China Holidays

China is a land of mystery and charm. Its glorious history, spectacular landscapes, splendid culture and intriguing national customs have always offered a panorama of colour and excitement for visitors. China is both an ancient country with a history as long as 5,000 years and a big family, with 56 nationalities. China boasts a variety of unique and attractive folklores thanks to the long history of these nationalities as well as the different natural and cultural environments in which they live. The festivals of the spring, the summer, the autumn, and the winter occur all over the country, attracting tourists from home and abroad. As an important content of China's tourism industry, Chinese arts and culture, with strong local flavours and colours is not only thriving among orfinary people, but also fascinating people from all over the world. Preparations for the New Year begin the last few days of the last moon, when houses are thoroughly cleaned, debts repaid, grooming and haircuts take place, and new clothes purchased. Houses are festooned with paper strips bearing auspicious poems, and in many homes, people burn incense at home and in the temples to pay respects to ancestors and ask the gods for good health and prosperity in the coming year. A lot of wining and dining take place, with a feast of New Year cakes, jiaozi (dumplings), and sweet dumplings. Families gather together for the reunion dinner, and visits are made with friends and families where they exchange New Year's greetings. The Great WallThe most magnificent man-made project on earth, the Great Wall of China was built 2,500 years ago and stretches more than 6,000 km. It is one of the most spectacular architectures and fortifications of ancient China. It was also one of two structures that astronauts could see from the moon. An ancient Chinese saying: "You cannot be called a hero if you have never been to the Great Wall. You can only truly experience the vastness of China and the essence of the Chinese spirit when you stand on the Great Wall". Construction of the Great Wall started in the 7th century B.C. The vassal states that under the Chou Dynasty in the northern parts of the country, each built their own walls for defence purposes. After the state of Qin unified China in 221 B.C., it joined the walls to hold off the invaders from the Xiongnu tribes in the north and extended the wall by another 5,000 kilometres. The Great Wall was renovated from time to time after the Qin Dynasty. A major renovation started with the founding of the Ming Dynasty in 1368, and took 200 years to complete. The wall we see today is almost exactly the result of this effort. With a total length of over 6,000 kilometres, it extends to the Jiayu Pass in Gansu Province in the west and to the mouth of the Yalu River in Liaoning Province in the east. China features a vast landscape, numerous ethnic groups, different climates and differentiated geographical environments. Even the Han people, the majority in China, have varied customs and dialects due to their different historical and cultural background, and locality. Naturally, the different areas also developed different tastes in food: some prefered sour food while others have a sweet tooth. Different dishes with local features flourished, evolving into the so-called "four, eight and ten" cuisine styles. Among the foods are scallions and rich materials, such as Stewed scallion and Sea cucumber. Then there's the spicy food, such as Shredded pork with chilli and garlic sauce, or Soup with a mild and sweet flavor, as in Steamed shad. Other notables include fresh, tender and nourishing dishes like Roast piglet with crispy skin.