A. 23 letters in Pinyin:
Letter Pronunciation Letter Pronunciation Letter Pronunciation
B As in bay G As in go Sh As in shirt
P As in pay K As in kit R As in leisure
M As in may H As in hit Z As in reads
F As in fat J As in jeep C As in hats
D As in dad Q As in cheer S As in say
T As in time X As in she Y As in yes
N As in nay Zh As in junk W As in way
L As in lay Ch As in church  

B. Useful words and phrases:
1. Orientation and Geography
Pinyin  English Pinyin  English Pinyin  English
dong East hu lake qu canal
xi West he river jie street
nan South shan mountain lu road
bei North hai sea xiang lane
1  1  wan gulf  
2. Number
Number  Pinyin Number  Pinyin Number  Pinyin Number  Pinyin
1 yi 6 liu 11 shi yi 31 san shi yi
2 er 7 qi 12 shi er 100 yi bai
3 san 8 ba 20 er shi 200 er bai
4 si 9 jiu 21 er shi yi 1,000 yi qian
5 wu 10 shi 30 san shi 10,000 yi wan

3. Useful phrases: Pronouns
English Pinyin English Pinyin
I Wo hello Ni hao
we/us Wo men goodbye Zai jian
you Ni /Ni men(plural) thank you Xie xie
he / she / it Ta please Qing
they / them Ta men you're welcome Bu ke qi
Excuse me Qing ni I'm sorry  Dui bu qi
English Pinyin English Pinyin
How much is it? Duo shao qian? train station huo che zhan
That's too expensive. Tai gui le airport  fei ji chang
My name is... Wo jiao... bus station qi che zhan
I'm from... Wo shi cong...lai de. hotel jiu dian / fan dian
Where is the...? ...zai na li hospital yi yuan
I'm lost. Wo mi lu le. restaurant  can ting / fan dian
What's the time? Ji dian le? shop shang dian
I fell ill. Wo bu shu fu. police Jing cha
Could you help me? ni ke yi bang wo ma? Restroom ce suo
I would like... wo xiang yao... Train huo che
I need... Wo xu yao... Taxi chu zu qi che/chu zu che
I want to go to... Wo yao qu... Bank yin hang
Do you have...? You mei you...? Book shu
Here is my address Zhe shi wo de di zhi Map di tu

Public Holiday:
Festival  Date  Detail 
The New Year's Day  Jan. 1st  1 day holiday 
The Spring Festival  Normally in Jan or Feb  3 days holiday 
The International Women Day  Mar. 8th  1/2 day holiday for women only 
The Labor Day  May 1st  3 days holiday 
The Chinese Youths' Day  May 4th  1 day or 1/2 day off for young people 
The International Children's Day  Jun. 1st  1 day or 1/2 day off for school children 
The Birthday of the CCP  Jul. 1st  CCP members usually celebrated through meetings 
The Birthday of the People's Liberation Army  Aug. 1st  Celebrated by the army 
The National Day  Oct. 1st  3 days holiday 
Country Description: China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), has the third largest land area of any country on earth. Only Russia and Canada are larger. Topographically, China has a land area of 9,600,000 square kilometers (3,700,000 square miles).
Of this land area, 35 percent is mountainous, 27 percent plateau, 8 percent hilly areas, 17 percent basin and desert, and 13 percent plains. Only about 11 percent of the land area is suitable for agricultural production. Beijing, located in the north near the east coast, is China's capital city and its cultural, economic, and communications center.
China's population of 1.265 billion is the largest on earth, about 22 percent of the earth's total population. Population distribution is very uneven. Large areas of mountain and desert have few people, fewer than 10 persons per square kilometer. The highest population concentration is along the east and south coast , where population density averages more than 400 persons per square kilometer (1,040 persons per square mile).
The government is led by the Communist Party of China (CPC). Since the founding of China's modern state in 1949, the Communist Party of China has led a system of consultation and cooperation with the many diverse entities within China. In recent years, China's economy has been growing rapidly. This has brought an improving standard of living to most Chinese, especially those who live in China's rapidly growing cities.

Pre-Trip Planning:
Exit Regulations: On departure from China, foreigners should exit with their valid passports, visa, credentials and other documents checked by the frontier inspection office and have their hand-carried baggages examined by Chinese Customs. In addition, departees are required to fill in a Departure Card for Foreign Travelers. Remember that you should exit China within the valid and permitted duration of (stay) visa. Those who hold other valid credentials for staying in China, should exit China within the period of validity prescribed on the credentials. If such credential-holders plan not to enter China again, the credentials for staying in China will be revoked by the frontier inspection officer when exiting.

Foreigners Prohibited From Exiting:
1. Defendants in criminal cases, and suspects who are ratified by the Chinese public security organizations, the People's Procuratorate or the People's Court.
2. Those who are informed by the people's court that their civil cases have not been brought to completion.
3. Those who have already violated Chinese law; whose behavior has not been dealt with but is recognized by the legal authorities .
4. Those who hold invalid exit credentials, including forged, altered or another's credentials.
5. Those who refuse the frontier inspection of China .
6. Those who do not exit through the appointed exit port.
7. Those who are considered to be carrying contraband goods.
8. Those who are forbidden to exit by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of State Security of China.

Items Prohibited From Exiting:
1. Various weapons, simulated weapons, ammunition and explosive devices.
2. Forged (counterfeit) currency and forged (counterfeit) securities.
3. Presswork, roll film, photographs, phonograph disc, video disc, tape, video tape, laser video disc, laser audio disc, computer storage medium and other items that are harmful to Chinese politics, economy, culture, and social morals.
4. Various deadly poisons.
5. Addictive substances, including, opium, morphine, heroin, hemp as well as other narcotics and psychotropic drugs.
6. Priceless relics and other museum pieces whose export is prohibited.
7. Endangered plants and their specimens, seeds as well as the materials for reproduction.

Items with Limitations On Exiting:
1. Bullion and its products.
2. Chinese Currency (less than 20,000 Yuan).
3. Foreign currency and its portfolio (less than 5,000 US dollars in cash).
4. Wireless communicators, and communication security machines.
5. Valuable traditional Chinese medicinal materials.
6. Common cultural relics.
7. Other articles that are forbidden to exit by Chinese Customs:
Notes: Articles that are permitted to exit China with certain limitation may be allowed to exit after a declaration to the inspection and quarantine authorities. If you carry these duty-required items with you, please choose the Red Channel to go through and have them declared and checked. You can choose the Green Channel without customs declaration only if you carry duty-free goods.
Entry Regulations：A valid passport and visa are required for an individual to enter China. Usually the airline/ship will give each passenger an entry card and a customs declaration form to fill out prior to arrival. These, together with other necessary credentials and documents, are needed to enter China through its open ports. Foreigners arriving by car are required to enter China through their pre-approved ports. Upon arrival, valid passports, visas and related documents are required to be handed in and verified by customs authorities. If all documents are found to be in proper order, an individual can legally enter China.

Health Check:
1. Those who enter China are required to fill out a Health Declaration Form issued by the inspection and quarantine authorities.
2. Those who came from yellow-fever infected areas must show valid vaccination certificates to the inspection and quarantine authorities.
3. Those who suffer from fever, diarrhea, skin diseases, jaundice, vomiting, AIDS/HIV infection, VD(venereal disease) and tuberculosis are required to declare this information.
4. Medications and other special goods should be declared and are subject to inspection.

Frontier Inspection:
The following personnel are prohibited from entering China:
1. People who have broken Chinese laws and others who were expelled and have not been permitted to re-enter China.
2. Known or suspected terrorists and those who engage in violent and subversive activities.
3. Known or suspected dealers in contraband, drug trade, or prostitution.
4. People who suffer from Hansen's disease (leprosy), AIDS/HIV, VD (venereal disease), pulmonary tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.
5. People who cannot afford the cost of their stay in China.
6. People who are known or suspected to engage in activities that are harmful to China's social order and national security.
7. Those who do not hold valid passports, visas and other credentials.
8. Those who hold stolen, forged or altered passports, visas and credentials.
9. Those who refuse to have their credentials and documents checked.
10. Those who are forbidden to enter China by the Ministry of Public Security of China and the Ministry of State Security.

Luggage Inspection:
Prohibited Items:
Inspection and Quarantine Information for Entry into China:
1. Blood and blood products.
2. Fruits, peppers, eggplant and tomatoes.
3. Animal carcasses and specimen.
4. Soil.
5. Pathogens, pests and other harmful organisms.
6. Live animals (except cats and dogs as pets).
7. Animal parts and products including eggs, raw hides, skin, hair, hoofs, fat, meat (including viscera), fresh milk,cheese, butter, cream, whey powder, blood and blood products; silkworm pupa and aquatic plants and animal products.
8. Genetic materials including semen, zygotes and embryos.
9. Waste materials and soiled or dirty clothing.

Stipulation by the General Administration of China Customs:
1. Various weapons, simulated weapons, ammunition and explosive devices.
2. Counterfeit currencies and forged securities.
3. Books, magazines, other printed matter, films, photographs, music, movies, audio/video tapes or discs, computer programs or discs that contain materials harmful to Chinese politics, economy, culture, and moral interests.
4. Poisons.
5. Opium, morphine, heroin, hemp as well as other addictive narcotics and psychotropic drugs.
6. Food, drug or other goods coming from epidemic disease areas and are harmful to the health of human and livestock.

Note: Limited amounts of certain goods, for example: cigarettes, tobacco products, perfume, liquor, currency, presswork and audio-visual products for private use, are permitted to enter duty-free. Others may be allowed for entry after being passed by the inspection and quarantine authorities.
Customs declaration:
There are two channels in Chinese customs: red and green. Choose the Red Channel if you have something to declare, otherwise choose the Green Channel.

Visa：A Visa is another must for international travel. Only if you apply for, and are issued the visa of your target country, are you permitted to enter your target country and there are different Visa categories to cover the various reasons for international travel. Compared to passports, visas can be far more perplexing. Below are our own detailed introduction and explanation to visas, and especially the China Visa, which will be of great help for your China visit.
Customs Declaration : There are two channels, red and green, in China customs. Take the red one if you have something to declare, otherwise the green one. If you are uncertain which channel you should take, then take the red one.
If you take the red channel the customs officer will check to see whether you have to pay duty, deposit the items at Customs, or allow you to take them into China but take them out on your departure. If you take things such as computers, cameras, video cameras, gold and silver, printed or recorded materials, or anything more than you need during your travel in China, you have to fill in the "Customs Luggage Declaration Form". Similarly, if you are planning to leave any sort of significant item behind, you should also fill out the form.
A copy of the form must be retained by the traveler and be submitted to Customs when leaving the country. All the items declared on the form must be brought out of China or else import duty will be charged on them.

Visitors are allowed to carry into China a limited quantity of duty-free goods including:
2 liters of alcoholic beverages
400 cigarettes
50g (2 ounces) of gold or silver
US$ less than 5,000
Chinese RMB with a total value less than 20,000 yuan
Reasonable amount of perfume
1 still camera and reasonable amount of film 
Prohibited imports include: fresh fruit, arms, ammunition and explosives, printed matter, films ortapes "detrimental to China", narcotic drugs, animals and plants.
Remember: All the receipts of the valuable articles, such as jewelry, jade, gold and silver ornaments, handicrafts, artifacts, paintings and calligraphy, you bought in China should be kept for the exit check. Antiques are not permitted to leave China without the proper "Certificates for the Export of Cultural Relics" from the Chinese Authorities.

Prohibited Items When Going To China : Guns, imitation arms or toy weapons, ammunitions and explosives of all kinds.
Counterfeit currency and securities.
Printed matter, films, photos, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and video-tapes, compact discs (video & audio), storage media for computers and other articles which are detrimental to the political, economic, cultural and ethics of China Deadly poisons of all kinds.
Opium, heroin, morphine, marijuana and other narcotic or hallucinatory drugs.
Infected animals, plants and products; injurious insects and other harmful organisms.
Foodstuffs, medicines and other articles coming from epidemic-stricken areas or those easy to spread diseases.

When Traveling:
Disabled Travellers: China is becoming friendlier to travelers with disabilities. Specially-designed & equipped facilities in the public areas of transport, airport and hotel are now more accessible. If you have difficulty getting around because you are disabled physically or have visual or hearing impairment at any level then, with the necessary assistant tools, proper planning, reasonable arrangements and good preparation, traveling can still be a unique and rewarding experience. Some tips to enjoy such exciting, challenging and adventurous travel follow for your reference.
Know your own abilities and plan within them. Clearly assess your strengths and, if possible, attempt to improve your body health and mobility before your departure.
Get plenty of information and finalize your destinations. The barrier-free environment in China is developing fast, especially in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shenyang and Qingdao. Try to get more information about your destinations and their accessible facilities. Services and/or facilities may be different from your home city, so research well and prepare yourself for a new environment.
Choose an appropriate itinerary and plan well ahead. Select the longer itinerary with plenty of time to enjoy & relax. Many cities offer not only well improved access, but also a discounted price for the disabled traveler at many scenic spots.
Make a thorough physical examination and discuss the trip with your doctor. Ask for advice and suggestions on all aspects of your traveling. Take with you your doctor’s name and telephone number so he/her can be contacted in any emergency.
If possible, take a handy medical kit where necessary with enough drugs packed together with the prescription. Do remember to take more than you expect to use in case you have an extended stay.
According to your disability, bring any appropriate equipment needed to enjoy & complete your travel such as canes, rolling walkers, wheelchairs, audiphones and mobility scooters. Do not forget to bring some spare parts and the toolbox to carry out emergency repairs.
If you book through a travel agent you must ensure you disclose the condition of your disability so that they can make the appropriate arrangements for you. If you travel with a group then notify others including your families, friends, companions and tour guides. They should be aware of the true situation so that they can look after you during your trip.
Contact the airlines, cruise ship company, hotel, airport and railway station as early as possible to ensure whether and how they can offer help based on your impaired mobility. Give plenty of time for them to make the related preparations and arrangements well in advance. Remember that a higher service charge may be levied.
Recheck your health insurance policy to ensure it covers the medical expenses incurred during trips overseas. Check that it covers pre existing conditions and, if in doubt, contact your insurers. 

Photography：Remember to bring a camera with enough film (usually more than you think) or a digital camera with sufficient memory for your China trip. China's vast territory will impress you with beautiful views.
You can purchase film or digital memory cards in China, but we suggest you buy them before your departure since not all films or memory cards will match your camera. Here are tips for your photography in China.
Do not buy roll film or memory cards in local tourist areas; bring what you need from home;
Bring extra batteries and adaptor units for recharging batteries.
Keep weather conditions in mind to gain the best photographic effects.
Do not take photos in politically sensitive areas such as military bases, or on airplanes.
For religious reasons and for relic protection, most scenic spots such as museums, grottoes, temples, monasteries, palaces and cultural relics do not allow photos. 'No Photos' signs mark restricted areas.
Certain places or backgrounds may assess fees. Be sure to clarify the amount before taking pictures.
Before taking pictures of Chinese people to show their way of life or a street scene, you should first ask permission.
In special areas such as Tibet, photography is strictly limited. Typical local customs and religious places such as palaces or monasteries can not be photographed. Always ask permission there.
Film processing is convenient and fast in China, with good print quality. Photography studios easily found in most Chinese cities.
Besides still photography, videography is also a good way to remember your trip.
Student Travel : Nowadays, more and more foreign students come to China. They may be traveling to China for study, learning Chinese, work or just for a memorable experience. As a student, if you travel abroad alone, do make sure that you are entirely able to look after yourself.
The foreign student card (issued by your local school/organizations) is not currently accepted in China for preferential fares such as train or air tickets. But at some scenic spots in some cities you may enjoy a certain discount on admission fees. Only the student card issued by the Ministry of Education of China is accepted in China to enable students to enjoy at variety of favorable terms. However, if you have an ISIC (International Student Identity Card), which can be obtained in your own country through a travel agency or a relevant company, you can enjoy some preferential prices when you visit Hong Kong and Macau, but it is not accepted in mainland China yet.

Travel with Children :Travel with Children  Traveling with children may be more challenging since children are inherently vivacious, mischievous, active and easily bored. Needless to say infants or toddlers, need much more special and attentive care, placing much responsibility on adults. So sometimes a trip with kids can be an interesting test of patience and preparedness. But never worry about this. China is always glad to extend a welcome to your lovely children. With the right preparation, travel with kids can bring you a happy and enjoyable experience. Here is some useful information for your reference to help to make your trip with children more enjoyable, comfortable and safe.
Before Departure . Familiarize yourself with the considerations that apply in respect of children when traveling, including the visa, passport, preferential measures and discounts on varied transport fares as well as the admission fees of the scenic spots. Choose appropriate destinations that are suitable for both you and your children to visit. The informative, educational and instructive showplaces that are full of history, culture and art, like China, may widen your children's field of vision and enhance their knowledge. Try to find information or collect some material related to your destination and introduce them to your children, which may establish a good background for your kids to understand and enjoy the coming trip. Choose the right time to travel. Children tend to be active and adventurous so it is vital that you are able to exercise the right level of control over them. Infants may cause much more trouble. So an appropriate time to set out is very important. Try to select a time when children may sleep in transit. This will ensure not only your peace of mind but also that of fellow travelers.
Make a reasonable itinerary for your travel. Children lack the physical strength of adults, so your routes should not be very grueling or too long. Make your journey scheduling as flexible and relaxed as possible to ease pressure on your kids.
Pack your luggage well. Do not forget the things especially used for your children including necessary clothes, food (some snacks and socks), toys, feeding-bottle (for infant) and a first-aid kit where some day to day medicines to deal with minor mishaps. Make sure that your children are fit to travel; if there are problems, do follow the doctor's advice. If your trip is going to include physical activity, such as a fair amount of walking, practice before hand is recommended. Make sure that you have adequate health and travel insurances for your children.
If possible, bring your baby-sitter or nursemaid as companions to travel together with your family. They may be the very persons best suited to look after your children and so lessen any problems.

On Transport
Make sure you have already booked the train/air tickets especially for your child at the required price. Contact the airport, airlines, or train stations as early as possible to tell the attendants your special needs and care for your children, so that they can make any relevant preparation in advance.
When you are on the plane, train or other transport vehicles, help your kids with the seat belt (infant should be held and carried in your arms or fixed on a special seating). Do not let them wander at will in the cabin or compartment to prevent possible injury or discomfort to other travelers.
Try your best to keep your children quiet. So in order to engage their attention, let them read books, listen to stories, and provide them with refreshment as appropriate.

Lodging
Contact the hotel in advance to ascertain the general condition of the guest room. Make sure all the facilities are accessible for your children's use. If necessary, ask the hotel reception to arrange for special needs such as an extra bed or crib as well as the availability of child minding services.
Hide away any small gadgets, or dangerous items that may harm your children. Be conversant with the hotel emergence procedures in the event of fire, etc.

Eating
When traveling, especially when traveling abroad there will be a change in diet. Children may not like the dishes on offer so you should consider their dietary needs with care. It is wise to ensure that they avoid unwashed fruit and the like as well as uncooked food and that you take all reasonable care to avoid stomach upsets. You may not travel just for the sake of traveling. If you go to China, you will find that the abundant, delicious food gives an almost artistic impression and becomes an integral part of your travel experience. There is a great variety of food to cater to even the fussiest eater.
Chinese cuisine has a very high reputation worldwide and represents the magnificent culture of the Chinese nation's almost five-thousand-year old glorious history. China's very varied cuisine is considered as one of the top three in the world.
The staple food in China is usually rice and wheat. Millet, corn, buckwheat, potato, sweet potato and many kinds of legumes are also common. Apart from rice, wheaten food like steamed bread, noodles, deep-fried twisted dough sticks, steamed stuffed buns, as well as various gruels, cakes and snacks with special local flavors always make the dining table rich and colorful to bring you extraordinary treats.
China is a big country with a vast territory abounding in natural resources, and the people's way of life, customs, economic and cultural development, as well as general local conditions, all vary. The local flavors and superb cooking form the present world-famous Chinese Eight Cuisines from the eight provinces of Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hunan and Anhui, each of which has its own characteristics. Including the typical Beijing Cuisine and Shanghai Cuisine, which are also popular in China, the Chinese Cuisine unfolds its refined and peerless delicacies perfectly.
You can enjoy the delicious Chinese food not only in superior restaurants with many facilities and quality service, but also in ordinary eateries that are much cheaper but still serve delicious food. Prices vary, based on the different conditions and the environment. Anyway, wherever you go for a meal, health, sanitation and safety are necessities that you should pay much attention to. Some appetizing local snacks are usually sold at the roadside eateries, night markets or street restaurants that are commonly found in China.
Food in remote areas or cities, like Lhasa, is not as fine as that in large cities. Besides, there are not so many choices and you may not be used to the local taste, especially in the regions of many minority features and special eating habits.
Western-style food, which you may crave now and again, can also be found easily in China. Most of the star-rated hotels have a restaurant providing western food. In addition, some fast-food outlets, like McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut, are not only popular among Chinese people but also offer much convenience for overseas tourists.

Traveling
Try to avoid visiting the more dangerous scenic spots as mountain and cliff footpaths, water in all its forms and areas such as jungle all present hazards. Pay much attention to your children's movements. Keep them under your control and in view at all times.
Prepare some amusing games or small activities which may add some interest during trips and thus keep your children occupied.
Do not let them go out alone. Since tourist destinations are usually unfamiliar to you, accompany your children at all times as this is much safer. It is recommended that your children carry a note of your name, telephone and address in their pocket in case they do get separated from you or become lost.

Airport Construction Fee: Airport construction fee in China amounts 90 Yuan (US$11) for international flights, 50 Yuan (about US$6) for domestic flights and 10 Yuan for branch flight routes. From September 1, 2004, the airport construction fee has been included in the airfare which is listed in the TAX item on the ticket.
According to the regulation issued by Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), passengers under the following four conditions are exempted from paying airport construction fee:
1.Children under 12 (or at 12) with half-fare tickets;
2.Passengers holding diplomatic passports on international, Hong Kong or Macao flights;
3. International passengers in transit through domestic airports, but stay within airport waiting hall;
4. Passengers taking domestic planes for transit on the day (within 8 hours of interval to the next flight).
We, TravelChinaGuide.com, are the first on-line travel agency that offers the food service 'A la Carte' especially for you, which will definitely bring you much higher flexibility to select dishes you like from the menu and enjoy authentic Chinese food to your heart's content.

What to Buy: If there is a place that can satisfy the shoppers' appetite most, it must be China. Abounding with various unusual and characteristic goods, China will never make you disappointed or worried about what to bring back. As wonderful mementos and gifts for your friends and relatives, special merchandise of various kinds, including Chinese silk, tea, antiques, paintings and calligraphy, Chinese medicines, jade and pearls, handicrafts, among others, are always available for your choice.
Distinctive things are mainly sold in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Chengdu, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Lhasa, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and especially Hong Kong, the city which is reputed world wide as a 'Shopping Paradise'. It is the shopping destination that tourists most long to visit. Different Chinese cities have different local specialities: Beijing is noted for cloisonne enamel and fresh water pearls; Shanghai is renowned for jade; Xian is celebrated for antiques and rugs, while Guilin is famous for scroll paintings and bijouterie. Particularly, Suzhou and Hangzhou are well known for silk and tea. All will provide plenty of ideas for fulfilling your shopping trip.