Brief information about China. Impressions of China

brief information about country

Date of foundation

Official language

Chinese

Form of government

Socialist republic

Territory

9,596,960 km² (3rd in the world)

Population

1,430,075,000 people (1st in the world)

Timezone

Largest cities

Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Tianjin, Guangzhou

$14.625 trillion (2nd in the world)

Internet domain

Telephone code

Or Zhong Guo, as the Chinese themselves call it, is one of the most amazing and mysterious countries in the world. The birthplace of paper and printing, gunpowder and compass, silk, porcelain and many others useful inventions and discoveries, it invariably attracts the attention of historians, researchers, and travelers. Located in the southeast of the Asian continent and its outline reminiscent of a huge bird soaring in the sky, modern China is the heir to a great civilization, the chronicle of which goes back about five thousand years.

Video: China

Basic moments

Despite the rich historical past, the rather diverse ethnocultural composition of the population and the presence of national-territorial autonomies, the People's Republic of China is de facto a unitary state with a strict management system and a clearly structured vertical of power, the core of which has been the Communist Party since 1949.

The PRC has a huge territory of 9,596,960 square meters. km, including the island of Taiwan, which is not controlled by the central government, and its surrounding small islands. According to this indicator, China is second only to Russia and Canada. In terms of population – 1,430,075,000 people (2018 data) – it ranks first in the world rankings.

Distant and mysterious China is also called the Celestial Empire. The ancient Chinese considered their country to be the only one in the world protected by heaven, and their rulers were revered as “sons of heaven.” Or perhaps such a poetic name is inspired by the highest mountain system on the planet located here - the Himalayas? It's hard to say for sure. But one thing is certain: every tourist who comes here necessarily becomes a little Chinese, because it is simply impossible not to be imbued with the local culture, the original customs of the ancient people, their culinary traditions and no less vibrant modernity!

Cities of China

All cities in China

Nature

The tranquility and grandeur of Tibet, the majestic Himalayas, the unique landscapes of Gansu province, the Gobi Desert in the north and warm seas in the eastern part of the country it is all China. The local nature seems to be specially created so that the traveler immediately forgets about the everyday hustle and bustle and takes a break from the noise of big cities, gaining bright and unforgettable impressions.

The inaccessibility of many areas, in particular the Tibetan Plateau, has made it possible to preserve the flora and fauna in their original form. In the mountains near the peaks the vegetation is quite sparse, and at their foot there are meadows with lush grass where herds of yaks graze. The population uses them as draft power when plowing small plots of land. Other animals that can survive in such conditions live here: orongo antelope, himalayan bear and kiang. There are also hare, bobak, red wolf, Brown bear and lynx. Great rivers of China and neighboring countries- Yangtze, Yellow River, Indus, Salween, Brahmaputra, Mekong - originate in the mountains of Tibet. Thanks to the snowy peaks, they fill their waters and provide long-awaited moisture to animals and plants.

The largest monumental structure in Tibet, another autonomous region of China, is the Potala Palace. It is located 130 meters above the valley of the city of Lhasa, and its construction began in 1645. Before the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, the palace was the official residence of the Dalai Lama.

If you visit the northeastern province of Guangxi, a cruise on the Li River will be an unforgettable moment of your stay. The landscape here is decorated with amazing hills, steep cliffs, incredible caves, bamboo groves and villages.

At the foot of Mount Nanshan, 40 km west of the city of Sanya (this is the south of Hainan Island), there is the Nanshan Center of Buddhism - the largest in Asia. It was opened in 1997, its area is 50 square meters. m. In addition to restoring the ancient Buddhist temple, the creators of the center laid out an impressively sized landscape park here.

All sights of China

Kitchen

Chinese great importance give food its beneficial and tasteful qualities. For them, eating is not just a necessity of life, but a kind of ritual, which has a philosophical meaning. Chefs in China have long been equated with prime ministers. Even the ancient thinker and philosopher of China, Confucius, compared a well-prepared dish with a successful state in which everyone is in his place.

The vast territory of China is divided into provinces. Each of them has its own nature and way of life, therefore gastronomic preferences are different.

In the north of the country, the main ingredient in dishes is noodles. It is fried, boiled, baked.

In the south of the Celestial Empire, not a single dish is complete without rice. It is used to make flat cakes, sprinkled with soy sauce, and even baked bread. Desserts are also prepared from this main national product. The most famous cuisine traditions are Cantonese, Sichuan, Shandong, and Jiangsu cuisine. In fact, there are many more of them. For example, in Tibet, the basis of the entire diet is not rice or noodles, but barley. Dough for noodles or dumplings is made from this cereal. Barley beer from local brewers has a sweet and tangy taste.

The province of Guangzhou, in southern China, is famous for its wide variety of meat dishes. Almost any meat is cooked here, even snakes and snails. Poetic names of unfamiliar dishes most often confuse a traveler inexperienced in Chinese delicacies. Having familiarized yourself with the ingredients of the dish, you can calmly enjoy its taste without worrying about the contents of the plate. For lovers of spicy dishes, the culinary masterpieces of Cantonese cuisine may seem bland.

It is here that light dishes, collectively called dim sum, are popular. They usually small size, so that it is convenient to take with chopsticks, and represent portions of desserts, fruits, vegetables and seafood. In Chinese, dim sum translates to “order for your heart” or “touch your heart.” Often local restaurants serve only this type of snack.

You can have a good snack in China, since there are a lot of delicious snacks for tea here: for example, jiaozi (similar to dumplings) or wontons made from rice dough (resembling manti). And baozi, reminiscent known to Russians pies are steamed and stuffed with delicious fillings. Rolls are baked from rice and fuju. No other cuisine can boast of such a delicacy, because fuju is a film that forms on soy milk.

For lovers active rest You should immediately go to the city of Sanya, which is located on the island of Hainan. Here everyone can take part in sports rafting mountain rivers, try your hand at diving or visit the adjacent small islands and go fishing there. Golf tourism has gained incredible popularity here, prompting the creation of two professional golf clubs, each with 18-hole courses.

But the world's largest socialist country is famous for more than just traditional entertainment. There are more than 20 here ski resorts. Each of them usually has 5-6 tracks designed for quick descent, as well as several lifts. The most popular ski center in China is Yabuli. It was here that the winter Olympic Games in 2008.

Yabuli Ski Resort

While on holiday in China, you can take part in world-famous courses traditional medicine on health improvement. Here, thanks to the unique thermal springs, many dermatological, urological diseases and illnesses can be cured digestive system. The most popular medical complex in the country is Nantian. It has 30 swimming pools, each of which has water unique in mineral composition and temperature. There are several other health centers in Sanya. They offer acupuncture treatments and therapeutic massage sessions.

Shopping

For many years, China has been ranked first in the ranking of countries producing a wide variety of products. It is in China that you can buy whatever your heart desires: from small souvenirs to jewelry, electronic equipment and an expensive car. Most tourists admit that they go to the Celestial Empire not only to see local attractions, but also to have the shopping experience of their dreams.

iPad, is that you?

Almost every major city has a huge shopping center, so big that it would take at least three days to visit each store. As a rule, all shopping centers are open from 10:00 to 21:00 without days off and lunch breaks. The most popular are Bailian Zhonghuan Mall, Grandview Mall and Times Square in Shanghai, Beijing Great Gold Mal in Beijing, South China Mall in Dongguan, Teem Mall and Plaza in, as well as Hong Kong Harbor, where thousands of fashion boutiques, shops, supermarkets and a number of popular entertainment venues.

In addition to clothes and electronics, in China you can buy hand-painted porcelain products, which are very popular among foreigners. Women will be delighted with pearl jewelry, national dresses, fans and umbrellas. For friends and acquaintances, you can bring the famous Chinese tea, magnets and symbols of this country - a fire-breathing dragon, tiger or panda. China has a very developed discount system. Tourists will be pleasantly surprised by low prices, discounts and frequent sales.

Transport

Until recently, China's transport system was not in the best condition, despite the size of the country and its population. The thing is that until the end of the 80s of the last century, China was, in fact, a backward agricultural country.

According to estimates by the State Council of the People's Republic of China, the losses of the country's economy due to the undeveloped transport system reach 1.5% of GDP, so now all the government's efforts are focused on its development.

The most popular mode of transport here is rail. The railway network stretches for 115 thousand kilometers. China has already surpassed Russia in this indicator and is second only to the United States.

The first metro line was launched in 1965. Today, there are subways in 22 cities of the country. The total length of metro lines is about 2.5 thousand kilometers. According to government plans, in the near future the number of cities with their own subways will reach 58.

China has more than 2000 ports. The country's water transport network transports 1.5 trillion tons of cargo and 6.5 trillion passengers.

China's air transport has about 500 airports, and the total number of aircraft reaches 2000.

Connection

Mobile communications in China are new for Russians, since until recently the local information technology market was closed to tourists, but now it is gradually opening up. The number of operators is 3, and it was they who distributed the “spheres of influence” among themselves throughout the country.

The largest mobile operator is China Mobile, which owns 66 percent of the total market share. The remaining two places were distributed as follows: China Unicom (20%), China Telecom (14%). The monopoly position of these operators negatively affects the level of competition: in terms of the cost of using communication services, each representative of the trio offers approximately the same prices, essentially leaving subscribers no choice.

To make calls, tourists have access to cards from any Chinese mobile operator. To purchase a starter package, you must present a foreign passport. The offered tariffs are calculated for a month. The cost starts from 80 yuan and can reach several thousand in the national currency of the People's Republic of China. Best option– tariff for 100 yuan (approximately 500 rubles). Tariffs begin on the first day of each month.

Safety

In China, tourists can expect the most unexpected troubles and even dangers. Let's look at the most common ones.

When traveling by taxi, there is a possibility of running into unscrupulous drivers and losing money. Such scammers specially attach a handle or antenna to the car with tape, which even when light touch, naturally, fall off. First of all, inexperienced tourists fall for this “bait” and are billed for the alleged breakdown.

In general, the Celestial Empire is famous for its low crime rate and the friendly attitude of the police towards guests. However, in any city you can stumble upon petty thieves who can “steal” a wallet or documents in an instant, so when you are in the thick of people, you need to keep your eyes open.

Be especially careful on the roads. If in large cities the Rules traffic If they also mean something, then in the provinces many people drive at their own discretion (especially drivers of bicycles and scooters), which is why you can end up under the wheels of a car.

Chinese cuisine is not entirely familiar to the Russian stomach. By eating too much or eating something wrong, you can ruin your entire vacation. You should avoid questionable eateries and absolutely exotic food like scorpions, grasshoppers or cockroaches. Very spicy dishes flavored with a lot of seasonings can also pose a danger.

In some provinces of China, an unfavorable epidemiological situation remains for a number of infectious diseases, for example, malaria or clonorchiasis. You can find out about the situation in a particular region in advance.

Hotels and accommodation

Today there are more than 300 thousand hotels in China. A significant part of them are located in the center of large tourist cities. Hotels with high level services are also found in the provinces, which allows us to say: in this country you can easily find a place for temporary residence, as they say, for every taste and budget.

For lovers of a comfortable stay with all amenities, hotels such as Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai New Development Sentosa Hotel and Shanghai Acme Sunhall Service Apartment, located in the center of Shanghai, are suitable.

High-quality service, delicious breakfasts and stylish rooms will make your stay in China even more enjoyable and unforgettable. The cost of living in 4-5* hotels ranges from 300 to 700 yuan per day, in 2-3* hotels - from 100 to 350 yuan. For those traveling to China for a longer period, rented apartments are suitable, the cost of which ranges from 600 to 1300 yuan.

In China, as in many other countries, staying in hostels, which are relatively cheap, has become popular among tourists. The cost of a double room in a hostel is about 100 yuan. For those traveling in a group, there are rooms for 6-10 people, the cost of which ranges from 30 to 70 CNY per person.

Staying in a hostel is really much more profitable than staying in a hotel. The conditions are no worse: free breakfast, clean rooms, Wi-Fi. The money saved on accommodation can be spent on souvenirs and gifts.

How to get there

Every day, two Aeroflot flights operate from Moscow to Beijing, and one flight is operated by the Chinese airline Air China. You will be in the air for about eight hours.

Aeroflot planes fly daily, and China Eastern Airlines planes fly several times a week. A direct flight will take about 10 hours.

IN in contact with facebook twitter

Shanghai and the rebirth of China.

Usually a travel story begins with what surprised you the most. What struck me most about this trip was, perhaps, the scale of the transformations that are now taking place in China. I saw changes in China everywhere, from the reconstruction of a Taoist temple in the mountains to the incredible “construction projects of the century” in the giant metropolis of Shanghai. In general, now the Celestial Empire is experiencing a complete rebirth for the umpteenth time in its many-thousand-year history. The new China is replacing the dying old (ancient) and this can be felt everywhere.

The Chinese economic boom that began with the reforms of Deng Xiao Ping continues today, despite the crisis in which the rest of the world is mired. Transcontinental highways with 10-12 lanes are being built along the whole of China, of phenomenal quality, inaccessible to domestic road services in the foreseeable future. Magnificent roads are also built in the mountains in a short time. In just a few months, a magnificent road was built to the provincial mountain monastery of Qingyungong, winding like a serpentine around the mountain peaks. An interesting detail in the description of this road is that all the roadside lights were solar-powered, and this is in a very, very deep province...

Today China saturates the lives of its citizens modern technologies. Construction of railway tracks for ultra-modern high-speed trains, which will run between all major Chinese cities, is currently underway at an accelerated pace. You can already travel on such a train from Beijing to Shanghai, and very soon it will be possible to travel to Tibet on the same train.

The presence of new technologies is noticeable everywhere, especially in Shanghai, where we spent the last day of our trip. The timing of our trip coincided with the prelude to the opening of the high-tech exhibition Shanghai - Expo 2010. China prepared thoroughly for this exhibition. Not only a whole city of pavilions was built, but also many skyscrapers, as a result of which Shanghai, one of the largest cities in the world, grew by another 1/3. Visually, it seems that the Chinese have built “half of New York” in Shanghai for the opening of the exhibition. By the way, Russia is also present at this exhibition. It is interesting that Russia chose Dunno as its symbol at the world's largest high-tech exhibition; in Chinese, the name of this hero sounds like Xiao Bu Ji, i.e. low ignorant (Xiao can be translated as short in stature or short in a pejorative sense, in combination with the word “ignorant”, the word “low” is more logical to translate in a pejorative sense).

Shanghai amazed me more than any other city. Shanghai is the largest city in China and one of the most big cities peace. In addition, Shanghai is the largest seaport in the world.

Shanghai is simply incredible. We start our acquaintance from the airport. The runways are often jammed with Boeing 747 passenger airliners. The airport has a large number of terminals, each of which is several times larger than all 4 Sheremetyevo terminals combined. As at any other Chinese airport, the movement of passengers inside the terminals is organized in such a way that there are almost no queues. You go through all control and inspection zones very quickly. Security officers charm you with their hospitable appearance and wide smile. During my trip, I visited 3 Chinese airports and had already “got used to good things” until I arrived back at Sheremetyevo, where I got stuck in a low basement of this airport in an hour-long queue at the booth through which Russian citizens and other passengers returning home passed to stamp your arrival.

The latest silent, ultra-comfortable monorail train runs from the airport to Shanghai and back, reaching speeds of up to 500 km/h. This train holds the world speed record in real operation. The journey between the airport and Shanghai will take no more than 7 minutes. The price of a ticket for this train is approximately the same as the price of a red-painted Moscow Aeroexpress train, which runs 40 minutes to Moscow past destroyed factories hidden behind high crumbling walls, on top of which there are rows of rusted barbed wire.

But if traveling on a monorail train is too expensive for you, you can take a taxi for 30-40 yuan (150-200 rubles) and a taxi driver in white gloves and a suit will take you to the center of Shanghai. Our taxi driver, in addition, also sang songs in Chinese.

Traveling by taxi is even more fascinating than traveling by monorail train. Shanghai has magnificent wide roads and mind-blowing road junctions, some of which have 6 levels. There are several giant steel suspension bridges across the river, comparable in size to the famous American Golden Gate Bridge. One of the bridges is 36 km long, making it the largest bridge in the world.

And of course, the scale of Shanghai's skyscrapers, which are among the tallest in the world, is mesmerizing. The effect is especially great if you know that this entire giant metropolis has grown over the past 20 years, because the beginning of the liberalization of Shanghai and Russia coincides in time and began in 1991. So we can say that the 5 unfinished towers of Moscow City and the gigantic Shanghai, comparable only to Chicago and New York, are the same age.

Any Muscovite in other cities is always interested in the metro, and I, too, could not resist the temptation to visit the Chinese metro. Of course, neither in Beijing nor in Shanghai did I find stations comparable in beauty to Moscow. The Chinese metro impresses not with its pompous beauty, but with its high technology and thoughtfulness. Just 5 years ago, the metro in Beijing and Shanghai consisted of only 2-3 lines. But in just a few years, the Chinese managed to do the impossible, and today the Beijing and Shanghai subways are comparable in scale to Moscow. I, accustomed to the shaking and noise of the Moscow metro, was most surprised by the silent and very soft ultra-modern trains of the Beijing metro.

In the Beijing subway, you can talk to your neighbor in a whisper and they will hear you; there is almost no need to hold on to the handrail: the start and braking of the trains are very soft. Both Beijing and Shanghai surpass Moscow in population and, nevertheless, even at rush hour I did not encounter a crush in the metro similar to Moscow. Perhaps this is due to the comrades of the vigilantes who fill the streets of major cities in China. They help organize the movement of people and cars in the subway and on the streets.

Many TV programs about Shanghai focus on the contrasts of the city. The fact is that back in the mid-90s, a significant part of the city was occupied by slums from the times of the Cultural Revolution, and the giant skyscrapers growing upward, against the backdrop of the slums, looked quite colorful. In fact, even now in Shanghai you can find several such species, which I captured. But I’ll tell you honestly, to find them today, you have to try pretty hard, and in a year, probably, there won’t be any slums at all. In Shanghai and Beijing, entire blocks of buildings are being demolished and giant new buildings are being built in their place.

Gives the city a certain Chinese flavor a large number of"Feng Shui" parks. Near skyscrapers, you will often find a bamboo grove, “bonsai” apple trees, plum trees, maples and pine trees, lakes with golden carp, gazebos by the lake... Often such gardens are placed directly on the roofs of buildings.

I truly felt the “Shanghai contrast” when in the middle of this gigantic metropolis we found a block built in a traditional style, consisting of 4-5 storey buildings with sloping roofs and ornate patterns. In the middle of this quarter we found a wonderful place - a Buddhist monastery, inside of which peace, tranquility, and silence reigned. The air was sweetened by incense, abundantly burned on the altars, from where statues of Buddha and arhats looked down at us.

That day was difficult - I got up at 4.30 in Beijing, from where, armed with bags heavy with souvenirs and tea, we went to the airport for the Beijing-Shanghai flight. Immediately upon arrival in Shanghai, we began to explore this metropolis and it was already 6 pm. The evening service began at the monastery, in which we took part. The ringing of a bell, the singing of mantras, the beating of a drum... The monks sang mantras in a chorus of 40 voices, and we joined them. The service lasted about an hour. You have no idea what the effect was.

I literally physically felt myself filled with very subtle and pure energy, the fatigue went away completely, the tension too, I felt born again. It was wonderful... We were present only at the first part of the service. When the second began, a nun came up to us, wished us a happy fate and gave everyone a gift of rosary, which should be worn on the left hand to calm the heart. We were also given a description of the monastery in Chinese and English languages. The hint was understood and we left, diving again into the bustling life of Shanghai.

In China today, not only roads, bridges and skyscrapers are being actively built, but also Buddhist and Taoist monasteries. Large funds are allocated to keep shrines clean and tidy. So the leaders of the new communist China, like the emperors of the Tang, Yuan and Qing eras, are looking for patronage in heaven and at the same time solving issues of the tourism industry. As a result of such processes, funny absurdities are obtained, such as the Committee on Taoism and/or Buddhism under the Chinese Communist Party... Modern Chinese authorities are actively exploiting the image of old imperial China. The most famous example is Shao-Lin.

However, traditional China is still dying, despite the authorities’ attempts to “revive the great Chinese culture.” The fact is that in the modern conditions of commercialized China it is almost impossible to teach according to the traditional scheme, which requires hours of daily training. And modern Chinese have almost completely lost interest in learning traditional forms of Wushu, calligraphy, medicine, painting, etc.

In this regard, many representatives of centuries-old lines of masters die without leaving an heir. In the training of many famous Wushu masters, foreigners predominate by a large margin. So, for example, during the training of the 70-year-old wushu master (bagua zhang and meihuazhuang) in the 18th generation Sui Yunjiang, with whom I had the opportunity to communicate in Beijing... (teacher Konstantin Ageev) out of 9 students, only 1 was Chinese. The rest are Russians and Italians. And this is not an isolated case, I heard the same story from my Xingyiquan teacher Mikhail Andreev.

Most Chinese are now much more interested in the values of Western culture than in the culture of the country in which they live. For better or worse, within the next 10 years the process of the withering away of traditional China, which began 150 years ago during the Opium Wars, will end. The old will be replaced by the new.

Travel and discovery were carried out by all peoples of the world. Such centers of human civilization as China and India are no exception in this regard.
The civilization of Ancient China arose in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. e. in the Juan River basin. By the end of the 2nd millennium BC. The Chinese settled throughout East Asia, reaching the banks of the Amur River in the north and the southern tip of the Indochina Peninsula. In Ancient China, spatial ideas about the surrounding world were also not limited to the borders of their country. Chinese travelers were well aware of the geography of China. The ancient Chinese not only sailed along their rivers, but also sailed their ships into the Pacific Ocean.
Already during the Shan-Yin dynasty (XVII - XII centuries BC), the Chinese state had overseas colonies. You can learn about this from the “Shan Odes”, in one of the parts of the Book of Songs. In the 11th century BC. When one of the emperors of the Zhou dynasty ascended the throne, he was presented with a ship as a gift.
The fact that sea travel was an integral part of the life of Ancient China is evidenced by the fact that the ruler of the kingdom of Qi in the 6th century BC. sailed on a ship at sea for six months for research purposes. The Chinese philosopher Confucius spent more than 13 years as a traveling teacher.
In addition to trading and pleasure ships, there were also powerful warships in Ancient China. The chronicler reports a major naval battle between the kingdoms of Wu and Qi in 485 BC. It is known that in these kingdoms there were special shipyards where military and civilian ships, as well as ships for government officials and ambassadors, were built.
To intensify trade in Ancient China from the 7th century. BC. detailed geographical overviews were created, which can be considered as a prototype of a guidebook. They described not only natural conditions, but also farming, transport, etc.
During the Zhangguo era, pilgrimage and scientific tourism began in China. The priests went to Bohai Bay (Yellow Sea) to the islands of Penglai and Yingzhou, where elders lived who held the secret of immortality.
Another example of the Chinese people's deep knowledge of geography is the construction of the Great Wall of China. Its construction, which began in the 4th century. BC, proves the excellent knowledge of the Chinese in the field of physical geography. The wall ran clearly along the border separating the steppe regions where nomads lived from the agricultural ones.
The intensity of travel in Ancient China increased in the 3rd century. BC. during the Han Dynasty. This was facilitated by two factors: a) the presence of well-developed communications in the country, b) liberalization of political life.
The most famous traveler of Ancient China was Sima Qian. Three known big travel Sima Qian, which took place in the period 125 - 120 BC
The first is to the southwest and northwest of China. Along the lower reaches of the Yellow River, Sima Qian walked through the valleys of the Huaihe and Yangtze rivers to Lake Taihu. Further, south of the Yangtze and through Zheejiang, he arrived in the last possession of China in the south, the province of Hunan. The return journey passed along the Xiangjiang River, Lake Dong-tinghu, the lower reaches of the Yangtze and further to the north.
The second is the areas newly conquered by China in the southwest. Through Sichuan and Yunnan Province, Sima Qian reached the Chinese border with Burma.
The third is to the northwest along the Great Wall of China to Gansu Province.
Sima Qian not only traveled, but also described his travels in detail. He is called the “father of Chinese historiography”, in European literature the “Chinese Herodotus”. His “Historical Notes” became a kind of standard for subsequent historians. Sy-ma Qian described in most detail the northern neighbors of China - the Huns, who in the 3rd century. BC. created a military-tribal alliance. His works also provide geographical information about China's southwestern neighbors, such as Korea.
Sima Qian's works have been partially translated and published in European languages. Translation into Russian was carried out by N.Ya. Bichurin. It is contained in the “Collection of information about the peoples who lived in Central Asia in ancient times” (M., 1950).
One of the first Chinese travelers was Zhang Qian, who lived around the 2nd century. BC. and held a diplomatic position at the imperial court. He often had to travel abroad on business. His travels are described in detail by Sima Qian.
Zhang Qian was entrusted with concluding a military alliance between China and the nomadic Yuezhen tribe against the Huns. Having gone on this mission, Zhang Qian was captured by the Huns, where he spent 10 years. After he managed to escape from captivity, he went west, crossed the Central Tien Shan and reached Lake Issyk-Kul. There he learned that the Yuezhen had migrated to the Fergana Valley. But he did not find this tribe in the valley either, since it migrated beyond the borders of Bactria, located along the middle reaches of the Amu Darya. Having gone there, Zhang Qian discovered this tribe, but could not complete his mission, since by that time the tribe had conquered vast territories and was no longer able to wage new wars. Zhang Qian's return route ran through the Pamirs, the southern tip of Taklamakan, and Lake Lop Nor. On the border with China, he is again captured by the Huns. Only two years later he managed to escape from captivity and return to his homeland.
While traveling, Zhang Qian constantly kept notes. He described Bukhara, the valley of the Ili River, the steppes of Kyrgyzstan, the territory of modern Kazakhstan, located north of the Syr Darya. Zhang Qian's journey was great economic importance. Along the route he took, Chinese merchants rushed to the west. They penetrated not only into Central Asia and India, but also into the Countries of Asia Minor and Palestine.
Just like other peoples, the ancient Chinese had geographic Maps, which they compiled with special care. The oldest surviving maps date back to the Han Dynasty (168 BC). In the 70s XX century two maps made on silk were found. One of them is purely geographical, and the other is military. Scientific cartography begins with the encyclopedist Zhang Heng in the 2nd century. AD He was the first to create a geographic grid. And in the 3rd century. AD In China, official standards for the production of maps had already been approved and there was a special bureau for the production of cartographic surveys. Card imprints were made from wooden clichés.
The Chinese knew well the property of the magnetic needle. A ladle was cut from a piece of magnetite (natural magnetic iron ore) and placed on a smooth stone surface. The handle of this bucket pointed south. This device was called "Sinan". In China, they also used a plumb line - a “shadow indicator” to determine the time of day. Moreover, the ancient Chinese had geographical literature. To the most famous books include “The Book of Rivers”, “The Book of Seas and Mountains”, “The Book of Chinese Geography”.
The significance of China in the sociocultural space of that time was enormous. In the chronicle of 166 BC. contains information about the visit of Chinese merchants to the Roman Empire and their meeting with Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antony. Chinese merchants paved the way through Central Asia, the Middle East, Palestine to Ancient Rome, which gave rise to the “Great Silk Road”. But China's closest trading partners were the peoples inhabiting the Hindustan Peninsula.

Chinese travelers the geography was well known China.
Intensity travel V Ancient China increased in the 3rd century. BC. during the Han Dynasty.

Trips V etc.. China. Chinese travelers.
In such places everyone was accepted for the night travelers, private individuals, as well as representatives of official authorities, to compensate for expenses.

Trips V etc.. China. Chinese travelers.
That's why travelers They carried provisions with them. Most often we stayed with friends and acquaintances.

Trips V etc.. China. Chinese travelers.
travelers provisions... more ».

Trips V etc.. Greece. Greek travelers.
From the harbors of the Red Sea, ships were sent to the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, India, and intermediary trade was also carried out with China.

“Previous question. Trips etc.. Egyptians
In Ancient Greece there were hotels, but they did not always provide food. That's why travelers provisions.

Geographical discoveries of Russians travelers X–XVII centuries Trips in Rus' were due to arr.
Marco subsequently became prefect of Yangzhou. During his 15 years of service, Marco learned China, collected a lot of information about India and Japan.

Russians travelers. Geographical discoveries of Russians travelers X–XVII centuries Trips in Rus' were determined by the way of life of our ancestors, as well as
Afanasy Nikitin was the first Russian to describe South and Southeast Asia from Iran to China.

in AD is called the childhood of humanity, it has not only a magical, but also a mythological character, the main cultural centers: Ancient Egypt, two rivers, etc. India, etc. China, etc. Greece, Rome, the peoples of America.

Travelers etc.. Egypt.
Motivation travel V antiquities. The beginning of the story travel should be carried out from the time when the process of separating man from the animal world began to occur.

Similar pages found:10

Religion

We believe that all Chinese are Buddhists, which is not true. Tourists love to look at the magnificent Chinese pagodas, and this is probably where this association came from. 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” of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.

Most Chinese 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 stopped believing in anything. But the way of thinking, ethics and norms of behavior of modern Chinese are formed 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. This happened in Chinese history, but now everything is changing. The modern Chinese does not feel any serious control, although in fact it exists.

On the other hand, there is much more freedom to realize oneself in China than in Russia. It’s much easier to open your own business there, it’s much easier to do your own thing on your own, rather than “working for someone else.” If you would like to work, the state will not interfere with you too much.

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, the Communist Party drew conclusions, and reforms began.

Taiwan, Macau and Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a former colony of the British Empire. Recently, it has officially become a province of the People's Republic of China. In essence, it is a separate state. The authorities in Beijing are only responsible for foreign policy, and all other administrative issues are resolved by local authorities.

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

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

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

Macau is a casino city; it is the Las Vegas of Asia. If a Chinese wants to play poker, blackjack or roulette, then they come here.

The situation with the island of Taiwan is more complicated. China officially considers it its territory and a province of the People's Republic of China. The Taiwanese disagree, and much of the world accepts their point of view.

Taiwan is a separate country. 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 board from domestic flight terminals. Don't get confused.

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

Read about China on our website

China... It really is paradoxical, isn't it? How harmoniously huge skyscrapers, small houses with incense and carved roofs are intertwined here. This country surprises with its sights, its unusualness, centuries-old history and traditions that are still alive today. We at TravelAsk decided to collect all the most interesting things about China.

Fact #1. China ranks third in area, and Shanghai is the largest city in terms of population.

Fact #2. China borders 14 countries, and its shores are washed by 4 seas. The climate here is very diverse: there is both the subarctic and the tropics.

Fact #3. As you know, China has the highest population. 1 billion 380 people live here. To regulate the birth rate, the country's government passed a law that a family should not have more than one child, because of this, the Chinese are the fastest aging country. It is for this reason that the law was repealed a couple of years ago.

Fact #4. China is home to 55 different peoples who speak 206 languages. Therefore, Chinese from different regions may not understand each other.

Fact #5. China is home to the world's largest dam, the Three Gorges Dam.

Fact #6. There are more than 80 thousand characters in the Chinese language. But an educated Chinese who has graduated from university knows about 5 thousand characters.

Fact No. 7. Chinese civilization is the oldest in the world that had writing.

Fact #8. IN Chinese province In Sichuan, the remains of dinosaurs were discovered, including a four-winged theropod - a transitional lizard between dinosaurs and birds.

Fact #9. The Great Wall of China was once 8,800 kilometers long, but only part of it - 2,400 kilometers - has survived to this day.

Fact #10. Acupuncture (needling treatment) originated in China more than 500 years ago.

Fact #11. Chinese calendar- the oldest in the world. It appeared in 2600 BC and is based on lunar cycle.

Fact #12. China invented paper, gunpowder, the compass and the typewriter. Also, some researchers claim that the wheel was invented in the country.

Fact #13. It was in China that ice cream was invented. 4 thousand years ago, someone accidentally left a mixture of rice and milk in the snow, and that’s how ice cream was born. Marco Polo brought it to Europe.

Fact No. 14. Marco Polo also brought pasta to Europe. Yes, Chinese noodles are the oldest relative of Italian pasta.

Fact #15. There are approximately 64 million empty houses in the country and entire ghost towns.

Fact No. 16. Chinese tea has been around for over 1800 years.

Fact No. 17. Kung Fu was invented by the Shaolin monks to protect themselves from robbers on deserted mountain roads.

Fact No. 18. China's economy is growing very quickly. For example, compared to the economy - 7 times. So, over the past 10 years it has grown by 316%!

Fact No. 19. China's GDP is lower than Bosnia's, ranking 91st among other countries in the world.

Fact #20. The fastest "high-speed" train in China connects Shanghai and. It accelerates to 480 kilometers per hour.

Fact No. 21. In China, driving is on the right. With the exception of Hong Kong - here cars drive according to British rules on the left side.

Fact No. 22. One of the largest shopping centers in the world is located in China. And its retail space is only 1% occupied. The whole problem is a bad location. This is the South China Mall.

Fact #23. If the Chinese pass by you in a chain, it will never end, since the growth of China's population is enormous.

Fact No. 24. In China, anesthesia from hemp and strong wine was invented, and the first operation under anesthesia was performed around 140-150. AD

Fact No. 25. The English name China most likely comes from the name of the Qin Dynasty.

Fact No. 26. Toilet paper was invented in China in the 1300s. Only the imperial family enjoyed this privilege.

Fact No. 27. According to statistics, 74% of Chinese believe in evolution. By the way, in Russia only 48% believe in Darwin’s theory, in - 42%, and in Egypt - 25%.

Fact No. 28. China has execution vans. It’s faster this way)) By the way, they execute here three times more people than in other countries.

Fact #29. There are toothpick collection centers in China. For about half a kilo they pay about 40 cents.

Fact #30. There are more than twenty millionaire cities in China. This is more than in any other country.

Fact #31. Pandas have lived in China for several million years. It is a symbol of power and courage. Chinese emperors held black and white bears, because they believed that they were able to drive away natural disasters and evil spirits.

Fact #32. In China, the color of mourning is white.

Fact #33. Here you can smoke almost everywhere: in taxis, restaurants, on the streets, in educational institutions.

Fact #34. Although Taiwan and China are different countries, on Chinese maps Taiwan is indicated as its province.

Fact #35. Chinese people use 74 billion pairs of chopsticks every year. This is 1.7 million cubic meters of wood or 25 million trees.

Fact #36. Wealthy Chinese may hire a body double to serve out their sentence.

Fact #37. The city of Yangshuo is considered one of the most beautiful places in China. It is located in Guangxi province, which is famous for its karst hills. It's really very picturesque here.

Fact #38. One of the most acute problems The PRC is a brain drain. 7 out of 10 Chinese who go abroad to study never return. The most popular country for immigration is. This is the largest diaspora.

Fact #39. Brad Pitt is banned from entering China. It's all about the film "Seven Years in Tibet", in which he starred. The film is banned in China and is considered anti-Chinese propaganda.

Fact #40. Swallow's nest soup is popular in China. By the way, it is considered a delicacy in other Asian countries.

$mob_info$