renmenbi | Explore China

In my modern Beijing apartment, we have an electric hot water heater in the bathroom. The hot water runs to the shower -- which has no stall, only a curtained off corner of the room with a drain – and the bathroom sink, but not to the kitchen.

Asian House

All over Asia custom dictates that people don’t wear shoes in the house. In some places, such as Japan and China, people wear exclusive indoor-use only slippers or flip-flops in the house, particularly during the winter.

Wherever You Need to Go

Toilet etiquette in China is much more public and visible than most Westerners are comfortable with.

Back to School

As always, September brings the beginning of a new academic year. Millions of fresh faced teenagers across the world leave home for the first time to start university. The nerves and excitement at the dawn of this new life stage are remembered for a lifetime.

Electricity, phone and gas

When it is time to pay the electricity, phone and gas most people are used to getting a bill in their mailbox or just having money drawn from their accounts. If you are one of those people and are moving to China you’ve better read this.

100 Year-old Eggs

Most westerners expect to find sweet and sour pork, green tea and sesame chicken on the standard Chinese menu, but what they might be surprised to see are the “100 year-old eggs.” Also referred to as the 1000-year-old egg or a preserved egg

You′re a Pig - The Chinese Zodiac

If you′re in China and someone asks you if you′re a pig, don′t hit them; they could just be asking your age! Here′s a quick guide to the Chinese zodiac.

Fishing for Poets - The Dragon Boat Festival

An ancient, superstitious ritual to ward off evil spirits, or the search for a subaqueous poet?

Business

Guanxi Opens Doors

Online dictionaries define ‘Guanxi’ as the basic dynamic in personalized networks of influence. Somehow this Chinese pinyin Romanization is far more complicated than “networking” or “relationships”. Although many Westerners find themselves confused by Guanxi and the role it plays in Chinese business, it has been widely acknowledged that one can hardly get things easily done without understanding this unique feature of the nation who have lived here for over five thousand years.

The importance of adapting to the Chinese Market

Selling to Chinese consumers is very different from selling to consumers in any other country. Unique local traditions and cultural values have a strong influence on the behaviour, thoughts, and buying habits of local consumers.

Local Manufacturing or Outsourcing?

China is now a member nation of the World Trade Organization, and its regulatory standards have changed considerably in thirty years. These new regulations tend to favor, for the first time, Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprises over joint ventures.

How To Choose The Best Investment Location In China

China first opened its doors to foreign investment in the 1980s with the establishment of the first Special Economic Zones in Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shantou and Xiamen. Since then many other SEZs have been opened, and a number of other designations have been created to encourage different types of investment.

When in China, Do as the Chinese Do

“Ru xiang sui su” (入乡随俗) is an ancient Chinese saying that means, “When in a village follow the locals.” More appropriately, the equivalent saying in English might be “When in China, do as the Chinese.” This is just generally good advice for travellers, but it is particularly important for business travellers and international businessmen.

Giving Gifts in Business Environment

No one can predict what will happen during the operation of a business, so crisis preparation is quite important. Chinese business professionals use many of the same techniques Westerners do...

Effective Ways To Cultivate Guanxi

Maintaining good guanxi is essential in China because successful business depends on it. The concept of guanxi can be loosely translated as connection or relationship.

Chinese Business Etiquette: More than Formalities

Navigating the world of business relations in China requires a nuanced understanding of Chinese values and history. In this article, we will explore how this understanding ...

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Latest Articles

Folk Paintings

The local folk artists use line drawing techniques from traditional Chinese brush painting

Mutianyu Great Wall

Mutianyu Great Wall runs for 22 kilometer from the southeast to the northeast between Juyongguan Pass and Gubeikou.

Summer Palace

Emperors summered in the Summer Palace for 800 years, and the grounds still hold much appeal today.

The Sacred Way

On your way to the Ming Tombs, be sure not to miss the Sacred Way and the many magnificent statues that guard it.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a fine example of “bracket” architecture, as well as a magnificent monument to Buddhism.

Huang Long Valley

The Yellow Dragon Valley gets its name from its most prominent feature – large deposits of calcium carbonate, a yellow substance, wind through the valley in the shape of a dragon.

The Tujia

There are several versions of the story of their origins but they are generally considered to be descendants of the Wu Man people, or alternatively the Ba people who ruled the area around modern day Chongqing some 2500 years ago.

The Dai

The Dai call themselves Dai Le, Dai Ya or Dai Na. They have a long history, much of which was recorded in Chinese historical accounts from the first century AD.