China Guide Books
Lonely Planet China
by Damian Harper, Andrew Burke, Julie Grundvig et al
ISBN: 1740599152
1028 pp
Lonely Planet guides are widely derided amongst the hard core traveling community because of the large numbers of people that use this popular tome as a virtual bible. However, as someone who is (a) both widely travelled and (b) the owner of numerous Lonely Planet guides, I can safely say they have helped me out of numerous tricky situations while on the road, especially when rolling into town in the early hours. Of course there is the occasional mistake, but the layout is intuitive and the information, especially concerning accommodation and price, is generally spot on.
China is a huge country and the 10th edition of Lonely Planet China is a huge book racking up at over 1000 pages and weighing in at just over 750g.
Co-authored by long-term Beijing resident Damian Harper, who wrote the Lonely Planet Beijing City Guide and a team of eight other contributors, the book is certainly comprehensive. If you aim to get off the beaten track and visit say Inner Mongolia or Changbai Shan, you will find information to help you on your way.
Besides the wide coverage of almost anywhere you could possibly go in China, other plus points are the use of Chinese characters with place names throughout, excellent photos, the introductory chapters on Chinese culture at the beginning and the invariably accurate travel information. A book as long as this can't escape some criticism, however, and yes, there are pieces of out-of-date travel advice, (China is changing so quickly, so it's not easy to stay current), there's a general focus on the Western back-backer to the exclusion of say overseas Chinese returning to their ancestral home or just non-native English speakers, who might find the text (written in a tiny font by the way) somewhat impenetrable. Overall, though, a more than adequate guide for travelers planning an extended trip or sojourn in the People's Republic.
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China
ISBN: 1101878215
768 pp
Fodor's 5th edition of its China guide is a book we like a lot.
The orange color used throughout the guide gives the pages a bright and welcoming feel, there are excellent and informative "China in Focus" and "Closeups" sections detailing such topics as modern Chinese art, tea, the Terracotta Soldiers and hostess clubs and the book has a good selection of both color and black and white photographs.
The guide covers 10 regions of China each sub-divided with sections on where to eat, where to stay and essential information. The book is not a comprehensive guide to every place in China but has tried to select the best of what this huge country has to offer.
The maps and diagrams are clear and well laid out but the maps contain no Chinese script. Chinese place names are set out in Chinese characters and pinyin in the "At a Glance" sections at the end of each chapter, but using Chinese on the maps would surely help when taking taxis around the major cities.
Black and orange stars highlight attractions the authors highly recommend and the book uses a set of symbols for such things as addresses, internet access, opening times etc.
We highly recommend this excellently presented new edition.
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The Rough Guide to China
ISBN: 140934181X
1232 pp
The question is, when it comes to buying a new travel book today, do you go for a Rough Guide or Lonely Planet, or simply use the web? The Rough Guide China (5th edition) that I am currently using generally shapes up well against the LP. Chapter introductions and box outs are well written and informative, and the pinyin translations of Chinese locations are a godsend for the majority of us that don't read Mandarin characters. On the downside the photography is on the whole drab and uninspiring, and the maps don't compare well to the LP either. Pricing information for accommodation could be more detailed in many places.
These days the internet is a very handy source of travel information the Wikitravel sites are especially useful (as is the guide you are reading!) so many would argue that the need to lug around such a hefty volume is unnecessary. However, if you want to read up on a place thoroughly before you arrive (which always helps when it comes to cultural appreciation), and don't fancy checking the web every couple of days, then the Rough Guide to China could be for you. Bring on the lightweight e-book version!
Daniel Allen
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DK Eyewitness Travel China
ISBN: 1465440593
672 pp
This colourful and beautifully illustrated guide to China is full of pictorial representations of the culture, history, food, geography, architecture, transport and art you will encounter if you have the opportunity to travel in the picturesque countryside or China's humming cities. As you read DK Eyewitness Travel to China, plan your travel and prepare for an experience which may at times threaten to bring you close to sensory overload.
They say "a picture tells a thousand words" and it is completely true of this book where readers from any language would be rewarded for time spent planning their travel using this colourful guide to China's many mysteries. Supporting the visual stimulation of every page are succinct summaries of pertinent information for inquisitive travelers.
If you are one to dress up, join the Miao Festivals in Guizhou or Guangxi provinces where the Miao and Dong groups continue to enjoy their traditional festivals. Their brightly coloured garments are adorned with intricately embroidered fabrics and crowned with amazing silver headdresses according to the their village of origin. "Miao silverwork ranges from simple earrings to twisted weighty necklace chains and fantastic headpieces with bells, horns and animal figurines." (p. 407) Join a festival celebrated in nearly any month of the year to get an insight into this colourful culture found in south west China. Gargantuan systems of caves in China's southwest are well explained in the diagrams, photos and series of descriptions which, once scanned, have readers feeling the pull to destinations such as the karst region near Guilin where water flows sedately along gracious rivers like the famous Li, or tumbles into sinkholes around Chongqing. Explore the area where caves abound, often filled with intricate limestone formations laid down over thousands of years. This region appeals to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year who come to cave, cruise, cycle, consume local cuisine or simply chill out in cities and villages filled with people famous for their warm, welcoming smiles. Readers cannot help but marvel over the information offered by diagrams of historical or cultural significance to be found throughout this amazing guide. Take for example The Temple of Heaven in Beijing where you not only find photos giving you a great insight into the possibilities waiting to reward those who visit, but also the detailed and intricate explanations of cross section diagrams explaining both what visitors will see both outside and inside the building. Pages are inset with smaller photos depicting the great beauty of the building and park therefore allowing visitors to China an opportunity to determine whether such a destination is suited to their interests before spending time, money or energy going there. Though once the photos and diagrams are seen it will more likely be a case of deciding what not to visit, there are so many places of interest and beauty.
The pages of DK Eyewitness Travel China also give information about the location, map references, distances from nearby cities, climate, telephone numbers and opening hours. Most helpful is the quick reference at the bottom of pages, e.g. Changbai Shan where you read the "Star Sights" for this area "listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve" (p. 448). Once again the clear photos scattered across the page reveal the beauty and charm of Chanbai Shan for those who may be interested in visiting the area. The visual presentation of thousands of areas around China is almost like taking a tour without leaving the comfort of your armchair.
Turn to the back sections of the book and you find valuable information on Where to Stay, Where to Eat, Shops and Markets, Entertainment and a Survival Guide. The Survival Guide is divided into Practical Information about things like climate, what to take, visas, immunization, permits, admission charges, electricity, measurements, bargaining, etiquette, hospitals, health, money, communication and so on. The Travel Information covers topics like airports and what to do on arrival and check-in, though information about departure taxes is outdated as you don't pay it at the airport, the tax is included in the price of tickets. Domestic Airline information, train travel, bus and ferry information are all covered with information on how to buy tickets. For example, "When buying tickets (for train travel), it is essential to plan in advance. On most routes, it is vital to buy tickets at least two or three days before you travel.." (p.629). This is still the case today. The final section of the guide offers a useful phrase book with ever-helpful Chinese characters for when you simply can't make yourself understood in your best Chinese.
The DK Eyewitness Travel China guide with its magnificent pictorial representation of the 'thousands of must-see sights and experiences in China' is an ideal book to use for planning your travel before leaving home. If readers are not looking for detailed information on a wide range of accommodation, restaurants and nightlife available then this is the guide book to take into China. Should you want more detailed information about hotels and where to socialize you may like to include a copy of a guide like The Insider's Guide to Beijing. After reading DK Eyewitness Travel China guide there will be no keeping you out of China!
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It's All Chinese To Me: An Overview of Chinese Culture, Travel & Etiquette (Fully Revised and Expanded)
ISBN: 978-0-8048-4917-3
By Pierre Ostrowski and Gwen Penner
Tuttle Publishing, 2018
192 pp, paperback
It won't be all Chinese to you after you finish this quick, light-hearted "overview of culture and etiquette" about China.
Using cartoon drawings mixed with occasional very short chapters, authors Ostrowski and Penner touch on a number of subjects about China including history, politics and society, rituals and superstitions and doing business in China.
There are also lighter topics including do's and don'ts, culture shock, transportation and guanxi (loosely translated as connections) and mianzi (basically translated as saving face).
The book can be read in less than two hours because most of the pages consist of one or two one-panel cartoon-like drawings.
Scattered throughout the book are Chinese proverbs, usually well-matched with what each particular chapter is talking about. For example, on the page on gift giving, the proverb included is, "A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers."
Readers familiar with Asian cultures will find it interesting how many Chinese things have similarities with other Asian cultures, particularly Japan; for example, how to pour drinks, avoiding the number 4, giving and receiving presents with two hands, slurping noodles, never leaving chopsticks in rice etc.
Perhaps the most thorough section, and that is a relative term, concerns the influences of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism on the country.
While the book is written to be fun and not to be an all-inclusive look at China's 1.4 billion people, there are more serious things discussed, albeit briefly.
The book is by no means a deep analysis of China, but that's fine. It is amusing and breezy, and if that is what you are looking for then is a good book for you.
Marshall Hughes
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A Geek in China: Discovering the Land of Bullet Trains, Alibaba and Dim Sum
ISBN: 978-0-8048-4469-7
By Matthew Christensen
Tuttle Publishing, 2016
144 pp, paperback
Anybody hoping to attain geek status regarding China can start with this book, subtitled Discovering the Land of Bullet Trains, Alibaba and Dim Sum.
Like Tuttle's A Geek in Korea and A Geek in Japan books, this one is very attractively laid out, with high-quality pictures and multiple fonts, sizes and colors to keep you entertained. The book covers a lot of ground, and readers can pick and choose what they want to read without having to dedicate a lot of time, as few of the sections are what anybody would call lengthy.
As compared with the A Geek in Korea and A Geek in Japan books, there is less emphasis on edgy/cool current pop culture, and more traditional lists of things to see and do.
A Geek in China is divided into six chapters, with the first three chapters covering China's history (excellent and surprisingly deep), culture and food (looks tasty) and character and society (from ancient religious values to modern day cell phone culture).
The last three chapters cover modern and urban China (working in China, architecture etc.), Chinese leisure time (sports, music, art, cinema, television) and, finally, where to go and what to do in China.
Overall, this is a good and interesting primer on China and its history and culture, but to get more in depth you will need to complement this with other books.
Marshall Hughes
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