China

Insider Tips

Insider Tips for China

by Hannah Lockett | January 20, 2020

Here we have gathered together tips and suggestions from our China team on ways to help you make the most of your time in this fascinating country, experience the new, the old and the quirky. And for those that aren’t visiting China, we have a selection of our favourite books, films and artists that we think will give you a real flavour of the country’s life, culture and traditions.

FOOD & DRINK

Drinking Tea

When you are gathered around a table with others, drinking tea, it is considered extremely rude if you put the teapot down with the spout facing one of your companions. Make sure it is facing away from people at all times, as you won’t want to offend anyone.

Chopsticks

There are many ‘rules’ in China surrounding chopsticks and how you should, and shouldn’t, use them. Here are a few of the main ones:

– Don’t leave your chopsticks stuck vertically in your food, as that is associated with death.
– Don’t stab food with your chopsticks, this is considered extremely rude.
– Don’t place your chopsticks directly on the table. Put them across your dish or on a rest.
– Don’t point your chopsticks at other people around the table.

Ask the Guide

Avoid going to the heavily commercialised food streets such as Wangfujing in Beijing, where all the vendors speak English. Prices are in general 3x higher than the standard, and the quality of food is usually mediocre. If they speak English, it’s a bad sign; it means they are used to serving foreign visitors thus used to charging people unreasonable prices. Ask your guide to take you to where the locals dine, chances are you will have a very nice experience and even be able to mingle with the locals!

Xian Food

Xian is the place in mainland China to get fresh dumplings, made fresh every day the standard of food here was some of the best we’ve experienced – especially the soup pictured – we still dream about it now, it was so amazing. As it’s such a great place for foodies, why not try one of the many cooking classes on offer.

Some of our Favourite Dishes

Sichuan Hot pot

Prepared at the table in a simmering pot of spicy stock, this is a delicious and fun communal eating experience. A variety of ingredients ranging from raw vegetables to thinly sliced meats are placed into the pot and cooked at the table, in a manner similar to fondue.

Xun Rou da Bing

A delicious dish from Northern China, of tasty smoked meat wrapped in a flatbread.

Xian Paomo Lamb and Pita soup

A typical dish eaten in Xian, it is a hot stew of chopped-up steamed leavened bread cooked in lamb broth and served with lamb meat.

Yunnan Steam Stone Pot Fish

A large stone pot, with a small hole in the bottom, sits in the centre of the table. The fish is placed in the pot and a conical straw lid is placed on top. The steam rises through the hole and cooks the fish. A very theatrical and friendly way to eat.

Dim Sum

Our favourites are: Har Gao (shrimp dumplings), Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), Siu Mai, Fried Taro dumplings, BBQ Pork Puffs, Fried rice-noodle rolls, shrimp-stuffed aubergine, sticky rice in lotus leaf

Cantonese Style Roast and Barbeques

Siu Mei – meats roasted on spits over an open fire, especially tasty are Char Siu (roast pork) and soy sauce chicken

Clay Pot Rice

A southern Chinese / Cantonese dish where rice is cooked slowly in a clay pot, with marinated meats and vegetables added during the cooking process. The chicken version is particularly tasty.

Double Skin Milk Pudding

A velvety smooth Cantonese custard-style dessert, similar to pannacotta, with the two skins, considered to be the best bit.

Black Sesame Dessert Soup

Usually served hot, this sweet soup is made from black sesame seeds, rice and water.

Favourite Drinks

Tieguanyin Tea

This oolong tea, also known as ‘Iron Goddess of Mercy’ or ‘Iron Buddha, hails from Anxi in China’s Fujian province. This is a rich and complex tea which can be infused many times. Unlike other teas, the flavour of oolong is enhanced by brewing it multiple times.

Pearl Milk Tea

Also known as ‘Bubble Tea’, is a sweet and milky black tea with added tapioca balls known as pearls.

Doujiang

Doujiang, or Soybean milk, is part of a traditional Chinese breakfast. A milk-like liquid extracted from the soybean, with incredibly nutritious properties. You can drink soy milk hot or cold.

Young Master and Moonzen Craft Beers

Two of the many craft beers that are now being produced on Hong Kong.

FAVOURITE BOOKS

Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms tells the story of the fateful last reign of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 220) when the Chinese empire was divided into three warring kingdoms.

Art of War by Sunzi

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period (roughly 5th century BC) and is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu.

The Water Margin

The Water Margin is one of the “Four Great Classical Novels” of Chinese literature. Based upon the story of the historical bandit Song Jiang and his companions, this epic tale of a rebellion against tyranny has been thrilling and inspiring readers for hundreds of years.

FAVOURITE FILMS

In the Heat of the Sun

Rival gangs battle for supremacy on the streets of Beijing during the Cultural Revolution.

A Chinese Odyssey Parts One and Two

The first part is titled A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box while the second one is called A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella. The film is very loosely based on the Wu Cheng'en novel

Journey to the West

A fantasy comedy film where Tang Sanzang, a Buddhist, decides to free a fishing village of demons it is plagued by. He teams up with Miss Duan, a demon hunter, and begins to fall in love with her.

Lust, Caution

Set in 1942 during the Japanese occupation of China, the film is filled with espionage and political intrigue.

The Flowers of War

An American (Christian Bale) tries to protect a group of Chinese students and prostitutes from Japanese soldiers in 1937 Nanjing

In the Mood for Love

A romantic drama from Hong Kong tells the story of a man and a woman whose spouses have an affair together and who slowly develop feelings for each other.

Infernal Affairs

A story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.

Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow

A martial arts action comedy where a caretaker at a kung fu school, is constantly bullied by the teachers and students, until an old man comes to his rescue and teaches him kung fu manoeuvres to ward off his bullies.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Master Li, a warrior, gives his jade sword to his lover Yu Shu Lien in order to keep it safe. However, when the sword is stolen, Li embarks on a mission to find it.

MUST SEE PLACES

Xian

Everyone comes here for the Terracotta Warriors but the City Wall is well worth a visit, you can walk or cycle around it. It’s a really pretty and relaxing way to pass time.

Shanghai

The wonderful night time views of Shanghai are a guide book must. However, the best way to see the city is whilst sipping a cocktail in the stylish Cloud 9 bar, at the top of the Grand Hyatt Shanghai.

Hong Kong

We definitely recommend that everyone takes a trip to the Sai Kung area. Walk along Seafood Street, watch people buying fish from the little boats below, before taking it to one of the many local restaurants to be cooked.

TOP TRAVEL TIPS

Learn a Few Words

Put a smile on people’s faces by greeting people in Chinese: “Ni Hao” means hello, and “Xie Xie” means thank you.

Hand Sanitizer & Tissues

A must when travelling in this part of the world is to take a small bottle of hand sanitizer and a packet of tissues, as there may be limited facilities on offer at some sights.

Keeping in Touch

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google are not allowed in China, so if you want to keep in touch with people back home via email and social media, you will need a VPN (Virtual Private Network). We found the best to be Windscribe, which is a free service and works well in China.

Public Holidays

During Chinese New Year and the first week of October (National Day) the whole country is off work and spends their time at the major tourist attractions, which become packed. We recommend that you avoid travelling to China during these times of the year. Click here for more information on Public Holidays in China.