Country Information
The land that China occupies has been home to ancient civilisations
dating back six millennia, making it one of the longest occupied areas in the world. They
also have the longest continuous writing system and the Four Great Inventions of Ancient
China - paper, the compass, gunpowder and printing.
China was ruled over by Dynasties until 1912, when the Qing dynasty
became the last in a very long line. At this point China became a Republic and began to
develop into the country that we would recognise today.In 1949, Mao Zedong came to power at
the head the Chinese Communist Party and introduced policies such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, which left the Education system and the economy in tatters. Mao, however, is still a figure of great reverence- just have a look at the queue coming out of his mausoleum in Tiananmen Square!
China’s rapid development in the 1990s began after Mao’s death and has
made China the world’s next super power. Although it is modernising rapidly, many aspects of the ancient civilisations remain in the form of temples, the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors and much more. Age-old practices are much more alive amongst the rural farming communities, who have in general missed out on the development seen by the bigger cities. In that respect China full of opposites- yin and yang you could say!
Saying that though, you’ll still find the traditional Chinese dragons prancing about all over the country when New Year rolls around!
Time
China is eight hours ahead of GMT.
Getting There
You should arrange your flights into Beijing International Airport. Here you will be met by a programme coordinator and taken to your accommodation. You will also need an internal flight from Beijing to Kunming.
Climate
The best times to visit China tend to be in the spring, March and April and in the autumn, September and October in the lower plains, whereas the higher altitude areas are best between June and September. Although daytime temperatures may be reasonable, between 20C to 30C, the nights can still be really cold. China is such a vast country that it is worth bearing in mind that Northern and Southern areas will have completely different climates, so it is best to research the area you are going to, rather than the country as a whole. The South is subtropical with the temperatures in Yunnan ranging from 20°C in the winter to 29°C in the Summer, making the main project site a great location all year round. Beijing’s climate in the North ranges from 1°C to 31°C.
