Language
People native to urban Beijing speak the Beijing dialect, which belongs to the Mandarin sub-division of spoken Chinese. Rural areas of Beijing Municipality have their own dialects. Beijing plans to produce 400,000 new English speakers by the 2008 Olympics and English is almost a compulsory subject in Beijing's kindergartens as a growing number of parents want their children better equipped for future. However, English speakers will be unevenly spread around the city and tourists are advised to have hotels and other destinations written in Chinese characters or marked clearly on a map.
Currency And Tipping
The Chinese currency is known as Renminbi (RMB) or ‘People’s Money.’ Formally, the basic unit is the yuan (Y), which is divided into ten jiao, which is again divided into ten fen, although this has so little value these days that it’s rarely used. The Bank of China issues bills in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 50 and 100 RMB. Tips are not customary or expected in China and are often refused. The only exception would be a small tip for the bell hop in the hotel (10 – 20 RMB) if they deliver your luggage. Remember that the average wage is relatively low – about 1,000RMB a month.
Safety
Clair gives her views on what to be wary of in Beijing:
“ Beijing is relatively a safe city, but we cannot say there is no danger. When we talk about danger, we mean people getting tricked, misdirected or ripped off in terms of money not necessarily having a gun or knife at your back! Chinese people hate crime as well, but we suggest you take care of your belongings and use your brain.
On the street, some Chinese people have little sense of traffic regulation. Some drivers fail to offer priority to pedestrians or bicycles. At the same time some people ignore the traffic signal and the car too! Keep in mind that some of the drivers on the roads are quite new so anything can occur. You find pickpockets can have a happy time in Beijing. Most of the danger areas are predictable: scenic spots, shopping areas, on the buses and subway. Besides these, also be on the alert when you’re are in a supermarket or restaurant.”
While on the street, you might come across China’s ‘national sport,’ spitting. Government campaigns to stamp out the practice have been reasonably successful, but there will be times – particularly in the early morning - when you hear the unmistakeable sound of a throat being cleared and you’d be advised to look away.
Weather
Spring and autumn are pleasant times to be there, particularly the months of April, May, September and October. Autumn (fall) is considered to be the best time to visit Beijing as the skies are clear and the weather is very comfortable. The four seasons are clearly defined in Beijing with a temperate spring, rainy summer, clear autumn, and a cold, snowy winter. Summer begins around mid-June and reaches its peak in July and August. Both temperature and rainfall are highest in these two months. It’s often muggy. Although winter is technically longer than spring and autumn, that should not keep you from travelling to Beijing as indoor heating is widely available. Nevertheless, as the indoor/outdoor temperature difference is rather large, travellers should be prepared with warm clothing.
Getting Around
Beijing’s subway system, which first opened in 1971, is still fairly limited in its scope, but is fast, cheap and efficient. Most journeys cost 3RMB. It’s easy to find your way around, especially as signs and announcements are bilingual. There are two lines – the Loop Line and Line 1 - with a new north-south line under construction for completion before the Olympics. Compared to subways in many other cities worldwide, Beijing's lines are free of graffiti and garbage. The subway is well-lit and well policed.
There’s a network of more than 20,000 buses in Beijing – red, yellow and blue. Most rides cost only 1RMB. A few routes have the luxury of air conditioning, but most journeys are generally slow and crowded and the gaps between stops are sometimes long. Buses are extremely full during the rush hours and you will need to use your elbows, pushing and shoving like the locals do, just to get on board. Minibuses ply some of the same routes as the buses, offering a faster, more comfortable service, albeit at several times the bus fare.
There are plenty of taxis in the city. They’re reasonably cheap and you can flag them down. All taxis are metered and drivers are generally reliable at using them. Most taxi-drivers speak little or no English. Bring a map with Chinese characters or have your destination written down in Chinese characters.
One other form of transport you’ll see a lot of is the bicycle. Hundreds of people on bikes is one of the most enduring images of China.
