ResourcesTravelling to ChinaTravel GuidesRight off the bat, I'm going to recommend the travel books from Lonely Planet -- their maps are very friendly, easy to use & are fairly up to date. I'd purchase it just for the maps as you'll find that not only are streets labelled in Pinyin but major tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants & more are listed there. If you want to find a location that's not on the map, you can use
the following internet services: *Google
Map (sometimes, it's not very accurate); The above services are very useful but you must be able to type the address *in Chinese*. If you can't write Chinese but would like to with Pinyin, there are lots of guides on the internet that can help you set up. ArticlesGet Ahead, Learn Mandarin Time Magazine 19/6/2006. Article talks about China's rise in economic power & the world's interest in Mandarin as a result A Humbling Education Time Magazine 19/6/2006. An accompanying essay from Susan Jakes about her Chinese learning experience Chinese Culture
Chinese New Year (7 February 2008)Chinese New Year (Chunjié), or Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year (Nónglì xinnián), is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It's also an important holiday in East Asia. The festival starts on the first day of the first lunar month (zheng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th -- called the Lantern festival (yuánxiaojié). Chinese New Year's Eve is known as Chúxì (lit. "change eve").
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