The list of must-visit places includes China – a country with a history of thousands of years, unique culture, and unusual traditions. We offer you some interesting facts about this amazing country.
1. Archaeologists believe that Chinese civilization began around 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest in the world with deep cultural roots and a rich historical legacy.
2. The capital of China has repeatedly changed its name. The city of Beijing, which is translated as “Northern Capital”, was once called Yanjing “Capital of Yan” or Beiping “Northern Peace”.
3. There is no official religion in China, but more than 18% of the population practice Buddhism.
4. It will take a long time to list all the inventions that first appeared in China. This is primarily due to the rich history of the country and the intelligent population. In particular – paper, the compass, the water wheel, a windmill, gunpowder, silk, a crossbow, and much more were invented here.
5. Tea is one of the most famous Chinese discoveries that popular all over the world. According to legend, tea was invented by Emperor Shen Nong in 2737 BC, when a leaf accidentally fell into a cup of boiling water.
The Great Wall of China – the longest structure ever built by human hands.
7. As of 2025, China remains the world’s most populous country. Current estimates show that roughly one in every five people on Earth is a resident of China.
8. China is known for its strict legal system and tough enforcement of laws. It carries out more executions each year than any other country, although the exact numbers remain undisclosed by the government.
9. The Chinese language contains over 50,000 characters, though knowing about 3,000 is enough to read a newspaper. Mandarin, the most spoken language worldwide, has over 1 billion native speakers. Interestingly, some Chinese typewriters can accommodate more than 5,000 characters.
10. Chinese cuisine is unique and incredibly diverse. Almost everything is used as an ingredient — from scorpions, cockroaches, and caterpillars to lizards and snakes. In some regions, even turtles, frogs, dogs, and cats are consumed.
Chinese cuisine can be quite a shock to unprepared tourists.
12. China used more concrete between 2011 and 2013 than the United States used in the entire 20th century.
13. For the Chinese people, the dragon is a sacred animal and a totem of China. The dragon in Chinese mythology symbolizes potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, hurricane, and floods.
14. The Dragon Dance is a traditional part of Chinese New Year celebrations. Performers skillfully move a long, vibrant dragon puppet on poles, symbolizing the dragon’s ability to drive away evil spirits and bring good fortune.
15. Another symbol of China is the panda. There was a death penalty for panda hunting, but it changed to a 20-year prison sentence.
