynasty, before descending into a period of division and anarchy once again. The era of division culminated with the Sui, which reunified China in 581. The Sui were famous for major public works projects, such as the engineering feat of the Grand Canal, which linked Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south. Sections of the canal are still navigable today.

Bankrupted by war and excessive government spending, the Sui were supplanted by the Tang Dynasty, ushering in the second golden age of Chinese civilization, marked by a flowering of Chinese poetry, Buddhism and statecraft, and also saw the development of the Imperial Examination system which attempted to select court officials by ability rather than family background. Chinatowns overseas are often known as "Street of the Tang People" (唐人街 Tángrén jiē) in Chinese. The collapse of the Tang Dynasty once again saw China divided, until it was reunified by the Song Dynasty. This collapse was preceded by the secession and independence of Vietnam in 938 CE. The Song ruled over most of China for over 150 years before being driven south of the Huai river by the Jurchens, where they continued to rule as the Southern Song, and although militarily weak, attained a level of commercial and economic development unmatched until the West's Industrial Revolution. The Yuan (Mongol) dynasty first defeated the Jurchens, then proceeded to conquer the Song in 1279, and ruled their vast Eurasian empire from modern-day Beijing.

After defeating the Mongols, the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) re-instituted rule by ethnic Han. The Ming period was noted for trade and exploration, with Zheng He's numerous voyages to Southeast Asia, India and the Arab world. Initial contact with European traders meant China gradually reaped the fruits of the Colombian exchange, with silver pouring in by the galleon through trade with the Portuguese and Spanish. Famous buildings in Beijing, such as the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, were built in this period. The last dynasty, the Qing (Manchu) dynasty (1644-1911), saw the Chinese empire grow to it's current size, incorporating the western regions of Xinjiang and Tibet. The Qing Dynasty fell into decay in the final years to become the 'sick man of Asia', where it was divided by Western powers. The Westerners established their own treaty ports in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Tianjin. China lost several territories to foreign powers; Hong Kong and Weihai were ceded to the United Kingdom, Taiwan and Liaodong ceded to Japan, parts of the Northeast including Dalian and parts of Outer Manchuria to Russia, while Qingdao was ceded to Germany. Shanghai was divided between China and eight other countries. In addition, China lost control of its tributaries, with Korea and the Ryukyu Islands ceded to Japan.

The two-thousand-year-old imperial system collapsed in 1911, when Sun Yat-Sen (孙中山, Sūn Zhōngshān) founded the Republic of China (中华民国 Zhōnghuá Mínguó). Central rule collapsed in 1916 after Yuan Shih-kai, the second president of the Republic and self-declared emperor, passed away; China descended into anarchy, with various self-serving warlords ruling over different regions of China. In 1919, student protests in Beijing gave birth to the "May Fourth Movement" (五四运动 Wǔ Sì Yùndòng), which espoused various reforms to Chinese society, such as the use of the vernacular in writing, as well as the development of science and democracy. The intellectual ferment of the May Fourth Movement gave birth to the reorganized Kuomintang (KMT) in 1919 and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the French Concession in Shanghai, 1921.

After uniting much of eastern China under KMT rule in 1928, the CCP and the KMT turned on each other, with the CCP fleeing to Yan'an in Shaanxi in the epic Long March. From 1922-37, the eastern provinces of China grew economically under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek and his KMT government, with marked economic expansion, industrialisation and urbanisation. Shanghai became a truly cosmopolitan city, as one of the world's busiest ports, and the most prosperous city in East Asia, home to millions of Chinese and 60,000 foreigners from all corners of the globe. However, civil unrest, famines and warlord conflict afflicted the countryside.

Japan established a puppet state under the name Manchukuo in Manchuria in 1931, and invaded mainland China in 1937. After fleeing west to Chongqing, the KMT realized the urgency of the situation signed a tenuous agreement with the CCP to form a second united front against the Japanese. With the defeat of Japan in 1945, the KMT and CCP armies maneouvered for positions in north China, setting the stage for the civil war in the years to come. The civil war lasted from 1946-49 and ended with the Kuomintang defeated and fleeing to Taiwan where they hoped to re-establish themselves and recapture the mainland some day.

Mao Zedong officially declared the establishment of the People's Republic of China on 1 Oct 1949. The new Communist government implemented strong measures to restore law and order and revive industrial, agricultural and commercial institutions reeling from more than a decade of war. By 1955, China's economy had returned to pre-war levels of output as factories, farms, trade unions, civil society and governance were brought under CCP control. After initially hewing to the Soviet model of heavy industrialisation and comprehensive central economic planning, China experimented with adapting Marxism-Leninism to a largely agrarian society.

Massive social experiments such as the Hundred Flowers Campaign (百花运动 bǎihuā yùndòng), the Great Leap Forward (大跃进 dàyuèjìn), intended to collectivize and industrialize China quickly, and the Cultural Revolution (无产阶级文化大革命 wúchǎn jiējí wénhuà dà gémìng), aimed at changing everything by discipline, destruction of the "Four Olds," and total dedication to Mao Zedong Thought, rocked China from 1957-76. The Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution are generally considered to be massive failures in China. During the Cultural Revolution in particular, China's cultural heritage, including monuments, temples, historical artifacts, and works of literature sustained catastrophic damage at the hands of Red Guard factions. It was only due to the intervention of Zhou Enlai and the PLA that major sites, such as the Potala Palace, the Mogao Caves, and the Forbidden City escaped destruction during the Cultural Revolution.

Chairman Mao died in 1976, and in 1978, Deng Xiaoping became China's paramount leader. Deng and his lieutenants introduced neoliberal-oriented economic reforms and decentralised economic decision-making. Economic output quadrupled by 2000 and continues to grow by 8-10% per year, but bouts of inflation, regional income inequality, human rights abuses, ethnic unrest, massive pollution, rural poverty and corruption remain. While the larger cities near the coast like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have become affluent and modernised, much of the inland and and rural areas remain poor and underdeveloped. The former General Secretary of the Communist Party, Hu Jintao, has proclaimed a policy for a "Harmonious Society" (和谐社会 héxié shèhuì) which promises to restore balanced economic growth and channel investment and prosperity into China's central and western provinces, which have been largely left behind in the post-1978 economic boom. The current General Secretary of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, have pursued an ambitious policy of social reform, particularly income redistribution, poverty relief, and environmental improvements. Furthermore, an ambitious crackdown on corruption started by the previous administration has been expanded. Growth in China has finally slowed in recent years and seems to be leveling off.

Politics [ edit ]

China is a single-party socialist state ruled by the Communist Party of China. China has only experienced one open nation-wide election, in 1912. The government consists of an executive branch known as the State Council (国务院 Guó Wù Yuàn), as well as a unicameral legislature known as the National People's Congress (全国人民代表大会 Quánguó Rénmín Dàibiǎo Dàhuì). The nominal Head of State is the President (主席 zhǔxí, lit chairman), a largely ceremonial office with limited powers and the Head of Government is the Premier (总理 zǒnglǐ). In practice, while neither holds absolute power, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China holds the most power, while the Premier of the State Council is the second-most-powerful person in the country.

For administration, China is divided into 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 4 directly-controlled municipalities. Each of the provincial governments is given power over the internal, often economic, affairs of their provinces. Autonomous regions are given more freedom than regular provinces, one example of which is the right to declare additional official languages in the region besides Mandarin. In addition, there are the Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of Hong Kong and Macau. Both Hong Kong and Macau have separate legal systems and immigration departments from the mainland, and are given the freedom to enact laws separately from the mainland. Their political systems are more open and directly electoral in nature. Taiwan is also claimed by the PRC as a province, though no part of Taiwan is currently under the control of the PRC. Both governments support re-unification in principle and recently signed a trade pact to more closely link their economies, essentially removing the danger of war.

People and Habits [ edit ]

China has wide variations in culture, language, customs and economic levels. The economic landscape is particularly diverse. The major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai are modern and comparatively wealthy. However, about 40% of Chinese people still live in rural areas as of 2018 ; despite the fact that only 10% of China's land is arable. Some 200-300,000,000 former peasants have migrated to townships and cities in search of better employment opportunities and a better life altogether. World Bank estimates for 2015 reported that around 0.7% of the population or 10,000,000 people lived on less than US$2 a day. Generally, the coastal regions are more wealthy, while inland areas are less developed.

China has 56 officially recognized ethnic groups; the largest by far is Han Chinese, which comprise over 90% of the population. The other 55 groups enjoy affirmative action for university admission and exemption from the one-child policy. The Han, however, exhibit diverse regional cultures (although there are common Confucian and Taoist influences) and speak a wide variety of mutually unintelligible local "dialects", which most linguists classify as different languages using more or less the same set of Chinese characters. Many of the minority ethnic groups have their own languages as well. Many customs and deities are specific to individual regions and even villages. Celebrations for the lunar new year and other national festivals as well as customs related to the celebration of important occasions such as weddings, funerals and births vary from region to region. In general, contemporary urban Chinese society is rather secular and traditional culture is more of an underlying current in everyday life. Among ethnic minorities, the Zhuang, Manchu, Hui and Miao are the most numerous. Other notable ethnic minorities include: Koreans, Tibetans, Mongols, Uighurs, Kirghiz and even Russians. In fact, China is home to the largest Korean population outside of Korea and is also home to more ethnic Mongols than Mongolia itself. Many minorities have been assimilated to various degrees with the loss of language and customs or a fusing with Han traditions. However, the Tibetans and Uighurs fiercely defend their cultures.

Some behaviours that are quite normal in China may be somewhat jarring and vulgar for foreigners:

No spitting please

Spitting: in the street, shops, supermarkets, hotel lobbies, hallways, restaurants, on buses and even in hospitals. Traditional Chinese medical thought believes it is unhealthy to swallow phlegm. Spitting has declined considerably in more developed urban areas like Beijing and Shanghai since the SARS epidemic of 2002. However, in rural areas the habit persists.

Smoking: almost anywhere, including areas with "no smoking" signs including health clubs, football pitches and even hospitals. Few restaurants have non-smoking areas although Beijing now forbids smoking in most restaurants. Enforcement of smoking bans can vary, but with the exception of Hong Kong; they most likely will not be. Lower-class establishments often do not have ashtrays. Western restaurants seem to be the only ones who consistently enforce the ban. On local buses, trains, and subways, however, smoking is often prohibited and this is strictly enforced. Masks would be good idea for long-distance bus trips. It is perfectly common for someone to smoke in a lift, toilet, in a massage parlour, even in the hospital. This aspect of China may be shocking to foreigners.

Anyone who does not look Chinese will often be greeted "hello" or "laowai": lǎowài (老外) literally means "old outsider", a colloquial term for "foreigner"; the more formal term is wàiguórén (外国人). Calls of "laowai" are ubiquitous outside of the big cities (and even there, occasionally). Young children might also come up to you and try to speak English, as they rarely get a chance to practice with a native speaker. Dark skin discrimination is common in China, and light skin is culturally favored. Many young people, especially girls, apply cosmetics to make their skin look lighter.

Staring: This is common and originates from curiosity, almost never out of hostility. Don't be surprised if someone comes right up to you and just looks as if they are watching the TV, no harm done!

Drinking: It is quite common for older members to toast younger members when eating. It is considered extremely disrespectful to turn down the toast, even in good faith.

Loud conversations, noise, discussions or public arguments: These are common. Many mainland Chinese speak loudly in public (including in the early mornings) and it may be one of the first things you notice upon arrival. Loud speech usually does not mean that the speaker is angry or engaged in an argument (although obviously it can). Fighting, however, is uncommon. If you witness such an event, leave the vicinity and do not get involved. Foreigners are almost never targets in China and you will either be treated with respect or just ignored provided you don't act recklessly. The majority of violence or disrespect directed towards foreigners comes in the form of passive-aggressive comments or in being grossly overcharged for pretty much everything. Noise means life, and Chinese culture is community-based, so you may want to bring earplugs for long bus or train rides!

Table manners: In China, table etiquettes are different than in western countries. The following behavior is acceptable: lifting the bowl.

Pushing, shoving and/or jumping queues: This often occurs anywhere where there are queues and often there simply are no queues at all. Best bet is to pick a line that looks like it is moving or just wait for everyone to get on or off the bus or train first, but you may be left behind! Situations have improved in subway stations, where there are usually staff to keep people in line. The concept of personal space is much different in China. It is perfectly common and acceptable behaviour for someone to come in very close contact with you or to bump into you and say nothing, especially during rush hours when buses, trains, and subways are usually packed. Don't get mad as they will be surprised and most likely won't even understand why you are offended!

General disregard of city, provincial and/or national rules, regulations and laws. This includes reckless driving, (see Driving in China) such as speeding, not using head lights at night, lack of use of turn signals, and driving on the wrong side of the street, as well as jaywalking and smoking in non-smoking areas.

Sanitation: Many Chinese do not cover their mouths when sneezing. Small children (2-4 years old) sometimes urinate or defecate in public (in bushes, on public sidewalks, even at railway stations). Eliminating waste in public, however, is rare in major cities and frowned upon by the local population.

Some long-time foreign residents say such behaviours are getting worse; others say the opposite. The cause is usually attributed to the influx of millions of migrants from the countryside who are unfamiliar with urban life. Some department stores place attendants at the foot of each escalator to keep folks from stopping to have a look-see as soon as they get off even though the escalator behind them is packed. The above-mentioned situations have nonetheless been improving in recent years, especially in the cities.

The Chinese love a good laugh and because there are so many ethnic groups and outsiders from other regions, they are used to different ways of doing things and are quite okay with that (in big cities at least). Indeed the Chinese often make conversation with strangers by discussing differences in accent or dialect. They are accustomed to sign language and quick to see a non-verbal joke or pun wherever they can spot one. Laughter usually shows amusement, not scorn. The Chinese like a "collective good laugh" in circumstances that westerners might consider rude. Finally, the Chinese love and adore children, allow them a great deal of freedom, and heap attention upon them. If you have children, bring them!

Lucky Numbers [ edit ]

In general, 3, 6, 8, and 9 are lucky numbers for most of the Chinese. “Three” means “high above shine the three stars”, the three stars being the gods of fortune, prosperity and longevity. “Six” represents smoothness or success. Therefore many young people choose the 6th, 16th and 26th dates of the month as wedding dates. The word “Eight” sounds similar to the word for wealth, so many believe it to be linked to prosperity. In fact, the opening ceremony for the Olympics started at 8:08:08 on 08/08/2008. “Nine” is also regarded as lucky and meaning "everlasting".

“Four” is a taboo for most Chinese because the pronunciation in Mandarin is close to “death”. Some hotels' "fifth" floors are immediately above their third floors, much as some American hotels' floor numbers skip from twelve to fourteen, omitting the "unlucky" number 13.

Climate and Terrain [ edit ]

China's climate varies from tropical in the south to subarctic in the north. Hainan Island is roughly at the same latitude as Jamaica, while Harbin, a large northern city, is at roughly the latitude of Montréal and has the climate to match. Northern China has four distinct seasons with intensely hot summers and bitterly cold winters. Southern China tends to be milder and wetter. The climate is more arid in the north and west. In the Tibetan highlands and the vast steppes and deserts of Gansu and Xinjiang, distances are great and the land is often barren.

Back in the days of the planned economy, the rules stated that buildings in areas north of the Yangtze River received heat in the winter, but anything south of it did not — this meant unheated buildings in places like Shanghai and Nanjing, which routinely see temperatures below freezing in winter. The rule has long since been relaxed, but the effects linger. In general, Chinese use less heating, less building insulation, and wear warmer clothing than Westerners in comparable climates. In schools, apartment buildings and office buildings, even if the rooms are heated, the corridors are not. Double-glazing is rare. Students and teachers wear winter jackets in class and long underwear is common. Air conditioning is increasingly common but is similarly not used in corridors and is often used with the windows and doors open.

China's landscape ranges from mountain ranges, high plateaus, and deserts in the center and the far west to plains, deltas and hills in the east. The Pearl River Delta region around Guangzhou and Hong Kong and the Yangtze delta around Shanghai have thriving industry and commerce, as does the North China plain around Beijing and the Yellow River. On the border between Tibet and Nepal lies Mount Everest, at 8,850 m, the highest point on earth. The Turpan depression, in Xinjiang is the lowest point in the country, at 154 m below sea level. This is also the world's second-lowest point on land, after the Dead Sea.

Holidays [ edit ]

During holidays, hundreds of millions of migrant workers return home and millions of other Chinese travel within the country (but many in the service sector stay behind, enjoying extra pay). Travelers may want to consider scheduling to avoid being on the road, on the rails, or in the air during the major holidays. At the very least, travel should be planned well in advance. Every mode of transport is extremely crowded; tickets of any kind are hard to come by, and will cost a lot more, so book well in advance (especially to travel between remote western China and the coast). Train and bus tickets are easily purchased at other times, but are scarce during the holidays. Air tickets tend to sell out more slowly because of their higher prices and are still available to stranded tourists and air travel remains a comfortable mode of transportation. The new bullet-train network is nice, but the holidays bring overcrowded, smoke-filled, cold, loud and disorganized train depots making boarding hectic. The spring festival (Chinese New Year) is the largest annual migration of people on earth.

China has five major annual holidays:

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (春节 chūnjié) - late January/mid-February

or Spring Festival (春节 chūnjié) - late January/mid-February Qingming Festival — usually 4–6 Apr, or the tomb sweeping day, cemeteries are crowded with people who go to sweep the tombs of their ancestors and offer sacrifices. Traffic on the way to cemeteries can be heavy.

— usually 4–6 Apr, or the tomb sweeping day, cemeteries are crowded with people who go to sweep the tombs of their ancestors and offer sacrifices. Traffic on the way to cemeteries can be heavy. Labor Day or May Day (劳动节 láodòngjié) - 1 May

or May Day (劳动节 láodòngjié) - 1 May Dragon Boat Festival (端午节 duānwǔjié) - The fifth day of the fifth lunar month, usually May-Jun. Boat races and eating zongzi (粽子, steamed pouches of sticky rice) are a traditional parts of the celebration.

(端午节 duānwǔjié) - The fifth day of the fifth lunar month, usually May-Jun. Boat races and eating zongzi (粽子, steamed pouches of sticky rice) are a traditional parts of the celebration. Mid-Autumn Day (中秋节 zhōngqiūjié）- The 15th day of the eighth lunar month, usually in October. Also called the Moon Cake Festival after its signature treat, moon cakes (月饼 yuèbǐng). People meet outside, putting food on tables and gazing at the full harvest moon while talking about life.

(中秋节 zhōngqiūjié）- The 15th day of the eighth lunar month, usually in October. Also called the after its signature treat, moon cakes (月饼 yuèbǐng). People meet outside, putting food on tables and gazing at the full harvest moon while talking about life. National Day (国庆节 guóqìngjié) - 1 October

Nearly all workers get at least a week for Chinese New Year, some get two or three, and students get four to six weeks. For National Day, a week is typical.

The Chinese New Year is especially busy. Not only is it the longest holiday, it is also a traditional time to visit family, so many stores and other businesses close for several days, a week, or even longer. Most migrant workers leave the cities and return to the countryside. This is often the only chance they have. Everyone wants to go home, and China has a lot of "everyone"! Unless you have friends or relatives in China, it is not ideal to visit during this period.

Also, during early July over twenty million university students go home and in late August they return to school, jamming the transportation system especially between the east coast and the western regions of Sichuan, Gansu, Tibet and Xinjiang.

A complete list of Chinese festivals would be long since many areas or ethnic groups have their own. See listings for individual towns for details. Nationally important festivals not mentioned above include:

Lantern Festival (元宵节 yuánxiāojié or 上元节 shàngyuánjié) - The 15th day of the first lunar month, just after Chinese New Year, usually in February or March. In some cities, such as Quanzhou, this is a big festival with elaborate lanterns all over town.

Double Seventh Festival (七夕 qīxī) - The seventh day of the seventh lunar month, usually in August, is a festival of romance, sort of a Chinese Valentine's Day.

Double Ninth Festival or Chongyang Festival (重阳节 chóngyángjié) - The ninth day of the ninth lunar month, usually in October. This holiday is to honor elders.

Winter Solstice Festival (冬至 dōngzhì) - December 22 or 23.

In addition to these, some Western festivals are celebrated, at least in cities. Around Christmas, one hears carols — mostly English, a few in Latin, plus Chinese versions of "Jingle Bells", "Amazing Grace", and for some reason "Oh Susana". Some stores are decorated and one sees many shop assistants in red and white elf hats. For Valentine's Day, many restaurants offer special meals. Chinese Christians celebrate services and masses at officially sanctioned Protestant and Catholic churches as well.

Books [ edit ]

Non-guidebooks, either about China, or by Chinese writers.

Travel:

The Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo - the Venetian traveler's stories in the Middle Kingdom (see also: On the trail of Marco Polo)

by Marco Polo - the Venetian traveler's stories in the Middle Kingdom (see also: On the trail of Marco Polo) Dialogues Tibetan Dialogues Han by Hannü ( ISBN 9789889799939 ) - Tibet through the Tibetans with a Han traveler

by Hannü ( ) - Tibet through the Tibetans with a Han traveler Behind the Wall- A journey through China by Colin Thubron. Thubron recounts his 1987 travels through China, from Beijing to Jiayuguan.

Literature:

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck - The classic tale of Chinese peasant life at the turn of the twentieth century, by the author who kindled the American public's interest in China in the 1930's. Ms. Buck won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938 for the body of her work about China.

by Pearl S. Buck - The classic tale of Chinese peasant life at the turn of the twentieth century, by the author who kindled the American public's interest in China in the 1930's. Ms. Buck won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938 for the body of her work about China. Winter Stars by Beatrice Lao ( ISBN 988979991X ) - a collection of poems born between the Alps and the Tyrrhenian

by Beatrice Lao ( ) - a collection of poems born between the Alps and the Tyrrhenian Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义) - the classic Chinese novel of the heroic deeds of the generals and leaders of the three kingdoms following the collapse of the Han dynasty. Noted for its details of cunning military and political strategies. One of the Four Great Classics. It continues to inspire films, TV series, comics, and video games throughout East Asia.

(三国演义) - the classic Chinese novel of the heroic deeds of the generals and leaders of the three kingdoms following the collapse of the Han dynasty. Noted for its details of cunning military and political strategies. One of the Four Great Classics. It continues to inspire films, TV series, comics, and video games throughout East Asia. Water Margin or Outlaws of the Marsh (水浒传) - a Song Dynasty tale of bandits living in the Huai River Valley who fight against the corrupt government. Noted for the rebellious nature of its main characters against an established order. It's the Chinese version of "sticking it to the man". One of the Four Great Classics.

or (水浒传) - a Song Dynasty tale of bandits living in the Huai River Valley who fight against the corrupt government. Noted for the rebellious nature of its main characters against an established order. It's the Chinese version of "sticking it to the man". One of the Four Great Classics. Journey to the West (西游记) - perhaps the most famous Chinese novel, a fantasy account of Xuan Zang's Tang Dynasty journey to retrieve sacred Buddhist texts with the aid of the monkey king Sun Wukong, the gluttonous Zhu Bajie and dependable Sha Wujing. Noted for its creative fantasies and adventures. One of the Four Great Classics.

(西游记) - perhaps the most famous Chinese novel, a fantasy account of Xuan Zang's Tang Dynasty journey to retrieve sacred Buddhist texts with the aid of the monkey king Sun Wukong, the gluttonous Zhu Bajie and dependable Sha Wujing. Noted for its creative fantasies and adventures. One of the Four Great Classics. Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦) also known as The Story of the Stone (Penguin Classics, five volumes)- a lively account of aristocratic life in the Qing dynasty told through the stories of three powerful families. Noted for its accurate portrayal of Chinese aristocrats and the work is often regarded as the zenith of Chinese literature. One of the Four Great Classics.

History:

Twilight in The Forbidden City by R.F. Johnston ( ISBN 0968045952 ), also available in Kindle Edition. As the British-born Tutor to the Dragon Emperor, Johnston was the only foreigner in history to be allowed inside the inner court of the Qing Dynasty. Johnston carried high imperial titles and lived in both the Forbidden City and the New Summer Palace. Twilight in the Forbidden City reflects his eyewitness accounts of the memorable events of the time.

by R.F. Johnston ( ), also available in Kindle Edition. As the British-born Tutor to the Dragon Emperor, Johnston was the only foreigner in history to be allowed inside the inner court of the Qing Dynasty. Johnston carried high imperial titles and lived in both the Forbidden City and the New Summer Palace. Twilight in the Forbidden City reflects his eyewitness accounts of the memorable events of the time. The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence - a renowned book written by a Yale professor about Chinese history since 1644.

by Jonathan Spence - a renowned book written by a Yale professor about Chinese history since 1644. 1587, A Year of No Significance by Ray Huang - describes an uneventful year in the history of Ming Dynasty China. Its Chinese edition is one of the most well known history books on this period.

by Ray Huang - describes an uneventful year in the history of Ming Dynasty China. Its Chinese edition is one of the most well known history books on this period. China: A New History by John K. Fairbank - the last book of a prominent American academic that helped shape modern Sinology.

by John K. Fairbank - the last book of a prominent American academic that helped shape modern Sinology. The Cambridge History of China - an ongoing series of books published by Cambridge University Press covering the early and modern history of China. This is the largest and most comprehensive history of China in the English language.

- an ongoing series of books published by Cambridge University Press covering the early and modern history of China. This is the largest and most comprehensive history of China in the English language. The Open Empire: A History of China to 1600 by Valerie Hansen - presents in colorful detail the history, culture and socio-economic development of China from the Shang period to the Ming.

by Valerie Hansen - presents in colorful detail the history, culture and socio-economic development of China from the Shang period to the Ming. 1421, The Year China Discovered the World by Gavin Menzies ( ISBN 0553815229 ) - well-known but well-contested account of China's alleged efforts to explore and map the entire world. Interestingly, this book which suggests that the Chinese first discovered the New World is largely denounced as fictional by Chinese academics.

by Gavin Menzies ( ) - well-known but well-contested account of China's alleged efforts to explore and map the entire world. Interestingly, this book which suggests that the Chinese first discovered the New World is largely denounced as fictional by Chinese academics. The Sextants of Beijing by Joanna Waley-Cohen - a book that summarizes recent thinking on how China was much more open and less xenophobic than often assumed.

by Joanna Waley-Cohen - a book that summarizes recent thinking on how China was much more open and less xenophobic than often assumed. Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow - recounts the months that he spent with the Chinese Red Army in the summer and fall of 1936.

by Edgar Snow - recounts the months that he spent with the Chinese Red Army in the summer and fall of 1936. The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang ( ISBN 0140277447 ) - the forgotten Holocaust in WWII

by Iris Chang ( ) - the forgotten Holocaust in WWII The Good Man of Nanking: The Diaries of John Rabe by John Rabe - firsthand description of the sadistic rapes, torture and slaughter perpetrated by Japanese soldiers in WWII and Rabe's ultimate success in saving perhaps a quarter of a million lives

by John Rabe - firsthand description of the sadistic rapes, torture and slaughter perpetrated by Japanese soldiers in WWII and Rabe's ultimate success in saving perhaps a quarter of a million lives Wild Swans by Jung Chang ( ISBN 0007176155 ) - a biography of three generations, from the warlord days to the end of Mao's era, illustrating life under China's version of nationalism and communism (banned in China)

by Jung Chang ( ) - a biography of three generations, from the warlord days to the end of Mao's era, illustrating life under China's version of nationalism and communism (banned in China) Mao-An unknown story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. A biography of Mao and an account of China under his rule.

by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. A biography of Mao and an account of China under his rule. Red China Blues: My Long March from Mao to Now by Jan Wong, a reporter for the Globe and Mail of Toronto, Canada. The book describes her experiences as one of the first foreign-exchange students to study in China after the Cultural Revolution and her life and experiences as a reporter in China until the mid-1990s.

Cinema [ edit ]

Bernardo Bertolucci - The Last Emperor (1987)

(1987) Zhang Yimou - Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

(1991) Chen Kaige - Farewell My Concubine (1993)

(1993) Zhang Yimou - To Live (1994)

(1994) Wu Ziniu - Don't Cry, Nanking (1995)

(1995) Zhang Yimou - Keep Cool (1997)

(1997) Xie Jin - The Opium War (1997)

(1997) Zhang Yang - Shower (1999)

(1999) Feng Xiao Gang - Sorry Baby (1999)

(1999) Zhang Yimou - Not one less (1999)

(1999) Xiaoshuai Wang - Beijing bicycle (2001)

(2001) Zhang Yimou - Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005)

(2005) Gianni Amelio - La stella che non c’è or The Missing Star (2006)

or The Missing Star (2006) Zhang Yuan - Little Red Flowers (2006)

(2006) Daniel Lee - Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008)

(2008) Roger Spottiswoode - The Children of Huangshi (2008)

(2008) Wu Tianming - The King of Masks (1996)

Regions [ edit ]

For a complete list of provinces and an explanation of China's political geography, see: List of Chinese provinces and regions.

We cover Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in separate articles. From the practical traveller's point of view, they are distinct as each issues its own visas, currency and so on. Politically, Hong Kong and Macau are Special Administrative Regions, part of China but with capitalist economies and distinct political systems. The slogan is "One country, two systems". Taiwan is a special case. At the end of the civil war in 1949, the Communists held mainland China and the defeated Nationalists held only Taiwan and a few islands off the Fujian coast. That situation continues to this day; Taiwan has had a separate government for more than 60 years and as such, is governed "de-facto" independently. However, most world bodies do not recognize it as a sovereign state - amongst other factors, this may be attributed to the strong influence of the PRC government in this matter. Both governments in theory support eventual reunification of these "two Chinas", but there is also a significant pro-independence movement within Taiwan.





Cities [ edit ]

The entrance to the Forbidden City, Beijing

Below is a top ten list of some of those most important to travellers in mainland China. Other cities are listed under their specific regional section. See the Dynasties and capitals section for a detailed list of China's many previous capitals.

Beijing (北京) — the capital and cultural centre

Chengdu (成都) — "The home of giant pandas". It was established before Xi'an. It is the capital city of Sichuan Province and offers the best and the most spicy food.

Guangzhou (广州) — one of the most prosperous and liberal cities in the south, near Hong Kong

Guilin (桂林) — popular destination for both Chinese and foreign tourists with sensational mountain and river scenery

Hangzhou (杭州) — famously beautiful city and major centre for the silk industry

Kunming (昆明) — capital of Yunnan and gateway to a rainbow of ethnic minority areas

Nanjing (南京) — a renowned historical and cultural city with many historic sites

Shanghai (上海) — famous for its riverside cityscape, China's largest city is a major commercial center with many shopping opportunities

Suzhou (苏州) — "Venice of the East," an ancient city famous for canals and gardens just west of Shanghai

Xi'an (西安) — the oldest city and ancient capital of China, home to ten dynasties including the Han and the Tang, terminus of the ancient Silk Road, and home of the terracotta warriors

Yangzhou (扬州) — "Epitome of China" with a history of over 2,500 years, Marco Polo served as the city's governor for three years in the late 13th century.



You can travel to many of these cities using the new fast trains. In particular, the Hangzhou - Shanghai - Suzhou - Nanjing line is a convenient way to see these historic areas.

Other destinations [ edit ]

Great Wall of China (万里长城) — longer than 8,000 km, this ancient wall is the most iconic landmark of China

Hainan (海南) — a tropical paradise island undergoing heavy tourist-oriented development

Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve (九寨沟) — known as the habitat of giant pandas and for its many multi-level waterfalls and colourful lakes

Leshan — most famous for its huge riverside cliff-carving of Buddha and nearby Mount Emei

Mount Everest — straddling the border between Nepal and Tibet, this is the world's highest mountain

Mount Tai (泰山 Tài Shān) — one of the five Taoist sacred mountains in China, and because of its history, the most-climbed mountain in China

Tibet (西藏) — the Tibetan Buddhist majority and their traditional culture make it distinct

Turpan — in the Islamic area of Xinjiang, this area is known for its grapes, harsh climate and Uighur culture

Yungang Grottoes — more than 50 mountain-side caves and recesses number are filled with 51,000 Buddhist statues

Get in [ edit ]

Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to travel to China:

For 15 days

Brunei, Japan and Singapore.

For 30 days

For 60 days

For 90 days

Residents of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cuba, Georgia, Guyana, Laos, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, North Korea, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Vietnam must have their passports endorsed as "For public affairs" by the Chinese government in order to enter visa-free.

Visa-free stopover via international airports [ edit ]

Citizens of Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States/American Samoa are allowed a 144-hour visa-free stopover in Beijing/Tianjin/Shijiazhuang or Shanghai/Hangzhou/Nanjing or Dalian/Shenyang, or a 72-hour visa-free stopover in Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Guilin, Harbin, Kunming, Qingdao, Wuhan, Xi'an or Xiamen provided these conditions are met:

You must have a confirmed, onward ticket to a third country before you board your flight to China (your onward flight out of China does not need to be in the same booking/ticket as your flight to China). Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are considered "international flights" so you may fly there on a non-stop flight after your time in mainland China.

You cannot have a direct onward ticket to the same country from which you flew in, even if the cities are different (for example, New York-Beijing-Los Angeles would not qualify, but New York-Beijing-Hong Kong-Los Angeles would qualify).

You can stop over visa-free on both the outbound and return journeys of your itinerary (for example, London-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Beijing-London). In fact, you can stop over visa-free as many times as you want on any number of itineraries as long as your direct flight into mainland China was from a country different to the destination country of your direct onward flight out of mainland China.

You also must fly into and fly out of the same city and airport. Note: In Shanghai/Hangzhou/Nanjing, it is allowed to travel into and out of any airport (or land/sea border) in the three cities (for example, into Shanghai Pudong and out of Hangzhou, or into Shanghai Pudong and out of Shanghai by direct cross-border train to Hong Kong). Similarly, in Beijing/Tianjin/Shijiazhuang/Qinhuangdao, it is possible travel into and out of any airport (or land/sea border) in the four cities. Also, in Dalian/Shenyang, travel into and out of any airport (or land/sea border) in the two cities is permited.

The 144- or 72-hour period begins at 00:01 the day after your arrive (except in Guilin, Harbin and Kunming, where the 72-hour period begins at the scheduled arrival time of your flight). For example, if arriving in Shanghai at 06:00 on 1 January, one can stay until 23:59 on 7 January, but if arriving in Kunming at 06:00 (scheduled flight arrival time) on 1 January, staying is only permited until 06:00 on 4 January.

If you use the 72-hour visa-free stopover, you may not leave the metropolitan area of the city you arrive in (except for stopovers in Guangzhou, where you are permitted to travel anywhere within Guangdong Province during the stopover period). For example: You cannot fly into Beijing, take another flight to Shanghai or Guangzhou and leave China from there under the 72-hour transit rule. However, if you use the 144-hour visa-free stopover in Shanghai/Hangzhou/Nanjing, you can move freely within the whole of Shanghai Municipality, Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province. Similarly, if you use the 144-hour visa-free stopover in Beijing/Tianjin/Shijiazhuang/Qinhuangdao, you can move freely within the whole of that area (including Hebei Province). If you use the 144-hour visa-free stopover in Dalian/Shenyang, both cities may be visited.

There is no minimum required time you need to spend in the third country (for example, if your itinerary is London-Shanghai-Hong Kong-Beijing-London, as long as you were physically present in Hong Kong after flying from Shanghai and before flying into Beijing, you would qualify for visa-free stopovers in Shanghai and Beijing).

More details can be found here: [7]. There is also a dedicated discussion and wiki-style summary on China's visa-free stopover policies in the FlyerTalk forum.

If you do not qualify for the 144 or 72 hour visa-free stopover (for example, if you are not flying into or out of one of the qualifying airports, or if you are not a citizen of one of the qualifying countries), you may be able to avail of the 24 hour visa-free stopover instead. This is available at all airports in China served by international flights (except for Fuzhou, Mudanjiang, Shenzhen and Yanji airports, and available at Urumqi airport only if you spend no more than two hours in Urumqi). The 24-hour period begins from your scheduled flight arrival time, until your scheduled flight departure time. For the 24-hour visa-free stopover, there are no territorial restrictions on your movement within mainland China (except Tibet) during your stopover, and you are not required to fly out of the same airport as the one you flew into. For example, if you arrive in Beijing at 06:00, you can travel to another city and fly out of another airport as long as your scheduled departure time is before midnight of the next day.

Pearl River Delta [ edit ]

Those visiting Hong Kong and Macau are able to visit the Pearl River Delta visa-free under certain conditions.

The visitor is a national of a country which has diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China

The visitor is visiting the Pearl River Delta as part of a tour group organised by a Hong Kong- or Macao-based travel agency.

The stay is six days or less (21 days for citizens of Germany, South Korea and Russia)

The visitor stays only within the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and Shantou.

Tour group [ edit ]

Citizens of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia and Turkmenistan can visit visa-free for 30 days, if traveling with a tour group that is accompanied by a representative of a tour operator registered in both countries.

Only the special economic zone province of Hainan allows visa-free access to mainland China for 15 days for nationals of the following countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. As long as they are visiting as part of a Chinese-government-controlled agency in Hainan with five or more people. Nationals of Germany, Russia and South Korea can enter visa-free for 21 days with a tourist group of two or more people.

Border Cities [ edit ]

Citizens of Russia can visit the city of Suifenhe visa-free for up to 15 days, if accompanied by someone. Residents of the Amur oblast can visit the city of Heihe visa-free for 24 hours.

Residents of the East Kazakhstan Region in Kazakhstan can visit the city of Tacheng without a visa for 72 hours.

Visa [ edit ]

Most travellers will need a visa (签证 qiānzhèng) to visit mainland China. In most cases, this should be obtained from a Chinese embassy or consulate before departure. Visas for Hong Kong and Macau can be obtained through a Chinese embassy or consulate, but must be applied for separately from the mainland Chinese visa. However, citizens from most western countries do not need visas to visit Hong Kong and Macau. Visitors from most western countries can stay in Hong Kong with a free visa for 7 to 90 days. The duration depends on the traveller's country of origin. However, people from Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cuba and Ethiopia need to apply for a visa for Hong Kong before they travel.

The most notable exception to this rule is transit through certain airports. Most airports allow a 12- to 24-hour stay without a visa so long as you do do not pass through immigration and customs (stay airside) and are en-route to a different country.

To visit mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau residents of Chinese nationality need to apply at the China Travel Service, the sole authorized issuing agent, to obtain a Home Return Permit (回乡证), a credit-card-sized ID allowing multiple entries and unlimited stay for ten years with no restrictions including on employment. Taiwan residents may obtain an entry permit (valid for three months) at airports in Dalian, Fuhzou, Haikou, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen and China Travel Services in Hong Kong and Macau. Visitors must hold a Republic of China passport, Taiwanese Identity Card and Taiwan Compatriot Pass (台胞证 táibāozhèng). The Compatriot Pass may be obtained for single use at airports in Fuzhou, Haikou, Qingdao, Sanya, Wuhan and Xiamen. The entry permit fee is ¥100 plus ¥50 for issuing a single-use Taiwan Compatriot Pass. Travellers should check the most up-to-date information before traveling.

Visa overview

C visa - international flight crews

- international flight crews D visa - permanent residents

- permanent residents F visa - business trips, exchanges, and study trips

- business trips, exchanges, and study trips G visa - transit

- transit J visa - journalists, incl. J-1 and J-2 visa types

- journalists, incl. J-1 and J-2 visa types L visa - for general visitors

- for general visitors M visa - trade and commercial activities

- trade and commercial activities Q visa - overseas Chinese or foreigners visiting for family reunions, incl. Q-1 and Q-2 visa types

- overseas Chinese or foreigners visiting for family reunions, incl. Q-1 and Q-2 visa types R visa - foreigner workers urgently needed within the mainland

- foreigner workers urgently needed within the mainland S visa - foreigners visiting for family reunions, incl. S-1 and S-2 visa types

- foreigners visiting for family reunions, incl. S-1 and S-2 visa types X visa - for students, incl. X-1 and X-1 visa types

- for students, incl. X-1 and X-1 visa types Z visa - foreign workers



Getting a tourist visa is fairly easy for most passports as you don't need an invitation, which is required for business or working visas. The usual tourist single-entry visa is valid for a visit of 30 days and must be used within three months of the date of issue. A double-entry tourist visa must be used within six months of the date of issue. It is possible to secure a tourist visa for up to 90 days for citizens of some countries.

Tourist visa extensions can be applied for at the local Entry & Exit Bureaus against handing in the following documents: valid passport, visa-extension application form including one two-inch-sized picture, and a copy of the Registration Form of Temporary Residence which is received from the local police station at registration.

Some travellers will need a dual-entry or multiple-entry visa. For example, when entering China on a single-entry visa, then departing the mainland to Hong Kong or Macau, a new visa to re-enter the mainland is needed. In Hong Kong, multiple-entry visas are officially available only to HKID holders, but the authorities are willing to bend the rules somewhat and may approve three-month multiple-entry visas for short-term Hong Kong qualified residents, including exchange students. It is recommended to apply directly with the Chinese government in this case, as some agents will be unwilling to submit such an application on your behalf.

Holders of multiple-entry visas must leave China to renew the visa. The easiest way was to go to Hong Kong, Seoul or some other country, cross the border and re-enter China. A new way is to go to Xiamen and cross to Jinmen island. Jinmen is held by Taiwan and like Hong Kong is officially considered leaving China. See details of below on boats to China.

There may be restrictions on visas for political reasons and these vary over time. For example:

The visa fee for American nationals was increased to US$140 (or US$110 as part of a group tour) in reciprocation for increased fees for Chinese nationals visiting America. [8]

Visas issued in Hong Kong are generally limited to 30 days, same-day service is difficult to get. Multiple-entry visas have also become more difficult or impossible to get.

Indian nationals are limited to 10- or 15-day tourist visas, and are required to show US$100 per day of visa validity in the form of traveller's checks (US $1,000 and $1,500, respectively).

Currently a Z-visa only gets you into the country for 30 days; once you are there, the employer arranges a residence permit. This is effectively a multiple-entry visa; you can leave China and return using it. Some local visa offices will refuse to issue a residence permit if you entered China on a tourist (L) visa. In those cases, you have to enter on a Z-visa. These are only issued outside China, so obtaining one will likely require a departure from the mainland, for example to a neighbouring country. (Note that in Korea, tourists not holding an alien registration card must now travel to Busan, as the Chinese consulate in Seoul does not issue visas to non-residents in Korea.) They also usually require an invitation letter from the employer. In other cases it is possible to convert an L visa to a residence permit; it depends upon which office you are dealing with and perhaps on your employer's connections.

It is possible for most foreigners to get a visa in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. . (Dec 2010) Reservations for travel and hotel are acceptable. During busy periods, they may refuse entry after 11:00. There can be long queues, so arrive early. Also be aware of major Chinese holidays, the Consular Section may be closed for several days.

Special Economic Zone Visa [ edit ]

Obtaining a Visa on Arrival is possible usually only for the Shenzhen or Zhuhai Special Economic Zones, and such visas are limited to those areas. When crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen at Lo Wu railway station, and notably not at Lok Ma Chau, a five-day Shenzhen-only visa can be obtained during extended office hours on the spot for ¥160 (Oct 2007 price) for passport holders of many nationalities, for example Irish or New Zealand or Canadian. Americans are not eligible, while the fee for UK nationals is ¥450. The office accepts only Chinese yuan.

Any non-Chinese citizen must have a Tibet Travel Permit in order to enter Tibet. This permit is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, and will be checked when boarding any bus, train or aircraft bound for the TAR. However, the only way to obtain a Tibet Travel Permit is to arrange a tour operated by a Tibet travel agent which at least includes hotels and transportation. Foreigners are also not permitted to travel by public buses across Tibet and are only allowed to travel by private transportation as organised in the tour. Moreover, if entering Tibet from Nepal, one must also have joined a group tour and be only allowed on a group visa. The Tibet Travel Permit has to be handed in to the tour guide upon arrival in the airport or train station, and to tour guide will keep the permit until the traveler leaves the TAR. The Tibet Travel Permit is also required by Taiwanese holding a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, but it is not required for Chinese citizens from Hong Kong or Macao holding a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao residents.

Registering your abode [ edit ]

If staying in a hotel, guest house or hostel, the staff will request to see, and often scan, your passport, visa, and entry stamps at check-in.

When staying in a private residence, in theory it is required to register the abode with the local police within 24 (city) to 72 (countryside) hours of arrival, though in practice the law is rarely, if ever, enforced so long as you don't cause any trouble. The police will ask for (1) a copy of the photograph page of your passport, (2) a copy of your visa, (3) a copy of your immigration entry stamp, (4) a photograph, and (5) a copy of the tenancy agreement or other document concerning the place you are staying in. That agreement might not be in your name but it will still be requested.

Registration needs to be done each time you come into China (except for resident permit holders - they should register only after a new visa is issued)

A fine of up to ¥500 can be levied for not registering within 24 hours.

The process lasts more than three hours and it is better to come with an interpreter. (In Shanghai this is not required of holders of residence permits of any kind, only for visa holders)

By plane [ edit ]

The main international gateways to mainland China are Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Almost every sizable city will have an international airport, but options are usually limited to flights from Hong Kong, neighbouring countries such as South Korea and Japan, and sometimes Southeast Asia.

Transiting Hong Kong and Macau

If arriving in Hong Kong or Macau there are ferries that can shuttle passengers straight to another destination such as Shekou or Bao'an Airport in Shenzhen, Macau Airport, Zhuhai and elsewhere without actually "entering" Hong Kong or Macau. A shuttle bus takes transit passengers to the ferry terminal so their official entry point, where they clear immigration, will be the ferry destination rather than the airport. Please note that the ferries do have different hours so landing late at night may make it necessary to enter either territory to catch another bus or ferry to one's ultimate destination. For example, it would be necessary to clear immigration if going from Hong Kong International Airport to Macau via the Macau Ferry Terminal. The most recent information on the ferries to Hong Kong can be found at the Hong Kong International Airport website.[9]



While many major airlines now fly to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, budget seats are often scarce. For good offers, book as early as possible. Tickets are particularly expensive or hard to come by at the beginning or end of summer when Chinese students abroad return home or fly back to their universities around the world. As with other travel in China, tickets are scarce and expensive around Chinese New Year.

Hong Kong-based Cathay Dragon offers discounted companion fares [10] on return flights between Hong Kong and mainland China when traveling in a group of two to six people (the return journey must be no later than seven days after the outbound journey).

If you live in a city with a sizable overseas Chinese community, check for cheap flights with someone in that community or visit travel agencies operated by Chinese. Sometimes flights advertised only in Chinese newspapers or travel agencies cost significantly less than posted fares in English. The same discount price is available if requested.

See also: Discount airlines in Asia

Information: As a result of the H1N1-flu pandemic there are some kinds of health-checks currently in effect. These may be as simple as a customs person judging your appearance to IR-cameras checking for elevated body temperature. If there is a suspicion of flu, you will be quarantined for seven days.

Airlines and Routes

China's carriers are growing rapidly. Airbus estimates the size of China's passenger aircraft fleet will triple from 1,400 planes in 2009 to 4,200 planes in 2029.

Major domestic airlines include Air China, China Southern [11], China Eastern [12], Hainan Airlines [13], and Xiamen Airlines [14].

Fliers may prefer Asian airlines as they generally have more cabin staff and quality service. Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific [15] is an obvious possibility. Other candidates include Singapore Airlines [16], Japan Airlines [17], and Garuda Indonesia [18]. Korean Air [19] often has good prices on flights from various places in Asia such as Bangkok via Seoul to North America. Connecting flights may be cheaper than direct flights. Korean Air also flies to more than a dozen Chinese cities.

North America: Delta Air Lines [20] serves both Beijing and Shanghai directly from its Detroit and Seattle hubs in addition to Atlanta and Los Angeles (Shanghai only). United [21] has the most nonstop flights, serving Hong Kong, Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai from Chicago, San Francisco, Newark, and Washington. American [22] flies nonstop to Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong from Los Angeles and Dallas. Air Canada [23] serves Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong from Toronto and Vancouver.

Australia: Qantas [24] offers direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to Hong Kong. Qantas also flies to Beijing and Shanghai from Sydney but only offers a code-share service to Shanghai from Melbourne. There may be cheaper flights via Southeast Asia; some of the discount airlines there fly to Australia. China Southern Airlines now offers direct flights from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne to Guangzhou with ongoing connections to the major cities.

New Zealand: Air New Zealand [25] offers direct flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong. China Southern Airlines now offers direct flights from Auckland to Guangzhou with ongoing connections to the major cities.

Europe: Most of the major European airlines, including Air France [30], Turkish Airlines [31], British Airways [32], and Finnair [33] have direct flights from their hubs to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai; several fly to Guangzhou as well. A few have links to other Chinese cities. For example KLM [34]flies direct from Amsterdam to Chengdu, Hangzhou and Xiamen and Lufthansa [35] flies a Frankfurt to Nanjing route.

Taiwan: Regular direct flights between Taiwan and mainland China resumed in 2008, after a 59-year ban. There are now daily direct flights between Taipei and major cities in China.

By train [ edit ]

China can be reached by train from some of its neighboring countries and even all the way from Europe.

Russia and Europe - two lines of the Trans-Siberian Railway (Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian) run between Moscow and Beijing, stopping in various Russian cities, and for the Trans-Mongolian, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

Kazakhstan and Central Asia - Almaty, Kazakhstan is connected by rail to Urumqi in Xinjiang. There are long waits at the border crossing for customs, as well as for changing the wheelbase for the next country's track.

Hong Kong - regular services link mainland China with Hong Kong. Direct trains run from Hong Kong's Hung Hom direct to Guangzhou East station. Immigration is done at the respective station rather that at the border. Some trains also stop at other Guangdong stations. The Hong Kong MTR runs from the city to two points on the Shenzhen border. The main border crossing is at Lo Wu/Luo Hu, which is next to Shenzhen's main station.

Vietnam - from Nanning in Guangxi province into Vietnam via the Friendship Pass. Services from Kunming have been suspended since 2002.

North Korea - four weekly connections between the North Korean capital Pyongyang and Beijing.

By road [ edit ]

China has land borders with 14 countries; a number matched only by its northern neighbour, Russia. In addition, mainland China also has land borders with the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, which are for all practical purposes treated as international borders. Most of the border crossings in western China are located in remote mountain passes, which while difficult to reach and traverse, often reward travellers willing to make the effort with breathtaking, scenic views.

India [ edit ]

Relations between the two nations are frosty, but the Nathu La Pass between Sikkim in India and southern Tibet has recently reopened for cross-border trade. Currently the crossing is not open to tourists, and special permits are required to visit from either side.

Myanmar (Burma) [ edit ]

Entering China from Myanmar is possible at the Ruili (China)-Lashio (Myanmar) border crossing, but permits need to be obtained from the Burmese authorities in advance. Generally, this would require joining a guided tour.

Vietnam [ edit ]

For most travelers Hanoi is the origin for any overland journey to China. There are currently three international crossings:

Dong Dang (V) - Pingxiang (C)

Local buses ply from Hanoi's eastern bus station (Ben Xe Street, Gia Lam District, tel: 04/827-1529) to Lang Son, from where minibuses and motorbikes continue the journey to the border at Dong Dang. Alternatively there are many offers from open-tour providers; for those in a hurry, they might be a good option if they offer a direct hotel-to-border-crossing transfer.

There are freelance money changers, but check the rate carefully beforehand.

Border formalities take about 30 minutes. On the Chinese side, walk up past the "Friendship-gate" and catch a taxi (about ¥20, bargain hard) to Pingxiang, Guangxi. A seat in a minibus is ¥5. There is a Bank of China branch right across the street from the main bus station; the ATM accepts Maestro cards. Buses and trains operate to Nanning.

Lao Cai (V) - Hekou (C)

There is an eight-hour train trip from Hanoi to Lao Cai in a soft sleeper. From there, it's a long walk (or a five minute ride) to the Lao Cai-Hekou border. Crossing the border is simple, fill out a customs card and wait in line. They will search your belongings (in particular your books/written material). Outside the Hekou border crossing is a variety of shops, and the bus terminal is about a ten-minute ride from the border. A ticket for the seven-hour Hekou to Kunming ride costs about ¥140.

Mong Cai (V) - Dongxing (C)

At Dongxing, there is a bus to Nanning, a sleeper bus to Guangzhou and a sleeper bus to Shenzhen (12 hours).

Laos [ edit ]

From Luang Namtha a bus leaves at around 08:00 going to Boten (Chinese border) and Mengla. A Chinese visa must be obtained beforehand as there is no way to get one on arrival. The border is about one hour away. Customs procedures will take another hour. The trip costs about 45k Kip.

Also, there is a direct Chinese sleeper-bus connection from Luang Prabang to Kunming (about 32 hours). This bus can be boarded at the border, when the minibus from Luang Namtha and the sleeper meet. Don't pay more than ¥200.

Pakistan [ edit ]

The Karakoram Highway from northern Pakistan into western China is one of the most spectacular roads in the world. It's closed for tourists for a few months in winter. Crossing the border is relatively quick because of few overland travelers, and friendly relations between the two countries. A bus runs between Kashgar (China) and Sust (Pakistan) across the Khunjerab pass.

Nepal [ edit ]

The road from Nepal to Tibet passes through amazing mountain scenery. Entering Tibet from Nepal is only possible for tourists on package tours, but it is possible to travel into Nepal from Tibet.

Mongolia [ edit ]

There are two Mongolian border crossings, Erenhot (Inner Mongolia)-Zamin Uud and Takashiken (Xinjiang)-Bulgan.

From Zamiin Uud. Take a local train from Ulaanbaatar to Zamiin Uud. Then bus or jeep to Erlian in China. Local evening trains depart on most days and arrive in the morning. The border opens around 8:30. From Erlian there are buses and trains to elsewhere in China.

Kazakhstan [ edit ]

Khorgos is the only border crossing. Buses run almost daily from Almaty to Urumqi and Yining. No visa-on-arrival is available, so ensure both your Chinese and Kazakh visas are in order before attempting this.

Kyrgyztan [ edit ]

It is possible to cross the Torugart pass to/from Kyrgyztan, but the road is rough and the pass is only open from June to September. It is possible to arrange crossings all the way from Kashgar, but ensure that visas are in order.

Alternatively, while less scenic, a smoother crossing is located at Irkeshtam to the south of Torugart. Public sleeper buses ply this 24-hour route between Kashgar and Osh a few times weekly.

Tajikistan [ edit ]

Kulma is the only border crossing and is open on weekdays from May-November. A bus operates across the border between Kashgar in Xinjiang and Khorog in Tajikistan. However, its use is currently limited to Chinese and Tajiks.

Russia [ edit ]

The most popular border crossing is at Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia. Buses run from Manzhouli to Zabaikalsk in Russia. There are also ferries across the Amur from Heihe to Blagoveshchensk, and Fuyuan to Khabarovsk. Farther east, there are land border crossings at Suifenhe, Dongning and Hunchun. Ensure both your Russian and Chinese visas are in order before attempting.

North Korea [ edit ]

Crossing overland into North Korea is possible at the Dandong-Sinuiju border crossing, but must be pre-arranged as part of a guided tour from Beijing. In the reverse direction, the crossing is fairly straightforward if you have arranged it as part of your North Korean tour. Several other border crossings also exist along the Yalu and Tumen rivers, though these crossings may not be open to tourists. Tourists are currently able to use the Tumen-Namyang and Quanhe-Wonjong crossings across the Tumen River between China and North Korea. Ensure both your Chinese and North Korean visas are in order before attempting this.

Hong Kong [ edit ]

There are four road border crossings into the mainland from Hong Kong at Lok Ma Chau, Sha Tau Kok, Man Kam To and the Shenzhen Bay Bridge. A visa on arrival is available for some nationalities at Lok Ma Chau, but visas must be arranged in advance for all other crossings. Both sides on the above crossings offer good connections to many places.

Macau [ edit ]

The two border crossings are at the Portas do Cerco and the Lotus Bridge. A visa-on-arrival can be obtained by certain nationalities at the Portas do Cerco.

Others [ edit ]

It is currently not feasible for travellers to cross the borders with Afghanistan and Bhutan.

By boat [ edit ]

Hong Kong and Macau [ edit ]

There is regular ferry and hovercraft service between Hong Kong and Macau and the rest of the Pearl River Delta, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai. Ferry service from Hong Kong International Airport allows arriving passengers to proceed directly to the mainland without having to clear Hong Kong immigration and customs.

Japan [ edit ]

There is a two-day ferry service from Shanghai and Tianjin to Osaka, Japan. Service is once or twice weekly, depending on season.

A twice-weekly ferry also connects Qingdao to Shimonoseki.

A once-weekly ferry between Shanghai and Nagasaki has recently started[36].

South Korea [ edit ]

There is a ferry service from Shanghai and Tianjin to Incheon, a port city near Seoul. Other routes connect Qingdao, Weihai and Dalian to Incheon.

Taiwan [ edit ]

Hourly ferries (18 departures per day) run between Kinmen and Xiamen, with a journey time of either 30 minutes or an hour depending on the port. There are three daily ferries between Kinmen and Quanzhou. A twice-daily ferry links Matsu with Fuzhou, with a journey time of two hours. From the Taiwanese main island, there are weekly departures from Taichung and Keelung aboard the Cosco Star to Xiamen.

Thailand [ edit ]

Golden Peacock Shipping company operates a speedboat three times a week on the Mekong River between Jinghong in Yunnan and Chiang Saen (Thailand). Passengers are not required to have visas for Laos or Myanmar, although the greater part of the trip is on the river bordering these countries. The ticket costs 650 yuan.

Cruise ship [ edit ]

In the fall, several cruise lines move their ships from Alaska to Asia and good connections can generally be found leaving from Anchorage, Vancouver or Seattle. Star Cruises operates between Keelung in Taiwan and Xiamen in mainland China, stopping at a Japanese island on the way.

Get around [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ]

China is vast, so unless you enjoy spending a couple of days on the train or on the road getting from one place to another, consider domestic flights. Flights connect all the major cities and tourist destinations. Airlines include the three international carriers: Air China, China Southern and China Eastern, as well as regional ones including Hainan Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and Shanghai Airlines. In recent years, it has been popular for large cities and provinces to open their own (dubiously funded) airline. These include Chongqing Airlines, Chengdu Airline and Hebei Airlines, amongst others. The parent company behind Hainan Airlines has spawned some 13 airlines in the region, including Grand China Air, Yangtse Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Deer Jet.

Flights between Hong Kong or Macau and mainland cities are considered to be international flights and so can be quite expensive. Hence if arriving in, or departing from, Hong Kong or Macau, it is usually much cheaper to fly to or from Shenzhen or Zhuhai, just across the border, or Guangzhou, which is a little further afield but offers flights to more destinations.

Prices for domestic flights are set at standard rates, but discounts are common, especially on the busier routes. Most good hotels, and many hostels, offer ticketing and may be able to save 15%-70% off the price of tickets. Travel agencies and booking offices are plentiful in all Chinese cities and offer similar discounts. Even before considering discounts, traveling by plane in China is not expensive.

For travel within China, it is usually best to buy tickets in China via a high-street travel agent, or on Chinese websites. Most domestic flights when bought abroad (e.g. on Expedia or even via an Air China office) will be more expensive, as only full-fare tickets are sold. Discounted tickets are only sold within China, or as a tag-on fare on an international ticket. Schedules for domestic flights are generally not finalised or released until two to three months before a flight. Unlike most air markets, early buyers will pay higher rates, as discounts tend to increase with time. For most flights, the optimum purchase period is two to four weeks before a flight. On emptier flights, the rates are discounted in the days before the flight. Once you know your intended route, it's advisable to monitor the fares to see when they rise and fall (which they will almost definitely will do). However, when travelling during a busy period (e.g. Chinese New Year), it's wise to buy earlier to guarantee yourself a seat. Some more expensive tickets are flexible, allowing cancellation for a nominal amount (between 5%-20%), then rebooking at a lower fare. Recently, premium cabins have been discounted on domestic flights. On some routes, the buy-up from economy is minimal and justified by the extra space. Ground-side perks (e.g. lounge, extra luggage, points) are often excluded on the discount rates.

Be prepared for unexplained flight delays, as these are common despite pressure from both the government and consumers. For short distances, consider other, seemingly slower options. Flight cancellations are also not uncommon. If you buy your ticket from a Chinese vendor they will likely try to contact you (if you left contact information) to let you know about the change in flight plan. If you purchased your ticket overseas, be certain to check on the flight status a day or two before you plan to fly. Chinese airlines are generally quick to offer meals when a particular flight has been delayed. It is always advisable to travel with emergency rations in China. Water cannot be brought through security, but all Chinese airports have hot-water machines, so bring a plastic mug and some tea bags.

As everywhere in the world, prices for food and drink at Chinese airports are high. Coffee that is ¥25 in a downtown shop is ¥78 at the same chain's airport branches. KFC seems to be the lone exception; their airport shops charge the same prices as other branches. Paying ¥20 or more for a KFC meal may or may not be worthwhile when there are ¥5 noodles across the street, but at the airports it is usually the best deal around.

By train [ edit ]

Train travel is the major mode of long-distance transportation for the Chinese. Their extensive and rapidly expanding network of routes covers the entire country. Roughly a quarter of the world's total rail traffic is in China.

China is in the process of building a network of high-speed trains, similar to French TGV or Japanese Shinkansen bullet trains. These trains are already in service on several routes. They are called CRH and train numbers have a "G", "C" or "D" prefix. If your route and budget allow, these are the best way to get around. For more detail, see High-speed rail in China.

Train types [ edit ]

Chinese train categories are designated by letters and numbers indicated on the ticket. The hierarchy of Chinese trains from fastest to slowest is as follows:

G-series (高速 gāosù ) – 300 km/h long-haul high-speed expresses - currently on Wuhan–Guangzhou, Zhengzhou–Xi'an, Beijing-Xi'an, Shanghai–Nanjing, Shanghai–Hangzhou, Beijing–Shanghai, Harbin-Dalian, and Guangzhou–Shenzhen lines.

(高速 ) – 300 km/h long-haul high-speed expresses - currently on Wuhan–Guangzhou, Zhengzhou–Xi'an, Beijing-Xi'an, Shanghai–Nanjing, Shanghai–Hangzhou, Beijing–Shanghai, Harbin-Dalian, and Guangzhou–Shenzhen lines. C-series (城际 chéngjì ) – 300 km/h short-haul high-speed expresses - currently only on Beijing–Wuqing–Tianjin–Tanggu line.

(城际 ) – 300 km/h short-haul high-speed expresses - currently only on Beijing–Wuqing–Tianjin–Tanggu line. D-series (动车 dòngchē ) – 200 km/h high-speed expresses.

(动车 ) – 200 km/h high-speed expresses. Z-series (直达 zhídá ) – 160 km/h non/less-stop services connecting major cities. Accommodation is mostly soft seat or soft sleeper, although they often have a couple of hard sleepers, too.

(直达 ) – 160 km/h non/less-stop services connecting major cities. Accommodation is mostly soft seat or soft sleeper, although they often have a couple of hard sleepers, too. T-series (特快 tèkuài ) – 140 km/h intercity trains only calling at major cities. Similar to Z–trains although they usually stop at more stations.

(特快 ) – 140 km/h intercity trains only calling at major cities. Similar to Z–trains although they usually stop at more stations. K-series (快速 kuàisù ) – 120 km/h fast trains, the most commonly seen series, calls at more stations than a T train and has more hard-sleepers and seats.

(快速 ) – 120 km/h fast trains, the most commonly seen series, calls at more stations than a T train and has more hard-sleepers and seats. General fast trains (普快 pǔkuài ) – 120 km/h trains, with no letter designation, four digits starting with 1–5. These trains are the cheapest, although slowest long-distance trains

(普快 ) – 120 km/h trains, with no letter designation, four digits starting with 1–5. These trains are the cheapest, although slowest long-distance trains General trains (普客 pǔkè ) - 100 km/h short-distance trains with no letter designation, four digits starting with 5, 6, or 7. The slowest trains, they stop almost everywhere.

(普客 ) - 100 km/h short-distance trains with no letter designation, four digits starting with 5, 6, or 7. The slowest trains, they stop almost everywhere. Commuting trains (通勤 tōngqín) / Service trains (路用 lùyòng) - four digits starting with 8, or five digits starting with 57, very slow local trains, mostly used by rail staffs.

- four digits starting with 8, or five digits starting with 57, very slow local trains, mostly used by rail staffs. L-series (临时 línshí ) – seasonal trains suitable to K- or four-digit-series.

(临时 ) – seasonal trains suitable to K- or four-digit-series. Y-series (旅游 lǚyóu ) – trains primarily serving tourist groups.

(旅游 ) – trains primarily serving tourist groups. S-series (市郊 shìjiāo) - currently only on the Beijing Suburban Railway between Beijing North and Yanqing County via Badaling (Great Wall).

Classes [ edit ]

On the regular non-CRH trains there are five classes of travel:

T-train soft sleeper compartment

Soft sleepers (软卧 ruǎnwò ) are the most comfortable mode of transportation and are cheap by Western standards. The soft sleeper compartments contain four bunks stacked two to a column (though some newer trains have two-bunk compartments), a latchable door for privacy, and are spacious. Try to get the lower bunk as climbing to the upper bunk is difficult, also looking out the window while sitting on the lower bed is possible.

(软卧 ) are the most comfortable mode of transportation and are cheap by Western standards. The soft sleeper compartments contain four bunks stacked two to a column (though some newer trains have two-bunk compartments), a latchable door for privacy, and are spacious. Try to get the lower bunk as climbing to the upper bunk is difficult, also looking out the window while sitting on the lower bed is possible. note: Ticker holders of this class can go to the VIP waiting room at station.

Hard sleepers (硬卧 yìngwò), on the other hand, have three beds per column open to the corridor. The highest bunk is high and leaves little space for headroom. Taller travelers (6'3" and above) may find this to be the best bunk since when sleeping because the feet extend into the passageway and and are too high to be bumped. The top bunk is also useful for people with things to hide (e.g. cameras). When placed by your head they are harder for would-be thieves to reach. It should be noted that the "hard" sleeper is not "hard"; the beds have a mattress and are generally quite comfortable. All sleepers have pillows and a blanket.

Soft seats (软座 ruǎnzuò) are an uncommon category of cloth-covered, generally reclining seats. These are only available on day trains between destinations of about 4-8 hours of travel time, as well as on all high-speed trains (class D and above).

Hard seats (硬座 yìngzuò), which are actually padded, are not for everyone, especially overnight, as rows are five seats wide, in a three and two arrangement. It is in this class, however, that most of the backpacker crowd travels. Despite the "no smoking" signs, there is usually smoking within the car. There is invariably a crowd of smokers at the ends of the cars and the smoke drifts into the cabin. On most trains, particularly in China's interior, the space between the cars is a designated smoking area although the signs for "designated smoking area" are only in Chinese. Overnight travel in the hard seats is uncomfortable and sleep-depriving.

Standing (无座 wúzuò) allows access to the hard-seat car but without seat reservation. Consider carrying a tripod chair in your backpack to make such journeys more comfortable.

Soft-seat and soft-sleeper cars, and some hard-seat and hard-sleeper cars are air-conditioned.

The CRH trains usually have five classes - second class (3+2 seat layout), first class (2+2 layout) and three VIP classes (2+1 layout just behind the driver's cabin). The three VIP classes are named "商务座" (business class), "观光座" (sightseeing class) and "特等座" (deluxe class). Unlike on airliners, 商务座 (business class) is in fact better than "一等座" (first class) on CRH trains. 商务座 (business class) and 观光座 (sightseeing class) are priced the same, while 特等座 (deluxe class) is usually more expensive than "一等座" (first class), but cheaper than 商务座 and 观光座. The second class is equivalent to economy class on airplanes but offers more comfortable seats and much legroom. On the other hand, the premium classes cost only a little more and offer luxurious rides.

Train tickets [ edit ]

Chinese train ticket with fields description

At the point where a given train starts, train tickets can usually be bought up to seven days in advance. After the point where a given train starts, a small number of tickets might be reserved for purchase in larger towns along the route of travel. Usually these are the "standing" class. To get a seat assignment (zuowei) or a sleeper (wopu), then find the train conductor, who will tell if there is availability. The biggest demand is for hard seats and hard sleepers, so ask a local friend to buy hard-seat tickets as the sellers are not always willing to sell them to foreigners, although this is changing. As of January 2012, nationals and foreigners alike must present ID in order to purchase a ticket (e.g., national ID card or passport). The purchaser's name is printed onto the ticket and each individual is required to be present, with ID, to pick-up their ticket.

There are local state-railway ticket agencies in many locations remote from train stations, clearly marked "Booking Office for Train Tickets" in English and Chinese and with a locomotive emblem, but are easily overlooked as these are simple "hole in the wall" shops. They are equipped with computers connected to the central booking system. Tickets purchased at these locations can be bought up to ten days in advance at face-value prices which can be half of what commercial travel agencies charge. Staff usually does not speak English. An easy fix is finding someone who looks like a college student and he will usually be willing to help.

Do not expect English-speaking staff at station cash desks either, even in big cities. And if the cashier finds some English-speaking colleague, don't expect that he can work with the reservation system. If unable to speak Mandarin, write the departure and destination stations, date and time of departure, train number and required class on paper. You can write the station name in pinyin, as the cashier enters them in the same way to the reservation system. Beware that many cities have different stations for normal trains and high-speed trains. High-speed station names usually consist of city name and cardinal direction (for example Héngyángdōng "Hengyang East").

During busy seasons (Chinese New Year, for example) tickets sell out rapidly at train stations. It may be better to get tickets in advance through an agent. In major cities there are also agents who sell tickets in the normal time frame with a nominal markup. The convenience of avoiding a trip to the train station and waiting in the queue is well worth the small increase in cost. Travel agencies will accept money and bookings for tickets in advance but the ticket is not guaranteed until the station releases them onto the market, at which point the agency will buy the ticket that had previously been "guaranteed". This is true anywhere in China.

Travel tips [ edit ]

The toilets on trains tend to be cleaner than on buses or in most public areas because they are simple devices that empty the contents directly onto the ground near the tracks and thus don't smell as bad. Soft-sleeper cars usually have European throne-style toilets at one end of the car and Chinese squat toilets at the other. Before a non-CRH train stops at the station, the conductor will normally lock the bathrooms so that people will not leave deposits on the ground at the station. CRH (G, C, D) trains are newly built and are equipped with modern vacuum toilets, therefore don't have the problem.

Long-distance trains have buffet or dining cars, which serve hot, overpriced (at ¥25 or so), mediocre food. The menu will be entirely in Chinese, but by interpreting some of the Chinese characters or asking for common dishes by name, one can eat well. When the train stops at a station, there are normally vendors on the platform selling cheap noodles, snacks and fruit. Trains generally have boiled water available so bring tea, soup and instant noodles for instant food.

Guard valuables while on the train; property theft on public transportation has increased in recent years.

On most higher-level trains (T, K, Z and CRH trains) pre-recorded announcements are made in Chinese, English and occasionally Cantonese (if the train serves Guangdong province or Hong Kong), Mongolian (in Inner Mongolia), Tibetan (in Tibet) or Uighur (in Xinjiang). On local trains there are no English announcements, so knowing when to get off is harder.

Motion-sickness pills are recommended for those inclined toward that type of ailment. Ear plugs facilitate uninterrupted sleep. In sleeper cars, tickets are exchanged for cards on long-distance trains. The cabin attendants return the original tickets when the train approaches the destination station, thus ensuring everyone gets off where they should, even if they don't wake themselves up.

If you have some things to share on the train, you'll have fun. The Chinese families and business people aboard are just as bored as the next person and will happily attempt conversation or share a movie shown on a laptop. And the watching the countryside going by is a neat experience.

A ticket is needed to enter and exit the station - usually there will be an inspection at the departure-hall entrance or the boarding gate and another at the exit gate. Once in the departure hall, follow the digital indicator boards to find the right boarding gate (they are in Chinese but will display the train service number which is printed at the top of your ticket). Approximately ten minutes before boarding, the train and platform will be announced and the gate will be opened, just follow the crowd to the platform - at larger stations the train will already be waiting, in smaller stations the car number is written on the platform edge. Wait in the right place because the train will often stop briefly. Some newer stations have high-level platforms that are level with the door, but at smaller stations the platforms are low and passengers must ascend several steep steps to board the train, so be prepared carrying a large suitcase. Generally passengers are friendly and will offer to help with bulky luggage.

Smoking is forbidden in seating and sleeping areas, but is allowed in the vestibules at the end of each car. On the new CRH trains, the Guangzhou-Kowloon shuttle train and the Beijing Suburban Railway, smoking is completely forbidden. Smoking is banned inside station buildings apart from in designated smoking rooms, although these places are often unpleasant and poorly ventilated.

Useful websites [ edit ]

CTrains [37] is the first China train-ticket online booking website for English users. Travelers can book China train tickets online in real-time for 24/7. It does not charge booking fees.

The Man in Seat 61 [38] has a good section on Chinese trains, and China Tibet Trains [39] operates the trains to Lhasa from Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing.

CNVOL [40] has an almost exhaustive and frequently updated list of all the trains that travel in China. Just enter the origin and destination and all trains plying the route (including all trains that are just passing by the selected stations) will be listed along with their own origins, destinations and times. Click on a train number to find the prices for all the classes of seats or berths that are available by clicking "check price" further down. It is important to enter the correct "pinyin" town names. The characters are never separated by a space, ie: Lijiang, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Kunming, etc.

China DIY [41] is a webpage for booking train tickets and displaying schedules and prices of all the trains in China.

Shanghai Eastern Taxi is an expert in providing taxi/car services within major Chinese cities and also between cities for foreign travelers.

By bus [ edit ]

A sightseeing bus in Shanghai

Travelling by public city buses (公共汽车 gōnggòngqìchē) or long-distance buses (长途汽车 chángtúqìchē) is inexpensive and ideal for in-city and short-distance transportation.

On city buses there are plastic seats, many people, no English signs and unhelpful drivers. However, if you can understand the bus routes then they are cheap and go almost everywhere. Buses normally have recorded announcements indicating the next stop - for example 'xia yi zhan - zhong shan lu' (next stop Zhongshan Road) or 'Shanghai nan huo che zhan dao le' (Shanghai South railway station - now arriving). Some major cities such as Beijing or Hangzhou have English announcements on some major routes. Fares are usually about 1 or 2 yuan (the former for older buses with no air-conditioning, the latter for air-conditioned modern buses) or more if travelling into the suburbs. Most buses simply have a metal cash-box next to the entrance for fare collection (no change - save up those one-yuan coins and notes). On long routes a conductor collects fares and issue tickets and change. Note that the driver usually prioritises speed over comfort, so hold on tight.

Sleeper buses

Sleeper buses are common in China; instead of seats they have bunk beds. These are a good way to cover longer distances — overnight at freeway speeds of 100 km/h or more — but are uncomfortable for large or tall travelers. Generally, these are fast, smooth and comfortable in the prosperous coastal provinces and less so in less-developed areas. Avoid getting the bunk at the very back of the bus; if the bus hits a major bump, passengers there become airborne! Sometimes shoes must be removed upon entering the bus and a bag to store them is provided. Follow the locals. Put shoes back on at food or restroom stops. If you normally travel in boots, a pair of kung fu slippers makes this easy.



Coaches, or long-distance buses, range from comfortable to unpleasant. Coaches originating in large, coastal cities tend to be air conditioned with soft seats or sleepers. The roads are good and the ride is smooth, allowing enjoying the scenery or sleeping. Coaches are often a better, though more expensive option than trains. Bus personnel often try to be helpful, but are less familiar with foreigners than airline personnel and English ability is rare. Some coaches have toilets, but they are frequently dirty and using them can be difficult as the bus turns a corner causing water in the basin to splash.

A coach or bus in rural China is a different experience altogether. Signs in the station to identify buses will only be in Chinese or another local language, routes may also be posted or pasted on bus windows and drivers or touts will shout their destinations as you pass, the coach's license plate number is supposed to be printed on the ticket, but all too often that is inaccurate. Due to different manners and customs, foreigners may find bus personnel to be lacking in politeness and other passengers lacking in manners as they spit on the floor and out the window and smoke. Some drivers pick up as many passengers as can be crammed into the bus. The ride is bumpy, especially in the back of the bus. Scheduled times of departure and arrival are only rough estimates, as many buses won't leave until every seat is sold, which can add hours, and breakdowns and other mishaps can significantly extend the trip. Rides of 10 or 20 hours straight can be miserable. As gut-wrenching as all this sounds, short of shelling out the cash for your own personal transport, rural coaches are the only forms of transportation in many areas of China. On the bright side, such rural coaches are usually more than willing to stop anywhere along the route should you wish to visit more remote areas without direct transport. Buses can also be flagged down at most points along their route. The ticket price the rest of the way is negotiable.

Chinese driv