China! A diverse country filled with diverse people, food, languages, religions and dialects. A civilization that dates back to the dawn of humanity. A home to some of the most well-known philosophy thinkers in history and the country that gave us ‘War and Peace’. There are literally so many interesting facts about china you didn’t know about. I can write and write about them and the list would probably never end!
While I was researching for the interesting facts about china, I came to the conclusion that it is no secret that this country has contributed much to humanity. Whether it be tea, wisdom or technology, China has truly given the world one benefit after the other.
While they have contributed their share (and more!) to the world, there is still much left to explore about this glorious country. What Chinese culture is, how their great country became one of he first civilizations in the world. After personally experiencing the life among locals, I have listed down some of the most interesting facts about china you probably didn’t know!
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know
# 1
China is home to 1.4 billion people. By this statistic, every 1 person in a group of 5 people is Chinese. The population of China is so great and large in number. This is why the China’s infamous One Child Policy was implemented by the Chinese government. Because of this policy, experts estimate that around 400 million births were prevented. That would have otherwise have strained the Chinese government and their resources. I bet that this was one of the interesting facts about china You didn’t know!
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know # 2
China is home to the ancestors of humans. It is a fact that the Peking Man, an ancestor of the homo erectus (the modern-day upright man) lived in caves! He was found in China some 500,000 years ago. Not only this but modern humans also walked the planes of China not more than 50,000 years ago.
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know # 3
China was the inventor of silk. Naturally, all the well to do people at the time wanted to get their hands on this fine fabric. Since its creation, silk gained so much popularity that it became one of the main exports of China. It still remains one of the main exports to this day. Not only silk has earned China its respect and mark as an inventor but the crossbow, paper, the compass, and gunpowder can all trace their origins to China. Because these products were so sought after in the whole world, they made China insanely popular in exports. A position they still occupy to this day.
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know # 4
Currency in the form of paper money was first used in China. About 1400 years ago, the Chinese people started used paper money instead of objects for trade, buying and selling. The increase of goods that could be bought and sold at the time, paper money became a necessity as coins, gold and silver became too heavy to carry around. China stayed way ahead of the other world where they mainly traded in gold, silver and metal coins.
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know # 5
China has an elderly rights law, because of the mortality rate being so high in China. People have parents, grandparents and even great grandparents alive and living with them. With so many people of different generations all packed into one place the elderly rights law ensures there is no abuse of the elderly. If your loved ones are over the age of 60 years old and are staying at an elderly home, it is illegal to not visit them regularly.
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know # 6
The Chinese New Year celebrations last for 15 days. The largest celebrations by any group of ethnic identities! Some of the practices observed during these celebrations include: cleaning out one’s house, eating a reunion meal with their family and exchanging gifts and money in red envelops. What was really amazing for me to discover when I got there was that each new year is named after the 12 Chinese zodiac animals! The rat, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the goat, the monkey, the rooster, dog, and the pig.
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know # 7
The Chinese railway is lines are so extensive and vast that if they are all put together in a single line, they can loop around the whole Earth… twice! Obviously for a country the size and population of China, the public transportation service would be extensive but to loop around the whole world twice? That’s impressive.
Interesting Facts About China You Didn’t Know # 8
A new skyscraper begins its construction every 5 minutes. It is no secret that because of the massive metropolis the country of China has become, sky scrapers are the norm in cities. No country is going as fast as China is and in order to facilitate that growth and to cater for it, China is expanding massively on the industrial fronts. Good for them!
# 9
They have their own social media. The rest of the world follows American made apps and social platforms like twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and Instagram. China has made its own social networks exclusively for its own people. The Chinese government oversees these social media networks and oftentimes regulates the content that may become viral. WeChat, Youku, Watermelon are all designed for the people of China, by the people of China.
# 10
The giant panda is one of China’s 3 national animals alongside the Chinese dragon and the red-crowned crane. The most popular animal, the panda, is extremely important for China and also for its influence all over the world. In the 1980s, the pandas were declared an endangered species. Their numbers are decreasing day by day. By either the local Chinese who hunted them for food and sport or by the international countries. The Chinese government when told of this decided to treat these pandas as they should. By protecting them, nurturing them and keeping them safe and healthy so that their numbers can grow. In 2016, pandas were officially declared off the endangered list by The International Union for Conservation of Nature I witnessed this news myself!
This list of facts prove that the glorious country of China is a vital part of our international community as without it, the world would not have many of the things it has now.
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