Ever since I started telling people I’d been placed in China, I get basically the same response from everyone. With a very pregnant pause, most people say, “Well that will be…different.”
It did dawn on—especially when I started writing essays for
scholarship money and grants to fund my trip—that I know very little about
China. Beyond what I learned in my sophomore geography class, I don’t know much
about the Chinese language, history, religions, or overall psyche. So I decided
to buy a book.
One of the primary books I read before and during my trip to
Prague was Madeline Albright’s Prague
Winter. Walking around Barnes & Nobel, I found a handful of books on
China. When I came across Henry Kissinger’s On
China, I had to laugh a little bit. A book by a Secretary of State had
helped me navigate one country, why not try another one.
From reading Kissinger’s On
China (and I am admittedly only about 1/3 of the way through it) as well as
some research online, I have found and compiled the following observations and lessons
on China.
Fact Sheet #1
·
So far, I know 5 words in China. “Ni Hao”=
“Hello”; “Zaijian”=”goodbye”; “Qing”=”Please”; “Xiexie”=”Thank you”;
“Bangzhu”=”Help” (Google Translate)
·
The capital city is Beijing, and the most
populated city is Shanghai. (Globalinks)
·
The Great Wall of China is the largest man-made
structure in the world. (Globalinks)
·
Table tennis is the most popular recreational
sport (Globalinks)
·
The Chinese invented toilet paper, gun powder,
ice cream, the compass, and printing (Globalinks)
·
As long as there is recorded history, there has
been mention of China. Unlike most cultures which have legends or stories of
their founding or beginning, China does not…as far as history is concerned, it
has just always been. (Kissinger)
·
The closest thing China has to an origin tale is
the Yellow Emperor; a hero who has appeared at various times to restructure and
rebuild a troubled China. As a result of this tale, China’s history is full of
“starting over” and this is not seen as a negative for the country, but a
necessity to survive. (Kissinger)
·
Unlike European nations or the United States,
China never imperialized other nations. When China did send fleets to explore,
they took gifts and invited their hosts to visit China someday. (Kissinger)
·
China and the US both believe they are the
greatest world power. Where America tries to spread their values and make other
nations more like them, China invites those who want to be like them to come to
China. (Kissinger)
·
Confucianism is the primary religion that has
grown out of China—around the same time that Buddhism arose in India and
Judaism in the Middle East. Living in a period of political and economic
decline, Kong Fuzi (AKA: Confucius) taught lessons on societal harmony. He
emphasized the importance of learning and compassion. (Kissinger)
·
Confucianism outlines a hierarchal society
creed. Unlike the individual salvation and personalized redemption taught in
monotheistic religions, Confucius preached redemption of the state through
focusing on perfecting one’s personal behavior. (Kissinger)
·
The Emperor was the primary political figure of
ancient China. There is no accurate comparison in Western thinking for the
status held by the Emperor. He was not only a political figure, but a spiritual
entity in himself (almost like an Egyptian Pharaoh.) The concept of “kowtow”
came from the obligation to recognize the power of the Emperor through bowing
on one’s knees and touching the forehead to the ground three times. (Kissinger)
·
The Emperor was also considered the “Son of Heaven.”
If the Emperor’s behavior was just, the universe would reward the nation. If
the Emperor’s behavior strayed from morality, natural catastrophes were
believed to occur. (Kissinger)
·
The Chinese never sought to “universalize” their
ways onto the world. They considered any diplomatic engagements to be
opportunities to demonstrate Chinese hospitality or to “send Heavenly Envoys”
to the world. It was only after pressure from Europe and the US in the 1800’s
did China begin to form a foreign ministry to deal with western diplomats.
(Kissinger)
·
Renminbi is the official currency of China. The
denominations of such are Yuan, Jiao, and Fen (1 Yuan=10 Jiao=100 Fen, like
Dollars, Dime, and Pennies.) (Globalinks)
·
Bicycling is the primary means of transportation
around cities. Cheap bikes can be purchased for 20-100USD$, however travelers
should wait to see how comfortable they are biking in crowds before purchasing
their own bike. (Globalinks)
·
Touring by train is the cheapest way to get
around China. The four “classes” of ticket on a train are hard-seat, soft-seat,
hard-sleeper, and soft-sleeper. Additionally, the subway system in Shanghai is
the largest and most expansive in the world. (Trip Advisor)
·
Tipping is not tradition in China. Mid-range to
expensive restaurants will build gratuity into the price. Cheap restaurants do
not expect tips, nor do taxis. (Globalinks)
·
Bargaining in common in owner operated stores
and markets. (Globalinks)
·
All of China is on one time zone (Beijing time)
and the country does not observe day light savings time. (Globalinks)
·
Photographing military personnel or military
sites is forbidden. Additionally, it is not considered polite to photograph
people without first asking their permission. (Globalinks)
·
The Chinese culture is very friendly in nature.
It is very common for people to invite strangers they meet over for a meal
(“You will probably get more invitations that you have time for. Be frank with
people and do what you feel you can.”) (Globalinks)
·
It is customary that whoever initiates an
invitation for a meal will pay for the meal. It is polite to thank them, and
then invite them out at a time you can treat them back. (Globalinks)
·
When invited into someone’s home, guests should
remove their shoes and always bring a gift. The gift may be anything form a
small bouquet of flowers, some fruit, or (my favorite) some chocolate. Gifts
are appreciated but usually not fussed over; it is just polite. (Globalinks)
·
Salary, income, and assets are all socially
acceptable topics of conversation. It is perfectly normal to discuss pride over
one’s income or disappointment. (Globalinks)
That is all I have so far. If you
know of any additional facts or tips, please feel free to share them in the
comments below. As I learn more, I will add more!
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