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Overall China

China covers the third largest territory in the world and owns more than five-thousand-year history with the population of over 1.3 billion. Its extensive inland offers the rich and colorful culture and customs. It is the home and cradle of dragon, papermaking, printing, compass, power, great wall terra cotta, calligraphy. It is the hometown of Confucianism and Taoism. China covers an area of 9.6 million square kilometers and 18000-kilometer continental coastline. China has 34 provincial-level administration zones. Indeed, China is deep and complicated in understanding of its social philosophy and interpersonal relations. Additionally, the natural philosophy also shows the charm of China in mental depth. China is an elegant country for its traditional acccumulation in culture, politics, econmoy, diplomacy and lifestyle. Hence, China is a mystery and miracle that god creates in the eastern world. To some extent, it is hardly understandable in comparison with western world! But you should understand it is China, and it is surely different from western world. China is also one of the cradle of creating miracles and wonders. Different way in China to show the greatness of the world also shows the different life and value to this world. If you want to feel the freshness and mysteriousness, China is always the top priority.

China is one of four countries with time-honored and splendid history and civilization all round the world. Five-thousand-year recorded history offers diverse evidences to show her most-advanced civilization on earth. China’s character is the oldest character with endless dynamics and popularity. It is still being extensively used and welcomed all the time when other old languages die out. Furthermore, it is also quickly popularized and accepted in other countries as the Confucius colleges are established in sequence in the world. The movement of learning Chinese have been unconsciously launched and enlarged. It is has been the first language spoken by largest population and one of five official languages in UN. Thanks to China’s character, most of China’s important historical events were recorded; China’s culture could be maintained on the basis of character; China’s intangible materials and visible heritages could be succeeded and understood by new generation. China is leading in culture, history, art, architecture, philosophy, and customs. The diversity of China’s local idea and culture characterizes of china’s overall culture and features. 56 peoples are generally available in China.

Economy Culture Religion Festivals Medical treatment Education Currency Lodging and Food

Economy

Currently, as the engine of the international economy and factory of worldwide industry, China is the largest developing country in the world. Since 1978, China in the past strictly controlled by Soviet-style centrally planned economy has kept a fast speed in making miracle of economic achievements following a market-oriented system. The economic impact of non-state companies and individual economy has been gradually increasing from then on. Up to now, it has been ranked in the top ten of world powers. China’s agriculture is being modernized now. Labor-saving technology liberates peasants and farmers from the daily pressure and manual farming. They have more time to visit, rest, work in city and enjoy further education. But it is still on the way due to the large cardinal number of farmer’s population of China. The industry of China is also being improved at the moment. The most advanced and complicated science and technology are assembled and used. The efficiency is enhanced and management is healthily optimized. The products brandmarked Made in China does not mean the low-level manual products any more; on the contrary, more and more hi-tech products are produced and used all around the world. China’s service industry is also entirely growing as time goes. It is the sunrising and promising industry in China now. The environmental protection is highlighted to heavens by people and governmental policymakers.

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Culture

Due to 5000 years history of China and the continual Sino-foreign exchanges, China’s culture always keeps its mystery, attraction vigor and liveliness. China’s philosophy is the most complicated but important part of China’s culture. Taoism tells us the harmony between human and nature, Confucianism shows us how to serve the world and to be the sage, Buddhism releases us how to keep a balanced heart in sufferings and calamity. The architectures show the magnificence of its greatness in the way of building styles and sculptures. Chinese Kungfu also shows the core spirit of those theories. China’s Painting is independently in the world art system. It does not emphasize the color, layout and delicacy but the deeper philosophical understanding and personal reaction to the earthly world. Calligraphy is the most typical art form to show uniqueness of China’s culture.

Actually China's culture is generally shown in elite form. it is firmly and intensively showing the official literature, poem, song, drama, opera and pilosophy. China's elegance and enchantment are centralized in these intangible ideology except innumerous seeable legacy or relics. The superior elegance and concinnity are mainly showing in the daily life of the Chinese people. The basic elements of China’s traditional culture could be generally summarized as follows:　Firstly, the core of China’s traditional culture is the inner spiritual life of Chinese people. It includes values of life, aesthetics, and logic attitude and so on; Secondly, the content of Chinese traditional culture is usually expressed in the form of tangible materials such as people’s clothes, food, housing, and social behaviors as well as social regulations; thirdly, the independence of China’s traditional culture formed in long history. It is has been one essential part of multi-culture all around the world.

China’s culture is based on certain environment including semi-close continent, coastal geographical environment, the natural economy on the basis of cottage industry and petty farmer and the patriarchal clan system of family and country, an autarchic society. Thanks to such kind of social background. Chinese people’s psychological features are fostered and splendid and magnificent culture is appeared. The development of city highlights the development level of a country’s society, economy, science, and art. An ancient Roman once said: a city history is equal to a national history. In China’s history there were over hundred cities once selected as national capital. The most famous cities among them were Xi’an, An’yang, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Beijing.

Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism were three pillars of China’s ideological system. Chinese people do not have strong consciousness of religion like other peoples. Exactly, the Confucianism does not belong to the religion. Confucianism as the body of ideological system with the help of Taoism and Buddhism was finalized in Tang Dynasty. Since then the basic structures of China’s philosophical system, cultural system, educational system, and political system changed inside this range until 1900s. Buddhism for heart, Taoism for body and Confucianism for society are the core of any forms of thought and behaviors in the world. Chinese arts such as painting, calligraphy, music; Chinese literature such as poems, essays, and novels; Chinese customs and habits are all thoroughly showing the characteristics of this spirit. Chinese people’s self-cultivation and interpersonal relations, self-education and mass education are also included into this range. To be an all-round and excellent man or sage is the highest pursuit in personal self-cultivation, and to be the most outstanding people and most useful people for mass, country and emperor is their highest dream in social pursuit.

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Religion

Religion freedom policy is maintained all the time by China’s Government. There are mainly Buddhism, Christianity, Taosim, and Islam in China. Among them, Taoism is the traditional one. It is born in China. Buddhism generally has the largest population of believers. In fact, there is not an exact pure exotic religion in China. Buddhism is totally different from it was in its cradle, India. It was thoroughly localized in Tang Dynasty. And now become one essential part of China’s culture and tradition. Many characters in fairy and myth are not only connected with Buddhism. Taoism also learns a lot from Buddhism. In the classical novel Pilgrimage to the West, the heroMonkey King was the representative of Taoism and Buddhism. There are also many festivals are closely linked with Taoism and Buddhism. Confucianism exactly does not belong to religion.

Festivals

Spring festival is the biggest one in China. Lantern Festival, Double-Ninth Festival, Double-Seventh Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Laba Porridge Festival, Tomb Sweeping Festival, Army Day, New Year’s Day, National Day, Teacher’s Day, International Labor Day, International Youth Day and so on are also available in China’s festival. In 2008, China’s central government makes a decision that all the Chinese people could freely enjoy their time during most of China’s traditional festivals such as there are 7 days for Spring Festival, 7 days for national day, three days for Mid-Autumn Festival, three days for Dragon-Boat Festival, and three days for Tomb Sweeping Festival and so on. This transfer shows the return of traditional festivals and the renaissance of China’s traditions. In the past, on these days, the holidays are unavailable. As the return of tradition and convention, China's many festivals come back and glorify the whole society. If there are not so many festivals or ceremonies, China is not indeed China any longer!

Medical treatment

In the recent years, medical treatment and sanitation are greatly promoted and developed. The hospitals are well established as the economic development.

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Education

China at present has a complete system of education from kindergarten to postgraduate school. Kindergarten is now steadily highlighted by people in some parts of China, especially in city and eastern China. The primary school is completely, compulsively and free popularized. Junior school and senior school are unavoidable in youngster’s general education. The higher-education is rapidly developing, and more and more youth has chance to study on campus. The ratio of university graduates in the whole population becomes higher and higher as the time goes. But in China, the tuition fee of higher-education is charged. So many students in university are shoulder great economic pressure. Because of the severe competition, now many students choose to take graduate education to avoid this badness.

Currency

Credit card and cash are mainly used at present in China. At most times, people buy goods in cash. ATM(Automatic Teller Machine) is increasing extremely in some big cities. But there are some limitations to draw money. The official currency of China is Renminbi, namely, RMB.

Lodging and Food

Majority of China’s people often have dinner with their people and family members in restaurant for enhancing and closing relations via mutual communication. They also invite their foreign friends to take family party together and share the real Chinese food with their foreign friends. Due to the difference of locations, the taste and characters of food are also different. This diet is usually kept in the dishes. People often use chopsticks to enjoy dinner. Local people often drink tea when they take food. In China, the hotels is valued by the standard of star-class, the top is five-star hotel. Generally these hotels have luxurious decoration and equipment and the best service. Bathroom, Air-conditions, TV, and Telephone are undoubtedly available in room. They also offer laundry service. The service men could chat with in English. The currency exchange generally could be done there.

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