Chinese Philosophies & Religions --- Confucianism
Frequently Asked Chinese Symbols
There are over 80,000 Chinese characters (symbols), but most of them are seldom used today. So how many Chinese characters do you need to know? For basic reading and writing of modern Chinese, you only need a few thousands. Here are the coverage rates of the most frequently used Chinese characters:
Most frequently used 1,000 characters: ~90% (Coverage rate)
Most frequently used 2,500 characters: 98.0% (Coverage rate)
Most frequently used 3,500 characters: 99.5% (Coverage rate)
The following is a collection of Chinese characters in gif format. You may click on the Chinese character using the Right Key of your Mouse, then click 'Save Image As...' to download the character. If the character you are looking for is not here, please let me know. Please send the most important words for you only. We don't translate sentences.
For an English word, the Chinese translation (or the Chinese 'word') often consists of two or more Chinese characters. You should use them together and read them from left to right. If you want to arrange them vertically, the one on the leftmost should go to the top. In a few cases, two Chinese 'words' are listed for an English word, which are separated by a ','. The index below is in English.
Country Description
The People's Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949, with Beijing as its capital city. With well over one billion citizens, China is the world's most populous country. It is also the third largest country in terms of territory, bordering most Asian countries and Russia. China is undergoing rapid, profound economic and social growth and development. Political power remains centralized in the Chinese Communist Party. Modern tourist facilities are available in major cities.
China
Capital:Beijing
Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam ( slightlysmaller than the US )
Customs Regulations: Chinese customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from China of items such as antiquities, banned publications, vehicles not conforming to Chinese standards, or items exceeding personal use requirements or incompatible with status (e.g., tourists bringing professional-model video cameras). Information concerning regulations and procedures governing items that may be brought into China is available through the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the United States. Students may bring into China only a limited number of items that are considered necessary for study and daily life. Some U.S. citizens residing in China have been required to pay customs duty on certain high-value items when departing China because procedures were not followed when the items were originally brought into China. Additional information concerning Chinese Customs regulations is contained in the Department of State brochure, Tips for Travelers to the People's Republic of China, which is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20420.
Chinese customs officials encourage the use of an ATA (Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission) Carnet for the temporary admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods for exhibitions and fair purposes. ATA Carnet Headquarters, located at the U.S. Council for International Business, 1212 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, issues and guarantees the ATA Carnet in the United States. For additional information, please call telephone (212) 354-4480, or send e-mail to atacarnet@uscib.org or visit http://www.uscib.org for details.
Registration Embassy and Consulate:
U.S. citizens other than tourists at major hotels are encouraged to register at the U.S. Embassy or at one of the U.S. Consulates General in China. They may also obtain updated information on travel and security within the country at the Embassy or Consulates General. It is also possible to register from the United States via the Internet through the U.S. Embassy's home page at http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn.
Beijing: The U.S. Embassy in China is located at 2 Xiu Shui Dong Jie, Beijing 100600, telephone: (86-10) 6532-3431, 6532-3831, and after-hours: (86-10) 6532-1910; fax (86-10) 6532-4153, 6532-3178. The U.S. Embassy Internet address is http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn. The Embassy consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi.
Chengdu: The U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu is located at Number 4, Lingshiguan Road, Section 4, Renmin Nanlu, Chengdu 610041, telephone: (86-28) 558-3992, 555-3119;fax (86-28) 558-3520; after-hours (86-0) 13708001422. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Guizhou, Sichuan Xizang (Tibet), and Yunnan, as well as the municipality of Chongqing.
Guangzhou: The U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou is located at Number 1 South Shamian Street, Shamian Island 200S1, Guangzhou 510133; telephone: (86-20) 8188-8911 ext. 255 or (86-20) 8186-2418; after-hours: (86-0) 13902203169; fax: (86-20) 8186-2341. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Fujian.
Shanghai: The U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai is located at 1469 Huaihai Zhonglu, Shanghai 200031 telephone: (86-21) 6433-6880, after-hours: (86-21) 6433-3936; fax: (86-21) 6433-4122, 6471-1148. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.
Shenyang: The U.S. Consulate General in Shenyang is located at No. 52, 14th Wei Road, Heping District, Shenyang 110003, telephone: (86-24) 2322-1198, 2322-0368; after-hours: (86-0) 13704019790; fax (86-24) 2322-2374. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Liaoning, Heilongjiang, and Jilin
Consular Access:
The U.S.-PRC Consular Convention of 1980 provides that detained U.S. citizens have the right to contact a U.S. consular officer, that U.S. consular officers shall be notified within four days whenever an American is taken into custody, and that a consular officer may visit detained Americans. Note, however, that U.S. consular officers do not always receive timely notification of the arrest of a U.S. citizen. U.S. citizens who are arrested or detained should request contact with the U.S. Embassy or one of the U.S. Consulates General. As explained in the section on Dual Nationality found earlier in this document, China does not recognize dual nationality. Naturalized U.S. citizens who enter China on Chinese passports or PRC-issued Hong Kong or Taiwan travel documents can be denied access to U.S. consular officials. The U.S. Government strongly recommends that all Americans enter China using only American passports containing Chinese visas.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
TRAVEL TO TIBET - It is possible to make travel arrangements to Tibet from outside of China. Once in China, travelers wishing to visit Tibet must join a group, which can be arranged by almost any Chinese travel agency. The travel agency will arrange for the necessary permits and collect any fees. The Chinese Government requires foreigners (including U.S. citizens) wishing to visit Tibet to apply in advance for approval from the Tourist Administration of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. More information is available from the Chinese Embassy or one of the Chinese consulates in the United States, or, while in China, from the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate General. (Please see the above section on ENTRY REQUIREMENTS.) Recently, some Americans with long-term Chinese visas have experienced difficulty obtaining permits to visit Tibet.
ENGLISH TEACHERS/SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS - Americans considering teaching English in China should check that their contracts specify the maximum number of classroom hours per day and per week, maximum work days per week, and vacation periods. Americans teaching in China, particularly at newly established private secondary schools and private English training centers, have often found their employers unable or unwilling to honor contract terms or to assist in obtaining Chinese employment-based visas and other permits required for foreigners to teach lawfully in China. Health insurance provided by Chinese employers should be supplemented as described above. (Please see the section on MEDICAL Insurance
US Embassy & Consulates
Background
For centuries China has stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the first half of the 20th century, China was beset by major famines, civil unrest, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision making. Output quadrupled in the next 20 years and China now has the world's second largest GDP. Political controls remain tight even while economic controls continue to weaken.
Ethnic Groups
Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%
Language
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)
Currency -
Currency Converter
CNY
yuan (CNY)
yuan per US dollar - 8.2776 (January 2001), 8.2785 (2000), 8.2783 (1999), 8.2790 (1998), 8.2898 (1997), 8.3142 (1996)
note: beginning 1 January 1994, the People's Bank of China quotes the midpoint rate against the US dollar based on the previous day's prevailing rate in the interbank foreign exchange market
Climate -
World Weather
extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
Population
1,273,111,290 (July 2001 est.)
Religion
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 2%-3%, Christian 1% (est.)
note: officially atheist
Medical
In order to assure quality medical care for high-ranking government officers, please select hospitals in major Chinese cities have so-called VIP wards (gaogan bingfang). These feature reasonably up-to-date medical technology and physicians who are both knowledgeable and skilled. Most of these VIP wards also provide medical services to foreigners, feature English-speaking doctors and nurses, and may even accept credit cards for payment. Even in the VIP/Foreigner wards of major hospitals, however, American patients have frequently encountered difficulty due to cultural and regulatory differences. Physicians and hospitals have sometimes refused to supply American patients with complete copies of their Chinese hospital medical records, including laboratory test results, scans, and x-rays. Physicians have also frequently discouraged Americans from obtaining second opinions from outside physicians. Hospitals have sometimes been reluctant to release patients for medical evacuation in cases where they would prefer to keep the patient for an extended stay. Ambulances do not carry sophisticated medical equipment, and ambulance personnel generally have little or no medical training. Therefore, injured or seriously ill Americans should take taxis or other immediately available vehicles to the nearest major hospital rather than waiting for ambulances to arrive. In rural areas, only rudimentary medical facilities are generally available. Medical personnel in rural areas are often poorly trained and are often reluctant to accept responsibility for treating foreigners, even in emergency situations.
Foreign-operated medical providers catering to expatriates and visitors are available, though their services are usually considerably more expensive than hospitals and clinics operated by local government health authorities. SOS International, Ltd., operates clinics and provides medical evacuation and medical escort services in several Chinese cities. For medical emergencies anywhere in mainland China, Americans can call the SOS International, Ltd., 24-hour "Alarm Center" in Beijing at (86-10) 64629100 or in Shanghai at (86-21) 62950099 for advice and referrals to local facilities. SOS International Alarm Centers can also be contacted in Hong Kong at (852) 24289900 and in the United States at (1-800) 523-6586.
The Australian firm, GlobalDoctor, Ltd., has opened clinics staffed by English-speaking doctors within the VIP wards of government-run hospitals in Chengdu, Nanjing, and Beijing and plans to open additional facilities within several months in Xian and Shenzhen. GlobalDoctor can be reached by telephone from China at (86)10 8456 9191 or on the Internet at http://www.eglobaldoctor.com. Additional information on medical providers specializing in treating foreigners, including dental and orthodontic clinics, is available on the Embassy web page at http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn.
The Department of State brochure, Tips for Travelers to the People's Republic of China, contains additional information concerning medical care in China. This brochure is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
Americans are advised not to travel to China without both health insurance and medical evacuation insurance (often included in so-called "travel" insurance and provided as part of a tour group package). U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. Even when insurance does cover services received in China, it will usually be necessary to pay first and then file for reimbursement with the insurance company upon returning to the United States. Supplemental insurance with specific overseas coverage, including provision for medical evacuation, is strongly recommended and can be purchased in the United States prior to travel. Please check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, and whether it includes a provision for medical evacuation. Please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas hospital or doctor, or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death.
Recent medical evacuations by air ambulance from China to nearby areas have cost over US $50,000. Two private emergency medical assistance firms, SOS International, Ltd., and Medex Assistance Corporation, offer medical insurance policies designed for travelers and also have staff in China who can assist in the event of a medical emergency. (Disclaimer: The U.S. Department of State provides this information as a service to U.S. citizens but cannot specifically recommend any medical assistance firm or guarantee the quality of services offered by private companies.):
SOS International, Ltd.
(formerly known in some areas as Asia Emergency Assistance)
Beijing Clinic address: Building C, BITIC Leasing Center
No. 1 North Road, Xingfu Sancun, Sanlitun, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100600
Beijing SOS International Clinic, telephone: (86-10) 6462-9112, Fax (86-10) 6462-9111
For medical emergencies, please call the SOS International Alarm Center at (86-10) 6462-9100 from anywhere in Mainland China,
From Hong Kong: call (852) 2428-9900
From the U.S.: 1-800-468-5232. These phone lines are answered 24 hours by SOS International Alarm Center personnel. For information on purchasing health or travel insurance from SOS International, please contact (1-800) 523-6586 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday) in the U.S. or visit http://www.intsos.com on the Internet. SOS accepts major credit cards. SOS International has correspondent arrangements with hospitals in several Chinese cities. Persons in China should first call the Alarm Center in Beijing at (86-10)6462-9100.
MEDEX Assistance Corporation
Regus Office 19, Beijing Lufthansa Center
No. 50 Liangmaqiao Road, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100016
Emergency telephone in China (24-hour): (86-10) 6465-1264
Beijing Office Fax: (86-10) 6465-1240 or (86-10) 6465-1269
Email: medexasst@aol.com (Baltimore, Maryland)
U.S. telephone: (1-800) 537-2029 or(1-410) 453-6300 (24 hours)
Emergencies (members only): (1-800) 527-0218 or (1-410) 453-6330
Web site: http://www.medexassist.com
Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State's, Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure, Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad, available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page, or autofax: 1-202 647-3000.
Most roads and towns in Tibet, Qinghai, parts of Xinjiang, and western Sichuan are situated at altitudes over 10,000 feet. Travelers should seek medical advice in advance of travel, allow time for acclimatization to the high altitude, and remain alert to signs of altitude sickness.
Alcoholics Anonymous can be reached in Beijing at telephone (86-10) 6437-6305, or visit the U.S. Embassy web page in advance of travel to China for additional contact numbers.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC's Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov.
Travel Warning
(See
State Department for most recent updates)
12/27/2000 0:00:00The Ministry of State Security (MSS) of the People's Republic of China has recently taken into custody several American citizens and U.S. permanent residents of Chinese origin. Of these, at least two Americans are now being detained by the Chinese authorities under suspicion of espionage or damaging China's national security, even though the Chinese Government has not offered any evidence to substantiate these allegations. Others have been questioned for up to four days and then released.
The Department of State cautions Americans, especially Americans originally from China, that there may be a risk of being detained upon returning to China, if they have at any time engaged in activities or published writings critical of Chinese government policies. In some cases, travel to Taiwan or involvement with Taiwan media organizations has apparently also been regarded as the equivalent of espionage by MSS. Therefore, persons with a history of such activities or writings should carefully evaluate this information in deciding whether to travel to China.
It should be noted as well that the Americans recently detained by MSS had previously visited China without incident, but were nonetheless detained during their most recent visits. At least two of the Americans were identified by MSS as persons of interest, even though they had changed their names in the U.S. upon naturalization or marriage.
U.S. citizens planning to visit or reside in China are advised to consult the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet (CIS) for the People's Republic of China. The CIS provides the addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers for the U.S. Embassy and Consulates General along with other important information for Americans living or traveling in China. It is available at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad and through the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet home page at http://travel.state.gov/.
This Public Announcement does not apply to the Hong Kong or Macau Special Administrative Regions, or to Taiwan.
This Public Announcement expires December 27, 2001.
The U.S.-PRC Consular Convention of 1980 provides that detained U.S. citizens have the right to contact a U.S. consular officer, that U.S. consular officers shall be notified within four days whenever an American is taken into custody, and that a consular officer may visit detained Americans. Note, however, that U.S. consular officers do not always receive timely notification of the arrest of a U.S. citizen. U.S. citizens who are arrested or detained should request contact with the U.S. Embassy or one of the U.S. Consulates General. As explained in the section on Dual Nationality found earlier in this document, China does not recognize dual nationality. Naturalized U.S. citizens who enter China on Chinese passports or PRC-issued Hong Kong or Taiwan travel documents can be denied access to U.S. consular officials. The U.S. Government strongly recommends that all Americans enter China using only American passports containing Chinese visas.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
TRAVEL TO TIBET - It is possible to make travel arrangements to Tibet from outside of China. Once in China, travelers wishing to visit Tibet must join a group, which can be arranged by almost any Chinese travel agency. The travel agency will arrange for the necessary permits and collect any fees. The Chinese Government requires foreigners (including U.S. citizens) wishing to visit Tibet to apply in advance for approval from the Tourist Administration of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. More information is available from the Chinese Embassy or one of the Chinese consulates in the United States, or, while in China, from the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate General. (Please see the above section on ENTRY REQUIREMENTS.) Recently, some Americans with long-term Chinese visas have experienced difficulty obtaining permits to visit Tibet.
ENGLISH TEACHERS/SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS - Americans considering teaching English in China should check that their contracts specify the maximum number of classroom hours per day and per week, maximum work days per week, and vacation periods. Americans teaching in China, particularly at newly established private secondary schools and private English training centers, have often found their employers unable or unwilling to honor contract terms or to assist in obtaining Chinese employment-based visas and other permits required for foreigners to teach lawfully in China. Health insurance provided by Chinese employers should be supplemented as described above. (Please see the section on MEDICAL Insurance
U.S. citizens other than tourists at major hotels are encouraged to register at the U.S. Embassy or at one of the U.S. Consulates General in China. They may also obtain updated information on travel and security within the country at the Embassy or Consulates General. It is also possible to register from the United States via the Internet through the U.S. Embassy's home page at http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn.
Beijing: The U.S. Embassy in China is located at 2 Xiu Shui Dong Jie, Beijing 100600, telephone: (86-10) 6532-3431, 6532-3831, and after-hours: (86-10) 6532-1910; fax (86-10) 6532-4153, 6532-3178. The U.S. Embassy Internet address is http://www.usembassy-china.org.cn. The Embassy consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi.
Chengdu: The U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu is located at Number 4, Lingshiguan Road, Section 4, Renmin Nanlu, Chengdu 610041, telephone: (86-28) 558-3992, 555-3119;fax (86-28) 558-3520; after-hours (86-0) 13708001422. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Guizhou, Sichuan Xizang (Tibet), and Yunnan, as well as the municipality of Chongqing.
Guangzhou: The U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou is located at Number 1 South Shamian Street, Shamian Island 200S1, Guangzhou 510133; telephone: (86-20) 8188-8911 ext. 255 or (86-20) 8186-2418; after-hours: (86-0) 13902203169; fax: (86-20) 8186-2341. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, and Fujian.
Shanghai: The U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai is located at 1469 Huaihai Zhonglu, Shanghai 200031 telephone: (86-21) 6433-6880, after-hours: (86-21) 6433-3936; fax: (86-21) 6433-4122, 6471-1148. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.
Shenyang: The U.S. Consulate General in Shenyang is located at No. 52, 14th Wei Road, Heping District, Shenyang 110003, telephone: (86-24) 2322-1198, 2322-0368; after-hours: (86-0) 13704019790; fax (86-24) 2322-2374. This consular district includes the following provinces/regions of China: Liaoning, Heilongjiang, and Jilin
Crime:
Safety: Americans visiting or residing in China, as well as tour group operators, are advised to observe normal safety precautions. Specifically, travelers should check that fire exits are unlocked and free from obstructions in hotels, restaurants, theaters, and shopping centers. In light of the greatly increased numbers of older Americans traveling to China with tour groups, U.S. tour operators should check that local guides are familiar with medical facilities, carry fire extinguishers, cellular telephones, and first-aid kits on board tour buses, and are trained in CPR and first aid. Please see also the section below with information on crime in China. Chinese security personnel may at times place under surveillance foreign government officials, journalists, and business people with access to advanced proprietary technology. Hotel rooms and personal computing devices for these categories of visitors are sometimes searched. Terrorism is rare in China, although a small number of bombings and incidents of unrest have occurred in Beijing and in other areas inhabited primarily by ethnic minorities.
Traffic Safety: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning the People's Republic of China is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Road/traffic conditions are generally safe for occupants of modern passenger vehicles wearing seatbelts. Most traffic accident injuries involve pedestrians or cyclists who are involved in collisions or who encounter unexpected road hazards (e.g., unmarked open manholes). Foreigners with resident permits can apply for PRC driver licenses; however, liability issues often make it preferable to employ a local driver. Three American traffic-related deaths have been recorded in the past five years in China, including one case involving an unrestrained infant. Child safety seats are not widely available. Americans who wish to ride bicycles in China are urged to wear safety helmets meeting U.S. standards.
Safety of Public Transportation: Good
Urban Road Conditions/Maintenance: Good
Rural Road Conditions/Maintenance: Fair
Availability of Roadside Assistance: Fair
For additional general information about road safety, including links to foreign government sites, please see the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov/road_safety.html.
Other Travel Resources
800-988-6543
