Fun Fact About China
China boasts some of the world’s richest history and culture. Renowned for their inventions such as paper, gunpowder and the compass; over 600 Emperors have graced China throughout its long history.
Although most people assume fortune cookies originated in China, their true origin lies elsewhere – specifically San Francisco. Chinese are multi-religious individuals and practice various ideologies such as Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
1. China has the largest army in the world
According to a recent study conducted by Statista, China possesses the world’s largest army. The People’s Liberation Army, or PLA, boasts an active military personnel count of more than two million; this encompasses infantry units, navy personnel, air force troops and rocket forces. Furthermore, China has developed several advanced weapon technologies which make their army one of the world’s most potent militaries.
Although much of the world is experiencing one of its most peaceful periods, unforeseen conflicts and an increase in security concerns has many nations amassing formidable military forces – with some of the more populous nations possessing some of the biggest armies.
Chinese government leaders frequently make comparisons between themselves and Western brands in order to gain trust from international investors. Huawei dubbed itself as “John Lewis of China” when advertising 5G technology. This move shows how China is moving more liberally with their economy while seeking to establish itself as an important international player.
However, while China is taking steps to bolster its international standing, some experts note that it has much further to go in order to compete with Western powers. Major impediments to its military advancement include not having as many aircraft carriers and having an under-developed missile program.
China is making strides to modernize its armed forces as well. It boasts an arsenal of 60 submarines and 50 large surface combatants; furthermore, several dozen smaller vessels exist as well as development projects for more advanced weapon systems. As well, they boast an expansive network of surveillance and intelligence satellites. Furthermore, the country is setting up bases overseas – such as Djibouti – in order to safeguard shipping lanes against pirate attacks. China’s military development is well-planned and follows an effective plan, leading to greater power and influence both globally and regionally. Some experts speculate that its militaries could become one of the dominant superpowers over time. Military power plays a central role in meeting any country’s strategic goals.
2. China has the largest mall in the world
China is an enormous builder. In fact, they are the world’s top mall developer with their New South China Mall in Dongguan occupying roughly twice as much leasable space than the Mall of America – featuring themes from Hollywood and Paris with giant replicas of Arc de Triomphe replicas and canals featuring gondola rides – to name just two examples of their ambitious construction activities.
However, despite all its lavishness, the mall has failed to attract many shoppers since opening in 2005. Only about 10% of stores were occupied during 2005 – leading it to become known as “Ghost Mall”; today it stands almost empty.
Failure of a mall shows that even luxurious structures can fail if they do not attract enough customers. In this instance, this lack of footfall was due to both price points and because many Chinese consumers do not have enough disposable income to shop at luxury malls.
However, it should also be acknowledged that malls in China tend to be funded through risky deals financed with speculative capital. Developers use family connections to secure loans from state bankers at exorbitant interest rates, and project costs often go over budget. Furthermore, malls often contain an assortment of high-end and cheap brands that do not appeal to Chinese shoppers, leading them quickly become outdated and lose popularity over time.
3. China has the largest pig population in the world
Pork is a staple in Chinese diet and consumes more per capita than any other country worldwide. Since 1970 when China liberalized agriculture practices, pork production has skyrocketed as it became a more regular source of nourishment within China’s borders – in 2018, alone China consumed 55.2 million metric tons.
Demand for pork has spurred the establishment of massive pig farms across the country. One such example is Ezhou vertical pig farm in Hubei where 26-stories-high concrete tower houses hundreds of pigs fed via conveyor belts from an adjacent meat processing plant.
Studies conducted by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) reveal that an average Chinese citizen consumes over twice as much pork annually compared to what Americans consume, suggesting its demand has led to industrialized hog farms growing out of smaller backyard operations.
China’s growing middle class has contributed significantly to increased pork consumption. As a result, they have established the world’s largest pork industry, impacting global markets as the Chinese demand continues to expand. By 2022 it is projected that they will produce over 93 million tons – this number exceeds combined production from second and third leading producers EU and US combined!
Taiwan has also emerged as a leading exporter of pork to countries worldwide. In 2018, Taiwan exported 23 million tons of pork – more than double what Japan and South Korea exported combined!
Due to African swine fever’s outbreak in China, its domestic pig population has seen a drastic decrease. An estimated 225 million pigs were either killed or culled due to this disease alone in 2018 and China no longer ranks first when it comes to pork production.
4. China has the largest railway system in the world
Foreign visitors to China today often remark with delight and amazement at the country’s extensive network of high-speed railway lines, built only over the past decade or so and covering an unprecedented expanse. Seen as an example of its economic power and rapid modernization as well as technological prowess.
China’s rail system covers approximately 74,200 km – more than three times greater than any network in Europe! This extensive system encompasses both north-south and east-west routes, enabling it to cover over 70% of its population.
Most of China’s railway system is owned and managed by state-owned or government-controlled companies; others may operate as joint ventures with private firms. Oversight is provided by the National Railway Administration with seven oversight bureaus located in Shenyang, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu Wuhan and Xian; these in turn manage 1,700 passenger stations nationwide.
China’s engineers have quickly amassed an impressive talent in building trains over, under and through any terrain encountered. From Harbin in the far north to Pearl River Delta megalopolis to Lanzhou-Urumqi line crossing Gobi Desert; China’s railways are fast and safe compared with any others around the world.
As a result, bullet train journeys have increasingly become the preferred form of long distance travel. According to surveys conducted on some of the busiest lines, over half of passengers on these trains generate new trips that otherwise wouldn’t happen without fast trains; not only is this good for the economy; it helps spread investment and technology from richer areas into poorer ones as well.
But rapid expansion of high-speed rail networks hasn’t come without challenges. First and foremost is cost; state-owned China Railway Corporation currently owes over 4trn yuan, or around 6% of GDP, as a result. As a result, they rely heavily on loans from Chinese banks while decreasing construction projects.
China is one of the oldest civilizations with a long and rich history, known for many inventions including soccer (football), kites and ice cream.
China boasts numerous “ghost cities”, and when combined, its railway lines could go around the globe twice! Furthermore, they even employ trained pigeons as messengers!
The Great Wall
One of the world’s most renowned landmarks, The Great Wall of China stands as an impressive testament to ancient engineering as well as an integral component of Chinese culture. Stretching over 4,163 miles through deserts, grasslands, mountains and more – some parts have since vanished but the wall remains one of humanity’s greatest architectural and historic achievements.
During the Warring States Period in 7th-century BC, individual states constructed walls to defend against northern nomadic tribes. But it was Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty who first ordered linking of these separate walls into a single massive fortress; his motivation? A rumor suggesting northern nomads might soon overrun his empire and overthrow it all.
As an iconic tribute to China’s spirit of national pride and determination, the wall stands as a testament to perseverance. Therefore, its popularity is no secret, leading to popular sayings such as: “Until You Reach The Great Wall You Aren’t A Hero”. Yet despite its prominence there remain several myths pertaining to it; one such myth being that it can be seen from space (this is false as it cannot be seen from low Earth orbit or the Moon without aid). However it can be seen from spacecraft flying at higher altitudes with ideal weather conditions).
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is something most of us would rather avoid thinking about, though its presence has long been part of human history. From disgusted reactions and tabloid coverage to lame jokes, cannibalism has always been present as part of history and human cultures.
For instance, Fore people of Papua New Guinea were cannibals until the late 1950s; eating brains caused them to contract an illness similar to mad cow disease that causes trembling and ultimately leads to death. Over time, however, they evolved a gene mutation which protects them from prions that transmit this illness – as an evolutionary survival mechanism.
Cannibalism is also prevalent among animals. Cannebalism has been observed among cane toads, caecilians and redback spiders as forms of eusociality; larger and stronger members consume weaker members to ensure survival of their own species.
Human cannibalism has often surfaced during times of famine and war. Reports of cannibalism surfaced during North Korean Famine of 2013, Leningrad Siege 1940s and China Great Leap Forward 1960s; as well as during civil wars such as Liberia Sierra Leone War of 1999-20th Century. Furthermore, certain women engage in intrauterine cannibalism when their fetuses become too big to fit through birth canal.
Fortune Cookies
Visit any Chinese restaurant and you’re likely to receive one of these little candies, famous for containing proverbs, advice or lucky numbers written on small slips of paper inside them. While these gifts have become part of American Chinese food culture, few know their source or where they originated from.
Though many believe fortune cookies were first produced in China, their origin can actually be found elsewhere: Japanese immigrants in San Fransisco prior to World War I are responsible for creating them; specifically Makoto Hagiwara who created these delicate yet crunchy snacks. But, it wasn’t until Edward Louie revolutionized their folding process that they became the dessert that can now be found at restaurants worldwide.
Today, several large fortune cookie manufacturers produce over 3 billion fortune cookies annually. Their batter is typically comprised of sugar, flour and water and when warm is flexible and can be folded into many different shapes before being sealed up with an array of fortune papers and folded around it for sealing purposes. Once cool enough to harden properly the cookies harden into their familiar forms.
Next time you and a friend sit down for Chinese cuisine, take some time to enjoy your fortune cookie’s message and its surprising message. But remember, this cookie does not originate in China and you should never attempt to fold it with chopsticks — this is illegal!
Mushrooms
Fungi are one of the most amazing and diverse groups of organisms on Earth, responsible for producing many foods we enjoy and for centuries used in making dyes, fabrics and holistic medicines. Additionally, they act as saprophytes recycling dead material while breaking down organic matter, while their mycorrhizal relationships provide trees with access to essential nutrients from soil sources.
Mushrooms are fruiting bodies of fungi that can both be consumed as edible and poisonous. While mushrooms have low calories and fat intake per serving, as well as being fat free and sodium free; they’re packed full of proteins, vitamin C, niacin and potassium – plus antioxidants – making them a delicious way to supplement any diet!
Fungi that produce mushrooms spread underground via mycelial networks of thin threads known as mycelium, which allows them to form and spread spores. Mycelial networks also enable mushrooms to absorb nutrients from the ground while communicating with other forest plants through this network – transferring carbon-rich sugars from tree roots into mycelial networks, helping new seedlings survive, etc. Additionally, certain fungi species produce light by combining with oxygen and producing chemicals called luciferin and luciferase which emit light; thus emitting light onto nearby surfaces or creating luminescent surfaces that give off light when combined with oxygen; these light emitting chemicals combined produce chemicals called luciferin and luciferase which create glowing spots of light that emit light when combined with oxygen they produce chemicals which produces chemicals known as luciferin and luciferase which causes luminescent glow effects causing glowing surfaces.
Toilet Paper
Toilet paper is a type of thin soft paper used to cleanse oneself after eliminating urine or feces from their bodies, as well as for other purposes, like wiping noses or eyes or cleaning baby faces. Made from materials such as wood pulp, cotton yarn or bamboo pulp; toilet paper may even come pre-fragranced or impregnated with chemicals to kill germs.
Manufacturers begin the production of toilet paper by harvesting tree bark. Next, manufacturers chip it into pieces before pressure cooking it into pulp for further processing. Finally, this pulp is washed and bleached until colorless before being pressed and dried before being rolled into long paper logs which can later be cut down to individual rolls for consumer purchase. Some toilet papers may also feature additional features, like perfumed scents such as chamomile or peach fragrances or funny texts (jokes/poems/graffiti) or printed features like banknote motifs/advertisements etc.
Before the 1700s, people generally used whatever was on hand from nature – usually grass, leaves, straw, hay or seashells – as toilet paper. Joseph Gayetty of New York invented what we now consider toilet paper in 1857 when he released “Medicated Paper for the Water Closet,” packaged into flat sheets that bore his signature watermark and sold by packages with flat sheets watermarked with his name.
Kites
Geometry defines a kite as a quadrilateral with two pairs of equal sides and opposite equal angles that bisect each other diagonally; its long diagonal bisects its shorter diagonal, creating an oval-like structure similar to diamonds; kite diamonds (or darts) provide an effective way of teaching students the properties of quadrilaterals.
Any kite, whether flying outdoors or indoors, is propelled by four forces: lift, weight, drag and thrust. Lift is the upward force that pushes a kite into the air; this occurs due to differences in air pressure when air moves over it at various speeds – the faster the air moves, the higher its lift is; 18th century Swiss mathematician Daniel Bernoulli is widely credited as having discovered this principle and ultimately what makes kites fly.
Kites have long been used as a form of protection from evil spirits, to convey messages, represent gods or raise banners – they were even used during prehistoric times as the precursor to modern flight! Today they remain popular forms of recreational flying as well as artistic expression and an educational tool.