China Overview

Overview

Ask anyone what they think of when they think of China, and it is nearly guaranteed that each will provide a different answer to the next. Undoubtedly someone will mention pandas, and someone will say the Great Wall. Perhaps someone will mention Mao and Communism or the incident at Tian An Men Square. Or maybe the Terracotta Army of Warriors, if the were historically inclined, or the Bund in Shanghai if they had a business brain. And China is a rare country, in that every one of its many faces is an accurate one.

In Beijing the ancient citadel of the Forbidden City, rubs shoulders with, among others, the ongoing presence of Mao in his Mausoleum and preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games. A city of huge contradictions, Beijing is both beautiful and hard to believe. While staying at the famous Friendship Hotel, a swimming pool nearby was being rebuilt and palm trees lined the clean and complicated dual carriageways road systems. Yet poverty is all around despite government attempts to focus the attention on those pools and palms and particularly now the Olympic Games. Similarly attempts to underplay the ongoing influence of Mao by our tour guide were lost as the bus came to stop outside the wall of the Forbidden city on which a huge poster of Mao hung, overlooking his Mausoleum, which we were advised not to queue for because it could take all day to get inside. The Forbidden City is a must-see sight in the capital regardless of your historical inclinations, not only because it dwarfs the Tower of London in both size and grandeur, but also because it shows its western visitors exactly why the emperor of China was so feared and revered. Similarly Tian An Men square, despite being dominated by the Mauseluem in its middle, is an amazing place to absorb the culture of China. Surrounded by museums and watched over by its former dictator the square epitomises the historical importance of this Far Eastern giant of a country.

Outside the capital, the façade of modernity quickly disappears. In its place, farming at its most primitive and motorways which are no more than roads dominate the landscape. Yet this is also the real China, still steeped in culture and still to be admired. Other cities are really a plane flight away, yet travel by bus is to recommended if only because t shows you this original and real side of China. The obvious opportunity is to travel from Beijing to see the Terracotta Army at Xian. Although a long journey, at the end of it lies one of the wonders of the world. The warriors were discovered in the early 20th century by a local farmer and ever since they have been, quite rightly, a source of historical and cultural fascination. The figures are full-size, a little under 6 feet high and each has its own individual face, in recognition of the individual soldiers the figures represent. To describe the sight in too much detail now would spoil it for future visitors, but needless to say the Terracotta Army is an essential part of any visit to China.

The other important city on China is Shanghai, often touted as the fastest developing city in the world. The skyscrapers dominate this city, and a trip to the top of TV tower is recommended to fully comprehend this fact. If religion interests you or you simply want a break from history and shopping, then the Jade Budda Temple is both exquisite and fascinating. It is also an excellent example of other temples across the country, so if one only fits on the itinerary then make it this one.

Shanghai, like Beijing, is a city of poverty as well as modernity. Along the Nanjing Road stalls are set up outside glass-fronted clothes and jewellery and electronics shops. Similarly the Bund is a centre of business and modernity, yet outside street sellers wave bottled water and cans of Coca-Cola at tourists. Yet this is China as it is today, a multi-layered society of big business, small business and as much business as possible.

The last obvious part of any trip to China is the Yangzte River, which is in the process of being flooded. However, a trip along to the Three Gorges is rewarding, both physically as a relief from sight-sighting in major cities, and visually. Some tours stop at the Yangzte Dam to lok around it, and this is to be recommended because the dam is a phenomenal sight; once complete it will provide 10% of China’s electricity. A Gorges cruise also provides a look at some of the sites which will be lost once the flooding is completed next year. This is recommended if only to see history being made, quite literally, and to see the human impact of China’s industrial development. Such an opportunity should not be missed if a visit to China in the near future is already in the planning.

China is a country that simply must be visited once in a lifetime. Whether it is done as a guided tour or as a backpacker, it is a richly rewarding experience and much can be absorbed of its cultural and historical impact. It is important, however, not to be too naïve when travelling in this country, particularly if back-packing. As long as this is kept in mind throughout, a visit to China has much to offer.