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10 Fun facts about China: Terracotta soldiers, TCM, and more!
From discovering an ancient Chinese life-sized terracotta warrior army to hosting over 50 ethnic groups, here are the top 10 fun facts about China.
They say ancient China was home to dragons, immortal beings, and monkey kings. This huge country in East Asia has a long history, diverse landscapes, and a civilization that dates back thousands of years. Other than being the inventors of Kung Fu and the world’s earliest chopsticks, China is also a popular travel destination, welcoming millions of tourists yearly to explore world-famous Chinese places like the Forbidden City and savor popular Chinese food.
However, China’s curiosities and trivia play a huge role here, too, and reveal just how unique this nation really is. Here are 10 fun facts about China, including trivia about the Chinese people, culture, language, population, infrastructure, and more. And who knows? These China facts may have you catching a flight. Grab an unlimited data travel eSIM from Holafly and get connected as soon as you land.
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1. China only has one time zone, despite its size
China stretches over 5,000 kilometers from east to west and north to south. However, it only has one time zone. Time zones are usually 15-degree longitude regions that shift every hour. Theoretically, China should be spread across five time zones, as it was from 1912 to 1949. Since 1949, however, China has only utilized Beijing Time as its time zone in a move away from centralization from the Chinese government.
2. Christmas in China is celebrated with a twist
A fun fact about Christmas in China is that apples are a focal point of the festivities. While Christmas isn’t a public holiday in mainland China, people in cities celebrate the holiday by shopping, decorating trees, and gifting apples wrapped in festive paper. The word “peace” sounds like “apple” in Mandarin Chinese, which is why apples are gifted.
This is a small example of how China’s culture intertwines with global traditions.
3. China has over 50 ethnic groups and 300 languages
With a population of over 1.4 billion, China is a huge country home to 56 recognized ethnic groups. The largest is the Han group, comprising over 1.3 billion people – more than 92% of the total. With only 4,000 members, the Lhoba are the smallest group in China.
Consequently, with so many different ethnic groups, China also has a variety of languages and dialects. There are 300 subdialects of the eight major language groups that comprise the entire Chinese language. Huizhou Chinese is the least spoken dialect, with around four million speakers.
So, if you’re planning a trip to China, learning to speak Chinese isn’t the way to go – you’ll need to practice a few words in the region’s most popular dialect.
4. China is home to Asia’s longest river
Another important China fun fact is that it boasts Asia’s longest river. The Yangtze River spans over 6,300 kilometers and flows through Southern China and Central China. It’s a vital river to the Chinese, nourishing the land and supporting millions. Alongside the Yellow River, these rivers have been crucial to famous Chinese civilizations like the Qing Dynasty.
5. Colors are considered lucky or unlucky in China
Numerology is one aspect of auspiciousness in Chinese history and culture. One of many fun facts about China is that people also believe in lucky and unlucky colors and closely intertwine them with the Chinese zodiac. Red is the luckiest color, signifying prosperity and good fortune.
It is also significant in the Chinese New Year and represents good luck, happiness, and prosperity. However, white symbolizes grief and death (which is why it’s customary for people to wear white to funerals) and is considered the unluckiest color even in China’s modern beliefs.
6. China’s Qin terracotta army was built for a single emperor
Some of the coolest fun facts about China revolve around how advanced and symbolic Chinese history was. Around 2,000 years ago, 8,000 life-sized individual terracotta warriors, equipped with weapons and assembled into battle formations, were placed near the Qin First Emperor’s Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC) tomb to protect him in his afterlife. They were discovered by farmers in northern China.
7. People in China follow Feng Shui and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine is something we couldn’t leave off our list of China facts. The Chinese tend to steer away from conventional medical practices and turn towards traditional methods deeply rooted in Chinese culture and ancient philosophy. TCM has been practiced for thousands of years and emphasizes healing via acupuncture, herbal treatments, and Qi energy balance.
Feng Shui focuses on balancing people and their surroundings to improve prosperity, wealth, and health.
8. China boasts the largest high-speed railway network in the world
The nation’s railway lines contribute to some of the interesting facts about China. In 2023 alone, China constructed more than 1,700 kilometers of new high-speed rail. These bullet trains can travel at nearly 400 kilometers per hour. In addition to boasting superfast trains, China also has over 200 civil airports and more than 177,000 kilometers of highways.
9. The Chinese invented paper
Paper is a fundamental need in everyone’s home. A fun fact about China is that the Han Dynasty had the honor of being the nation that invented paper in AD 105. Ts’ai Lun, a court official, invented a process where he used rags and textile waste as the raw material to make paper.
10. The Great Wall of China took over 2,000 years to construct
Last on our fun facts about China list is the Great Wall. This monumental structure is built into China’s history, and attracts millions of tourists annually – the best time to visit the Great Wall of China is in Spring and Fall. An even cooler fact about this wall is that it spans over 21,000 kilometers and took over 2,000 years to construct. It was originally built during the Qin Dynasty by Emperor Qin Shi Huang and expanded during the Ming Dynasty to defend against invaders.
Turn fun facts about China into a real adventure with Holafly
Covering most fun facts about China in one blog is nearly impossible. The nation is full of fascinating trivia and curiosities. Reading about them is exciting, but experiencing them in person is even better. Imagine wandering in the Forbidden City, savoring delicious Chinese food like Peking Duck – one of the best things to do in Beijing, or watching a panda munch on bamboo.
Being there in person is the only way to truly experience the richness of China’s culture. Don’t let language barriers or high roaming charges slow you down. You can stay connected with ease using Holafly’s eSIM for China, an ideal alternative to international roaming plans, local SIM cards, and pocket WiFi devices. Install the eSIM online in minutes, manage your plan on your phone, and enjoy 24/7 customer support. The best part is you get unlimited data for the entire duration of your plan, plus 1 GB of daily hotspot sharing!
If you’re looking to use your phone in China for the long-haul, consider a monthly eSIM subscription with Holafly Connect. Stay connected at all times with unlimited data, whether you’re interacting with Chinese people and experiencing local life, navigating China’s railway lines, or sharing memories of the Forbidden City with loved ones back home.
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Holafly's eSIM for China includes a VPN, ensuring maximum protection for your connection.
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Born and raised in Queens, New York, I'm a Psychology graduate with a passion for writing that I've been nurturing since 2019. Over the years, I've enjoyed creating meaningful content across various niches, including sports, hospitality, and career development. At Holafly, I focus on crafting useful and inspiring pieces to make your adventures more effortless. One of the best perks of this role? Creating travel content always seems to inspire my next vacation destination!
