Contents
A Tour of China’s Famous Historic Places
5,000 Years of Culture and Inventions
Shopping, Work, Dress, Education, Pets
Ancient Chinese Arts Are Alive Today
Martial Arts, Traditional Medicine, Language, Arts and Crafts, Calligraphy, Music, Dance and Theater
Important Festivals and Holidays
Chinese New Year, Qing Ming, Dragon Boat Festival, Autumn Moon Festival
Endangered Species and Environments in Peril
Glossary, Opportunities for Action, Resources, Puzzle Answers
Introducing China
China’s Place in the World
When some people look at China on a map, they see a rooster, with the head to the northeast (upper right), and the vast areas of the southwest as the rooster’s wings, body, and tail. To the southeast, the rooster’s breast is the heart of China. Different climates around China result in big differences in how people live, what they eat and their daily activities.
Nihao! 你好!
That means Hello! My name is Meiling. You can say “May-ling.” My cousin Liming (“Lee Ming”) and I will travel with you in China, our country. We live in an amazing culture, where the people share centuries-old traditions and beliefs.
China is modernizing very fast, with new technology and fast-growing cities. It is a complicated blend of old and new ways. Let us explore China together! We hope you fall in love with it!
Fast Facts
China was named the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949.
China is the world’s longest continuous civilization, lasting over 4,000 years. Many inventions we use today came from China—learn about them beginning on page 13.
China has the world’s biggest population—1.4 billion people. (India is second with 1.2 billion; the United States has only 310 million.) Counting Chinese people living outside of China, about one in four people in the entire world is Chinese.
China is a country on the continent of Asia. About half the world’s population are Asian.
All the world’s major religions are practiced in China, including Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Christianity. Only Taoism began in China, the others came from outside.
The highest and lowest points in the world are in China. Every ecosystem is in China—including lakes, glaciers, deserts, mountains, coral reefs, rivers, grassland, and tropical rainforests.
About half of China’s people live in cities and half live in rural areas and villages.
China’s many minority groups have different ways of dressing for special occasions. About 92 percent of Chinese people are from the Han ethnic group, and 8 percent are from 55 different minority groups, which contribute to China’s wonderful diversity.
China’s minority groups have many different ways of dressing. Look at the kids to the left. What do you notice? Can you describe the ways that their clothing is different?
A Tour of China’s Famous Historic Places
Amazing Structures, Natural Wonders, and Sights
A Look At China’s Geography
Everyone knows China produces rice, but did you know that China is the world’s biggest producer of cotton, tea, pork, wheat, and tobacco? Lots of farms raise ducks, and chickens too. Since most Chinese people do not have cow’s milk, cheese or beef, dairy farms are uncommon. Lots of electricity is produced by coal, water, and more recently, by solar and wind farms. China makes many more things than this map can show.
China is a land of contrasts. See if you can find all these regions: In the northwest are deserts, glaciers, and very tall mountains; in the northeast, there are more mountains and forests