On the different languages China has different names. The article discusses the most used.

Central State - "Zhongguo"

Zhongguo(中國/中国) is the self-name of China. The first hieroglyph jeong" (中) means "centre" or "middle". The second sign goo" (國 or 国) is interpreted as "country" or "state". Since the 19th century, in Western and domestic historiography, this name of China has been translated as "Middle State" or "Middle Empire". However, this translation is not entirely correct, since the word " zhongguo” has long denoted the center of the Celestial Empire - the state of the Chinese emperor, that is, China itself. Respectively, exact translation is the "Central Country" or "Central State".

The term " zhongguo» is not used consistently in Chinese history. It had varied cultural and political overtones depending on the era.

prehistoric period

Archaeological finds show that ancient people of the species Homo erectus settled the territory of modern China between 2.24 million - 250 thousand years ago. In the area of ​​Zhoukoudian near Beijing, the remains of the so-called Sinanthropus were found, which date back to 550-300 thousand years ago. Sinanthropes knew how to make simple stone tools and make fire.

Approximately 70,000 years ago, new modern humans Homo sapiens populated the Chinese Plain, displacing the Sinanthropes and their descendants. The earliest osteological evidence for the existence modern people in China (human remains from the Lujiang site) date back to 67 millennium BC. e.

In modern historiography, China's first dynasty was the Xia. Evidence of its existence is provided by the excavations of urban settlements and graves near Erlitou in Henan province. However, most scientists of the world consider this dynasty to be mythical, not real.

The first historically reliable dynasty is considered to be the Shang Dynasty (another name for Yin), which controlled the territories of the Yellow River Plain in Eastern China between the 18th and 12th centuries BC. e. It was destroyed by one of the western vassal families, who founded the Zhou dynasty, which ruled from the 12th to the 5th century BC. e. The central power of the new dynasty weakened due to the growth of political and economic power specific rulers, who created in the middle of the VIII century BC. e. row formally independent states. From the 5th to the 2nd centuries BC. e. these states were constantly at war with each other, but in 221 BC. e. were united by Qin Shi Huang-di into a single empire. The new Qin dynasty lasted several decades, but it was it that shaped China as an imperial entity.

The Han Dynasty lasted from 206 B.C. e. to 220 years. During this period, the formation of the Chinese as a single ethnic community began. After the disintegration of China in the 3rd-6th centuries due to the attacks of nomads from the north, the empire was united by the Sui dynasty in 580. The 7th-14th centuries, during the reign of the Tang and Song dynasties, are considered the "golden age" of China. It was during this period that most scientific discoveries and achievements in culture took place. In 1271, the Mongol ruler Kublai declared the start of a new Yuan dynasty. In 1368, as a result of the anti-Mongol uprising, a new ethnically Chinese dynasty, the KtnpMing, began, which ruled China until 1644. The last imperial dynasty was the Qing dynasty, which was started by the Manchu conquerors of China. She was overthrown by the revolution in 1911.

Most Chinese regimes were authoritarian and often used harsh methods to ensure the stability of their power and the loyalty of the population. Thus, during the reign of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, ethnic Han Chinese were forced to wear a long braid, like the Manchus, as a sign of loyalty to the new dynasty.

In the 18th century, technologically powerful China pursued an active policy of conquering the peoples of Central Asia, whom the Chinese have long considered "barbarians". However, in the 19th century, he himself became a victim of the "barbarians of the West" - the colonial policy of the countries of Western Europe and the USA.

Republican China

Modernity

While the ROC government has not given up its claims to China, Tibet and Inner Mongolia, it has increasingly identified itself as the island government of Taiwan. The political circles of the Republic of China are in constant dialectical struggle over the issue of declaring the independence of the island. The PRC considers Taiwan an integral part of its state, and therefore is constantly trying to oust the representatives of the Republic of China from various international organizations, increasing its isolation.

Today, 23 states, including the Vatican, continue to recognize the Republic of China as official China. In contrast, most of the world's governments view the PRC as the legitimate representative of China.

Territory

Historical division of China

The top-level administrative divisions of China varied depending on the ruling dynasty or government. These units include, first of all, territories and provinces. Among the lower level units, there were prefectures, subprefectures, departments, commanderships, counties, and districts. Modern administrative divisions include subprefecture-level cities, county-level cities, settlements and urban communities.

Most of the Chinese dynasties located their residence in the heart of China, its ethnically Chinese part - the Yellow River valley. These dynasties expanded their possessions at the expense of foreign territories of Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Xinjiang, Tibet, Vietnam and Korea. Although the last Manchurian Qing dynasty, of which the PRC and the Republic of China consider themselves the heirs, included most of the above lands in China, China itself has certain ancient borders - the Great Wall of China in the north, the Tibetan Plateau in the west and the jungles of Indochina in the south.

To the east, along the coasts of the Yellow and East China Seas, there are alluvial plains that are densely populated. In the north, on the edge of the Inner Mongolian plateau, grassy steppe can be seen. The south of China is covered with hills and low mountains. The Huang He and Yangtze deltas are located in the central-eastern part. Most of the arable land is along these rivers. Southern Yunnan is part of the so-called "Greater Mekong" sub-region which includes Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

In the western part of China, there is a large alluvial plain in the north, and a limestone plateau covered with medium-sized hills in the south. The Himalayas are located in this part of China, with Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. The northwest is covered by deserts such as the Takla Makan and the Gobi Desert, which are constantly growing. For millennia, the mountains of Yunnan serve as the natural boundary that separates China from Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.

China's climate is varied. The northern zone, which includes Beijing, is characterized by very cold winters. The central zone, which includes Shanghai, is temperate. The southern zone, which includes Guangzhou, has a subtropical climate.

Due to frequent droughts and poor management, dust or sand storms often occur in the spring. The wind blows the dust eastward to Taiwan and Japan. Storms occasionally reach the US West Coast. Water, soil erosion and pollution environment China is growing from internal Chinese problems into international ones.

Society

Demography

The population of China (PRC and the Republic of China) is over 1.3 billion people. This is one fifth of the entire population of the Earth. Although there are more than 100 ethnic groups in the PRC, the communist government recognizes only 56. The largest ethnic group in China are han people(actually Chinese) - 91.9%. It is heterogeneous and is divided into a number of ethnographic groups, most of which are former self-sufficient ethnic groups assimilated by the Han Chinese.

culture

Mifu calligraphy ( Song dynasty)

The events of the 19th-20th centuries forced the Chinese to think about the need to abandon or preserve their own civilizational model. The Westerners promised China a "bright future" under the condition of total Westernization and set Japan as an example. The policy of promoting democracy in traditional Chinese society has failed, partly because of the authoritarian "tradition" of governance, and partly because of internal and external wars.

Chinese society preserved medieval traditions until the beginning of the so-called " cultural revolution". Its goal was to reform the Chinese countryside, promote new communist values, create a new advanced Chinese culture, "not limited by Confucian dogmas." As a result of the "revolution", many cultural figures were repressed, and most of the traditions were eliminated as "regressive practices" or "feudal remnants". A reform of hieroglyphic writing was carried out, which made the texts of works that were written by their predecessors inaccessible to future generations. However, since the 1980s cultural revolution”was discontinued, and the communist government headed for the formation of a “patriotic nation”, starting the restoration of traditions.

In Taiwan, such cultural reforms were not carried out, respecting the traditions of writing and bureaucracy. A significant part of the budget of the Republic of China went to the training of specialists in the field of culture.

Writing system

Chinese characters have over 50,000 characters. She changed and had different styles of writing. The first signs appear on the bones for divination for the 2nd millennium BC. e. Calligraphy, the ability to write hieroglyphs beautifully, is considered the pinnacle of art in China. Most of the sacred texts of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are written by hand.

Printing has developed since the Song Dynasty. The academies of scholars who were engaged in the publication and rewriting of the classics were traditionally sponsored by the state. Members of the imperial family often took part in academic councils.

Exams

One of the main features of traditional Chinese culture was state examinations. They contributed to the education of an educated elite, since a candidate who knew the classical texts well, regardless of social background, was able to take the rank of official. The latter had a high socio-economic status. People of humanitarian pursuits - writers, philosophers, scientists - were people of the "first class" in China. The state supported them wholeheartedly.

The science

China's technological discoveries were as follows:

Other areas of knowledge.

China is a state in East Asia.

Official name of China: People's Republic of China, the abbreviation PRC is also widely used.

Territory of China: The area of ​​the state of the People's Republic of China is 9596960 km².

Population of China: The population of China is more than 1.3 billion inhabitants (1380083000 people).

Ethnic groups of China: Officially, there are 56 nationalities in China. Since the Han people make up approximately 92% of China's population, the rest of the peoples are usually referred to as national minorities. In some periods, the number of officially recognized ethnic groups in China differed. Thus, in the 1953 census, 41 national minorities were indicated. And in the 1964 census, 183 national minorities were registered, of which the Chinese government recognized only 54. Of the remaining 129 peoples, 74 were included in the recognized 54, while 23 were classified as "other" and 32 as "doubtful."

Average life expectancy in China: The average life expectancy in China is 75.41 years.

Capital of China: Beijing.

Major cities in China: Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Shenzhen.

State language of China: Chinese.

Religion in China: The main religions in China are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism. All these religious groups, with the exception of adherents of Taoism, maintain contacts with relevant organizations in all countries of the world. Religious freedom is an ongoing long-term policy of the Chinese government. The Chinese Constitution guarantees this freedom to every Chinese citizen.

Geographic location of China: China is a state in East Asia, the largest state in the world in terms of population, it ranks third in the world in terms of territory, behind Russia and Canada. China (PRC) borders on 14 states: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar (Burma), India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Vietnam.

Rivers of China:

Yangtze - length 6300 km. The basin area is 1807199 km². The catchment areas are Qinghai, Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shanghai. Runoff to the East China Sea.

Huang He - length 5464 km. The basin area is 752443 km². The catchment areas are Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan and Shandong. Drainage into the Bohai Sea.

Heilongjiang - length 3420 km. The basin area is 1620170 km². The catchment areas are Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang. Runoff into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

Zhujiang - length 2197 km. The area of ​​the basin is 452616 km². The catchment areas are Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong. runoff into the South China Sea.

Lancangjiang - length 2153 km. The basin area is 161,430 km². The catchment areas are Qinghai, Tibet and Yunnan. Outflow to the South China Sea

Yalutsangpo - length 2057 km. The basin area is 240480 km². Catchment areas - Tibet. Drainage to the Bay of Bengal.

Nujiang - length 2013 km. The basin area is 124,830 km². The catchment areas are Tibet and Yunnan. Drain in - Bay of Bengal.

Administrative-territorial division of China: The People's Republic of China exercises administrative control over 22 provinces, with the PRC government considering Taiwan as its 23rd province. In addition, the PRC also includes 5 autonomous regions where national minorities of China live, 4 municipalities, corresponding to the cities of central subordination, and 2 special administrative regions under the control of the PRC.

State structure of China: After the formation of the PRC in December 1949, four constitutions were adopted (1954, 1975, 1978 and 1982). In accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China (December 1982), the PRC is a socialist state of the people's democratic dictatorship.

The highest body of state power in China is the unicameral National People's Congress (NPC), which consists of 2,979 deputies elected by regional people's congresses for a term of 5 years. Sessions of the NPC are convened on an annual basis.

Due to the large number of deputies between sessions, the functions of the NPC are performed by a standing committee elected from among the delegates (about 150 people).

Only deputies from the Communist Party of China and the eight so-called democratic parties that make up the People's Political Consultative Council of China (CPPCC) are allowed to vote. Their own legislative bodies operate on the territory of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) and Macau. All NPC deputies are representatives of the bloc of communists and democrats.

The Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China was established in 1982. Its first chairman was Deng Xiaoping, who was succeeded by Jiang Zemin in 1990. The posts of chairmen of the Central Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China in the current political system of China, as a rule, are combined by one person.

The military council and its leader play an important role in China's Chinese political system. So, in 1989, Deng Xiaoping, who held this post, by this time had already left the highest party and state posts, almost single-handedly decided to suppress the speeches on Tiananmen Square.

We believe that all Chinese are Buddhists, which is not true. Tourists love to look at the magnificent Chinese pagodas, and this association probably came from here. Buddhism is indeed widespread in China, but Chinese philosophical and religious thought does not live by Buddhism alone.

Traditional Chinese ideology rests on the "three pillars" - Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

Most Chinese people are atheists. This is what official statistics say, and our observations fully confirm this idea.

The era of communism has borne fruit, and most of the population has ceased to believe in something. But the way of thinking, ethics and norms of behavior of modern Chinese are shaped by these three teachings. By the way, none of them can be recognized as a religion in the usual sense of the word.

Freedom in China

This country is considered one of the most unfree in the world. It was like that in Chinese history but now everything is changing. The modern Chinese does not feel any serious control, although in fact he exists.

On the other hand, there is an order of magnitude more freedom to realize oneself in China than in Russia. It is much easier to open your own business there, it is much easier to do your own business, and not “work for an uncle”. There would be a desire to work, but the state will not interfere much with you.

In China, you cannot criticize the government on the internet. subject to strict censorship. But, the authorities listen to what is happening and draw conclusions. Events took place on, the Communist Party drew conclusions, and reforms began.

Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong

Hong Kong is former colony within the British Empire. Recently, it has officially been a province of China. In fact, it is a separate state. The authorities in Beijing are only responsible for foreign policy and all other administrative matters are handled by the local authorities.

It has its own currency, its own laws, its own visa regime and tax law. Citizens of Russia can visit Hong Kong without a visa, and you can enter the main territory of the country only with a passport.

The tax system in Hong Kong is completely different - there is no VAT tax (VAT), and many things are cheaper by 15-20%. If you want to buy an iPhone or iPad cheaply, then Hong Kong is the way to go. Many Chinese come here for smartphones, tablet computers and laptops.

The city of Macau is similarly part of the PRC, and also enjoys almost complete independence. It is a former colony of Portugal. It has its own laws, money and taxation.

Macau is a city of casinos, this is the Asian Las Vegas. If a Chinese wants to play poker, blackjack or roulette, he comes here.

The situation is more complicated with the island of Taiwan. China officially considers it its territory and province of the PRC. The Taiwanese do not agree with this, and most of the world accepts their point of view.

Taiwan is a hotel state. Everything is here, including the army and navy. This state is called the Republic of China (ROC), which translates as “Republic of China”. There are no negotiations on Taiwan's accession to the PRC.

Important advice for tourists. At Chinese airports, flights to Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are referred to as "domestic" flights, and flights to these regions are boarded from terminals for domestic flights. Do not confuse.

We wish you a successful visit to China, and read our pages about this country ( links below).

Throughout its long history, China has changed several names. Once upon a time, China was called "Celestial", "Middle Country", "Flowering Xia". But from the name change, the Chinese remained the same people as before. Now China is one of the most influential countries in the world. Every year, tens of millions of tourists visit China to see this unique country in person. Any traveler will be interested in China - there are a huge number of attractions, ski and beach resorts, beautiful nature, friendly people and delicious cuisine.

Geography of China

China is located in East Asia. China borders Mongolia in the north and Mongolia in the northeast. North Korea and Russia, in the northwest with Kazakhstan, in the southwest with India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Nepal, in the west with Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, and in the south with Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar (Burma). The total area of ​​this country, including the islands, is 9,596,960 sq. km., and the total length of the state border is more than 22 thousand km.

The shores of China are washed by three seas - East China, South China, and also Yellow. The largest island in China is Taiwan.

From Beijing to Shanghai is the Great Plain of China. In the north of China there is a whole belt of mountains. In the east and south of China there are small mountains and plains. The highest peak in China is Mount Qomolangma, whose height reaches 8,848 meters.

More than 8,000 rivers flow through China. The largest of them are the Yangtze, the Yellow River, the Amur, the Zhujiang and the Mekong.

Capital

The capital of China is Beijing, which is now home to about 17.5 million people. Archaeologists say that the city on the site of modern Beijing already existed in the 5th century BC. BC.

Official language of China

The official language in China is Chinese, belonging to the Chinese branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family.

Religion

The dominant religions in China are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. In addition, many Muslims and Christians live in China.

State structure of China

According to the current Constitution, China is the People's Republic. Its head is the President, who is traditionally also the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China.

Chinese Parliament - National People's Congress (2,979 deputies who are elected for 5 years by regional people's congresses).

Climate and weather

The climate in China is very diverse, due to its very large territory and geographical location. Basically, China is dominated by the dry season and the monsoon season. There are 5 climatic (temperature) zones in China. The average annual air temperature is +11.8C. The highest average air temperature is observed in June and July (+31C), and the lowest in January (-10C). The average annual rainfall is 619 mm.

Sea in China

The shores of China are washed by three seas - East China, South China, and also Yellow. The total length of the coastline is almost 14.5 thousand km. The largest island in China is Taiwan.

Rivers and lakes

More than 8,000 rivers flow through China. The largest of them are the Yangtze, the Yellow River, the Amur, the Zhujiang and the Mekong. As for Chinese lakes, among them one should first of all name the Qinghai, Xingkai, Poyanghu, Dongtinghu and Taihu lakes.

History of China

The history of China goes back thousands of years. Archaeologists say that Homo sapiens appeared in China about 18 thousand years ago. The first Chinese dynasty was called the Xiayu. Its representatives ruled China from about 2205 BC. e. until 1766 BC e.

There are 17 dynasties in Chinese history. In addition, in the years 907-959 there was a so-called. era of the Five Dynasties.

Last chinese emperor(from the Qing Dynasty) abdicated in 1912 (or rather, Empress Longyu abdicated on behalf of her young son-emperor) after the Xinhai Revolution.

It was after the Xinhai Revolution that the Republic of China was proclaimed (in 1912). In 1949, the People's Republic of China was formed, which still exists today.

culture

The culture of China is so unique and diverse that dissertations should be written about it. The basis of Chinese culture is Confucianism and Buddhism.

For tourists in China, we recommend visiting traditional local festivals, which are held almost without interruption. The most popular Chinese festivals are Lantern Festival, Lichun, New Year”, “Dragon Boat Festival”, “Harvest Festival”, “Remembrance Day” (Qingming Festival), “Mid-Autumn Festival”, “Winter Solstice”, “Little New Year”.

Wedding traditions are very interesting in China. Every bride in China should be able to cry. Usually a Chinese bride starts crying 1 month before the wedding (but no later than 2-3 weeks before the wedding). If a girl cries well before marriage, this is a sign of her virtue.

Girls learn how to cry for a wedding from the age of 12. The mothers of some girls even invite special teachers to teach the bride-to-be how to cry properly. When Chinese girls turn 15, they go to visit each other to find out which of them is the best cryer and exchange experiences on this important issue.

When Chinese girls cry about their marriage, they often sing songs about their "unhappy life." The origins of these traditions go back to the era of feudalism, when Chinese girls were given in marriage against their will.

Chinese Cuisine

As such, there is no single Chinese cuisine - there are Chinese provincial cuisines. The staple food in China is rice. The Chinese have come up with a lot of ways to cook rice. Beans, meat, vegetables, eggs and other products are added to rice. Rice is usually eaten by the Chinese with pickles, bamboo shoots, salted duck eggs and tofu.

Noodles are also very popular in Chinese cuisine. The first mention of noodles in China dates back to the Han Dynasty, and during the Song Dynasty, noodles become very popular among the Chinese. Chinese noodles can be thin and thick, but always long. The fact is that among the Chinese, long noodles symbolize the longevity of human life.

At the moment, there are hundreds of noodle dishes in China, each province has its own way of cooking it.

The Chinese are very fond of vegetables, which are, along with rice and noodles, the main food in China. Note that the Chinese prefer not raw, but boiled vegetables. In addition, the Chinese love to salt their vegetables.

It is possible that more eggs are consumed in China each year than in other parts of the world. The most exotic Chinese egg dish is salted duck eggs. Fresh duck eggs are soaked for 1 month in salt brine, resulting in a very tasty product.

Great importance in Chinese culinary tradition is attached to fish. The fact is that for the Chinese, fish is considered a symbol of abundance and prosperity. During the holidays, fish is the main dish on the family table. One of the most popular fish dishes among the Chinese is fish stew with brown sauce. Fish must be on the table of the Chinese during the celebration of the local New Year, because. it will bring prosperity in the coming year.

Another popular dish in China is tofu (bean curd). It is made from soy milk. Tofu is low in fat, but high in calcium, protein, and iron. Most often, tofu is served with spices and marinades.

Meat plays a prominent role in Chinese cuisine. The Chinese eat pork, beef, lamb, poultry, duck, and pigeons. Most often, the Chinese eat pork. The most famous Chinese meat dish is Peking Duck. Moreover, Peking Duck must be eaten in a special way - it must be cut into 120 thin pieces, each of which consists of meat and skin.

An important part of Chinese cuisine is soup. When preparing soups, the Chinese use meat, vegetables, noodles, fruits, fish and seafood, eggs, mushrooms and fruits.

1. "Peking Duck", Beijing
2. Rice noodles, Guilin
3. Bun Soup, Shanghai
4. Hotpot (stew with vegetables), Chengdu
5. Dumplings, Xi'an
6. Dim Sum (small dumplings of various shapes and fillings), Hong Kong.

The most popular soft drink among the Chinese is green tea, which they have been drinking for over 4,000 years. For a long time, tea has been used as a medicinal herb in China. As an everyday drink, tea began to be used in China during the Tang Dynasty. It was from China that tea came to Japan, where the famous Japanese tea ceremony then developed. However, the Chinese ceremony rivals it in complexity and symbolism.

Traditional alcoholic drinks in China are rice beer and vodka, which is infused with a variety of ingredients.

Landmarks of China

According to official information, there are now several tens of thousands of historical, cultural, archaeological and ethnographic monuments in China. Many of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List (Temple and Tomb of Confucius, Temple of Heaven in Beijing, Yungang cave temples, etc.). The top ten Chinese attractions, in our opinion, may include the following:

1. Fujian Confucian Temple in Nanjing
2. Temple of Heaven in Beijing
3. Tibetan monasteries
4. Yungang Buddhist Caves
5. Shaolin Monastery on Songshan Mountain
6. Lingu Ta Pagoda in Nanjing

Cities and resorts

The largest Chinese cities are Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin, and, of course, Beijing.

Due to its geographical position, China has excellent conditions for a beach holiday. The most popular beach resorts are Qinhuangdao, Beidaihe, Dalian, Hainan Island (and the city of Sanya on this island). By the way, the tourist season in Sanya lasts all year. However, the whole island of Hainan is a year-round beach resort, where the sea temperature ranges from +26C to +29C. Even in January, on Hainan Island, the average air temperature is + 22C. The beaches on Hainan Island consist of white fine sand.

Most Chinese beach resorts have traditional Chinese medicine centers where tourists can improve their health if they wish. So, even on the island of Hainan there are thermal springs.

In general, many hotels in China offer spa services to their visitors. The skill of Chinese spa specialists, including massage therapists, is highly rated in many countries around the world. Traditional Chinese spa programs include hot stone massage, aroma massage, whitening, Tui-na massage, body wrap, Mandara massage, Mandarin massage. A mandatory attribute of a spa in China is herbal tea.

There are also several dozens of ski centers in China, although there are few foreign tourists there. Basically, these ski resorts are designed for local residents. However, it will be useful for an inquisitive traveler and mountain skier to visit Chinese ski resorts. In recent years, more and more tourists from Russia, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore can be found in Chinese ski resorts. So, Russian tourists most often go skiing in China to the province of Heilongjiang (this is the northeast of the country). Tourists from Australia and Thailand prefer the Beijing-Nanshan ski resort.

The ski season in the ski resorts of China lasts from mid-December to the end of March.

Souvenirs/Shopping

Tourists usually bring silk, green tea, porcelain, folk art products (embroidery, ceramics, engravings, etc.), jade, Chinese paintings, parchments with samples of Chinese calligraphy, wines and alcoholic beverages, traditional Chinese medicinal products from China as souvenirs. traditional medicine (from herbs, rhizomes, etc.), including ginseng.

Office Hours

Chinese civilization is very ancient. It is four thousand years old. Since the time of Marco Polo, the Celestial Empire has attracted researchers and travelers. This country has the most inhabitants - it is home to a fifth of all people on the planet. If we consider the area of ​​​​China, then the state is in third place in the world in size.

And although the days of Mao Zedong have already passed, the power of the Communist Party, as well as its influence on all spheres of life, is still enormous. In 1979, a state program called "2 + 1" was launched in the country. It was developed for the purpose of birth control. So, families sign an agreement with the state, according to which the spouses undertake to have one child in exchange for tax and many other benefits. Violation of the established rule entails the deprivation of financial privileges and an impressive fine.

Until the nineties of the twentieth century, the Chinese did not have the right to use personal cars. All vehicles were in the possession of the state. For this reason, people used bicycles without exception, and even now two-wheeled vehicles are no less in demand.

China area was previously divided into five time zones. Such a system existed from 1912 to 1949. Currently, the entire territory of the country in administrative terms is in the same time zone. Daylight Saving Time is not implemented.

Geographical position

China is located in East and Central Asia. As the map of China shows, the country borders on Russia, India, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Bhutan, Laos, Myanmar, North Korea and Vietnam. Formally, the state in question owns the island of Taiwan, but in fact it does not depend on anyone.

The area of ​​China has the following geographical features: in the east - plains, in the center - uplands, in the west - mountains.

Administrative division

The state includes five national autonomous regions, four cities of special subordination, as well as provinces of China, the list of which includes twenty-two items.

Climatic features

China area lies three climatic zones. It is temperate, subtropical and tropical. Mountain

It is noteworthy that weather countries are largely defined by its topography, because China is a giant staircase descending from the highlands of Central Asia towards the ocean. It is she who forms a kind of screen, on the one hand, contributing to the retention of moisture, which comes during the summer monsoons from the ocean to land, and on the other hand, causing the runoff of cold air masses from the high pressure zone, located in the territory of Mongolia, southern Siberia and northern Siberia on the other hand. western China.

For the most part, China's area (almost 9.6 million square kilometers) is influenced by the continental climate. In this case, the difference between the seasons is significant.

According to written sources dating back to the first millennium BC, it used to be warmer on the Great Plain of China. This fact, as well as the fertile soils of the forests, largely contributed to the emergence and successful development of agriculture in this region, which, in turn, stimulated the emergence of a great civilization.

At the dawn of our era, the climate became colder. The average annual temperatures generally corresponded to modern ones, and then a widespread cooling began, which over time covered the whole of Eurasia.

Architecture

The total area of ​​China is simply huge - more than nine and a half square kilometers. Nevertheless, in such an impressive territory, one architectural tradition dominates, which cannot be said about any European culture. All basic constructive and decorative techniques developed many centuries ago and remain relevant to this day. At the same time, the cultural stability of the country, which has survived many foreign invasions, is striking. The secret lies in the fact that the inhabitants of this state passed all the innovations through the prism of their own worldview. That is why the borrowed elements are not much different from the original Chinese ones.

Regular building of cities was carried out on the basis of the principles of Feng Shui. So, all buildings were oriented to the south. There was a whole system of urban planning rules in the country, according to which the administrative and imperial parts of the city were always located in the center, they were surrounded by walls that formed a forbidden territory. The most important buildings were built along the main highways running from the south gate towards the north.

The height and location of a structure was determined based on its function and the position of the owner in society. And although in China already in the first centuries of our era it was impressive, ordinary citizens were forbidden to build houses more than one floor high. For this reason, a unique volume-spatial composition of the settlements was formed. The picturesqueness of the resulting landscape was greatly enhanced by the color scheme of the roofs. So, at the imperial buildings they were painted in gold, at the temples and houses of officials - in green (sometimes blue). The roofs of the towers were covered with gray tiles.

most famous drink

Describing China: population, area, climate, culture, architecture, economy and other areas - it is impossible not to mention one amazing drink. He has long been calling card countries. This is tea. It is a product resulting from complex processing of the source material. Freshly picked buds and leaves are poetically called tea emerald. Depending on what products were used in their processing, green, yellow, white, turquoise, flower, crushed, pressed, red, black tea is obtained.

Unique Therapy

Local people are actively engaged in tai chi quan. This is a special kind of gymnastics, based on the ancient system of exercises. It, in turn, is based on the inseparable connection of three components - movement, consciousness and breathing. In many cities, street classes are held under the guidance of professional instructors. Their work is paid by the Ministry of Health, which believes that it is better to pay ten than to treat a thousand later.

The main principle of Chinese treatment is not to bring health from the outside, but to awaken the internal forces of the body. And gymnastics in this regard is only one of many options. For example, in the resorts of Hainan is proposed to eliminate nervous disorders by taking mineral and aromatic baths. At local spas modern technologies successfully combined with traditional methods of getting rid of ailments. Chinese medicine bases therapy on the concept of the seven emotions. If a person is overcome by anger, fear, pain, anxiety, grief, surprise or even happiness, this can shake the balance of his body, that is, lead to illness. As for the Hainan mineral waters, they just remove the existing emotional stress due to the increased content of silver, manganese and hydrogen sulfide.

Population

The area of ​​China is almost 9.6 million square kilometers. km. Representatives of fifty-six nationalities live in this vast territory. According to the national census, there are 936.7 million Chinese (Han) and 67.23 million ethnic minorities in the country.

The density map displays the uneven distribution of people. Thus, the bulk of the Han people live in the Huang He and Zhujiang basins, as well as in the northeast of the country - on the Songliao Plain. As for national minorities, despite their relatively small numbers, they occupy about 60% of the territory of the state. They live in Tibet, in the Ningxia Huen, Guangxi Zhuang, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions, as well as in fourteen provinces.

Area of ​​China in sq. km is very large, and the internal migration of millions of people plays a significant role in the distribution of the population. Often, residents of megacities move to underdeveloped areas.

Currently, the country is witnessing a change in the administrative management of fertility by material incentives. An example of this is the new slogan of population policy, which reads: "The fewer children you have, you will get rich faster." According to the National Bureau of Statistics, on January 6, 2005, the population of China reached one billion three hundred million people. Local authorities are trying to do everything possible to equal zero. It is assumed that by 2030 the number of Chinese will reach its peak and amount to 1.46 billion. At the same time, it is expected that the maximum number of able-bodied citizens will be in 2020 and will be 65% of the total population (940 million people).

Experts note that if the authorities of the republic do not soften the current legislation that limits the number of children, then by the middle of this century the title of the most populous state in the world will pass to India.

Peculiarities

The China Provinces Map displays twenty-two territorial units. Each of them has not only an administrative role, but also cultural differences. Most of today's provinces have borders established during the Ming Dynasty. Since that time, the territorial division has been seriously transformed only in the northeastern part of the country.

In mainland China, the strict subordination of the provinces to the central government has been established, however, in reality, local government is endowed with fairly broad powers in the conduct of economic policy. Some researchers in this area call the current system of federalism with Chinese characteristics. At the same time, an analogy is drawn with socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Most of the provinces of the country (with the exception of the northeastern) gained borders during the reign of the Yuan, Qing and Ming dynasties. Moreover, the division was often not based on linguistic, geographical or cultural differences. This was done in order to prevent separatism and the rise of local authorities. themselves locals they say that the borders between the provinces are interspersed like a dog. Despite this, such a division has an important cultural significance. The inhabitants of each province are endowed with certain features that fit into the existing stereotypes.

Among the latest changes in the territorial division of the republic, the following are distinguished: giving Chongqing and Hainan the status of a province, as well as the establishment of special administrative regions of Macau and Hong Kong. What are the current provinces of China? The list is impressive:

1. Shanxi.
2. Shandong.
3. Guangxi.
4. Zhejiang.
5. Macau.
6. Qinghai.
7. Jiangsu.
8. Anhui.
9. Jiangxi.
10. Gansu.
11. Jilin.
12. Guangdong.
13. Henan.
14. Guizhou.
15. Heilongjiang.
16. Liaoning.
17. Hebei.
18. Sichuan.
19. Hunan.
20. Fujian.
21. Qinghai.
22. Hubei.

Attractions

Millions of tourists visit China every year. The area of ​​the country, equal to 9.6 million km², includes a great variety of architectural monuments, which attracts travelers from all over the world. The state carefully takes care of preserving the unique historical heritage. Even whole cities (24 in total) are declared protected and properly protected, not to mention individual monuments.

The most famous example of fortress architecture in the world is, of course, the Great Wall of China. Its length is four thousand kilometers. A unique building guards the northern borders of the country. It began to be erected as early as the fourth or third centuries BC, at a time when individual Chinese states were creating defensive structures to protect themselves from raids by nomadic tribes from Central Asia. According to historians, about four hundred thousand people took part in the process of building the Great Wall of China. After education centralized state some parts of it were connected. Thus, a single defensive complex was formed. The construction work was completed in the third century AD. The wall was a defensive shaft, the height of which reached ten meters. Troops and wagons could move along the wide top. Defensive towers rose every two hundred meters.

Beijing is known as the largest in China state museum called Gugong. In the past it was the imperial palace. The construction of a unique architectural monument began in the first half of the fifteenth century. Subsequently, the palace was rebuilt and increased in size. Modern Gugun is a grandiose complex, which includes more than a hundred buildings. Along the perimeter it is surrounded by a wide canal and surrounded by a high stone wall. The total area of ​​the palace is 720 thousand square kilometers, and the number of exhibits is 800 thousand. The latter are represented by antique values, including ritual palace utensils, ancient copper mirrors, jade and porcelain items, unique books and archives of the royal palace, and eight thousand of them are classified as treasures of national importance. Every day the museum receives thirty thousand visitors.

In China, a great many garden and park complexes are broken. Basically, they are located in the former imperial palaces and in private parks of various landscape types. Of particular interest are the most beautiful man-made mountains, ponds, cozy gazebos, bridges and bizarre heaps of stones.

A classic example of the work of masters of landscape art - Yi He Yuan, a park of serene rest. It is located on the territory of the summer imperial palace in the vicinity of Beijing.

There is a park called High Bay, which literally means "Northern Sea". It is famous for its artificial lake, on the banks of which there are interesting pavilions, pavilions and temples.

Suzhou is rightly called a green city. Currently, there are more than a hundred garden and park complexes. All of them are designed to please the eye and give coolness in the summer heat.

Conclusion

Admiration causes not only the impressive area of ​​the country. China is the state that gave the world paper, gunpowder, compass. In addition, the role of national culture is striking. It influenced the vast majority of spheres of people's lives and the development of the country, and continues to do so to this day.