The list of must-visit places includes China – a country with a history of thousands of years, unique culture, and unusual traditions. We offer you some interesting facts about this amazing country.
1. According to archaeologists, Chinese civilization originated between 10,000 and 8,000 years ago.
2. The capital of China has repeatedly changed its name. The city of Beijing, which is translated as “Northern Capital”, was once called Yanjing “Capital of Yan” or Beiping “Northern Peace”.
3. On some Chinese typewriters, the number of characters is over five thousand.
4. It will take a long time to list all the inventions that first appeared in China. This is primarily due to the rich history of the country and the intelligent population. In particular – paper, the compass, the water wheel, a windmill, gunpowder, silk, a crossbow, and much more were invented here.
5. Tea is one of the most famous Chinese discoveries that popular all over the world. According to legend, tea was invented by Emperor Shen Nong in 2737 BC, when a leaf accidentally fell into a cup of boiling water.
6. China is an upper middle-income country, but half of the people barely exceed more than thirty dollars a month.
7. Everyone knows about the huge Chinese population. It is estimated that every fifth person on the planet is a resident of China.
8. According to 2010 data, 78% of software packages installed in China are pirated.
9. China has the strictest laws and the world’s most active death penalty.
10. There is no official religion in China, but more than 18% of the population practice Buddhism.
11. The sale of consoles was banned in 2000 by the Chinese government amid fears games could have “adverse effects” on Chinese youth.
12. Almost a third of the air pollution in San Francisco comes from China.
13. The ancient Chinese believed that the mirror can see the human spirit and that it protects the house from evil.
14. Chinese cuisine is unique. They eat everything – from scorpions, cockroaches and caterpillars to lizards and snakes. It is estimated that around 4 million cats are killed each year in China for various purposes, including for food.
15. Each year, the equivalent of 3.8 million trees go into the manufacture of about 57 billion disposable pairs of chopsticks in China.
16. China used more concrete between 2011 and 2013 than the United States used in the entire 20th century.
17. For the Chinese people, the dragon is a sacred animal and a totem of China. The dragon in Chinese mythology symbolizes potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, hurricane, and floods.
18. Another symbol of China is the panda. There was a death penalty for panda hunting, but it changed to a 20-year prison sentence.
