Interested in exploring how the other half lives? Why not check out QQ? I’ve been using it for over four years and I love it. What is it? Read on.

QQ is the most popular instant messaging application in the world. At this moment, when it’s 1:30 AM in China, there are over 80 million users online. At other times, holidays and festivals usually, I’ve seen the number as high as 120 million or more. Seeing as how there are over 500 million Internet users in China, it’s easy to see that a good portion of them use QQ.

Besides being popular, QQ offers many features and benefits that make MSN and Yahoo pale in comparison. Instant translation, for instance, is a very useful feature for me. I can carry on rudimentary conversations with anyone in China that has an interest in chatting with me. I can share photos,videos and files instantaneously. I can stream videos in my chat window and my chat partner and I can share the experience in real time.

If you’re interested in Karaoke, QQ offers QMusic for free. There is a search feature included. Just search for a song, any song, it doesn’t have to be in Chinese, and QQ Music will play it. If someone has uploaded the lyrics to this song, they will scroll across the bottom of your screen. If the words don’t sync with the music, you can slow them down or speed them up to match the tune. I use it all the time.

If you are single, there are literally millions of possible matches out there for you. Each QQ profile has a Qzone which allows you to upload photos, maintain a log (blog) and decorate your space as you see fit. Other users can search for you and check you out, depending on your privacy settings. While Chinese people might be conservative, they are not shy. Complete strangers will add you, sometimes just for the thrill of talking to a foreigner.

Knowledge of Chinese is not required to use QQ. If you download the QQ International version from here: http://download.imqq.com/download.shtml and set up an account, you’ll see the translation settings on the left side of the text entry pane. Using the ‘Search Contacts’ link at the bottom of the main window, you can choose the ‘advanced’ setting and find users who match your desired demographics. It makes a difference if you try to translate your words for other users. Don’t insist on English or you won’t get anywhere.

China has an ancient and very interesting culture. Don’t head into this with any preconceptions that Chinese people are less important or less significant than you are. While Europeans were living in huts, the Chinese were building multi-story skyscrapers. The Chinese culture is fascinating to study and thrilling to be a part of. Some of their festivals are thousands of years old, with their origins lost in the mists of time, part fact and part myth. When you consider the fact that no culture has survived as long as that of China’s, and some have lasted a long time, you’ll perhaps understand why it’s important to get to know about China and its people.

QQ is a good jumping off point, in my opinion. Don’t download QQ from anywhere else but the official QQ site. I have both versions, the Chinese and the International version, simply because the Chinese edition offers a few more features than the International one.

Your knowledge of English will help you find new friends. I started out by helping my QQ friends with their English and many have accepted me into their lives. There is no age limit to QQ and you’ll find grandmothers and grandfathers keeping track of their relatives who might be spread all over the world. While many users access the Internet with cell phones, the chat speed isn’t affected and many of the new phones accept video feed from webcams. If you thought China was behind the times, you’re in for a big surprise.

Thanks for reading! Comments are welcome.