Tour Guide (China) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Tour guide certificate

Credential issued after passing the national tour-guide qualification exam and registering with a travel agency or guide-service institution; must be carried during service.

Tourism Law of the PRC

National law effective 1 October 2013 governing travel agencies, guides, contracts, tourist rights, and safety; amended in 2016 and 2018.

Coerced shopping prohibition

Tourism Law Article 41 bars guides from soliciting or forcing tips and from taking improper benefits through shopping stops or paid optional items.

Travel agency business license

Permit required to operate tours legally; issued with a deposit and scope of business, and unlicensed operation is prohibited under the Travel Agency Regulations.

Consumer right to know

Tourists must receive accurate information about itinerary, prices, accommodation grades, shopping stops, and risks before signing the tour contract.

Written tour contract

Document stating itinerary, transport, lodging grade, meals, shopping stops, optional paid items, price, and cancellation terms; verbal promises are not enforceable.

Guide star rating

National grading of guides into junior, intermediate, senior, and special-class levels; higher levels qualify for certain inbound or premium group assignments.

Undisclosed rebate conflict

A guide holding interest in an itinerary shop, restaurant, or show must disclose it and may not steer the group there for personal gain.

Guest confidentiality duty

Passport data, room assignments, and health details are shared only with suppliers who need them to deliver the booked service.

Equal service standard

No differential seating, commentary, or assistance based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, or expected tipping.

Qin unification date

221 BCE, when Qin Shi Huang unified the warring states and established the first centralized empire, standardizing script, weights, and measures.

Zheng He voyages

Ming dynasty maritime expeditions from 1405 to 1433 reaching Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa, led by the admiral Zheng He.

Xinhai Revolution

1911 uprising that ended the Qing dynasty and imperial rule, leading to the founding of the Republic of China in 1912.

Grand Canal

Sui dynasty waterway linking Hangzhou and Beijing to move grain north; a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014 and the world's longest artificial waterway.

Ming Great Wall

The best-preserved wall sections, built in the 14th to 17th centuries; Badaling and Mutianyu near Beijing are Ming-era masonry sections.

Confucian ren and li

Core concepts of benevolence (ren) and ritual propriety (li) in the Analects, shaping social order, filial piety, and imperial examination learning.

Daoist wuwei

The Daodejing's principle of acting without forcing, aligned with the Dao and harmony with nature; it underlies traditional medicine and feng shui.

Qingming Festival

Spring festival for tomb sweeping and honoring ancestors, held around early April; families clean graves and make offerings.

Auspicious number eight

Eight sounds like 'prosper' in Chinese and is favored in prices and dates; four is avoided because it sounds like 'death'.

Karst landscape

Limestone dissolution forming peaks, caves, and sinkholes; Guilin and Yangshuo on the Li River and the Yunnan Stone Forest are classic examples.

Danxia landform

Red sandstone cliffs and layered rock formations; Zhangye Danxia in Gansu and Danxia Mountain in Guangdong are type localities.

Qinghai Lake

China's largest inland salt lake, on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau; a key stop on plateau itineraries with seasonal bird and scenery viewing.

Dougong bracket set

Interlocking wooden brackets that transfer roof load to columns and signal building rank; a defining feature of traditional Chinese timber architecture.

Borrowed scenery

Garden design technique (jiejing) that frames distant views, such as pagodas or hills, as part of the garden; used in Suzhou classical gardens.

Grotto temple etiquette

No flash photography, no touching frescoes or statues, stay behind barriers, and keep voices low in painted cave sites such as Mogao and Longmen.

Province-level divisions

China has 34 province-level units: 23 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities, and 2 special administrative regions.

Largest minority group

The Zhuang, mainly in Guangxi, is the largest of China's 55 officially recognized minority ethnic groups.

Real-name ticketing

Many scenic areas and museums require online reservation with passport or ID; guides confirm names, dates, and entry slots before the visit.

Rooming list

Document confirming twin or double rooms, extra beds, and single supplements; passports are collected at check-in and returned promptly.

Commentary structure

Hook, context, two or three key facts, one story or sensory detail, then a transition to the next stop; short sentences and pauses aid comprehension.

Emergency call numbers

In China call 120 for medical emergency, 110 for police, and 119 for fire; then notify the travel agency and local culture and tourism bureau.

Altitude sickness response

Stop ascent, rest, give oxygen, and descend if symptoms worsen; do not push a symptomatic guest to a higher elevation.