Arranging Your Visiting Time

 

Arranging Your Visiting Time

 

National holidays

There are 11 national public holidays in the Chinese calendar:

•  New Year’s Day (1st January): 1 day

• Chinese New Year or ‘Spring Festival’ (usually falling in late January or early and mid-February): 3 days

•  Tomb Sweeping Day (5th April): 1 day

•  Labour Day (1st May): 1 day

• Dragon Boat Festival (the 5th day of the 5th Lunar month, usually in June): 1 day

• Mid Autumn Day (the 15th day of the 8th Lunar month, usually in September/October): 1 day

•  National Day (1st October): 3 days

 

Offices and agencies in China generally work a 5-day week.  The weekend days adjacent to a national holiday are usually moved to form a longer holiday period so that people will have 3 days or 7 days off in a row.

 

The following days are holidays for particular groups of people:

•  8th March: International Women’s Day (a half day holiday for women)

• 4th May: Youth Day (a half day holiday for people aged 14 - 20) 

• 1st June: Children’s Day (a full day holiday for all children aged 13 and under)

•  1st July: Birthday of the Communist Party

• 1st August: Army Day (for armed forces personnel)

•  1st September: Teacher’s Day

 

For detailed dates of this year, please check www.activeukchina.com

 

Traditional Chinese events and celebrations

 

Chinese New Year(also called ‘Spring Festival’) is the most important of all Chinese traditions.  It starts on the first day of the lunar calendar, usually in February and is very similar in a lot of ways to Christmas celebrated in the West. Officially it is only a 3 day holiday, but it often lasts for a week or even longer.  It is a family celebration and to be united with the family during this holiday is essential.  Big cities that are normally full of people from other provinces or rural areas become ghost towns over this time.  People stay indoors, taking part in many traditional family rituals such as making dumplings, playing ‘mahjongg’, putting up posters to stop evil spirits from coming in and even cleaning the house to prepare for the year ahead.

 

 

The Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day after Chinese New Year.  It is not a public holiday, but it marks the end of the New Year celebrations and provides another opportunity for a family reunion, called small New Year or “Yuan Xiao Festival”, as people eat a particular kind of sweet dumpling during this holiday. The famous Lion Dances are also traditionally enjoyed during this festival. 

 

Tomb Sweeping Dayis on 5th April.  Many Chinese people observe the day with traditional tomb-cleaning activities.  It is an opportunity to pay tribute to the dead through various rituals and marks of respect.

 

The Dragon Boat Festivaltakes place on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, usually in June.  People eat Zongzi (rice wraps) and drink yellow rice wine to commemorate the greatest patriotic poet in Chinese history - Qu Yuan. During this time, Hong Kong hosts one of the liveliest annual Chinese celebrations.

 

The Chinese Valentine’s Day or Magpie Festival (Qi Xi)is celebrated by lovers and couples alike on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month.  It originates from a well-known Chinese tale where two lovers, Niulang and Zhinu, would only meet once a year on this day on a bridge in the heavens.

 

Mid-Autumn Festivalis celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, sometime in September or October.  It is a chance for farmers to celebrate a good harvest and for families to meet, admire the full moon and eat moon-cake together.

 

The Double Ninth Festival (Chong Yang Festival)follows a tradition of mountain climbing, admiring Chinese chrysanthemums, eating cake and drinking Chinese wine.  It falls on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month (usually in October).

 

The Laba Festival, which is celebrated on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month (normally in January), is traditionally an opportunity for people to pray to the gods for a good harvest and good fortune.  Now, families gather and eat Laba porridge together, which contains a variety of ingredients such as dates, lily flower seeds and nuts.

 

Major forthcoming international events

• 1st May – 31st October 2010: World Expo 2010 Shanghai
• 12th August – 22nd August 2011: 26th Summer Universiade Shenzhen
• 12th November -27th November 2010: 16th Asian Games Guangzhou

 

• Always have a comfortable pair of shoes with you – China is a large country!

 

 

Mix business with pleasure – China’s Top 10 ‘must see’ attractions

 

Chinais a vast country, and as such has a great many attractions for international visitors.  These are the top 10 ‘must see’ attractions according to feedback from Western travelers: 

 

Great Wall, Beijing

The Great Wall has a history dating back over 2000 years.  The first part of the Wall was built under the orders of the first Emperor of China - Qing Shi Huang - between 220 and 200 BC, and was fortified during the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century.  In ancient times, it was used as a form of defenceagainst invading armies.  Now, it is a Chinese cultural landmark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  The Wall stretches for approximately 6,400km, from the Jiayu Pass in the West to the Shanhai Pass in the East.  The most famous sections of the Wall are Badaling and Mutianyu, the former of which is well-known for its breathtaking geological features, and while it is the most perfectly preserved part of the Wall, it is also the most congested.  The Mutianyu section is a little further away but much quieter and less busy with tourists.  Other lesser-known sections such as Gubeikou, Jinshanling and Simatai are not as well restored, but are more authentic and offer a more relaxed opportunity for visitors to view this national treasure.

 

Terracotta Army, Xian

The Terracotta Army was buried with the first Emperor of China around 210BC.  Its role was to help rule the empire of Qin Shi Huang in the after-life.  The site was discovered in 1974 by local farmers who were drilling water holes.  Each of the warrior figures has unique features and accessories and is made life-sized and extremely realistic.  Many stone horse carriages, crafted weapons, tools and treasures were also buried alongside them.

 

The Forbidden City, Beijing

First built in 1406, 24 Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties lived and reigned here.  It has more than 9,000 rooms and spans a large area of 720,000m2.  It is also known as the Palace Museum and has the world’s largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures.  It exemplifies the essence of Chinese imperial architecture, which has influenced the architectural development and culture of other countries in East Asia. 

 

SummerPalace, Beijing

This is the largest and most well-preserved royal garden in China.  It was first built in 1750 and was then rebuilt in 1888 for the Empress Dowager CiXi of the Qing Dynasty.  It occupies around 2.9 million m2 and has beautiful surroundings with many temples and halls – all of which are well worth a visit. UNESCO declared the Summer Palace an ”outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole”.

 

Templeof Heaven, Beijing

Constructed in 1420, the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties used this site for worshipping heaven and praying for a good harvest.  Now, it is the largest and most well-preserved complex of imperial altars in China.  It is 4 times the size of the Forbidden City and with much greenery, magnificent temples and a pleasant environment throughout the year, the place is well worth a visit.

 

The Bund, Shanghai

The Bund is the most famous tourist attraction in Shanghai and stretches for a mile along the Western bank of the Huangpu River.  52 buildings, constructed in a wide range of architectural styles are situated along the Bund, representing the Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Renaissance, Neo-Classical and Art Deco styles.  The buildings house some of the most famous banks and hotels in China.  The view at night is especially beautiful and its grandeur can be appreciated by standing on the other side of the river bank or taking a cruise along the river.

 

Guilin, Guangxi province

Guilinis one of the oldest cities in the Guangxi province.  It is an extremely popular and famous tourist destination both for its culture and unique natural environment.  It has strange mountains in which shapes of animals and characters in Chinese novels and myths can be made out.  The Li Jiang River has beautiful scenery along its banks such as mountains and rocks, a view which can be enjoyed while taking a trip down the river.

 

Jiu Zhai Gou, Sichuan province

Located in the Sichuan Province, its name originates from the 9 Tibetan villages in its gully.  The gully has a total length of more than 80km and is famous for its beautiful springs, lakes, waterfalls, snow mountains and forests.  Its quiet, natural and undisturbed environment will be an excellent escape from the hectic pace of life in the city!

 

Suzhou Traditional Garden, the Jiangsu province

There are several traditional Gardens in Suzhou, part of the Jiangsu province.  Most were constructed in the Ming Dynasty and the most famous is the Zhuozheng Garden.  Each has its own unique features with calm lakes and rooms where the Emperor and his family used to live during their visits.

 

Harbin Ice Lantern Festival, Heilongjiang province

Harbinis the capital of the Heilongjiang province, the most northern province of China.  The temperature can hit depths as low as -30˚C, hence it is ideally positioned for its spectacular exhibitions of ice sculptures based on animals, plants, buildings or motifs taken from legends.  The festival is normally held in January and February each year, but it can unofficially start from December and go on until early March.

 

Appendix

 

Metric and Chinese measurement conversions

 

Temperature

℃=（℉- 32）÷ 1.8

℉= （℃× 1.8）+ 32

28℃≈ 82℉

Weight

‘jin’ (斤) and ‘liang’ (两) are the traditional Chinese units for weight

measurement

1jin = 10 liang

1lb = 0.45kg = 0.91 jin

1kg = 2.2lb = 2 jin

1oz = 28g

1g = 0.04oz

Volume

1L = 0.22 imperial gallons = 0.26 US gallon

1 imperial gallon = 1.2 US gallons = 4.55L

1 US gallon = 0.83 imperial gallons = 3.8L

Length

‘zhang’ （丈）, ‘chi’（尺）, ‘cun’ （寸）are traditional Chinese units of distance measurement which are still in use at times

1 zhang = 10 chi

1 chi = 10 cun

1 m = 3 chi

1 in = 2.54 cm = 0.076 chi

1 cm = 0.39 in = 0.03 chi

1ft = 0.3 m = 0.91 chi

1 m = 3.3 ft = 1.1 yd = 3 chi

1 mile = 1.6 km

1 km = 0.62 miles

Area

‘mu’ (亩) is the traditional Chinese unit of area measurement which is still in use at times:

1 mu = 0.07 hectare = 0.17 acres (837 sq yards)

1 hectare = 2.47 acres = 15 mu

1 acre = 0.40 hectares = 6.07 mu

 

 

 

 

Test your knowledge of China

 

Send us your answers to guide@activeukchina.com and you will be entered into the monthly draw to win a China gift or a UK restaurant voucher.

 

• What is the main spoken language used in China?

• What is the current population of China?

• What are the ‘four major inventions’ most talked about by the Chinese people?

• When was the People’s Republic of China established?

• How many municipal cities are there in China?

• Who is the most influential philosopher in the Chinese history?

• What metric system does China use - imperial or metric?

• What does RMB stand for and what does it mean?

• What were the first Emperor - Qinshihuang’s - major achievements in history (name three)?

• Name the two Special Administrative Regions in China.

• Which major event is going to take place in Shanghai in 2010?

• Name three of the Chinese government’s current major concerns.

• What’s the meaning of Guanxi?

• What does ‘face’ represent?