Amazing Facts about China

China is one of the world’s biggest nations and is home to 1.4 billion people. This article covers interesting facts about China’s ancient history, its stunning landmarks, distinct culture, and customs.

Chinese New Year Celebration

Every year, the Chinese New Year celebration is different. The Chinese celebrate their new year for 15 days, with the start of the new moon continuing till the next full moon. It falls between January 21 and February 20, according to Western calendars. It is also known as the Lunar New Year.

The Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival or Chunjie. After the holiday, the chilly weather starts to get warm. People look forward to spring because it brings new beginnings and harvests.

Bailong Elevator in Wulingyuan

China’s Bailong Elevator (also known as the Hundred Dragons Elevator) is a glass double-deck elevator carved into the side of a massive cliff in the Wulingyuan district of Zhangjiajie. It rises 326 metres (1,070 feet) above the surrounding landscape. It is touted to be the world’s tallest and heaviest outdoor elevator, standing at 450 feet.

China’s Population

There are about 1.4 billion people in China. It has a population density of 153 people per square kilometre (396 per square mile). In China, the average person is 38.4 years old. The urban population comprises 60.8% of the total population.

Ethnic Groups

The Han make up more than 90% of the population. The Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, and Miao ethnic groups have the biggest numbers among the country’s 55 recognised ethnic groups. The cultures of the major minorities are very unique. Some communities even have their own language.

Language

The Chinese use a pictographic writing system, and it is one of the world’s most spoken and difficult-to-learn languages. Schools in China are required to teach Mandarin, the official language of China. However, there are several dialects and even whole different languages in the country. For example, people in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, and Macau all speak Cantonese. People in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces speak Wu. These dialects vary greatly from Mandarin in their grammatical structure and vocabulary.

Food

Rice and vegetables make up the bulk of Chinese cuisine. In China, vegetables are revered as a nutritious staple. In food markets there, you will find a wide variety of green vegetables.

The Chinese have been eating with chopsticks for almost 3,000 years. Originally, the chopsticks were used for cooking in big pots. Eating with chopsticks only started around 400 AD. To save time and gasoline, they cut their meals into tiny pieces. Using chopsticks to consume certain foods, such as noodles, saves time.

People eat their lucky cuisine during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Special dishes such as dumplings (jiaozi), spring rolls, fish, tangyuan, niangao (sticky rice cakes), etc., with symbolic meaning, are consumed.

The word fish has the same pronunciation as the word surplus. The Chinese wish to conclude the year with a bit of extra money in the bank every year. This makes fish a vital ingredient for celebrations.

Culture

Confucianism was widespread in ancient China. It is a Chinese religious and philosophical belief with a history dating back more than 2,500 years. Inner virtue, morality, reverence for others and the natural world are all emphasised in this faith. Confucius, who lived from 551 to 479 BCE, was a brilliant philosopher and teacher. In a book titled Lun Yu or The Analects of Confucius, his disciples documented his teachings, ideas, conduct, and ethics.

Conclusion

Many people across the globe celebrate the Chinese New Year, one of China’s most significant festivals. This year’s Chinese New Year is the year of the tiger, a powerful and courageous animal. This article covered many interesting facts about Chinese culture, religion, language and food.