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| CHINA |
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 China,
one of the countries that can boast of an ancient civilization,
has a long and mysterious history - almost 5,000 years
of it! Like most other great civilizations of the world,
China can trace her culture back to a blend of small original
tribes which have expanded till they became the great
country we have today.
It is recorded that Yuanmou man is the oldest hominoid
in China and the oldest dynasty is Xia Dynasty. From the
long history of China, there emerge many eminent people
that have contributed a lot to the development of the
whole country and to the enrichment of her history. Among
them, there are emperors like Li Shimin (emperor Taizong
of the Tang), philosophers like Confucius, great patriotic
poets like Qu Yuan and so on.
Chinese society has progressed through five major stages
- Primitive Society, Slave Society, Feudal Society, Semi-feudal
and Semi-colonial Society, and Socialist Society. The
rise and fall of the great dynasties forms a thread that
runs through Chinese history, almost from the beginning.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China on
October 1st, 1949, China has become a socialist society
and become stronger and stronger. |
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| List of Chinese Dynasties |
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| Chinese Currency |
The Chinese currency is the RenMinBi (CNY), generally
pronounced Yuan in written form, but spoken as Kuai. Paper
money available in CNY1, CNY5, CNY10, CNY50 and CNY100.
Today, China is suffering from numerous counterfeit notes.
Fake notes are sometimes easily recognizable since the
paper feels different and the Chinese will check several
time when they receive a CNY50 or CNY100 to make sure
it is not a fake. Old and tattered notes can be difficult
to exchange so try not to accumulate them.
Most of the time, vendors and taxi drivers ask for a small
note when you pass them a CNY100 note, sometime they cannot
change it and sometimes are not willing to. So it is a
good idea to stack up on CNY10 bills. If you have any
problems with a note, exchange it for a new one or small
change at a bank. A counterfake note will be confiscated.
Travelers cheques are the best way to carry money around
in China, the exchange rate is fixed and it can be replaced
if lost or stolen. Cheques can be cashed at the major
branches of the Bank of China. Credit cards like Visa,
Mastercard and American Express are useful in major tourist
cities too. They can be used in most mid range to top
range hotels, and some big department stores. You can
get cash advances in the head branches of the Bank of
China, however, a high commission will be charged (four
percent).
Foreign currency can be changed in most banks and hotels.
Exchange rates do not vary that much, so hotels are often
the most straightforward place to exchange. Keep the exchange
receipt with you in case you want to exchange any remaining
CNY you have left over when you leave. Please use our
CURRENCY CONVERTER in the "Reservations" pages
of the site. |
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| China Travel
Destinations |
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