Socialising and Social Niceties

Having an introduction to a Chinese person or family is a joy to be looked for. Their generosity knows no bounds and can quickly reach embarrassing levels. If you are invited to stay with someone, consider carefully that you will be enveloped in a way which may be a major…

Money and Prices

The art of printing was put to other uses beside book publication. One indication of the skill of printers in the early Ming is…

Museums, Temples, and Historic Sights

At the 18th Party Congress, officials intending to highlight outgoing president Hú Jǐntào’s successes chanted a litany of statistics that resembled Máo-era announcements concerning combine harvesters:

Laundry

洗衣服 xǐ yīfu

Almost all hotels in China have a laundry and dry-cleaning services, although in cheaper hostels this may just mean that the staff take laundry home and charge you what they think you’ll pay — don’t expect whiter-than-white results. Familiar Western brands of washing…

Telephones

手机 shǒujī mobile/cell phone
手机卡 shǒujī kǎ SIM card
移动 Yídòng China Mobile
联通 Liántōng Unicom
充值卡 chōngzhí kǎ recharge card