More Interesting Facts About China

In a previous article we exposed some surprising facts about China. During our research we encountered a huge number of these facts, many more than could fit in that one article. We created this article so we could tell you some more interesting facts about this great country.

Sock City

It is said that 1 in every 3 pairs of socks you have ever worn were likely to have been made in a district of China that has since become known as Sock City. It makes socks for many of the biggest brands in the world, and these are shipping to all four corners of the globe.

World’s First

There are many inventions that have been credited to the Ancient Chinese, and whilst some are commonly known, others may surprise you. Toilet paper and paper money are both a Chinese invention, used in Ancient China long before they made it to the West. In fact, in Ancient China soldiers used to wear paper as part of their armor.

The earliest forms of soccer were also believed to have been invented in China, although modern players might not recognize the game that was played in China many hundreds of years ago.

Games

The Playstation, a Japanese invention, is illegal in China, which is a shame as China produces some of the best professional video gamers in the world. As for their national sport, whilst China do enjoy soccer and even basketball, table tennis is their biggest sport and they have produced the best players the world has ever seen. The internet is also big in China, with online games making a lot of money here. There are even camps for internet addicts, helping them to curb their addictions.

Not Our Fortune

Although fortune cookies seem like a very Chinese invention, the truth is that these after-dinner delights were actually invented in Chinatown, in San Francisco. So don’t expect to be handed any of these if you eat-out in a real Chinese restaurant.

Tiger Dog

If you see what looks like a tiger running towards you on a residential street or in a park, don’t worry, it’s probably just a domestic dog. There is a trend in China to dye pets such as cats and dogs to make them look like wild animals. This includes “painting” tiger strips on them.

A Dollar a Day

It has been said that there are over 100 million people in China that live on less than $1 USD a day. These people are very much on the poverty line, but food is cheaper in China and there are many people who partially feed themselves from the land.

Sticky Rice

Anyone who has made sushi can attest to just how sticky the rice can be. Still, even they would be surprised to learn that much of the mortar used in the construction of the Great Wall of China was created using sticky rice.