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  • China Travel Guide 101: Understanding the Scale

    I’ve helped several foreign friends adjust their China travel plans. I noticed that most mistakes came from not understanding the country’s real size.

    It’s not their fault.

    The world maps we learned at school were centered on our own country. They distorted the representation of other parts of the world because of how the maps work.

    So I wrote this article to give you a better sense of China’s scale.

    First of all, keep this in mind: China is not just a normal country. It’s basically like an entire continent in terms of scale and diversity.

    It is as big as the entire Europe. To avoid spending all your holiday on trains or planes, please check this simple guide:

    1. A “Province” is NOT a City

    • The Myth: “Is Xinjiang or Sichuan Province just a small place?”
    • The Reality:
      • Xinjiang is as big as 3 France or 4 Japan. Driving 6 to 8 hours between two places is normal. It’s like driving from Paris to Rome.
      • Inner Mongolia is super long. From one end to the other is like going from London to Moscow.
      • Sichuan Province is bigger than Germany.

    2. City Distances (Don’t Trust the Map!)

    Places that look close on a map can be very far.

    RouteDistanceLike Going From…Best Way to Travel
    Beijing ⇋ Shanghai~1,200 kmNew York ⇋ Miami️ Flight (2h) or Train (4.5h)
    Shanghai ⇋ Chongqing~1,600 kmLos Angeles ⇋ Chicago️ Flight is best (3h). Train takes 8-10 hours!
    Chengdu ⇋ Lhasa~2,000 km+San Francisco ⇋ Denver️ Flight is best.
    Guangzhou ⇋ Beijing~2,000 kmSeattle ⇋ Boston️ Flight (3h) or Train (8h)
    Xi’an ⇋ Urumqi~2,500 kmLisbon ⇋ Kyiv️ Flight is a MUST (3.5h)

    3. The “Same Province” Trap

    Even if two places are in the same province, they can be very far apart.

    • The Yunnan Trap:
      • Kunming ⇋ Shangri-La: They are in the same province, but the distance is like Amsterdam ⇋ Milan. It takes hours by train, plus mountain roads.
    • The Sichuan Trap:
      • Chengdu ⇋ Jiuzhaigou: They are in the same province, but it used to take 8-10 hours by bus (like Vancouver to Calgary). Even with the new train, you still need a connecting bus. It is NOT right next door.

    4. 3 Golden Rules for Beginners

    Rule 1: 3 Weeks = Max 3 Places
    If you only have 3 weeks, do not visit too many places.

    • Wrong: Beijing + Shanghai + Xi’an + Chengdu + Guilin + Sanya (Too tired!).
    • Right: Beijing + Xi’an + Shanghai OR Chengdu + Chongqing + Yunnan.

    Rule 2: Travel Days are Busy Days
    When you change cities, you won’t have time to play in the afternoon.

    • Train stations in China are huge. Security and getting on the train take at least 0.5~1 hour.
    • Getting from the station to your hotel might take another hour.
    • Bottom line: When you change cities, plan for a relaxing evening. Don’t do too much.

    Rule 3: Trains are Fast, but Check the Time

    • Example: Shanghai to Chongqing by train takes forever. Take a plane instead.
    • Example: Shanghai to Suzhou takes only around 30 minutes. It’s like taking a subway, so a day trip is easy.

    Hope this helps you avoid a “vacation spent entirely in transit.” Have an amazing trip to China!

  • No. 2 The Bund – The Shanghai Club Building & Waldorf Astoria

    No. 2 The Bund — widely known as the Shanghai Club Building — is an iconic landmark with a rich past. Founded in 1861, the club originally occupied a three-story brick-and-timber structure. The current building was constructed between 1909 and 1911.

    Architecturally, it’s a masterpiece of British Neoclassicism. The main facade follows a classic horizontal tripartite composition: the base features Baroque ornamentation at the entrance; the middle section is supported by six grand Ionic columns and adorned with pediment reliefs above the windows; and the roof is crowned with Baroque towers at both ends.

    Inside, the entrance hall is framed by eight pairs of Tuscan double columns spanning the first two floors.

    On the south side, a magnificent 34-meter bar — crafted from Italian marble and framed by 5-meter-high oak paneling — became legendary. Back then, it was said that a visit to Shanghai wasn’t complete without a drink here.

    In 1989, the ground floor made history again by hosting Shanghai’s first KFC. The original long bar was dismantled, and the interior was reconfigured to accommodate the fast-food restaurant.

    In 2009, the building was reimagined as the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, and the legendary long bar was meticulously restored to its former glory.

  • On the Bund, No. 3 is No. 4

    If you’ve been to Shanghai, you must know the Bund. But did you know that what is now known as No. 3 The Bund was actually No. 4 before?

    That’s a long story. Let me tell you from the beginning.

    It was completed in 1916, designed by George Wilson — his first project in Shanghai. Not a bad start, right? He went on to design some of the Bund’s biggest names, including No. 12, No. 13, and No. 20.

    The building is in the Free Renaissance style, and it was Shanghai’s first steel-frame structure. The Far Eastern Review called it “one of the most noteworthy architectural advances of the time.”

    This site goes back to 1860, when Adamson, Bell & Co. built a three-story brick house there. Then, two insurance companies bought it. In 1914, they tore it down and hired Palmer & Turner to build this one. When it opened in 1916, it was called the Union Building — named after the insurance companies that jointly funded it.

    In 1937, the Mercantile Bank (known in Chinese as 有利银行) bought the building and renamed it — which is why people started calling it the “Youli Building” (有利大楼).

    Now here’s the twist: the actual address is No. 4 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road. But in the early 2000s, Michael Graves led a restoration, and when it reopened in 2004, it was rebranded as “Three on the Bund” — or No. 3. The new name signaled a shift from bank to lifestyle hub — art, dining, fashion.

    Call it No. 3 or No. 4 — either way, it’s a Bund highlight. And if you get a chance, check out the terrace bar — great views, great vibe.

  • To Bless Is to Be Blessed

    This evening, I talked myself into going for a jog again, even though I had a few things to finish.

    Right now, I’m so glad I did — because a stranger gave me an entire bouquet of flowers.

    Here’s the story.

    When I finished jogging, I took off my AirPods, slowed down, and headed toward my neighborhood. Suddenly, I noticed a man standing by the road with several bouquets of fresh flowers at his feet. He looked a bit awkward. I walked up and asked if he was selling them.

    He smiled and said no — he had just left a yacht, and the flowers had been used for an event. Then he asked, “Would you like a bouquet?”

    Of course! Why not?

    So he gave me a big bouquet and a glass vase. I split the flowers into three vases, as you can see in the photos.

    Over 2,200 years ago, Jia Yi, a Han Dynasty philosopher, said: “福往者福来Fú wǎng zhě fú lái” — meaning, “To bless is to be blessed.”

    Maybe this bouquet is a blessing in return, because while jogging, I’ve helped quite a few lost people find their way. (If you’re standing on the east bank of the Huangpu River, near Lujiazui, looking confused and helpless, and a Chinese woman comes over to offer help — that might be me.)

    I hope the young man receives his blessing soon.

  • Drinking Tea

    I really like drinking tea, especially when it is brewed in the traditional way. A light flavor and an authentic aroma are what I look for.

    At home, particularly on weekends like today, I like to take out my favorite tea set. With water boiling and tea brewing, a slow, leisurely time unfolds for me.

    When I travel, especially in the Yangtze River Delta, South China, and Southwest China, which are home to many famous teas, I always bring a simple tea set. Local tea paired with local water creates a special experience that is hard to find in Shanghai.

    When wandering through small towns or villages, I usually keep a small teacup and some favorite tea leaves in my bag. Whenever a friendly host offers tea, I take out my own cup to enjoy local tea. If they want to know about tea from other places, I will take out my own tea and share it with them.

    You see, tea is a great companion for quiet thinking. It is also a great way to make new friends.