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China has one of the world's oldest continuous civilisations.
The Great Wall, X¡ian¡' s Terracotta Army, the Forbidden Palace and Tiananmen Square: the very names reverberate with history and legend.
China's paradoxes are many: Shanghai's skyscrapers contrast with Beijing's historical treasures, while in rural provinces, mechanisation is slow. This is not simply due to its sheer enormity and population of over one billion. China's history is one characterised by the collapse of a dynasty or the accession of a weak ruler that would fragment the country into smaller kingdoms until reunited.
What has defined China most in recent times is the outcome of the civil war in 1945. Defeated Nationalists fled to Taiwan, while victorious Communists founded the People¡¯s Republic of China. Internally, the China of the 1960s was dominated by the convulsions of the Cultural Revolution. But in 1976, the two towering figures of post-revolutionary China, Premier Zhou Enlai and Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong, both died.
China's contentious policies, however, did not end there. A major reform programme allowing little political liberalisation, despite economic change, prompted widespread protest; in 1989, thousands occupied Tiananmen Square in Beijing, only for the army to clear the Square with great loss of life and the Government to reassert political control. US support for Taiwan is a constant irritant. Within East Asia, China is involved in an intractable territorial dispute concerning the status of the Spratly Islands, claimed by no less than six nations and thought to sit above substantial oil fields. In the continuing tension between India and Pakistan, China has provided military support to Pakistan, considering India a political rival. When the Japanese imperial army invaded China in 1937, eight years of brutal occupation followed, which sours relations between the two countries to this day.
Such complex history and politics are worrying, but, for some, infuse the landscape with greater allure. And what a landscape it has ¨C this is the land of the Yangtze River, the Silk Route and the bamboo forests of the panda, bringing the vistas of rivers and misty peaks in traditional ink paintings to life. China justifiably holds 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites within its borders. Even Chinese food ranks among the world¡¯s great cuisines. From acrobatics to martial arts, calligraphy to Chinese opera, the vibrant, distinctive culture of this great land is everywhere to be seen.
Tibet (Xihang) is known as the Roof of the World and even the mere mention of the word evokes dreamy images of a mystical and dramatic territory. Tibet has only been open to tourists since 1980, so if you get the chance to go there, you should not turn it down. The Cultural Revolution, driven by Han Chinese, inflicted serious damage on Tibet¡¯s cultural identity, but despite this, it has preserved its own way of life and religious traditions, helped in some cases by apologetic Chinese attempts at restoration. What any potential visitor should bear in mind is that the Chinese authorities react strongly to overseas visitors becoming involved with any political activity for Tibetan independence, including taking photographs or videotaping demonstrations, or taking Tibetan nationals¡¯ correspondence or parcels out of the country. What makes up for this political quagmire is the spectacular scenery and uniquely fascinating Tibetan culture: its tradition of esoteric Buddhism is followed across Asia and is of great historical importance.
China's rapid economic growth, with predictions that it may become the world's major economic power within decades, has generated controversy surrounding global warming and insufficient oil supplies. However, it has also spurred on China's rapidly improving tourist infrastructure.
Beijing is a perfect example. The city is currently undergoing great investment in both tourism infrastructure and historical renovation due to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Flexibility and patience are still required to travel around China but, in return, China rewards visitors with memories to be treasured for a lifetime.
Get around
By plane
China has many domestic flights to all the major cities and tourist destinations. Prices for domestic flights are set at standard rates, but discounts are common, especially on the busier routes. Most good hotels will have a travel ticket service and will be able to save you 15%-40% off the price of tickets. Even after considering discounts, travelling by plane in China is not inexpensive. Do be prepared for flight delays; these are on the increase despite pressure from both the government and consumers. Travelling between mainland cities andHong Kong or Macau is considered an international flight and so can be quite expensive. Although more of a hassle, it is usually much cheaper to fly to or from Shenzhen or Zhuhai, just across the border, or Guangzhou, which is a little further, but offers flights to more destinations.
By train
Train travel is the major mode of long-distance transportation for the Chinese themselves, with an extensive network of routes covering the entire country, with the notable exception of Tibet. A new railroad from Qinghai to Tibet is due to start passenger service in July 2006.
There are five classes of travel: hard seats (Ó²×ø y¨¬ngzu¨¯) soft seats (Èí×ø ru¨£nzu¨¯) hard sleepers (Ó²ÎÔ y¨¬ngw¨°) soft sleepers (ÈíÎÔ ru¨£nw¨°) standing
Soft sleepers are the most comfortable mode of transportation and are still relatively cheap by Western standards. The soft sleeper compartments contain four bunks stacked two to a column (though some newer trains have two-bunk compartments), with a latchable door for privacy, and are quite spacious. Hard sleepers, on the other hand, have 3 beds per column open to the corridor, with the highest bunk very high up, leaving little space for headroom. Also note that the "hard" sleeper is not "hard" - the beds have a mattress and are generally quite comfortable. Hard seats is not for everyone, especially overnight, but it is this class that most of the backpacker crowd travels on. You may still buy tickets for a fully booked train, the seat section of your ticket will be marked differently. You may be able to be assigned a seat by the conductor, or it may mean standing in the aisle. Consider carrying a tripod chair in your backpack to make such journeys more comfortable. Despite the "no smoking" signs, there is invariably a crowd of smokers at the ends of the cars and occasional smokers within the car. Overnight travel in this class is extremely uncomfortable if you are not a smoker. The bathrooms on trains tend to be more usable than on buses or most public areas, because they are simple devices that empty the contents directly onto the track. Long distance trains will have a buffet or dining car, which serves hot (but generally overpriced by Chinese standards, at 25 yuan or so) food. The menu will be entirely in Chinese, but if you're willing to take the chance, interpret some of the Chinese characters, or ask for common dishes by name, you can eat very well. If you are on a strict budget, wait until the train stops at a station; there are normally stall vendors on the platform who can sell you some noodles or fruit at better prices. Trains also have boiled water available; bring tea, soups and instant noodles to make your own food. Be careful of your valuables while on the train; property theft on public transportation has gone up in recent years. Motion sickness pills are recommended if you are inclined toward that type of ailment. If you have some things to share on the train, you'll have fun. The Chinese families and business people traveling the route are just as bored as the next guy and will be happy to attempt conversation or share a movie shown on a laptop. All in all, the opportunity to see the countryside going by is a neat experience.
By bus
Travelling by bus (¹«¹²Æû³µ g¨ngg¨°ngq¨¬ch¨¥) is inexpensive and ideal for in-city and short distances transportation. Local buses start at around 1 RMB and can be quite packed during rush hour. More modern buses with air conditioning charge 2 RMB. Fares are marked on the outside of bus doors and no change is provided, so have exact fare. Coaches tended to be reasonably comfortable with most being air conditioned with soft seats or sleepers. They are often a better, though more expensive option than trains. The bathrooms on the buses are generally in very bad shape. Bus personnel tend to try to be helpful, but they are much less familiar with foreigners than airline personnel and English ability is very rare. Drivers in China often disregard the rules of the road, and accidents are frequent. Suddden swerves and stops can cause injury, so keep a good hold wherever possible. Horn honking is widespread among Chinese coach drivers, so a set of earplugs is a good idea if you plan on sleeping during the trip. Sleeper busses are common in China; instead of seats they have bunk beds. These are a good way to cover longer distances ¡ª overnight at freeway speeds is 1000 km or more ¡ª but they are not all that comfortable for large or tall travellers. You have to remove your shoes as you enter the bus; a plastic bag is provided to store them. If you normally travel in boots, it is worth getting a pair of kung fu slippers to make this easy.
By subway
Major cities ¡ª at least Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Nanjing ¡ª have a subway (µØÌú d¨¬ti¨§) system. Chongqing has a monorail system. Most of these systems are being expanded, and new ones are under construction (as of mid-2006) in other cities such as Hangzhou and Xian. Generally these are modern, clean and efficient. The signs and ticket machines are in both English and Chinese. |
