Country info for backpacking in China

History

The first civilizations in China arose in the Yangtse and Yellow river valleys at about the same time as Mesopotamia, Egypt and India developed their first civilizations. For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. Paper and gunpowder, for example, are Chinese inventions and Chinese developments in astronomy, medicine, scholarship and other fields were extensive. A tomb unearthed in Changsha contained a heliocentric model of the solar system, and showed its occupant wore a bra — it is 3,200 years old. China also explored the world and traded extensively with other nations. By the 5th-6th centuries AD, voyages to India and the Arab countries were routine. In the 15th century the Ming Dynasty fleets under Admiral Zheng He reached as far as East Africa. However, China has always been inward-looking. China is the "middle kingdom". The Emperor did not receive ambassadors, only tribute bearers. Around 1425, China turned inward with a vengeance. Records of the great trading voyages were destroyed and the ships allowed to rot. When Western traders arrived in the 16th century, China was initially hostile to them. The first Western base was Portugal's colony Macau, near Canton. The Emperor imposed various restrictions on trade, allowing Westerns to trade only at Canton (Guangzhou), only with payment in silver, and only with a government-approved monopoly of traders called the Cohong. Export of items that would break Chinese monopolies, such as tea seeds or silk worms, was strictly forbidden. Traders eventually smuggled both out, creating two of India's greatest industries. Western traders resented these restrictions and struggled to interest the Chinese in Western goods, without notable success. By the 19th century, various Western powers had taken various pieces of China and trade was well established. The relationship, however, was fraught with difficulties. Westerners tended to see China as corrupt and decadent. Chinese often viewed the West as greedy and contemptible. The great issue, however, was opium. For the West, the profitable commodities were "pigs and poison", indentured laborers and opium. Britain's balance of trade — paying for tea and silk in silver and being quite unable to interest Chinese in most British products — would have been disastrous without opium. However, by growing opium in India and exporting vast amounts to China, they were able to have a nice trade surplus. Some Chinese colluded in this, and made fortunes from it, but every Chinese government from the Qing to the present day has been unalterably opposed to the trade. Several wars were fought in China in that century.

• Two Opium Wars (1839-1842 and 1856-1860) pitted China against Western powers. China quickly lost both wars. After the first one, Britain got Hong Kong island, and five "treaty ports" (Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Shanghai and Ningbo) were opened to Western trade; after the second, Britain got Kowloon, and inland cities such as Nanjing and Wuhan were opened to trade.

• There were several Muslim rebellions in Western China.

• The Tai Ping Rebellion (1851-1864) was led by a madman claiming to be Christ's younger brother. It was largely a peasant revolt; its program included land reform and eliminating slavery, concubinage, arranged marriage, opium, footbinding, judicial torture, and idolatry. The Qing government, with some Western help, eventually defeated them, but not before the Taiping had ruled much of China for over ten years. This was one of the bloodiest wars ever fought; only World War II killed more people.

• In 1895, China lost the Sino-Japanese war and ceded Taiwan to Japan. In addition, it had to relinquish control of Korea, which had been a tributary state of China for a long time.

Many Chinese resented various things in this period — notably missionaries, opium, grabbing Chinese land, and the extraterritoriality provisions in the "unequal treaties" that made many foreigners immune to Chinese law. To the West trade and missionaries were good things, and extraterritoriality was prudent in view of the corrupt and brutal laws in place. The 20th century brought revolution. The empire was overthrown in 1911 and Sun Yat Sen, a doctor, nationalist, socialist and democrat, became president. After the 1895 war Japan continued its imperial expansion in East Asia, invaded Manchuria in 1931 and conquered much of eastern China by the late 30s. China had other problems as well, such as civil unrest and major famines. In 1937, the Kuomintang and Communists signed a tenuous agreement to form a united front against Japan. However the agreement largely broke down by 1940-41 and the Communists under Mao Zedong and the Kuomintang under Chiang Kai Shek openly fought each other. Throughout the period from 1911 to 1949 various warlords fought challenges to their local power from any outsider, regardless of nationality or ideology. After World War II, outright civil war broke out. More Chinese were killed in this than in resisting Japan. In 1949, the Communists won, causing the Kuomintang to grab the national gold reserves and imperial treasure, and then flee to Taiwan where it set it up shop and promised to recapture the Mainland. The Communist government imposed strict controls over everyday life; basically, the Party ran everything. They also indulged in various experiments such as the Great Leap Forward, intended to industrialise China quickly, and the Cultural Revolution, aimed at changing everything by discipline and attention to Mao Zedong Thought. These failed at a disastrous cost and crippled China's economy more than anything else. The effects of the Cultural Revolution in particular can still be seen today; many traditional Chinese customs, such as the celebration of the Hungry Ghost Festival(中元节), are still thriving in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and overseas Chinese communities such as those in Singapore and Malaysia, but have largely disappeared in mainland China. Mao Zedong died in 1976 and Deng Xiaoping's came to power shortly after. After 1978, Deng gradually introduced market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision making. Economic output quadrupled by 2000 and is still rising at 9% a year or so, but there are still problems — serious inflation in the 80s, pollution, rural poverty, and corruption. Political controls remain tight even though economic policy continues to be relaxed, enough for China to secure admission to the World Trade Organization. October 2007 saw the official guarantees on private property, a clear step away from hardcore communism and in 2003, the Party changed its statutes to accept a new category of members: "good capitalist communists." The current president, Hu Jintao, has proclaimed a policy for a "Harmonious Society" which promises to restore balanced economic growth and to channel investment and prosperity into China's hinterlands, which have been largely left behind in the economic boom since 1978. This policy involves additional tax breaks for farmers, a rural medical insurance scheme, reduction/elimination of school tuition fees and infrastructure development to encourage investment in underdeveloped areas, e.g. the Beijing/Lhasa railway - a dream first put down on paper by Sun Yat Sen in the early 1900s.

Dynasties and capitals

Many cites have been capitals of China, or of various smaller states in periods when China was split up. Beijing and Nanjing mean Northern capital and Southern capital respectively; each has been the capital several times.

• Legend has it that the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, who were mythical God-like kings, ruled China from about 2852 BC to 2205 BC.
• The Xia dynasty seem to have have ruled the Yellow River valley area from about 2100 BC to 1600 BC, though some experts consider this more legend than history.
• The first historically confirmed dynasty, the Shang (1700 BC to 1027 BC) ruled only the Yellow River valley and had their capital near Anyang in Henan.
• The Zhou Dynasty, 1027-221 BC, had their first capital at Hao near modern Xi'an. After a military defeat in 771 BC, they continued as the Eastern Zhou with capital Luoyang. The Zhou is the longest dynasty in Chinese history, lasting about 800 years.
• The Qin Dynasty, 221-206 BC, were the first to unite an area anything like all of China. Their capital was at Xianyang, near modern Xi'an. Our word "China", and the word "Chin" in languages of India, probably comes from their name.
• The Han Dynasty, 206 BC to 220 AD, had its capitals at Chang'an (near modern Xi'an) (Western Han) and Luoyang (Eastern Han). This was the period of the first Silk Road trade. Chinese still use Han as the name of their largest ethnic group. The Han is considered by most Chinese to be the first high point in Chinese civilisation.
• Then for a few hundred years, 220-618, China was not united. Capitals of various important states included Luoyang, Nanjing and Suzhou.
• The Tang Dynasty, 618-907, had its capitals at Chang'an and Luoyang. The Tang is considered by most Chinese to be the second high point in Chinese civilisation, and Chinatowns overseas are often known as "Street of the Tang People" (唐人街) in Chinese
• The Song dynasty, 979-1279, had its capital at Kaifeng until the Mongols took that. They moved the capital to Nanjing and later to Hangzhou. Eventually, the Mongols took the whole Song empire. Marco Polo, who was in Hangzhou a few years after the Mongols conquest, describes it as one of the richest and most beautiful cities on Earth.
• The Yuan (Mongol) dynasty, 1279-1368, used the area that is now Beijing as their capital. Polo mentions it under the name Canbulac, the Khan's camp.
• The Ming dynasty, 1368-1644, initially had Nanjing as their capital then moved the capital to Beijing. They built most of the famous buildings in Beijing — Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and so on.
• The Qing (Manchu) dynasty, 1644-1911, used Beijing as the capital of China but they had their own Manchu capital at Shenyang.
• The Republic of China, who ruled China 1911-1949, moved the capital back to Nanjing. Today they control only Taiwan, and Taipei is their "temporary capital". During the Second World War, Chongqing was also a temporary capital.
• Beijing has been the capital of China since the Communist victory in the civil war, 1949.

People

China is a very diverse place with large variations in culture, language, customs, and economic levels. The economic landscape is particularly diverse. The major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai are rich and modern. However, more than half the population, some 800 million rural residents, still live as peasants, farming with manual labour or draft animals. Many of these men and women live in severe poverty. A Chinese government estimate as of 2005 had 90 million living on under ¥924 (US$112) a year; 26 million were under the official poverty line, ¥668 (US$81) a year. China has recently experienced a huge economic explosion, and many rural residents (over 200 million by some estimates) have moved to the cities to become migrant workers, or sometimes businessmen. This has created a two-tier social structure in most cities; the established urban dwellers, and people from rural areas, the latter group often face discrimination and mistreatment from the former. Some foreigners who are not familiar with Chinese customs and habits may find certain Chinese manners to be unrefined, coarse or inappropriate. However, these behaviors are usually benign in nature. The lesson is this: keep an open mind; if you do this, you'll find that people tend to be warm and friendly. Behaviors that may be initially jarring include: No spitting please

• Spitting: in the street, shops, supermarkets, hotel lobbies, hallways, or even in restaurants and hospitals. Traditional Chinese medical thought believes that it is unhealthy to swallow phlegm.
• Caucasians will find that catcalls of "hello" or "laowai" are common: lǎowài (老外) literally means "old (and thus respected) outsider", a colloquial term for "foreigner"; the more formal term is wàiguórén (外国人). Calls of "laowai" are ubiquitous outside of the big cities (and even there, occasionally); these calls will come from just about anyone, of any age, and can occur many times in any given day.
• Staring: common through most of the country. The staring usually originates out of sheer curiosity, almost never out of hostility. In certain situations (e.g., on the train), the person may be hoping you'll acknowledge them and start a chat. Of course this is difficult for those who don't speak Chinese.
• Loud conversations, discussions or public arguments: These are very common and sometimes take place at inappropriate times and/or at inappropriate places. Full-blown fights involving physical violence are less common but do occur with a fair degree of frequency. If you witness such an event, leave the vicinity and do not get involved.
• Pushing, shoving and/or jumping queues: this often occurs anywhere where there are queues, particularly at train stations.
• General disregard of local and/or national laws especially "No Smoking" signs.

Some long-time residents say it's getting worse, others say the opposite. The cause is new migrants from the countryside who are unused to city life. Some department stores put attendants at the foot of each escalator to keep folks from stopping to have a look-see as soon as they alight - when the escalator behind them is fully packed. In the same department store, others gape at that row of magic steel doors that open and close - and every time they open, it's never the same people. On the whole, however, this a people who love a good laugh and because there are so many ethnic groups, they are used to different ways of doing things. They are often very used to sign language and quick to see a non-verbal joke wherever they can spot one. (A laugh doesn't necessarily mean scorn, just amusement.) If you have children, bring them!

Climate

The climate is also extremely diverse, from tropical in the South to subarctic in the North. Hainan Island is roughly at the latitude of Jamaica while Harbin, one of the largest cites in the North, is at the latitude of Montreal. There is also a wide range of terrain with mostly mountains, high plateaus, and deserts in west; while plains, deltas, and hills can be found in the east. On the border between Tibet and Nepal lies Mount Everest, at 8,850 m, being the highest point on earth. While the Turpan depression, in northwest China has the lowest point of the country, at 154 m below sea level. This is also the second lowest point on land in the world, after the Dead Sea in Israel.

Holidays

China is a huge country with endless travel opportunities. However, during holidays, millions of migrant workers return home and millions of other Chinese travel, so travelers may want to think seriously about rescheduling. At the very least, travel should be planned well in advance. Every mode of transportation is crowded and tickets of any kind are hard to come by, so it may be necessary to book well in advance (especially for those traveling from remote western China to the east coast or in the opposite direction). Train and other tickets are usually quite easy to buy in China, but difficulties arising from crowded conditions at these times cannot be overstated. Some travelers who have been stranded at these times, unable to buy tickets for needed travel, have managed to get airplane tickets, which tend to sell out more slowly. Travelers should also note that some travel services such as hotels raise their prices during holidays. And around the New Year, many stores and other businesses will close for several days, a week, or even longer. Chinese New Year Dates

• 2008 - 7 February
• 2009 - 26 January
• 2010 - 14 February

China has three major annual holidays:

• National Day - October 1
• Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (春节 chūnjié) - late January / mid-February
• Labour Day (May Day) - May 1

These aren't one-day holidays. Workers get at least a week or two off for Chinese New Year; students get 4-6 weeks. Both groups get about a week for National Day and Labour Day. Also, during early July millions of university students go home and in late August they return to school, jamming transportation options, especially between the east coast and the western provinces of Sichuan, Tibet, and Xinjiang. Spring Festival is especially busy. Not only is it the longest holiday, it is also a traditional time to visit family, much as Christmas is in the West. More or less all the university students (20-odd million of them!) go home, and more or less all the migrant workers who have left their farms and villages for better pay in the cities go home. This is often the only chance they have. Everyone wants to go home, and China has a lot of "everyone"! A complete list of Chinese festivals would be very long, since many areas or ethnic groups have their own local ones. See listings for individual towns for details. Here is a list of some of the nationally important ones not mentioned above:

• Lantern Festival - 15th day of the 1st lunar month, just after Chinese New Year, usually in February or March. In some cities, such as Quanzhou, this is a big festival with elaborate lanterns all over town.

• Qingming Festival - about April 4-6, is called "grave sweeping day" in English. Cemeteries are crowded with people who came to sweep tombs and offer sacrifices. Traffic on the way to the cemeteries becomes extremely jammed.

• Dragon Boat Festival - 5th day of the 5th lunar month, usually in June. Boat races are a traditional part of it.

• Double Seventh Festival - 7th day of the 7th lunar month, usually August, is a festival of romance, sort of a Chinese Valentine's Day.

• Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival - 15th day of the 8th lunar month, usually in October. People meet outside, putting food on tables and looking up at the sky while talking about life.

• Double Ninth Festival or Chongyang Festival - 9th day of the 9th lunar month, usually in October.

• Winter Solstice Festival - December 22 or 23.

Books

Non-guidebooks, either about China, or by Chinese writers. Travel:

• The Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo - the Venetian traveller's stories in the Middle Kingdom (see also: On the trail of Marco Polo)

Literature:

• Winter Stars by Beatrice Lao (ISBN 988979991X) - a collection of poems born between the Alps and the Tyrrhenian

History:

• The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang (ISBN 0140277447) - the forgotten Holocaust in WWII

• Wild Swans by Jung Chang (ISBN 0007176155) - a biography of three generations, from the warlord days to the end of Mao's era, illustrating life under China's version of nationalism and communism (banned in China)

• The Good Man of Nanking: The Diaries of John Rabe / The Good Man of Nanking by John Rabe - firsthand description of the sadistic rapes, torture and slaughter perpetrated by Japanese soldiers in WWII and Rabe's ultimate success in saving perhaps a quarter of a million lives

• The Search for Modern China by Jonathan Spence - Chinese history since 1644

• The Sextants of Beijing by Joanna Waley-Cohen - a book that summarizes recent thinking on how China was much more open and less xenophobic than often assumed

• 1421, The Year China Discovered the World by Gavin Menzies (ISBN 0553815229) - well known but well contested account of China's alleged efforts to explore and map the entire world

• 1587, A Year of No Significance by Ray Huang - describes a uneventful year in the history of Ming Dynasty China

• Red China Blues: My Long March from Mao to Now by Jan Wong, a reporter for the Globe and Mail of Toronto, Canada. The book describes her experiences as one of the first foreign exchange students to study in China after the Cultural Revolution and her life and experiences as a reporter in China until the mid 1990s.

Crime

Petty crime remains relatively low, and it is common for people to quietly carry large amounts of cash. At the same time, one should take the usual precautions against being conspicuously wealthy. In some areas, there are many pickpockets. In crowded markets, buses, and even dance clubs it is common for wallets and mobile phones to disappear. Items such as purses left unguarded at restaurants are also liable to be stolen. The major cities in Southern China, especially Shenzhen, have crime rates that are soaring. They are typically no more dangerous than a major American city and violent crime is especially rare, but keep your eye on your bags and if you see a local wearing a backpack on their front, it's probably a good idea to do the same.

Traffic

Traffic in China can be very dangerous, and driving in China is not for the faint hearted. Walking, especially in rural areas, can be very dangerous because of oncoming traffic, which includes bicycles and motorbikes which have their own lane, in addition to cars and larger vehicles. In urban areas traffic will sometimes slow down if they see you in the way. More often — and almost always outside of major cities — they will just honk and expect you to get out of the way. Stop signs do exist in China but are rare, and cars almost never stop there. The safest way to cross a street is via a pedestrian overpass or subway, if available. When having to cross on the street, a safe bet is to cross with the locals, as they know what they're doing and tend to cross in numbers.

Begging

Once taboo, begging is no longer an uncommon sight in China, particularly in major tourist areas. In Beijing begging is exceptionally bad, especially around hotels and markets foreigners frequent. Shanghai has also seen a return of the child begging gangs from the pre-revolutionary era. Shenzhen is also full of beggars, the most aggressive types are in front of the Hong Kong border/Lou Hu. Please be aware that as soon as you give money to a beggar, you WILL be accosted by every other beggar. Beggars in China are almost exclusively professional and many have obvious deformities, which are more effective at eliciting pity. Others are fully functional and will use their strength to latch on to your leg or arm until you give them some cash or drag them for a distance. Children are frequently coerced into begging by adults, who force the children to beg and then take the money that they collect. In some areas, especially Beijing, beggars are often rather aggressive and persistent, even though there are traditionally strong social norms against begging, as it is considered shameful. The Mandarin phrase "qù nǐ de", literally "go to your (place)", has roughly the force of "bugger off". It might be appropriate for rude aggressive beggars, though almost certainly not for others. Begging is common in train stations around the country. Often, women will hold babies and say that their kids are hungry. True or not, just be aware of your surroundings if you do decide to give any money. If you do feel it appropriate to give a beggar some money, keep in mind that many Chinese only make ¥20-30 per day working hard labor jobs. Giving ¥1 to a beggar is very generous. See begging for more detailed discussion.

Scams

See also: Common scams, Pickpockets In touristy places in China be cautious about unknown people approaching you on the street and striking up a conversation in English, as this may be a prelude to a scam. Be polite, but there is no need to come along if they start insisting on you coming with them some special place you had not planned on going to. In Beijing these scams are most common around places like Tiananmen Square, which attract tourists but don't charge for admittance. But they also happen in other big cities such as Shanghai when strolling through touristy places. An example of this type of scam is the Chinese tea ceremony. Just as you're leaving a tourist attraction, a friendly couple approaches you to invite you to a tea ceremony which turns out to be very expensive. Another common scam is the free art gallery tour. Tourists are lured into small shabby art shops and pressured to buy overpriced Chinese art which is nothing but a copy. This is common in Beijing, and the scammers may claim to be struggling art students. One other scam is the bargain tour of city where somebody who is supposedly a driver who offers to take you to all the major tourist attractions of the city for a cutthroat price and with no time limit. He may even offer you his identity card and show you some sort of "tour operator license". These people can typically be found in the arrival halls of airports and ferry terminals as well as at major border crossings. If one accepts the offer, the driver would typically drug his passengers and coax them to hand over all the valuables, which the passenger would usually comply under the influence of the drugs. Such people can be rather persuasive so be firm with them and walk away if they continue to pester you. If they get too persistent, threaten to report them to the police as touting is illegal in China. If you require a vehicle with a driver, arrange for one through your hotel instead. Most locals however are genuinely curious people who may see that you're looking lost or who want nothing more than a chat and a photo with foreigners. Try to strike a balance, to avoid scams without being rude and unfriendly to people who may just be genuinely helpful and curious. Just don't be afraid to say no to any offer. If you meet someone who wants to have a cup of coffee and a chat, suggest going to Starbucks or another big chain, as you are unlikely to be scammed there. But consider treating your new friend(s): a cup of Starbucks coffee is relatively expensive for an average Chinese person, to say nothing of a student or someone else on a tight budget. Overall, be positive and cautious when on the road and enjoy your trip.

Banned items

The Chinese government uses censorship extensively. Books or magazines mailed in are almost always delayed at customs and sometimes disappear.

• In particular, support for Tibetan or Taiwan independence is unacceptable. Under this law, the movies Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet and publications written by or supporting the Dalai Lama are banned.
• Lonely Planet's China guidebook is reportedly also banned because its map depicts Taiwan as an independent state, but is very commonly seen.
• Some historical books, such as those critical of the Cultural Revolution, are banned. These include Jung Chang's Wild Swans (an accessible if narrow introduction to recent Chinese history) and all the works of the only Chinese to win the Nobel Prize for literature, Gao Xingjian, who now lives in France.
• Publications by the Knights of Columbus, Jehovah's Witnesses, Unification Church, and Seventh-Day Adventists may not be imported. Generic religious items, such as Bibles, have reportedly also been seized. Typically, one bible is allowed in the visitor's native language.
• Publications concerning Falun Gong are strictly forbidden.

Most importantly, do not bring in an item that could be perceived as an insult to Mao Zedong, the Chinese Workers' Party, or the Chinese people or government. Trying to bring in a banned book might get you stopped at the border, prevented from entering. If police notice one in the country, they would confiscate it and you may face interrogation or even detention. After that probably you would be deported and permanently banned from China. Beware of getting Chinese friends into trouble; it might be much more serious for them.

Personal hygiene

Outside major cities, public washrooms vary from mildly unpleasant to utterly repulsive. In cities, it varies from place to place. High quality bathrooms can be found inside major tourist attractions (e.g., the Forbidden City), at international hotels, office buildings, and upper-class department stores. Washrooms in McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, or any of the coffee chains listed in the drink section are usually more or less clean. While those in common restaurants and hotels are barely acceptable, those in hotel rooms are generally very clean. Some public facilities are free, others cost from a few mao up to one or two kuai (¥.1-¥2). Separate facilities are always provided for men (男) and women (女), but sometimes there are no doors on the front of the stalls. The sit-down toilet familiar to Westerners is rare in China in public areas. Hotels will generally have them in rooms, but in places where Westerners are scarce, expect to find squat toilets more often than not. Many private homes in urban areas now have sit down toilets, and one major benefit from having a local host is that they have clean bathrooms. As a rule of thumb, a western establishment such as McDonald's will have a western toilet. Carry your own tissue paper (weishengzhi 卫生纸 or mianzhi 面纸) as it is rarely provided. You can sometimes buy it from the money-taker at a public toilet; you can also buy it in bars, restaurants and Internet cafes for ¥2. Put used paper in the bucket next to the toilet; do not flush it away as it may block the often poor plumbing systems. Chinese tend to distrust the cleanliness of bathtubs. In hotels with fixed bathtubs, disposable plastic bathtub liners may be provided. Wash your hands often with soap, or better carry some disposable disinfectant tissues (found in almost any department or cosmetics store), especially after having used public computers; the main cause for getting a cold or flu is through touching your face, especially the nose, with infected hands.

Food & drink

There are no widely enforced health regulations in restaurants. Restaurants generally prepare hot food when you order. Even in the smallest of restaurants, hot dishes are usually freshly prepared, instead of reheated, and rarely cause health problems. Most of the major cities have chain fast food places, and the hygiene in them tends to be good. Be cautious when buying food from street vendors. This is especially the case for meat or seafood products; they can be very unsafe, particularly during warm weather, as many vendors don't have refrigeration. A rule of thumb regarding street food is to make certain it is cooked thoroughly while you are watching; also, visit stalls frequented by locals, and look for plastic-wrapped disposable chopsticks. Minor stomach discomfort may still be experienced from street food and restaurant food alike, but is said to pass as one becomes accustomed to the local food. Ginger is effective against nausea, though it does not kill bacteria. Chinese people do not drink tap water, and you drink it at your peril, even in cities. All hotels (and even boats!) provide either a thermos flask of boiled water in your room (refillable by your floor attendant) or a kettle you can use to do it yourself. This service is free. Purified drinking water in bottles is available everywhere, and is generally quite cheap. ¥1 is normal for a small bottle, but it will be more in some places. Check that the seal on the cap is not broken. Beer, wine and soft drinks are also cheap and safe.

Health care

Drugs are generally available from a pharmacist without prescriptions. You can usually ask to see the instructions that came with the box. Western medicine is called xīyào (西药). Common symptoms

• Caught a cold: 感冒 gǎnmào
• Fever: 发烧 fāshāo
• Headache: 头痛 tóutòng
• Stomach ache: 肚子痛 dùzǐtòng

See Chinese phrasebook for more. Many Chinese doctors and nurses speak no English. Hospital wait times are generally short - usually less than 10 minutes at general clinics (ménzhěn), and virtually no wait time at emergency rooms (jízhěn). Ensure that needles used for injections or any other procedure that requires breaking the skin are new and unused - insist on seeing the packet being broken open. In some parts of China it is acceptable to re-use needles, albeit after sterilization. For acupuncture, it is recommended to provide your own needles, as the disposable type used in Hong Kong and Taiwan are not yet in common use in China. Note that there should be no bleeding when the needle is inserted and removed if the acupuncturist is sufficiently skilled. Parts of southern China have mosquitoes which transmit malaria, dengue fever, etc. China has only officially recognised the threat of an AIDS/HIV epidemic since 2001. According to the United Nations "China is currently experiencing one of the most rapidly expanding HIV epidemics in the world. Since 1998, the number of reported cases has increased by about 30% yearly. By 2010, China could have as many as 10 million infections and 260,000 orphans if without intervention"; Chinese President Hu Jintao has recently pledged to fight the spread of AIDS/HIV within China. New diseases are sometimes a threat in China. In 2003 China experienced a serious SARS outbreak; this is no longer considered a major threat. More recently, there have been cases of bird flu; avoid undercooked poultry or eggs.