YFU USA’s partnership with YFU China began in 1992 when six American teenagers spent twenty days of the summer in China on a combination home stay and educational travel program. Hosting a student from China is a true pleasure ! Find out why . . .
China is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. The written history of China can be traced back nearly 4,000 years. China’s ancient civilization and vast territory combine to give visitors the opportunity to see some of the world’s rare historical sites and attractions. Some shining examples include: the Great Wall, the largest structure ever built, which was erected entirely by hand and has a total length of nearly 4,000 miles; the 
Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City in Beijing, which are resplendent and magnificent; the Sesham Grand Buddha, which might be the highest stone statue in the world with a height of 71 meters; China’s temples, pagodas, ancient tombs and murals, all displaying exotic grandeur; the famous Three Gorges of Changjiang River, characterized by their rapids, sheer cliffs, and steep mountains on either side; and Guilin which has been acclaimed as “the mountains and waters which are the finest under heaven.”
The Chinese have a saying that they will eat anything with four legs that is not a table. Most of the Chinese cooking is about doing ingenious things with a limited number of basic ingredients. The cuisine is divided into four regional categories: Beijing, Mandarin and Shandong, with steamed bread and noodles as staples; Cantonese and Chaozhou, which consists of lightly cooked meats and vegetables; Shanghainese is the home of “red cooking” and wuxi spare ribs; and finally Sichuan, which is spicy and with lots of chili. As a result of its ancient culture, China has a variety of recreational activities. Some 3,000 opera troupes are active in China, including the famous Beijing Opera, which combines singing, dancing, music, symbolic gestures, and acrobatic stunts, all performed in elaborate costumes. China also has a long tradition of unique singing and dancing outside of the Opera, as well as a strong history in acrobatics. In addition, China has many traditional national festivals. Popular sports and traditional arts include the martial arts, boxing, wrestling, archery, fencing, soccer, tennis, ping-pong, basketball, track and field, and swimming.
Family life has always been important in Chinese culture. Relationships within Chinese families have become more democratic than they were in the past. The marriage law of 1950 –the first major law of the Communist government -asserted the equality of wives with their husbands. Also, the mobilization of women into the work force has encouraged a stronger female voice to take part in family decisions. The most important factor in determining a family’ s standard of living is the location of residence. Families in urban areas maintain a higher standard of living than those in rural areas, even though Chinese cities are overcrowded. In the countryside, families tend to be extended, whereas city-dwelling families tend to be nuclear. With the problems of overpopulation in China, the government has been promoting a campaign for one-child families. Enticing rewards go to couples who comply; stringent punishments are placed on those who do not.
In 1986, the Chinese government passed a law that required all children to attend school for at least six years. Schools emphasize political values, national consciousness and scientific subjects. Children enter elementary school at six or seven years of 
age and attend until about the age of twelve. After completing elementary school, children plan to attend middle school for six years. About two third’s of China’s children begin middle school, but most drop out before graduation. Those who wish to attend an institution of higher learning must pass an entrance examination. China has over 1,000 institutions of higher learning, including both universities and colleges.
Click Here to Host a YFU Priority Student from China!
Contact your local YFU Field Director at (866)493-8872.
| Capital: |
Beijing |
| Government: |
Single Party State with National Legislature |
| Official language: |
Putonghua |
| Population: |
64,233,000 |
| Currency: |
Renminbi (yuan) |
| Electricity Power: |
220V, 50Hz |
| Time zone: |
China Standard Time (UTC+8) |
| Calling code: |
+86 |
Like this:
Be the first to like this post.
