Welcome to Your New Home
Your guide to living in Chengdu
Opera
Contents
Page
Index/Welcome
3
Currency
5
Sichuan hotpot
8
Map of Chengdu
9
Transportation
9
What to Bring
12
Emergency
13
Arrival
14
Public Holidays
15
To Do/Nightlife
16
Chengdu Panda Hash
22
Art in Chengdu
23
Contacts
23
The Flag of China
2
Welcome
As a teacher at CDOIC, you are now considered to be an expatriate of your own country; feel
free to assist us in adding to this booklet by contacting our HR Department.
Oxford International College of Chengdu would like to welcome you to Chengdu, Sichuan, China;
your new home. We have collected information within this booklet, from both locals and
current ex-pats living in China, for your pleasure and planning purposes. This should answer
any questions that you may have and will ensure that you settle into Chengdunese life quickly.
Should you have any other queries, just ask. We look forward to working with you.
China in brief
China has a long history, going back thousands of years. For over
3 thousand years, China was ruled by Emperors and their
dynasties.
In the early 1200's, the Mongols from Mongolia occupied China,
led by Genghis Khan. Kublai Khan, his grandson, established the
Yuan dynasty, becoming the first foreign people to rule China.
By the mid-1300s, the Yuan dynasty gave way to the Ming
dynasty. Then in the mid-1600s, Manchurian troops overthrew
the Ming dynasty to establish the Qing dynasty.
In the early 1900s, the country came out from under dynastic rule
to create the People’s Republic of China. In the 1930s, China
came under the control of a communist government.
Language
In China there are many variations of language and often people from one province in China will have
some difficulty speaking to and understanding people from another province. There are 2 main
languages – Mandarin and Cantonese. Mandarin is the official language and spoken in the bulk of China.
Cantonese is recognised in southern parts of China, and used
mostly in Hong Kong. Cantonese and Mandarin are not
interchangeable and sound quite different even to a nonChinese speaking person.
3
Sichuanness and Mandarin are spoken in Chengdu, there are very few services other than the large
international hotels where English, or any European language, is spoken by local people. Therefore it is a
good idea to familiarize yourself with some common Chinese words or phrases quickly; also have a look
at the rough guide to Mandarin attached with this booklet. There are a number of sites on the internet
where you can learn Chinese online or just pick up a guide to Chinese phrases, numbers and greetings.
Chinese words, phrases and numbers
English
PinYin
Hello / Hi
Thank you
Yes/no
How are you?
Congratulations
How much does it cost?
Credit card
My name is _____
My last name is _____
Subway (station)
Train (station)
Bus (stop or station)
Ticket
Map
How do I get to ______ ?
Turn to the right/left
Go straight ahead
Stop now, we have arrived
North/south/east/west
Internet café
Bank
Receipt
Doctor
Ni hao
Xie Xie
Shi de(due) /meiyu
Ni hao ma
Gong xi ni
Duo shao qian?
Xin yong ka
Wo jiao _____
Wao xing _____
Di tie (zhan)
Huo che (zhan)
Gong gong qi che (zhan)
Che piao
Di tu
Dao _____ zen me zou
Zuo guai / yuo guai
Yi zhi zou
Daole
Bei/nan/dhong/xi
Wang ba
Yin hang
Fa piao
Yi sheng
Numbers
0
Ling
Teens
Shi+ #
(shi san
is 13)
1
Yi
20
Er-shi+#
(Er shi
san is
23)
2
Er
(liang)
30 etc
Sanshi+#
3
San
100
Yi bai
4
Si
5
Wu
200 etc
Er bai
or Liang
bai
6
Liu
1000
Yi qian
7
Qi
2000
Er qian
or liang
qian
8
Ba
9
Jiu
10
Shi
10,000
Yi wan
4
Cultural Awareness
Chinese culture has been heavily influenced by Confucianism and conservative philosophies.
Two major forms of religion are practiced (Buddhism and Taoism are the most widely followed).
A respect for local customs and religion is expected of visitors.
Newspapers
China Daily is the government daily newspaper in English and Huaxi Metropolitan and Chengdu
business newspaper are the main local newspapers in Chengdu.
Currency
The Yuan (or renminbi) denoted
currency of China. The yuan is
the Chinese dollar. So you might hear
kwai, meaning 10 yuan . You might
so be careful that you understand
there is a huge difference between a
countries such as the US, Australia or
The literal translation of renminbi
internationally as CNY or RMB, is the
colloquially known as the “kwai” or
people saying something cost 10
also hear it referred to as 10 dollars,
which dollar you are talking about –
Chinese dollar and dollars from other
Canada. The jiao is a tenth of a yuan.
(RMB) is “the people’s money”.
Shopping in Chengdu
Though not as famous as Hong Kong, Chengdu, too, is a shopping paradise characterized by the ancient
culture of Shu which presents visitors a truly local flavor.
Local Products
Shu Brocade and Embroidery, Lacquer wares, Silver Inlaid Products and Bamboo Products. Chinese
alcohol, tea and local food also deserve a try.
Alcohol : Wuliangye, Luzhou Lao Jiao, Quanxing Da Qu and Jiannanchun are all top-ranking alcohol
brands.
Tea: Jasmine tea, Maofeng tea, hot pickled mustard tuber, mix-flavoured horsebean, Lao Cheng Du (Old
Chengdu), wheat tea (kuqiao tea)
Snacks: Dengying (shadow) dried beef (so thin that light can shine through it), Liu Yang Gou dried beef,
etc, can be gifts for friends back at home.
5
Chain supermarkets:
1. Itoyokato(10 mins walk from school)
2. Walmart(12 mins walk from school)
3. Metro
4. Carrefour (25 mins walk from the school)
5. Auchan
6. Trustmart (20 mins walk from the school
7. Beijing Hualian / Chengdu Hualian(30 mins walk from school)
8. Ren Ren Le
9. Baijia
10. Century Market (10 mins walk from school)
Local chain supermarkets:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Hongqi(outside school around corner)
Huhui
Wowo
Seven Eleven
Yichulianhua
Wudongfeng
Shopping Malls
1. City centre ( Chunxi Road )
2. Taipingyang shopping mall
3. Wangfujin shopping mall
4. ISETAN shopping mall
5. IKEA
6. MALL Business
7. MIXC(very good)
8. Raffles City(it’s very good)
9. Wanda Square
10. SM Square(15 mins from school)
Drinking water

Water in China’s heavily industrialised cities can be variable. At this time it is advised that tap
water is filtered and boiled before consumption, though it is safe for bathing and showering.
For this reason if you choose to eat at café style or open venue restaurants it is also advisable to
6

ensure you are eating hot, freshly prepared and well-cooked items to minimise the likelihood of
health complications.
If you are eating at a “greasy spoon” or “hole in the wall” take a look at the kitchen, the chef’s
hands and the freshness of the food before you choose to sit down! Eating out can be a
wonderful experience.
Food
Chengdu offers a very wide variety of restaurants and eating places from the very cheap to the
moderately expensive. Chengdu cuisine belongs to the 4 major cuisines in China—Szechuan
cuisine.
Most Szechuan dishes are spicy (see page 8), although a typical meal includes non-spicy dishes
to cool the palate. Szechuan cuisine is composed of seven basic flavours: sour, pungent, hot,
sweet, bitter, aromatic, and salty. Szechuan food is divided into five different types: sumptuous
banquet, ordinary banquet, popularised food, household-style food, and food snacks.
A selection of western restaurants & bars

Bookworm

Cakey Butta'

Carol's by the River

Mooney's Bar

Safari

Shamrock Bar

The Beer Nest

The Lazy Pug

Underground

Vinoteca (the Riverside)

Little bar

Here we go

Spot
7

Peters

Grad mom’s kitchen

The Hello Hostel (30 mins walk from school, or 8 kwai in a taxi)
Sichuan Hotpot (spicy…but the tastiest food on the world)
8
Map
CDOIC (A on the map) is located outside the 2ndring road in the northeast of Chengdu, close to
northern railway station. Foreign expats community mostly located in the south part of
Chengdu.
Transportion
Taxis
When taking a taxi on your own, insist on using the taxi meter or accept paying an inflated rate.
Starting price: 8RMB 1.9RMB/K
after 22:00 starting price :9RMB. As a rule taxis are very
cheap.
CDOIC to airport – 80 to 100 Kwai
CDOIC to Bar area 20 to 30 KWAI
CDOIC to Hostel – 8 Kwai
Once you’ve used a taxi a few times
you’ll soon get used to the route, the
landmarks and the price: always ask
for a Fapiou (a receipt for the taxi
fare). Never tip a taxi driver, it’s a
cultural thing, they don’t want to be
seen as needing the extra cash.
9
Buses
Buses run everywhere and they are cheap @ 2 Kwai per time. The bus system in Chengdu is
very good. We have a special bus lane for buses. It is quicker to take bus than take taxi
especially during traffic peak time.
Bus card: Top up certain amount of credit E.G. 30 Kwai; will allow you to have 30 bus trip as
well as free change of the buses within 2 hours.
Scooters
You can buy a scooter (a chargeable battery packed bike), quite a convenient way to travel
around. A scooter costs around 2000-3000 Kwai for new one, second hand one normally is
around 1500 Kwai.
Crossing the roads
This is a dangerous but necessary experience (if you need to get to the other side). Traffic flow
is very heavy and can be fast. Basically, just be careful/sensible and you will be fine. Look right
first…..actually look in every direction, as the scooter lane seems to be accessed by scooters
travelling in any direction, and they rarely stop for the lights.
Langqiao view -day and night
Pandas in Chengdu Panda Base
10
The fastest and cheapest way to travel: Chengdu Underground: 2 to 4 Kwai
per journey
For instance: Travelling to the
Shamrock from CDOIC. Walk or taxi
(8 Kwai) to Northern Railway station,
catch the underground to Nijiaqiao (2
Kwai)
Ear-picking experience in chengdu
11
What to bring
Clothing
The temperature in Chengdu varies according to the season.
Summer starts from June till August so to light clothing is advised. Temperature: 30℃-39℃
Winter starts from November till February so warm clothes with jackets are advised.
Temperature:-1℃-10℃.It is very rare to snow in Chengdu.
Spring starts from March till May. Temperature: 15℃-25℃
Autumn starts from September till October. Temperature: 15℃-25℃
Books
If you have good academic books; bring them also along with your laptop computer. For
reading books, the Bookworm pub and restaurant has a wide selection of books available;
membership fee is 200 Kwai, that allows you to borrow as many books as you can read, over a
six month period.
Electronics
It is sensible to bring any electronic devices you want from home, as opposed to buying them
here. You can get a selection of goods from here but they can be expensive and not always of
great quality.
Adapter
You can buy the adapter locally, it costs 30 RMB. You can also bring your own adapter.
Medicine
Perhaps obvious, but bring various types of medication, particularly those prescribed to you.
Other than medicine that you have to take e.g. inhalers, it is useful to bring paracetamol,
ibuprofen, imodium etc. Also, plasters and clean needles may be useful, especially if planning
to travel.
You will be able to get Chinese medicine and western medicine in the local pharmacy.
Documents
Academic certificates (do not put in your luggage, carry these in your carry-on luggage). Also
photocopies of various important documents in hand-luggage. Multiple passport sized
photographs can come in handy as well, as you need them for the visa etc.
12
Emergency
British nationals requiring assistance in Chengdu should contact the Consular Section of the
British Embassy in Chongqing Phone No: 023 6369 1500.
Out-of-hours emergency assistance
British nationals who need emergency assistance outside normal office hours should call
+86 (10) 5192 4000.
Or contact the school on 028-83517000
While in town, if you are a witness to a crime or an accident
Police for Emergency:
Phone no.: 119
Details of the British Embassy in Chongqing, China
British Embassy
Email:britishconsulate.chongqing@fco.gov.uk
Phone no.:+86 (0)23 6369 1400/6369 1500
Health
Hazards to good health, particularly when the seasons change, are disintery and other stomach
upsets. Visitors should take care what they eat and where and avoid drinking water which has
not been boiled and filtered. Bottled mineral water is generally available.
Medical Centres
Global Doctor Chengdu Clinic

Address:No. 9-11, 2nd Floor, Section S, Lippo Tower, No. 62 Kehua North Road, Wuhou District,
Chengdu 610041

Telephone:028-85283660, 028-85283638

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday:9:00am-12:00pm 2:00pm-5:30pm;
Please make an appointment for any medical treatment might need after 5:30p.m.
Parkway Health
Opening hours: Mon - Fri:9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Call Centre available after hours for scheduling of appointments during business hours.
13
Address: Chengdu No. 1 People's Hospital ,18 Wan Xiang North Road ,Chengdu 610041
Gental Dental
Phone: 13281857850
Address:South of Chengdu near the Tongzilin subway station, on Hangkong Lu.
Local government hospital:
No. 6 hospital
Opening 24 hours.10 mins by taxi from school. Contact a member of staff to accompany you as
it’s a Chinese hospital.
Huaxi hospital
A nationally known hospital specializing in dental. You will have to make appointment and
queue for a longtime as they have lots of patients on a daily base.
You are covered by Medical Insurance at the school, these details shall be provided to you on
arrival.
Embassy
British nationals requiring assistance in Chengdu should contact the Consular Section of the
British Embassy in Chongqing: 023 6369 1500.
For other embassy details please contact our HR Department.
Arrival
Pick up at the airport
An Oxford International College of Chengdu representative will receive you as you emerge from
arrivals and take you to your accommodation, which will be prearranged for you.
Currency exchange rate (approximate):
GBP 1 = RMB10
US$ 1 =RMB 6
You can change on arrival at corporate banks for better rates. Or our staff will help you to
change the currency in Bank of China.
Visa on arrival
14
Normally you will enter on a 30 day tourist visa/30 day working visa and then change this to a
resident permit:
Changing your tourist visa to a Resident permit
Working permit(government)-invitation letter（government）-working visa- foreign expert
certificate-resident permit.
The whole process takes about 2 months.
An HR person will help you secure your visa.
Mobile phone
China mobile/China Unicom are the two major providers in China at the moment. We normally
use China mobile as it has a wider range of users.
Personal Bank Account
You will be assisted in opening a local bank account. We use Bank of construction for payment.
An operations representative will help you with this matter.
Public Holiday Dates 2014
Listed below are the 7 public holidays you receive with the college for 2014.
New Year’s Day
1st January ( 1 Day )
Chinese Lunar New Year 31st January - 6th February ( 7 Days ) Qingming Festival
5th April - 7th April ( 3 Days ) -
Labor Day -1st May
3rd May ( 3 Days )
Dragon Boat Festival
31st May - 2nd June ( 3 Days )
Mid-Autumn Festival
6th September - 8th September ( 3 Days )
National Day 1st October
7th October ( 7 Days )
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To Do and Nightlife
To Do
Chengdu in general, has a plethora of sites to visit and tour around, no matter what you enjoy.
Listed below is a small sample of the sites and activities in and around Chengdu.
Tianfu Square –Tianfu Square is an area of 88368 square meters in Chengdu city center. Green
lawn, flowers, Yan Yan, the skyscrapers of the city is a unique landscape.
Tianfu Square
Wide and Narrow Lanes/Kuan and Zhai Alley-Wide and Narrow Lanes are two separate alleys
full of traditional architectures of the Qing Dynasty as well as the mix of modern shops, bars
and restaurants. “Kuan” means wide in Chinese, while “Zhai” means narrow, therefore, local
people call them Kuan Alley and Zhai Alley. Once you walk into the alleys, you will step into the
most local, ancient, while international and stylish part of Chengdu City.
Jinli Street --Jinli Old Street is located in the east of Wuhou Memorial Temple, equivalent with
Wangfujing Street in Beijing. It is a place concentrated of Chengdu city life, where you can
experience the authentic local specialties. The narrow street with a length of 350 meters is
crammed with a wide diversity of shops showcasing handicrafts that Sichuan Province is famous
for such as paper-cutting, clay figurines, and Shu embroidery. Apart from the traditional culture,
the fragrance of the modern art can also provide you a great convenience for tourists to take a
16
break after the strenuous walk. It is an elegant place to soak in the local custom, art and
culture.
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding --Located just 10km (6miles)
away from Chengdu, the Panda Breeding Research Center has been created and
imitated the pandas’ natural habitat in order that they might have the best
possible environment for rearing and breeding. Giant pandas, lesser pandas,
black-necked cranes, white storks as well as over 20 species of rare animals are
fed and bred there throughout the year.
17
The Leshan Giant Buddha--Overlooking the convergence of three rivers at Leshan,
the world's largest Leshan Buddha sits with a height of 231-foot [70-mete]. It
started to be carved out of a cliff in 713 A.D and finished 90 years later, led by a
Chinese monk Haitong. It is believed that the Buddha would calm the turbulent
waters that plagued the shipping vessels travelling down the river. The ingenious
drainage system inside the Buddha channels off water and prevents weathering.
Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site since 1996.You can climb through the winding path from its head at the cliff's
crest to enjoy the magnificent view.
Luodai Ancient Town--Luodai is an ancient town just outside Chengdu. The
buildings date back to the 1600's. The main street is 1km long with ancient
buildings on either side containing shops, craftsmen and restaurants. There are a
number of dress and costume shops where people dress up to have their photo
taken. It is easy to reach by either bus or taxi from Chengdu. The journey is c.
20km and takes about 45-60 mins. On a Sunday it is busy with local tourists. Many
of the shops and street vendors are of the native Hakka tribe. Well worth a visit
for half a day.
18
Mt. Emei Scenic Area--Rising in the southwestern part of the Chengdu Plain in
Emeishan City, Mount Emei is called the “mountain of brightness” in Buddhism
together with Plant Kingdom , Animal Paradise , Geological Museum, Heaven of
Buddhism, and Beauty Spot under Heaven etc. The most spectacular scenery is
the sunrise, the sea of clouds, the Buddha halo, and the saint light. It is fairly
abundant in natural resources and cultural heritage. There used to be over 100
temples and halls on the mountain, but only some 20 still stand. You can visit
Golden Summit, Wannian Temple, Qingying Pavilion, the Baoguo Temple, the
Fuhu Temple , and the first Square. It is a saintly destination for nature-lovers and
the worshipers of Buddhism.
19
Sanxingdui Ruins--Sanxingdui, located in the city of Guanghan, 40 km from
Chengdu, Sichuan Province, is recognized as one of the most important ancient
remains in the world for its vast size, lengthy period and enriched cultural
contents. The first Sanxingdui relics were discovered by a farmer in 1929 and
excavation has continued ever since. During this period, generations of
archaeologists have worked on the discovery and research of the Sanxingdui
culture. In 1986, two major sacrificial pits were found and they aroused
widespread academic attention around the world.
Dujiangyan Irrigation Project--Over 2,200 years ago, the city was threatened by
the frequent floods caused by flooding of the Minjiang River (a tributary of the
Yangtze River). Li Bing, a local official of Sichuan Province at that time, together
with his son, decided to construct an irrigation system on the Minjiang River to
prevent flooding. After a lengthy study and a lot of hard work by the local people,
the great Dujiangyan Irrigation Project was completed. Since then, the Chengdu
Plain has been free of flooding and the people have been living peacefully and
affluently. Now, the project is honored as the 'Treasure of Sichuan', which still
plays a crucial role in draining off floodwater, irrigating farms and providing water
20
resources for more than 50 cities in the province.
Huanglongxi Ancient Town--With many scenic places of interest, Huanglongxi
Ancient Town is worth a visit to find the old Chinese culture and customs. Seven
ancient streets, which were built during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (16441911) Dynasties, are well preserved. They are all paved with stone slabs, and the
porch columns on both sides are orderly arrayed. The Gulong Temple, the
Zhenjiang Temple and the Chaoyin Temple are three ancient temples in the
central street. They, together with the two other temples in the outer town area,
attract many tourists from home and abroad.
21
Nightlife:
Chengdu is well known for its’ night lift, we have KTV (karaoke ),different type of bars located in
different areas in chengdu, majorly are located around downtown, south chengdu. Pubs
regularly run quizzes and many have live entertainment. You can even learn to Salsa, whilst you
are here.
More information about life in Chengdu, please visit gochengdoo
Chengdu Panda Hash
The Hash House Harriers (abbreviated to HHH, H3, or referred to simply as Hashing) is an
international group of non-competitive running, social and drinking clubs. An event organized
by a club is known as a Hash or Hash Run, with participants calling themselves Hashers. Hash
kennels (clubs) commonly refer to themselves as a "drinking club with a running problem", but
the good thing is that you don't have to do either: we have a lot of non-runners and nondrinkers who have been with us for years.
The Chengdu Panda Hash House Harriers (CPH3) run every other Sunday, meeting at the
Renmin Nanlu and Tongzilin Beilu intersection at 2pm.
Website: http://www.pandahash.com/
22
Art in Chengdu
The Museum of Contemporary Art is the place where like-minded artists meet,
share, develop and discuss:
http://www.chengdumoca.org/
Contacts
028-83517000
If there are any problems, pick up the phone and call us.
As the director Zhang Yi Mo famously said 'Chengdu is a
city where once you come, you never want to leave'
23