China Report

Tell China to world

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Tropical paradise--- Sanya, China.

Guess it is not quite good time to cold talk about the Tibet in these cold days. (Winter time in China now). Well, to warm you up, let we take look at Sanya now.

Sanya is a city which I really don’t know whether I should like it or dislike it. Like it, cause the nice tropical weather down there, I am kind of person who really really afraid of cold.(not so many people like be freezed) Dislike it, cause I am allergenic to seafood. It happened that every where full of the fresh ,cheap seafood , herring, cod, mackerel, trout, sardines, salmon, swordfish, crap, squid, octopus, clam ,mussel, oyster, scallop ,sea urchin, prawn, crayfish, lobster, shrimp ,large prawn ,crab, you want it, you name it. It is in every corner of the Sanya. You know everyday when I wake up the first thing come into my mind was the question “What I got eat today?” you just don’t know what to eat beside the seafood. Ok, I maybe bit exaggerate, I admit, but just little.

Here we go, some “official” information for you guys.

Less than twenty years ago, Sanya was just a fishing village, like humble Shenzhen. Both towns were home to sleepy streets and ancient, low-slung houses. Old women chewed betel nuts (binglang) and spat bright red juice like vampires, while the men folk spent their days at sea.

The villagers of Sanya and Shenzhen were probably among the last to know that Hainan Island and Shenzhen had been declared Special Economic Zones, areas set aside as ultra-free market common pastures for foreign and domestic enterprises. Shenzhen quickly surged to boomtown status, boasting China's first McDonald's, first stock market, and more baofa hu (formerly struggling workers who suddenly came into money and bought black Audi A6s) per square centimeter than any other city in China. Meanwhile, developers descended on Hainan and five-star hotels began to fall from the sky, landing neatly along the white, sandy coves that surround tiny Sanya town.

The local villagers dodged the falling behemoths and crept back out onto the newly constructed boardwalks and verandas, peering in wonder as flocks of Chinese nouveau riche with camcorders and Hawaiian shirts strutted onto the beach wearing complimentary hotel slippers. Physically imposing Russians with spare-tire bellies also arrived, baking themselves to various reddish hues in the blazing sun.

Let me point out a big misconception here, thanks to the countrywide travel agents, most people thought that there are no cheap accommodations in Sanya. Signboards at hotels along the Sanya resort strips seem to confirm this; the advertise standard singles at no less than 580 yuan per night. The reality is that these prices apply only during national holidays, the peak season,like Spring Festival you would be lucky to find accommodation that cheap. Any other day, however, Sanya travel agents can help find rooms for as little as 100 yuan per night. (My room at the huanyacheng hotel, with a a lovely ocean view, cost me 178 yuan per night) The hotel even got it’s own beach. Of course, not belong to the hotel, just an area which for huanyancheng guests only. That already make me feel like VIP when I am sunbath.

If you are the person who got money to burn, Sanya's international style, five-star establishments come complete with multiple swimming pools and restaurants, first class service and spas, and grand staircases and elevators that drop guests right onto the beach. The low-end rates at such places are 250-450 yuan. The question that demands attention, however, is whether, with a world-class beach a few steps away; is it necessary to have access to so many swimming pools? My answer to that is “Absolutely NO”. What’s yours?

China Internet users hit 111 million in 2005

I remembered a news ever that said some foreigners always look china as a country doesnt own computers..........really laughable! They want to have a look at this news.

The Jan 18 ,2006 (Reuters) - The number of Web users in China, the world's second largest Internet market, grew by 18 percent in 2005 to 111 million, the Economic Daily reported on Wednesday.

Some 8.5 percent of the country's 1.3 billion people now had access to the Internet, the newspaper reported, citing a survey released by the China Internet Network Information Center.

State media previously predicted 120 Chinese million would be surfing the Web by the end of 2005 as computers find their way into more homes and domestic telecoms networks grow.

The 2005 gains represented an acceleration from 2004, when the number of Internet users grew 16 percent to 94 million.

More than half of China's Web population -- or about 64 million people -- accessed the Web via broadband connections, suggesting a 50 percent increase versus 2004 as China strongly promotes the development of its broadband networks.

China is the world's No. 2 PC market, with nearly 16 million units shipped in 2004 and the number expected to have grown another 13 percent last year, according to data tracking firm International Data Corp.

PC makers, such as industry leaders Lenovo Group Ltd., Founder Group and Dell Inc., shipped 5.2 million units in the third quarter of 2005, according to IDC.

The growth of the Internet has also spawned a growing number of local online players, including Yahoo-invested e-commerce firm Alibaba.com, Web portal Sina Corp., online game firm Shanda Interactive Entertainment and online search firm Baidu.com Inc..

Major mutlinationals attracted by the market's big growth potential have also set up shop in China, including online auctioneer eBay Inc., online retailer Amazon.com Inc. and online search leader Google Inc..


Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Show you some of the most beautiful place throughout the China!


Want to know about China? Ok, let me take you to some of the most beautiful place troughtout the China. Trust me, I was licenced tourist guide! Are you ready? Here we go, the professional advices!

Let start our journey from the most mysterious place, Tibet,a lifetime dream. !

Tibet is surely a destination apart from most in the world, the rolling hills of the high plateau and the stunning Himalayas are none to any.

Today in the age of information with jet aircraft, highways and the net work of computers, mysterious places are rare to be found. But, Tibet is an exception.

Refereed as Shangri La, The Forbidden Land, The Roof of the World and by many more, the mysterious Buddhist Kingdom remained long closed to foreigners, exerting a strong hold on the imagination of the world. For centuries, it has fascinated mankind. It was hardly accessible to the outside world and has been always a challenge to human beings.

Tibet, a "forbidden land" not only by man but also by nature, attracted many explorers, scholars, and pilgrims and adventure lovers, all in pursuit of "Real Shangri-la". It is not only the geographical and natural enchants but also a long historical culture and religion that appeal the foreigners to visit Tibet at least once in a lifetime.

Lhasa is the spiritual and political capital of Tibet. Lhasa means in Tibetan "The land of gods". There are numerous scenic spots and historical attractions, among which Potala Palace, Nobulingka, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Ganden Monastery and Jokhang Temple being the most famous.

Shigatse is the second biggest town in Tibet. Shigatse means in Tibetan "The Estate that fulfills one's Wishes ". Tashilhunpo Monastery is its major historic attraction. Mt. Kailas, the near-legendary mountain in western Tibet is holy to both Hinduism and Buddhism. People come from far away lands to perform a pilgrimage, one even circle the mountain on the stomach. The mountain is the source of four major Asian rivers.


The popular time of the year to visit Tibet is May through October. But the best season I recommend is July and Aug. You have to book in advance, of course.

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Legend of Spring Festival


As the Chinese New Year is around the corner, let me tell you some about the it.

The Spring Festival is the most important and biggest festival in China just as Christmas to people in the West. It is the first day of the lunar calendar and usually occurs somewhere between January 30 and February 20. Because it heralds the beginning of spring, it is called Spring Festival. This traditional festival is also a day of reunion that no matter how far away people are from their home, they would try their best to get back home to have the Reunion Dinner.

Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Chinese people have several customs during this period, some of which are still followed today, but others have weakened.

On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, many families make laba porridge(腊八粥), a delicious kind of porridge made with glutinous rice, millet, seeds of Job's tears, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko. ( tell you that's very very yummy)

The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. At this time, people offered sacrifice to the kitchen god in the past. Now, however, most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves. After the Preliminary Eve, people begin preparing for the coming New Year. This is called "Seeing the New Year in".

With the New year drawing nearer, people clean the indoors and outdoors of their homes completely as well as their clothes, bedclothes and all their utensils. Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. Antithetic couplets and "reversed fu" are two unnecessary characters. Highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper are paneled on the door which show house owners' wishes for a bright future to good luck for the New Year. Also, pictures of the god of doors and wealth will be posted on front doors to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and abundance. The Chinese character "fu" is another must. "Fu" means blessing and happiness in Chinese and "Reversed fu" is homophonic with "fu comes", being pronounced as "fudaole." What's more, two big red lanterns can be raised on both sides of the front door. Red paper-cuttings can be seen on window glass and brightly colored New Year paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on the wall.

People attach great importance to Spring Festival Eve. At that time, all family members reunion and have a luxurious and big dinner together. Dishes such as chicken, fish and bean curd cannot be excluded, for in Chinese, their pronunciations, respectively "ji", "yu" and "doufu," mean auspiciousness, abundance and richness. After the dinner, the whole family will sit together, chatting and watching TV. They also have "New Year Call" for relatives and friends. In recent years, the Spring Festival party broadcast on China Central Television Station (CCTV) is essential entertainment for the Chinese both at home and abroad. According to custom, each family will stay up to see the New Year in.


Honestly, my favorite two parts are eating laba porridge and big dinner together with family. That's is so wonderful to have everyone come back home, no matter where they are and how far they are away, sit together ,and talk about what happened in the past year and what's planning for the coming year. I just LOVE it! So wonderful !

Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Hello

Welcome! I'm bressanone and come from China.There are also my three friends here,lulia1,Chinessiter and Frisbee. As new media researchers,"Blog" is an interesting subject for us. China is a great country and we are all proud for her .So we plan on using "Blog" , a crazy new media in 2005 , to introduce China to world . Hope you like it ! :)