China is one of the largest countries in the world and boasts an illustrious past that continues to evolve into global dominance. There is so much more to discover about this fascinating nation!
From delicious foods to unfamiliar languages, here are a few fun facts about Chinese people to help familiarize you with them better.
The Great Wall
The Great Wall of China is one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, drawing millions of tourists each year. Considered an important symbol of Chinese culture, and listed on UNESCO Heritage sites. However, many people hold misperceptions about it such as thinking it can be seen from space or even moon. Unfortunately this is simply not possible.
Qin Shi Huang was the original leader who initiated what became known as the Great Wall of China project. His goal was to construct one massive wall to protect China’s northern borders from invaders; smaller walls built by previous states were linked together; thousands of watchtowers were constructed; this massive undertaking took years and many workers died along its course; initially made from compacted dirt and stone while later sections utilized bricks instead of stones for building purposes.
There is a common belief that the Great Wall contains the bones and corpses of laborers who worked on its construction, which is simply not true. Badaling section is most frequently visited and frequently serves as the backdrop for movies.
Notable as well is that Chinese civilization invented and utilized the wheelbarrow in creating their walls; this tool allowed for transporting heavy stones up steep mountain slopes with ease. Today, The Great Wall of China stands as one of mankind’s greatest achievements and one of its hallmark symbols – an impressive accomplishment and unique accomplishment of human civilisation.
Crickets
Although they appear similar (crickets, katydids and grasshoppers are all members of Orthoptera), crickets have developed distinctive ways of communicating. Male crickets use courtship rituals to attract potential mates while discouraging competition; female crickets lay eggs in soil or plant material to produce miniadult nymphs who then undergo multiple moulting cycles before reaching adulthood.
As adults, crickets can fly, but most prefer running and hopping. Their remarkable sense of heat causes them to chirp more frequently in hotter conditions as their internal temperature correlates directly to external temperatures; when it is cold outside, their wings tend to close more often.
Crickets are omnivorous insects, eating fruits, leaves, flowers, seeds, grasses and even fungi. Unfortunately, they’re susceptible to predators like spiders, lizards, geckos, frogs, snakes, ants and birds – their camouflage and ability to quickly chirp serve as defense mechanisms against such threats.
Crickets are popular pets, often kept in cages or suspended from rafters and doorways. In ancient China, crickets were seen as indicators of agricultural timing and prosperity because they reproduce rapidly; their chirping was even considered an effective warning system against invaders since these insects would stop singing when danger approached.
Carlo Collodi made popular use of crickets in music with a song entitled, “Talking Cricket,” written for Asianartmall website. Additionally, cricket fighting remains a popular past time across China with crickets being divided into classes before being pitted against each other; although these matches rarely cause injuries.
Toilet Paper
Toilet paper is an indispensable part of life. Located everywhere from public bathrooms and hospitals to restaurants and airplanes, many take its availability for granted; yet shortages can be an inconvenience. Recently there was an unprecedented toilet paper shortage which caused people to hoard it and buy in bulk; according to Pirkko Petaja of Poyry Management Consulting the main cause was pulp manufacturers underestimating demand; as most are sold mostly to Europe and China with similar expectations regarding quality; yet demand in China had spiked significantly over time.
At first, toilet paper wasn’t mass produced until late 19th century – thanks to Joseph Gayetty who marketed his product as “Medicated Paper” with his name written on each sheet.
Modern toilet paper is constructed using a mixture of hardwood and softwood fibers that has been bleached white in order to achieve a uniform color, before it may be further customized with press marks, embossings, perforationss or scentings for ease of dispensing. Spools may also be included for convenient dispensing.
Some brands of toilet paper contain antibacterial additives. Additionally, they may be flavored to fit the needs of Chinese markets; oftentimes the paper features textures or embossing to add texture or embossed features that add embossed surfaces as well as perfumed scents such as chamomile, peach or rose fragrances. Soft single-ply varieties may exist alongside multi-ply variants with embossed jokes, poems or banknote motifs embossed into them for even further customization options.
Kites
Kites have long been associated with China. Dating back over 2,300 years, Chinese used kites to communicate messages, measure distances, and entertain themselves – Marco Polo even witnessed a manned kite flying during one of his visits!
Modern China offers an incredible variety of kites. Their designs can resemble animals, zodiac figures and mythological creatures such as dragons. Some come equipped with LED lights for night flights and light shows, and the most commonly seen type is called the Yangjiabu kite; it features one rigid bamboo pole at either end covered with silk material for easy flight and decorated to look like winged animals or creatures.
Flying a kite on a bright sunny day with your family is an enjoyable and stimulating way to spend quality time together while having fun. Additionally, kite flying can help exercise, train your body, change your temperament, and improve health – it is a fantastic activity that appeals to people of all ages!
Kites can be fun and educational tools in equal measure; they teach children about wind, weather and the science of flight as well as being an excellent way to gain insights into Chinese culture and history.
Kites can be an important part of wildlife conservation. While kites may seem harmless as playthings, they actually play an integral part. Kites are less vulnerable to habitat depletion and overhunting than other raptors (although humans still kill some occasionally), thanks to being adaptable eaters able to feed on both meat and carrion; making them keystone species – and are even known to steal laundry from people, as Shakespeare noted in The Winter’s Tale.
Numbers
Chinese numbers should be among the first things a person learning Mandarin should learn, since these numbers can be used for counting money and expressing dates and times of day. Once you understand their basic rules – for instance adding 10 + 3 makes 17! – Chinese numbers become intuitive.
Chinese people tend to be extremely superstitious when it comes to numbers. Many take it so seriously that they often spend significant money to ensure the numbers in their life look right – for instance, eight is considered particularly auspicious as its sound resembles longevity words such as Jiu in Mandarin and Jiut in Cantonese with different tones). Nine is also seen as extremely fortunate due to its similarity to eternity character Xi. Many ancient emperors even had nine dragons embroidered onto their robes symbolising imperial power and eternity respectively.
Certain numbers are viewed as unlucky; 14 in particular is considered particularly bad luck as its pronunciation sounds like Chinese for death (si in Mandarin Chinese and sie in Cantonese have different tones). As a result, high-rise buildings often omit floors or rooms that contain this number in China.
Chinese culture regards the number 6 as exceptionally auspicious due to its sound similar to liu (meaning smooth flowing water) which gives this number great significance, often featuring it written on car license plates or used when complimenting someone.