TALLEST STRUCTURE
Not only does Canton Tower have the honour of being China's highest structure, it's also the world's tallest television tower and boasts the world's loftiest ferris wheel.
Located in the southern city of Guangzhou, it became operational in September 2010 and briefly held the title of the world's tallest completed tower, before being surpassed by the Tokyo Sky Tree this year. Soaring 600 metres into the air, this non-symmetrical tower with its elegantly twisted open-lattice structure is also an important facility for radio and television transmission. It comprises a 450 metre main body and a 150 metre aerial mast.
On the rooftop, visitors can take in panoramic views out over Guangzhou on the ferris wheel, which is horizontal rather than vertical, with transparent pods that circle around the edge. It takes around 20 minutes for the cars to complete the full rotation. Other features include two rotating restaurants, as well as indoor and outdoor viewing decks.
However, the quest to be bigger and better is never ceasing when it comes to China's skyscrapers, and in a few years time Canton Tower will be superseded in stature by the Shanghai Tower, which is under construction in the city's Pudong district. Upon completion in 2014, it will stand at around 632 metres and will become the second tallest structure in the world, after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
OLDEST TEAHOUSE
Yu Garden is one of Shanghai's top tourist attractions and something of an urban sanctuary, however not everyone realises that the elegant building overlooking it is actually China's oldest teahouse. The classical garden itself was created during the mid-1500s and the building was originally part of this, constructed as a Chinese traditional pavilion. In 1784 several textile merchants had it restored and cloth dealers would meet there to relax or hold business talks. In 1855 it was made into a teahouse.
The Huxinting Teahouse, translated as Mid-lake Pavilion Teahouse, stands in the middle of a lake, where a zigzag bridge connects Shanghai's Old Town to the main entrance of the Yu Garden. It can accommodate more than 200 patrons and makes its brew using delicate tea leaves produced in major tea-growing areas around China, with flavours catering for different palates. Light Chinese dishes are also served.
As well as sipping on tea while taking in the scenery, visitors can participate in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony where a number of different varieties are sampled.
THE BIGGEST RESTAURANT
Not only is The West Lake Restaurant the largest eatery in China, it's also the largest Chinese restaurant in the world. Thumb through the Guinness Book of Records for proof, if seeing this place with your own eyes or checking out the television documentary about it isn't evidence enough. Also known as Xihulou, this establishment has 5000 seats and a staff of around 1000 including 300 chefs in five kitchens. It's located in Changsha, capital of the central Chinese province of Hunan.
The restaurant is like a mini-theme park combined with an eatery, featuring live entertainment and landscaped pools and pavilions. With a plethora of buildings in the traditional Chinese architectural style, the restaurant complex has four different areas. Within these areas visitors will find a host of rooms, both public and private, a performance hall and the enticingly named Snack Food Street.
Overseeing the operations is energetic owner Qin Linzi, who uses military efficiency and martial songs to motivate her employees.
CRAZIEST THEME PARK
Ticking off the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Warriors during a visit to China is a memorable experience - especially when it's the chocolate versions of these popular tourist attractions. World Chocolate Wonderland opened in January 2010 and is located just north of the Bird's Nest (the national stadium) in Beijing.
The theme park is made up of several exhibition halls that are temperature-controlled so that the chocolate exhibits, enclosed by large glass panes, don't melt. It contains 500 exhibits created from 176,000 pounds of chocolate, including the world's largest chocolate model of the Great Wall of China, which is 12 metres in length. Visitors can also learn about the history of chocolate and its place in different cultures. World Chocolate Wonderland closes in April each year and reopens in January the following year, because the warmer temperatures during the period in between would cause the chocolate to melt.
LARGEST BUDDHA
Construction of the Leshan Giant Buddha began in the year 713 and was finished in the year 803, led by a Chinese monk named Haitong. He hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels travelling down the river. Standing 71 metres high and with three metre long fingers, the statue is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the junction of several rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province, near the city of Leshan. The eight-metre-long instep is big enough for 100 people to sit on.
It's the largest carved stone Buddha in the world as well as the tallest pre-modern statue, and is often featured in Chinese poetry, songs and stories. The Mount Emei Scenic Area, which includes Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, has been World Heritage listed since 1996.
SMALLEST ETHNIC GROUP
China has 56 officially recognised ethnic groups - the dominant Han ethnic group accounts for around 92% with the other 55 groups being ethnic minorities. The smallest of these is the Hezhen, with a population of just over 4000. Historical sources suggest that as many as 80 to 90% of the population died during the occupation of Manchuria, when Japanese forces removed them from their clan-based villages for resettlement in the marshlands and forests or transported them as forced labour.
With a history dating back more than 6000 years, the Hezhen live at the meeting point of three rivers in China's north-eastern Heilongjiang Province, relying primarily on fishing for their livelihood. It's also a part of their culture - they were historically referred to as the fish-skin tribe because they used to wear clothes made of fish skin.
Everyone in this ethnic group - old and young, male and female - is highly skilled at fishing and some Hezhen have even been known to recognise species of fish by the ripples they make in the water.