Social Conventions and Etiquette
Some of the culture shock which afflicts foreign visitors to China comes from false expectations, engendered through travel in other parts of Asia. The Chinese are not a "mellow" people. Profoundly irreligious, they are neither particularly spiritual nor gentle, nor are they deferential to strangers. However, the irritations sometimes experienced by foreigners - the sniggers and the unhelpful service - can almost invariably be put down to nervousness and the formidable language barrier, rather than hostility. This is not to say that at some time in your trip you will not lock yourself in your hotel room and wish never to see a Chinese face again - you probably will. But however abused you may feel, remember that foreigners are still treated far better in China than are the Chinese themselves. Indeed, communication between foreigners and locals is never a problem once you get beyond the language barrier. Visitors who speak Chinese will encounter an endless series of delighted and amazed interlocutors wherever they go, invariably asking about their age and marital status before anything else. Even if you don't speak Chinese, you will run into enough locals eager to practise their English. If from such encounters you are subsequently invited to someone's home, a gift might well be expected, though people will not open it in front of you, nor will they express profuse gratitude for it. The Chinese way to express gratitude is through reciprocal actions rather than words. Indeed, elaborate protestations of thanks can be taken as an attempt to avoid obligation. If you are lucky enough to be asked out to a restaurant, you will discover that restaurant bills are not shared out between the guests but instead people will go to great lengths to claim the honour of paying the whole bill by themselves. Normally that honour will fall to the person perceived as the most senior, and as a foreigner dining with Chinese you should make some effort to stake your claim, though it is probable that someone else will grab the bill before you do. Attempting to pay a "share" of the bill may cause serious embarrassment. Perhaps surprisingly, in view of the above, the main gripe of foreign travellers in China is the relentless and very widespread determination that foreigners should be overcharged at every opportunity. For the traveller this can become wearying and alienating. But for your own equanimity you would do well to accept overcharging to a certain degree rather than fight for your rights all across China. The sums you will be arguing about are often trivial ones. And remember that the average rickshaw driver would consider it a humiliating defeat to carry a foreigner for the same price as a local. Try to inflict that on him and you will stir up real bitterness. Another factor that Western tourists need to note is that the Chinese have almost no concept of privacy . People will stare at each other from point-blank range and pluck letters or books out of others' hands for close inspection. Even toilets are built with partitions so low that you can chat with your neighbour while squatting. All leisure activities including visits to natural beauty spots or holy relics are done in large noisy groups and the desire of some Western tourists to be "left alone" is variously interpreted by locals as eccentric, arrogant or even sinister. In a land where privacy is an unheard-of luxury, exotic foreigners inevitably become targets for blatant curiosity , particularly in rural areas. You may at times find people running up and jostling for a better look, exclaiming loudly to each other, Lao Wai, Lao Wai (literally, "old outside person"). This is not intended to be aggressive or insulting though it can give foreigners the uncomfortable feeling of being a zoo animal. One way to render yourself human again is to address the onlookers in Chinese, if you can. Otherwise, perhaps you should just be grateful that people are showing an interest in you. Apart from staring, various other forms of behaviour perceived as anti-social in the West are considered perfectly normal in China and foreign tourists should bear this in mind before passing judgement. Take the widespread habit of spitting , for example, which can be observed in buses, trains, restaurants and even inside people's homes. Outside the company of urban sophisticates, it would not occur to people that there was anything disrespectful in delivering a powerful spit while in conversation with a stranger. Smoking , likewise, is almost universal among men and in the few places where non-smoking signs have been posted (for example, in soft-seat train compartments) the signs are rarely observed and any attempt to stop others from lighting up is met with incomprehension. As in many countries, handing out cigarettes is a basic way of establishing goodwill and non-smokers should be apologetic about turning down offered cigarettes. Although China would not normally be described as a liberal country, these days restraints on public behaviour are disappearing remarkably fast. Skimpy clothing in summer is quite normal in all urban areas, particularly among women (less so in the countryside), and even in potentially sensitive Muslim areas, such as the far west, many Han Chinese girls insist on wearing miniskirts and see-through blouses. Although Chinese men commonly wear short trousers and expose their midriffs in hot weather, Western men who do the same should note that the bizarre sight of hairy flesh in public - chest or legs - will instantly become the focus of giggly gossip. The generally relaxed approach to clothing applies equally when visiting temples, though in mosques men and women alike should cover their bodies above the wrists and ankles. As for beachwear , bikinis and briefs are in, but nudity has yet to make its debut. Skimpy clothing is one thing, but scruffy clothing is quite another. If you want to earn the respect of the Chinese - useful for things like getting served in a restaurant or checking into a hotel - you need to make some effort with your appearance. While the average Chinese peasant might reasonably be expected to have wild hair and wear dirty clothes, for a rich foreigner to do so is likely to arouse a degree of contempt. Another good way to ease your progress is to have a name or business card to flash around - even better if you can include your name in Chinese characters on it. Hand-shaking is not a Chinese tradition, though it is now fairly common between men. Bodily contact in the form of embraces or back-slapping can be observed between same-sex friends, and these days, in cities, a boy and a girl can walk round arm-in-arm and even kiss without raising an eyebrow. Voice level in China seems to be pitched several decibels louder than in most other countries, though this should not necessarily be interpreted as a sign of belligerence.
Voyageinchina.comAdam Yin says "Chinese Visa Application
The following information is FOR YOUR REFERENCE ONLY, Please contact Chinese embassy or consulate general in your country or region for accurate and detailed information.
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According to the Law of the People's Republic of China Concerning the Administration of Foreigners Entering and Leaving the Country, foreign tourists must apply for visas at China's foreign affairs offices, consulates or other organizations authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A group of five tourists or more can apply for a group tourist visa. This is usually handled by a travel agency organizing groups. People coming to China from countries which have visa agreements with China (such as agreements which exempt tourist groups from visas) are treated in accordance with these agreements.
If anyone wants to go to Tibet for a visit you can apply for a visa only with the consent of the Tourism Administration of the Tibet Autonomous Region or any one of its foreign representative offices. A passport is required for visa application, the passport shall be valid for at least 6 months beyond the duration of the tour.
A Brief Introduction to Chinese Visa
Chinese visa is a permit issued to a foreigner by the Chinese visa authorities for entry into, exit from or transit through the Chinese territory. The Chinese visa authorities may issue a Diplomatic, Courtesy, Service or Ordinary Visa to a foreigner according to his/her identity, purpose of visit to China and passport type.
The Ordinary Visa consists of eight sub-categories, which are respectively marked with Chinese phonetic letters L, F, Z, X, C, G, D, J-1and J-2.
L Visa: Issued to an applicant who comes to China for tourist purposes, family visiting or other personal affairs.
F Visa: Issued to an applicant who is invited to China for visit, research, lecture, business, scientific-technological and culture exchanges or short-term advanced studies or intern practice for a period of no more than six months.
Z Visa: Issued to an applicant who is to take up a post or employment in China, and their accompanying family members.
X Visa: Issued to an applicant who comes to China for the purpose of study, advanced studies or intern practice for a period over six months.
C Visa: Issued to crewmembers on international aviation, navigation and land transportation missions and family members accompanying them.
G Visa: Issued to those who transit through China.
D Visa: Issued to applicant who is to reside permanently in China.
J-1 Visa: Issued to foreign resident correspondents in China.
J-2 Visa: Issued to foreign correspondents on temporary interview missions in China.
Validity of Visa: normally speaking, a visa is valid for 3 months from the date of issuance (date of application) and on any day within this period, the visa holder may enter China.
Duration of Stay Specified in the Visa: normally speaking, a visa holder may stay in China for 1 month which counts from the date of his/her entrance into China. To stay longer, you need to specify your request in your application form and itĄŻll be subject to the permission of the consul in charge.
Overseas Chinese Visa Authorities, include Chinese embassies, consulates, visa offices, and the consular department of the office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. If a foreigner intends to enter into, exit from or transit through the Chinese territory, he shall apply to the above-mentioned Chinese visa authorities for a Chinese visa. For further information, please consult the nearest Chinese visa authorities.
5)Important Notes:
According to the relevant international law, any sovereign state has the exclusive rights to decide whether or not to allow the foreigners to enter its territory, and accordingly to issue visa, reject visa application and cancel an issued visa according to its national law without providing the reasons.
With its valid Chinese passport, a Chinese citizen can enter China without a visa.
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