Climate: China's
climate ranges from extremly cold to unbearably
hot. The best time to visit would be Spring (March-April) and
autumn (September-October). Daytime temperatures during that time range
from 20°C to 30°C (68°F-86°F). However,
temperatures in the north can drop to -40°C (-40°F) in winter
(December-March) and rise to 38°C (100°F) in summer
(May-August). The central Yangzi River valley area, in the far
south, the
hot and humid summer lasts from April to September and then the rainy
season. Typhoons can hit the southeast coast between July and
September. The
northwest of China experiences dry, hot summers. Winters are cold.
Currency:
Renminbi
(RMB) or Yuan (also called the Kwai) – approximate exchange rate is
8.25 Yuan = one U.S. dollar. Largest note in general
circulation is
100 Yuan which is roughly about $12. Foreign currency and
travellers' cheques can be changed at the main branches of the Bank of
China, the
tourist hotels, Friendship Stores and some department stores. You will
need to keep your exchange receipts if you want to change any of your
remaining RMB at the end of your trip.
Credit
cards can
be
used in most mid to top-range hotels, Friendship and department stores.
Languages:
China's
official language is Mandarin. The Chinese call it Putonghua .
Cantonese is spoken in Guangdong, southern Guangxi, and Hong Kong
Electricity:
220V, 50
AC
(Notes: plugs can be three-pronged
angled,
three-pronged round, two flat pins or two narrow round pins)
Weights
& measures: Metric
Food: Chinese cuisine can be divided into four
regional
categories: Beijing/Mandarin and Shandong (with steamed bread and
noodles as staples), Cantonese and Chaozhou (lightly cooked meats and
vegetables), Shanghainese (the home of 'red cooking' and wuxi spare
ribs) and Sichuan (spicy, with lots of chilli)
Chinese Names
There are about one hundred widely used family names.
The five most common surnames are Chang (Chan in Cantonese), Wang, Li,
Shao and Liu. Although many of the surnames may be pronounced the
same, the Chinese characters can be different. In China, the
family name precedes the given name, which is occasionally followed by
the secon name or the western equivalent of a first name. For
example, Huang Hua would be called Mr. Huang, and Hua would be his
given name. However, some Chinese will switch the order of their
names when they are dealing
with foreigners. Further, many Chinse adopt given names, many of
which
are Western names. Married women rarely take their husband's
family
name.
