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| Most Popular Provinces: Beijing - Changsha - Chengdu - Chongqing City - Guangzhou - Guilin - Hangzhou - HongKong - Kunming - Lhasa is occupied - Macau - Nanjing - Sanya - Shanghai - Suzhou - Xi'an |
LATEST NEWSRe: How important is learning English to students in ChinaI am wondering what will happen if in 20 years' time, for example, most of the Chinese people active in work will speak and understand English quite fluently - will all those advantages for their career that you have mentioned still exist? Will there be enough positions on offer tom get them a job? Remember - it is quite certain that not all Chinese people knowing English can and will go abroad, not all of them will be able to pursue high paying careers in management, etc. To me, the current popularity of learning English is a part of a government and now the ESL industry campaign that tries to enforce the development of China opening to the international world after decades of political, economical and cultural isolation. With China becoming a global player this days, the need to communic... How important is learning English to students in Chinaso important that it is now required by law for Chinese students to start learning as soon as they enter school when I started teaching here it was basically taught in college, I taught in a high school and people were shocked (how did you get a job in high school they would ask), now it is common place and many high schools are not hiring any now more of the new law, kids begin studying English as soon as they enter school learning English ranks in the top 3 most important it is required for entrance exams for college as well as grad school the better your English the better you job and chances to go aboard to work tutoring is huge, a bit unstable as far as relying on it for an income but, I teach adults and the pay is GREAT!... Useful China Travel Tips - ClimateChina is a vast country with different climates, but generally speaking, spring is from April to June, summer from June to September, fall from September to October, while winter is from October to March, and usually it is colder and drier in the north in winter, and hotter and more humid in the south in summer. Beijing has a continental climate with long, hot summers and long dry, cold winters. Spring and autumn have beautiful weather, warm and dry, but both are extremely short. Many tourists avoid spring because of the famed dust storms, but there are less and less of the dust weather and it does not last long. The summer rain falls during July and August, and can make everything fresh. So, we suggest you come to Beijing between Sweltering and Getting cold, which would be late August, ea... Guizhou - Be Witness To China`s Ancient Minority CultureGuizhou Province in the southwest of China is fairly unknown to visitors, but it has some of China's finest scenery, and a large ethnic minority population which still follow their ancient colorful traditions. Guizhou occupies an area of over 176,000 square kilometers (67,958 square miles) and has a population of over 35 million. Its climate is subtropical which means that it is not too cold in the winter, or too hot in the summer. Due to the wonderful natural and cultural resources, Guizhou is destined to become one of China's more popular tourist destinations. Guizhou is home to more than 15 ethnic minority groups(such as: Buyi ethnic minority, Dong ethinic minority, Miao ethnic minority, Yi ethnic minority, etc) and most of them have settled in the most breathtaking scenic areas in Guiz... Chengdu TeahousesVisitors to Chengdu will find there are a lot of teahouses scattered throughout the city. Drinking tea has become quintessential part of Chengdu people's daily life. Because of this, Chengdu has formed a special tea culture all its own which attracts visitors from across China, and around the globe. For Chengdu locals, it is very important to have the proper atmosphere to enjoy their tea. For most people, the perfect place would be a teahouse. The most popular location for teahouses in Chengdu is along the south bridge of Dujiang Weir , where the scenery is wonderful and the weather is pleasant. There is a kind of teapot that is unique to Chengdu. It is made of brass and has a spout that is approximately three feet long. The people in the teahouses that can use this style of teapot are cal... Hangzhou-the Paradise On EarthAs the capital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou is perched in the Yangtze River Delta, being the political, economic, cultural, scientific and educational center of Zhejiang Province. An old saying goes that “Above there is heaven, below there are Hangzhou and Suzhou.” which is the heartfelt praise to this beautiful city. In Yuan dynasty Marco Polo, a famous Italian traveler regarded Hangzhou as “the most beautiful and luxurious city in the world”. It is also reputed as one of the eight major ancient capitals in Chinese history. If mentioning Hangzhou, many people would immediately think of the fascinating West Lake. Together with Lemon Lake in Geneva, they are called the two pearls in the world. The West Lake makes Hangzhou the most beautiful and luxurious city in the world and is of signif... The Top Ten Tourist Cities Foreign Travelers Favored In ChinaThe top ten cities foreign travelers favored in China are selected after investigating nearly 1500 tourists from the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France and other countries. The following are the most favorable cities. First, Zhuhai Being located in southeast of Guangdong Province, Zhuhai is counted as a bright pearl in the south coast of China, which is one of the first opening special economic zones. Second, xi’an Being perched in the Guanzhong Plain, xi’an is endowed with fertile land, favorable climate, abundant resources, historical relics as well as breathtaking scenery. It is the beginning of the Silk Way and counted as one of the seven ancient capitals. Third, Hanghzou Being located in northeast of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou is political, economic, cultural center o f Zhejiang pr... Tips For Foreigners To Travel BeijingBeing the capital of China, Beijing is drawing more and more foreigners to have a tour for its time-honored history as well as breathtaking places of interest. Some tips are provided here when foreigners are going to pay a visit to Beijing. The public toilets in Beijing were dirty in the past, while now the toilets in the tourist attractions are much cleaner than before. However, bringing toilet paper with you is advisable. You can appreciate the entertainment when people are after work in the park, where men are flying kites, playing chess and children are enjoying themselves. The subway is clean, convenient as well as cheap. You can take subway if it is near to the destination that you are going to just right. The stops will be called out in English and the signs in the subway are easy t... The Venice Of The Orient - SuzhouSuzhou, a 2,500 year old city located in the lower reaches of the Yangtze and on the shores of Lake Taihu is the cradle of Wu culture which originated during the Shang Dynasty in China in 11th century BC. One of the most beautiful cities of China known for its natural landscape and unique charm, Suzhou is referred to as The Venice of Orient because of its innumerable canals. If you are planning a trip to China, make sure to include this “Paradise on Earth” in your China tour itinerary. If you are contemplating your visit to this one-of-a-kind city, then the following facts will rouse enough enthusiasm and interest in planning a Suzhou tour: * The geographical area of Suzhou comprises of 10% cultivated fields, 30% hills, and the rest is covered by canals. * The city is truly defined by its ... Traveling in China - 5 Most Mysterious Places to VisitTraveling in China is not only a great vacation to undertake but an opportunity to unlock some of the most fascinating mysteries of Chinese culture and history. We invite you to come along and tour some of the most mysterious and spectacular places you will see nowhere else. 1. Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum is truly a spectacular work of art that was surrounded by air of mystery ever since its discovery in 1974. Over 700,000 slaves were employed to construct this massive tomb under the orders of emperor Qin Shi Huang, who was only 13 years old at that time. All the slaves and workers involved in the construction of the mausoleum were executed to keep the mysteries of the mausoleum construction hidden forever. Surprisingly, the young emperor died shortly after the mausoleum construction was finis... Things to Do in GuizhouGuizhou Province, located in the southeast of China, has only recently been noticed by travelers. Guizhou has a very large ethnic minority population and because not too many visitors come to the province, they have remained untouched. Their customs and traditions are intact, and offer an amazing experience for any visitor to Guizhou. On a Guizhou tour, visitors can witness how these minority groups have lived for centuries and experience the unique aspects of each minority group and be dazzled by their hospitality. The first stop for most visitors is inevitably Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province. Guiyang is the economic and commercial hub of Guizhou Province. Guiyang is home to a large amount of sites and historic relics. The Hongfeng (Red Maple) Lake and the Huaxi Park should not b... Guilin Shopping TipsLike all of China's major cities, Guilin is a shopper's paradise. Shoppers in this city can purchase anything from tea and clothing, to local arts and crafts. Guilin has three main shopping districts: the Zheng Yang Lu Pedestrian Street (Walking Street) located in the city's center, Xi Cheng Lu Pedestrian Street, and Wa Yao Wholesale Shopping District. These wonderful shopping places offer unique items that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Zheng Yang Lu Pedestrian Street (Walking Street): Zheng Yang Lu Pedestrian Street is the most hip and popular shopping district in Guilin. It is quite large and consists of several intersecting streets. The main entrance to Zheng Yang Lu Pedestrian Street is located near the Jie Fang Jiao bus-stop and this is where taxis drop off visitors. Zhe... The Tiger Leaping Gorge - The Most Adventurous Sightseeing in LijiangIf you have a chance to visit Lijiang city, in southwest Yunnan province, most of the locals and the tour guides would recommend you to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the most exciting spots close by the city. It is rumored that "Tiger Leaping Gorge is the deepest river canyon in the world". It may be a fact. The George is measured more than 3,000 meters (approx. 9842 feet) deep between 5,596 meters (approx. 18360 feet) high Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and 5,396 meters (approx. 17703 feet) high Haba Snow Mountain, where Golden Sand River (a local name of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River) passes in a series of rapids under the steep cliffs. The gorge may be not only the deepest but also the narrowest and the most dangerous canyon in the world. The narrowest part is only 30 meters. I ... The Simatai Great Wall - A Real Adventure TourChina is a country of amazing contrast. If you are a nature lover, it's easy to find a scenic city in China. If you are interested in Chinese history, you can visit historic cities like Beijing and Xi'an. If you are a shopaholic, you will love Shanghai and Hong Kong. If you are a pious pilgrim you may go to the Tibet and China's famous Buddhist Temples. What if you are an adventurer? Have you got any ideal about China? Do not hesitate. China could be your dreamland for a great adventure. We will write serial articles to introduce the most exciting adventurous sites for you. Let us start from the Simatai Great Wall of Beijing. The Great Wall is the biggest ancient military defensive system on the earth. It was initially built in 221 BC and did not end until the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It ... The Mysterious Minority Village and Terraced Rice Fields - LongjiGuilin is a glamorous scenic city in the southwest of China. It is famous for picturesque Karst mountains and the Li River. It has been the most inspiring place for Chinese poets and artists for thousands of years. The beauty of Guilin has been prized by generations to generations. There is an old Chinese saying to eulogize its amazing natural beauty: "Guilin's beauty is the best under heaven". However, many people don't know about is that Guilin's beauty is not limited in the City, the countryside and the surrounding ethnic minority villages are even more breathtaking. One of the most spectacular ethnic minority villages close by Guilin is Longji, 100km away in 2 hours driving. Longji in Chinese means "dragon's spine". Many "Zhuang", "Yao", "Miao" minority groups are living here today. Th... Ancient Fuli Town Near Yangshuo, GuilinFuli town is an ancient town near Yangshuo. It has a history of more than 1000 years. This town is surrounded on three sides by mountain and one side by the Li River. Fuli is the dock of the Li River. In ancient times, there were no highroads and railroads, so the Li River is the only way to communicate the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. Due to the convenient transportation, more and more people settled here. The landform is very complex in the ancient towns near Yangshuo, so there are many chaos caused by war here. A lot of people emigrate from different parts of China. As time goes, different culture shows diversification. People from Fujian province bring their God - Ma Zu. Fuli is the only place that has Ma Zu religion in the inland China. On the 8th day of the 5th lunar month, the... Sichuan Tourism RecoversSichuan's rich scenic and cultural tourism is making a strong comeback after the devastating earthquake of May 2008. Sichuan has long been known as "the land of abundance". The original meaning referred to its rich agriculture, but can also refer to the abundant tourist attractions in this beautiful province. Many of Sichuan's main tourist attractions were unaffected by the earthquake. Beautiful Mount Emei with its rich Buddhist tradition, Jiuzhaigou Valley Nature Reserve with its many multi-level waterfalls and colorful lakes, Huanglong scenic and historic interest area with its diverse forest ecosystems, snow-capped peaks, waterfalls and hot springs, and the Giant Buddha at Leshan were all undamaged. Sadly, the world famous Wolong Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center was severely dam... Xishuangbanna - A Pure Land in Yunnan, ChinaXishuangbanna is a Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan province, China. The climate is pleasant all of a year here. Due to its location near the ocean, it rains a lot and many forests grow here. It is the reason why Xishuangbanna has a reputation of "the Kingdom of Plants". On August 8th, 1993, Xishuangbanna is regarded as an international biosphere protection area. On seeing the map of the world, the places that have the same latitude with Xishuangbanna are almost desert, and only Xishuangbanna is just like a beryl on the earth. It has a lot of minorities here, such as Dai minority, Ha ni minority, Wa minority, etc. Xishuangbanna borders on Laos and Burma. Transportation Xishuangbanna is 700 kilometers away from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, China. It is very convenient for tra... Working As an English Teacher in ChinaWith the job situation so bad in the UK, many people are looking outside of the country to seek employment. Some are considering teaching English abroad as an option and some might even look as far as China for work. In this article I want to pass on some information and a little advice about working as a teacher in China and what you can expect from a life here. Qualifications. You will need to have a teaching certificate in teaching English and this comes in the form of a TEFL certificate - Teaching English as a Foreign Language. However, you are not going to get a good job with just that; for many teaching positions here you will need a degree, especially for jobs in the big cities like Shanghai and Beijing. Of course if you are already a teacher, then it will be much easier for you. It... Culture Shock - A Westerner Living in ChinaI first came to China in 2005. I flew in via Hong Kong to Shenzhen and was completely blown away by this city. I didn't know quite what to expect but it certainly exceeded any expectations I might have had. Thirty years ago Shenzhen was just a small fishing village across the river from Hong Kong but with an idea of creating a model city to rival Hong Kong, the then leader Deng Xiaoping set out his vision for this super-city. In my opinion Shenzhen is an amazing modern city with futurist tall buildings, well designed family friendly apartment blocks, wide tree lined avenues, lush vegetation, relaxing parks and a vibrant economy to compete with any western city. Wow! I thought - this is communist China! It wasn't however until 2007 when I came to live in Zunyi, a 'small' city in Guizhou pro... Looking for Homestay in China - I can offer English tutoringHello, I am a 29-year old American-born Chinese woman. I am a graduate student getting my Ph.D. at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and I attended the University of California at Berkeley for my undergraduate college degree. I have a 1-month vacation this fall and am planning to visit China in October or November 2010 to improve my Mandarin and experience the culture. I have never been to China before and would like to live somewhere close to Beijing or Shanghai, but it is not necessary for me to be in those cities. I am fluent in English and am happy to help you with your written and spoken English, in exchange for conversational Mandarin experience. I have teaching experience with children and adults. I am almost at conversational level in my spoken Chinese, but I have not had mu... Renting a Bicycle in ChinaTraveling by bicycle is a very popular means of transportation throughout China. China has a huge population, and it is estimated that there is at least one bicycle for every two people within the company. Bicycles are used in the cities in order to get around town efficiently and economically. They are also used as a basic means of transportation in rural areas. In fact, in some areas a bicycle may be the most common form of transportation. Bicycles are uniquely suited to some of the more rural areas of the country, where small winding paths are more common than wide roads. Of course, many people in China ride bicycles purely for sport or exercise, but it's also a much more commonly accepted means of everyday transportation, as compared to countries such as the United States. Buy or Rent?... Tips For Traveling in ChinaTraveling to China was one of the best experiences of my life. I traveled one month with a group of students through Beijing, Piaoyao, Datong, and Shanghai, and have learned so much about not only the language, Chinese culture, but about traveling in general. Here are a few tips: 1. If your traveling to tourist areas, there will be people who speak some English, at least. However, I highly recommend that certain words in Mandarin are known. This includes "thank you" ("Xie xie"), "please" ("qing"), and etc. Knowing a bit of Mandarin is also great for bargaining. 2. BARGAIN! I can't stress it enough. Prices will be marked up far higher if you are American or European. Speaking a bit of Mandarin helps here. "tai gui le" means too expensive. "yao" means want/need, and "bu yao" means not want o... Re: If I just leave....This raises some interesting questions. Although first, I would disagree with you that it is the new school itself who would want the release letter. It seems that with the new government regulations this year, they would need it in order to get you a new visa from the government. It seems that China has toughened up the regulations so teachers don't job hop. Of course, now all the power in the short term lies with the schools. And sure enough, I already know a couple cases where the schools now feel, "Now the teachers have to stay with us regardless of how we treat them, or we won't give them a release letter, and they can never work in China again". I feel this new regulation and having to apply for your first visa from your native country, if they remain in place, will drive a lot of te... Re: If I just leave....You will have difficulty in getting a new position in China. Most schools require a reference letter from previous employee ( actually it is a release letter). If you leave a school without adequate notice then the school will probably not want to provide you the letter. Also you run the risk of having your Z visa and residency permit canceled which means that you will be in the country illegally. I would strongly suggest that you do the right thing and give appropriate notice. While schools may be reluctant, most reputable schools will do so.... Re: China jobs worsening. Aston lowers pay.But this man is a drunken teacher that came to school that looks like not brushing his teeth for a month , or not washing his face. Sounds quite likely that it is these kinds of people who are employed by bottom-of-the-barrel places like Aston, EF, Omeida or whatever they may be called. My crocs do not drink, and neither would they ever brush their teeth, nor would they ever wash their face. But they always look handsome, neat, and smart. Indeed, Chinese students who pay horrendous amounts of money to these garbage places would deserve much better!... Re: China jobs worsening. Aston lowers pay.Just watch out for a man named t[edited] c[edited] from fuyang jiangnan middleschool. He is the most asshole person I ever met. He insulted foreigners and made them go away by saying they dont know how to teach and by making fake surveys. But this man is a drunken teacher that came to school that looks like not brushing his teeth for a month , or not washing his face. Sorry, just avoid....... Re: China jobs worsening. Aston lowers pay.What you describe is certainly true. But isn't it the bottom of the barrel? One of the things to do would be to avoid the private training centre sector altogether and to look for jobs at public schools - middle schools, colleges, unis - instead. However, there is no guarantee that even there they won't lower the pay while increasing the weekly teaching load at the same time. The basic question is to find a decent school where they won't do these kinds of things with you. From their point of view, employing foreign teachers is very expensive for them. So, you may sometimes expect attempts on their part at cutting down their expenses - and that may mean less money for you! Would you like a job at a uni in the public sector with only 10 hours of weekly teaching load, free accomodation, and a... Re: Buy computer in China or bring own?I'd suggest you bring a computer from home. I came to China from the UK a few weeks ago, via Dubai. They had a quick look at my laptop in Dubai, but not China. I have had a good look around many electrical stores here, most O.S's seem to be in Chinese, also, the majority are pirate copies. I wouldn't trust a guarantee from here as far as I could throw it. Also the prices are pretty much the same.... Re: China jobs worsening. Aston lowers pay.I rather feel that one's credentials are not as desirable as one's gullibility and exploit-ability. It seems less important how good a teacher one is as it is how much money or face you can gain for the leaders of the institution you work at. Will you teach the headmaster's children, or the dean's children? Will you go an teach weekends at a private school one of the leaders has a connection with, so that he can get face as well as a red envelope of cash? Can the institution get you to give speeches or do outside unpaid work? Can they factor you out to make guest appearances in other departments? If they replace you can they then raise the number of hours they can ask a teacher to work, while as long as you are there they have to stick to the years' old standard? Can they get a new recruit... Province of Guangzhou GUANGZHOU , once known to the Western world as Canton , leaves many people with the unfavourable impression that China dwells in relentless chaos and that the city is simply a bad caricature of Hong Kong. Guangzhou is indeed very much modern China pushed to the limits: the traffic and pollution are horrendous, bridges and crumbling flyovers which seemed ludicrously over-ambitious when built in the mid-1980s now groan under the weight of vehicles and shelter the homeless during wet weather, and the city seems not so much to be booming as blowing apart at the seams. Buffeted by the crowds, travellers tend to stay only long enough to tackle a couple of temples and museums before organizing a ticket out, hoping that the rest of the country will prove less overwhelming. Solidly geared to business rather than tourism, it may seem in any case that Guangzhou has little to offer the casual visitor. In purely practical terms, however, while the city is expensive compared with some parts of China, it's considerably cheaper than Hong Kong - particularly in regard to shopping and onward travel . Airfares into China from Guangzhou are about half what you'd pay south of the border, allowing big savings even after you factor in transport from Hong Kong and a night's accommodation. You'll also find that, having mastered the initial shock, Guangzhou is a city you can learn to enjoy. Compared with Beijing's bureaucratic aloofness or the image-conscious populace of Shanghai, the city's inhabitants are immediately upfront, and pleasantly indifferent to foreign faces after two thousand years of contact with the outside world. They're also compulsively garrulous, turning Guangzhou's two famous obsessions - eating and business - into social occasions, and filling streets, restaurants and buildings with the alternately guttural and musical sounds of Yuehua , the rhythmic Cantonese language. Guangzhou has also traditionally been the first place where foreign influences have seeped into the country, often through returning Overseas Chinese, and this is where to watch for the latest fashions and to see how China will interpret alien styles. The sounds of techno, Canto-pop, and punk fill the night-clubs here, not karaoke and Chinese folk tunes, and youths in leather and blue-tinted, wraparound sunglasses ride Japanese Harley-Davidson clones. Although the city lacks any great sights, you can easily ditch its Western veneer by wandering into the maze of flagstoned back lanes, in search of monuments and busy markets hidden away from casual observers. The City
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