Introduction to China

China is one of the four ancient civilizations in the world, with a vast territory, magnificent mountains and rivers, abundant meteorology, rich products and a long history and culture. Five thousand years of humanistic creation and the natural landscape created by everything in the world have left us with impressive scenes and a large number of places of interest, creating splendid culture and art. It is located in the east of Asia and the west coast of the Pacific Ocean, covering an area of 9.6 million square kilometers. The population is about 65.438+0.3 billion, and there are 56 ethnic groups. China is the most populous country in the world, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the highest plateau, the Himalayas is the largest mountain system in the world, and its main peak, Mount Everest, is the highest mountain in the world.

China is one of the countries with the earliest economic and cultural development in the world, with a written history of nearly 4,000 years. Historically, the working people in China have created famous agriculture, handicrafts and rich cultural classics. The Xia Dynasty was founded in the 2nd/kloc-0th century BC, and it was a slave society from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the end of the Spring and Autumn Period. From the Warring States Period in 475 BC, it was a feudal society through Qin, Western Han, Eastern Han, Three Kingdoms, Western Jin, Eastern Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties, Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and until the early Qing Dynasty. 1840 After the Opium War, it gradually became a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society due to the invasion of imperialism. 1 949 65438+1October1People's Republic of China (PRC) was established. After 1978, the second generation of CPC Central Committee headed by Deng Xiaoping adhered to the economic line and took economic construction as the center, and made great achievements. By 2000, the gross national product had quadrupled. In recent years, under the leadership of General Secretary Hu Jintao, the national economy has been developing continuously, the people's living standards have been significantly improved, and China has gradually become a beautiful, friendly, rich and prosperous country. By the end of 1994, China had established diplomatic relations with about 160 countries in the world, and also developed economic and trade relations and cultural exchanges with more countries and regions.

China has a long history and splendid culture for thousands of years. Anyone who comes to China for the first time will find it amazing to travel in this vast country. The following information will help you better understand this ancient civilization and show you its wonderful and magical charm!

Catering and accommodation

When traveling in China, you must not miss the delicious food. Most people in China often go out to restaurants or restaurants with friends or family to exchange ideas and enhance their feelings, which is the most important activity in China. China people are very enthusiastic and often invite foreign friends to their home to share their authentic China cuisine. Of course, for some foreigners, they may not be very used to Chinese food, and some are not. The tour group will take you to experience authentic China cuisine, meet your different needs, and ensure that you can eat with confidence and satisfaction. Chinese food is usually home-cooked. When eating, all kinds of dishes are put in big round plates. If you are not used to using chopsticks, we can also provide you with knives and forks. At the same time as eating, restaurants usually serve you tea. There are many kinds of tea, usually made of flowers (such as jasmine) and other plants. Tea is usually brewed in hot water, so you can drink it safely.

In China, hotels are rated according to star rating, and the highest level is a five-star hotel. Hotel facilities in China are luxurious, which can be compared with high-end hotels in North America in terms of cleanliness and comfort. Rooms are equipped with bathrooms, air conditioners, televisions and telephones. Rooms are cleaned daily and laundry services are provided. All hotel front desk services can communicate and communicate in English, and provide exchange services between currencies of major western countries and RMB. All hotels have business centers.

Double rooms are standard and provide single or triple accommodation. There is an extra charge for single rooms.

Embark on a journey

China is a country with rapid urbanization. China is vast in territory and abundant in resources, with a large population and tens of thousands of vehicles. China's traffic regulations are also different from other countries. There are many kinds of buses of different sizes and capacities. Generally equipped with air conditioning, the carriage is clean and comfortable. The luggage compartment space of China Bus is small, and there will be a special luggage cart to use when necessary. In short, we should abide by traffic laws and regulations, drive carefully, avoid pedestrians and ensure our own driving safety.

Hand-carried parcels and luggage

If your travel schedule is between May and September, try not to bring too many things, because the weather is humid and muggy at this time; From June 65438 to April of the following year, the weather was cooler and the climate in the south was milder than that in the north. Basically, it is best not to carry more than 20 kilograms of luggage with you, and all major airports or railway stations strictly follow this standard. In order to have a happy and comfortable trip, you only need to carry a small amount of necessities without being dragged down by heavy luggage. Otherwise, it is not only inconvenient to carry, but also most domestic flights do not allow passengers to carry such heavy luggage on board.

If you take luggage on an international flight, the maximum baggage allowance is 10 kg, and only one suitcase is allowed. The size of the suitcase is also strictly regulated, the length, width and height are 55 cm, 23 cm and 40 cm respectively.

In order to facilitate your travel, you can refer to the following items: T-shirt (worn in summer), preferably hand-washed; Thin coat, sweater, sweater or sweater (worn in winter); Sports shoes or casual shoes; Formal dress that meets your requirements; Sun hat; Spare battery; Travel alarm clock; Suitable for small household appliances with 220 volts, such as hair dryers; Commonly used essential drugs; Umbrella; Sunglasses; Mosquito repellent, such as wind oil or cooling oil.

hygiene

In recent years, China's economy is booming, and it is gradually developing from a third world country to a world power, and its medical and health undertakings are constantly developing and improving. It is best to go to the local hospital or clinic for examination before going out, and get vaccinated if necessary to prevent common travel diseases such as typhoid eczema and hepatitis. Gastrointestinal diseases are the most easily caused diseases during travel. In order to avoid the trouble caused by illness, the following points are for your reference:

☆ Please don't stay in damp, sultry and smoky places for a long time.

Please drink boiled water, not tap water.

☆ Wash your hands frequently, keep your hands clean, carry disinfectant paper towels with you and use them frequently.

☆ Do not eat street vendors' food and unwashed peeled fruits.

☆ Eat newly cooked food as soon as possible, try not to let the food stay overnight, and put it in the refrigerator if it is not finished.

☆ Carry paper towels or a small amount of toilet paper with you.

☆ Take medicine for diarrhea with you according to the doctor's instructions.

Electric power service

In China, the residential electricity voltage is 220 volts. If the electrical appliances you carry are made in North America, you must ensure that they can use dual voltages (for example, the voltage limit that electrical appliances can use is 125 volts or 220 volts). Some electrical appliances are specially designed for North American users, and three-way plugs are not allowed. Therefore, you'd better use electrical appliances with two-way plugs.

Internet service

All major hotels and restaurants in China provide Internet interfaces, and visitors can browse the Internet at any time. The online time, the number of network terminals (the number of computers available) and the online charging standard are all related to the number of instant Internet users and the speed of Internet access. There are Internet cafes in big cities in China, and the prices are very cheap.

telephone service

Telephone services in China all use standard Mandarin, but there are some differences. Some areas use dialects to provide services. Here are some tips for calling when traveling in China.

1. Fixed telephone: It is very economical and convenient to dial with a fixed telephone. But before using it, we must make clear its service mode, such as the area that can be dialed, the types of calls that can be dialed, and other related matters such as charging standards.

2. Purchase of telephone cards: Telephone cards are generally needed and can be bought in some stores. But some calling cards are limited to local calls. The default language of calling cards is Mandarin, and some calling cards are introduced in English after being introduced in Chinese. Usually, different cards are used in slightly different ways. Visitors should make sure that the calling card they buy corresponds to the mobile phone before buying.

Mobile phones from North America and Europe can't be used in China. GSM mobile phones and 3-band mobile phones can be used in some big cities, but they are expensive and the signals in some areas are unstable. If you live in China, you'd better buy a mobile phone with China system. The signal is stable, but there is an extra charge.

money

At present, the main ways to use money in China are credit card and cash transaction, but most of them are cash transactions. Foreign tourists should pay attention to preparing enough RMB before going out, such as food and souvenirs, which can't be bought by credit card. With the gradual popularization of more and more credit cards, such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express, your travel will become more and more convenient.

Bank ATMs are becoming more and more popular in some big cities, but there is a certain amount limit for withdrawing money from bank ATMs. If the quantity is large, you need to make an appointment in advance. The official currency of China is RMB, commonly referred to as RMB for short. If you can't buy RMB abroad, it is forbidden to take RMB out of the country. Therefore, tourists need to bring a lot of international currencies such as US dollars, Canadian dollars or British pounds to China and then convert them into RMB. However, it should be noted that the currency to be exchanged must be intact and the surface should be kept clean. If there are traces of altered or damaged strokes on the surface of the currency when the bank handles RMB exchange business, the bank will not exchange it. We must pay attention to this.

There is no limit to how much foreign currency tourists can bring into the country, and they can bring as much as they want. However, tourists should inform the specific amount of foreign currency when entering the country. Since RMB and USD are both very strong now, the exchange rates of banks and hotels are basically the same. For the latest exchange rate, please log on to the common currency network.

welfare

China has a stable society, good public order and low crime rate. Tourists can rest assured that they don't have to worry about their personal safety when shopping and sightseeing in China. Violent acts such as terrorist threats are rare. China government insists on strengthening public safety, and its management is very strict, especially guns. In China, citizens are not allowed to own guns in private. Visitors don't have to worry too much about safety, as long as they keep their personal belongings, such as cash, passports and other personal belongings.

China Customs is very strict in inspecting entry and exit articles. Any visitor who violates the regulations will be severely punished. Relevant customs regulations can be found on www.cnto.org's website.

passport

Passport is the identification of every China tourist. Should be properly kept, generally by the tourists themselves or tour guides. Visitors must register when they enter hotels and restaurants, and they must go through multiple registrations and customs inspections when they take flights at the airport, and passports are necessary identification for tourists. If you accidentally lose your passport, you should immediately report it to the tourist's country, embassies and consulates in China, or notify the Alien Management Office of the Beijing Public Security Bureau and register it.

Visa processing

Foreign tourists must have a visa to come to China, which is very convenient for all countries in embassies and consulates in China. The documents required for visa processing include: the completed application form, my passport, handling fee and invitation letter, which should be processed in embassies and consulates in China, where the tourists are located. Within seven working days, tourists can get visas and return their passports to them. Please consult the visa office for more details.

emergency

Everyone doesn't want an emergency, but it is inevitable. Your guidebook will tell you how to deal with an emergency, as well as the detailed address, telephone number and other contact information of your embassy and information office in China.