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Getting There
To get to Beijing you have three options: by air, by train or by bus.
By Air
The largest airport in China, Beijing Capital Airport (Tel: 64653604), is about 25 kilometers (16 miles) northeast of Beijing center. Till 1999, Beijing Capital International Airport Co. Ltd has 38 major foreign cooperative airline companies, 21 domestic airlines, 1 Hong Kong airline and 1 Macao airline. After arriving you can exchange a small amount of Chinese Yuan at the Bank of China counter near the Arrival Hall Exit.
After arriving in Beijing you can go into the city by one of the following means:
By Airport Shuttle
The airport shuttle runs every 30 minutes from early 5:30 to 20:00, which varies with different routes concerned and costs 16RMB (about $2). The bus stops at certain places in the town and you may need to hail a taxi later to reach your final destination.
By Airport Taxi
The legitimate taxis are lined up in a long queue outside the Arrival Hall. The line is usually quite long but taxis move quickly so you won't wait long till you get one. At the head of the line a dispatcher will give you your taxi's number, which is useful in case of complaints. They charge about 100RMB or more for the taxi fee according to the meter, which includes an expressway toll of 15RMB. After 23:00, you should pay more.
By Hotel Shuttle
The easiest way is to go by hotel shuttle. Most major hotels have this service. When making a hotel reservation, be sure to include a service of shuttle service from the airport.
By Train
If you are in other cities of China, you may get to Beijing by train. There are four railway stations in Beijing: Beijing Railway Station (in eastern Beijing), Beijing West Railway Station (in the southwest of the city), Yongdingmen Station (in the south) and Xizhimen Station (in the north). Many buses stop at these stations, so you need not worry about getting downtown from these places.
Some of the major domestic routes include:
Xian to Beijing: generally takes about 10 hours
Guangzhou to Beijing: takes about 30 hours
Harbin to Beijing: takes about 20 hours
Shanghai to Beijing: takes about 14 hours.
By Bus
If you are in a city which is closed to Beijing you will find to get to Beijing by bus is very convenient. There are four major long-distance bus stations: Dongzhimen (northeast; Dongzhimenwai Xiejie), Muxiyuan (south; Haihutun, Fengtai District), Beijiao (north; Deshengmenwai) and Majun or Guangqumen (east; Guangqumenwai).
Getting Around
When in Beijing, you have different options on how to get around.
By Bicycle
China used to be called the sea of bicycles and in Beijing today the bike is still a convenient vehicle for most people. Renting a bike may be a better way for you to see this city at your own pace. You can rent a better bike in your hotel and pay 20-30RMB for a day's rent, with a certain amount of money for the deposit first. You can also rent bikes at some bigger booths for repairing bikes and inflating tires, the charge for renting bikes there is lower as the bikes are not as new. When needed, you park your bike in a bike park, which can be easily identified by the large amount of bikes on roadsides. The charge is less than 1RMB.
By Pedicab
Pedicab is a good choice for sightseeing, especially for visiting hutongs on your own. You can find them on the street too. Generally speaking, it costs more. You must bargain with the driver first, asking him how much ("duo shao qian" in Chinese), and make everything clear, like the money is for per ride or not; it is for one way or a round trip; it is paid in RMB or USD, etc. The legally registered pedicab can be identified by a certificate on it, and the driver has a card hanging around his neck.
By Bus
City public buses run from 5:30 till 23:00 daily. Taking buses in Beijing is quite inexpensive but less comfortable than taking a taxi or the subway. The flat rate for an electric car and ordinary public car is 1RMB. Buses equipped with air-conditioning or of special line are charged according to the distance. Few foreigners like getting around by bus, because it is always crowded, especially during rush hours (6:30-9:00 and 17:00-19:00). More conductors begin to offer the stop's name in English but they don't know any more English. So to write down some commonly used sentences in Chinese is quite helpful. Minibuses, serving from 7:00 to 19:00, charge the flat rate of 2RMB guaranteeing a seat. They are faster and more comfortable. Note one more thing: when squeezing in a bus or on a bus, take care of your wallet.
By Subway
Most visitors, Chinese or foreigners will find the subway train clean, fast and relatively comfortable, except during weekends or rush hours, when the subway train is very crowded. The subway runs every 4 or 5 minutes daily from 5:00 to 22 or 23:00, according to different first stations and the fare is 3RMB per ride for any distance. There are two subway lines in Beijing: one runs under Chang'an Avenue and its line extends from Sihuidongzan in the east to Pingguoyuan in the west; another one circles under the northern part of the Second Ring Road. You can transfer between these lines at Fuxingmen station and Jianguomen station with no transfer fee.
To find a subway entrance, you can study your map first, to see which intersection is the nearest station. At each station there are usually four entrances in four directions. Then you should look for a large blue sign with letters BD inside a circle. If you still can not find it, you may ask a Chinese "di tie". Then walk down stairs to enter a station and go to get the ticket. The tickets are sold above the platform. When going down to the platform, hand your ticket to the checker at the top of the stairs. On both tunnel walls of the platform, you can see signs and maps in Chinese and Pinyin indicating the next station and helping you to decide which subway train to take. Over the door inside the train you also can find complete system maps in Chinese and Pinyin, and an announcement tells you the name of the next station both in Chinese and English. So if you find you are on the wrong way, you can just get off at the next station, (It usually takes about 4 or 5 minutes to travel between stations.), and get on the train running to the opposite direction. No transfer fee will be charged.
Here we provide a complete subway system map for you.
By Taxi
It's very easy to hail a taxi anywhere in Beijing. And a taxi is the preferred transportation choice for most foreigners, because it isn't expensive and it is quite easy to hail one. The taxi charges 10RMB for the first three kilometers and 1.2, 1.6 or 2RMB thereafter per kilo according to the type of the taxi. The bridge and road tolls will be paid by passengers. For a journey that takes longer than 10 kilo or running after 23:00, the fares will be charged at 50% more. When in a taxi, make sure the meter is on. Before getting off, make sure you ask for a receipt (shou ju in Chinese) with the taxi's number on, in case of any complaint. Most drivers don't understand English, so write down your destination in Chinese beforehand. For taxi complaints, ring 68351150.
By Waterway
Today you can travel around certain places by water in Beijing. So far two courses have been offered: Changhe course and Kunyuhe course. In addition, there are some tourist boats available, like in Shichahai.
Changhe Course
The course is 9 kilometers long, running from the lake Kunming to the lake Beizhanhou Hu. By boat you will pass Yiheyuan dock, Changhewan dock, Wanshou Temple, Ziyuwan dock, Zizhuyuan Park, Beijing Library, Beijing Zoo, Beijing Aquarium, Beijing Exhibition Hall, a bridge: Maizhong Qiao, Guangyuanzha, Five Pagoda Temple (Wuta Si), Gaoliang Qiao, etc. This course used to be the channel by which the Imperial Family went to westwards to summer. The boat starts off from Beizhanhou Hu at 9:30, 13:00, and 15:30 and at 10:45 and 14:15 from Yuheyuan daily.
Kunyu Course
The course runs 10 kilometers from Kunmen Hu to Yuyuan Tan, passing Yuheyuan dock, Changhewan dock, Linglong Park, Enji Park, Benjiaoyuan dock, CCTV tower dock, Yuyuan Tan (Bayi Hu dock), Aquatic Fairyland, Song Qingling Children's Park, etc. Later the course will be extended to Gaobeidian Hu, visitors will be able to enjoy more scenic spots on boats, like White Cloud Taoist Temple (Baiyun Guan), Tianning Temple, Grand View Garden, Temple of Heaven, Longtan Hu Park, etc. The boat leaves Bayi Hu at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 16:30 and leaves Yiheyuan at 9:05, 10:05, 11:05, 14:05 and 16:05.
Shichahai
In Shichahai, apart from the Hutong Tour, you can also travel by a southern style boat with a long scull, fully enjoy the old life style.
Course one: back gate of Beihai-Drum Tower-Yinding Bridge-Hutong Tour-back gate of Beihai.
Course two: back gate of Baihai-Shichahai Front Water-Yinding Bridge-Shichahai Back Water-Hutong Tour-Gongwangfu Garden
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Time Zone
Time used in Beijing and all over China is called Beijing Standard Time. It is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 8), meaning it is 13 hours ahead of New York time.
Busiest Tourist Periods
Except for the long and cold winter period, Beijing is always crowded with visitors both from home and abroad. To avoid the big crowd and still enjoy nice weather, you could try to visit in late spring or early autumn. It is especially crowded in summer because visitors, mostly Chinese are bringing their children to see the capital of the country. Whenever you visit, it is better visit on Monday to Friday and to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Holidays
The three national holidays, Chinese Spring Festival, International Labor Day and National Day are the peak travel times for the Chinese of a year. It is not a good idea to travel in China during these holidays especially during Spring Festival but it is a great to stay in China during these periods, to see how the Chinese celebrate them.
The main national holidays celebrated in Beijing are listed hereunder.
January 1: New Year's Day.
Late January or early February: (according to Chinese lunar calendar) Spring Festival, namely Chinese New Year.
March 8: International Women's Day.
May 1: International Labor Day.
May 4: Youth Day, 1/2 day off for young people.
June 1: Children's Day.
July 1: Anniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China, party members celebrate through meeting.
August 1: Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese PLA.
October 1: National Day. |
Providing practical travel tips need to be kept in mind in the preparation of your tour.
Health
There's nothing more miserable than getting sick when you are away from home, so before your visit to any other country the most important thing is to keep yourself healthy.
Before you leave for China, make sure your inoculations are up-to-date. Ask your doctor or local or national health agencies for advice.
No matter where you are going, most experts suggest that you take your usual medicines, like those for cold and diarrhea, though they are readily got at drugstores in Beijing.
Since more foreign nationals are working in Beijing, some hospitals have special facilities for treating foreigners and of course for travelers. The doctors are trained in Western medicine style. Nowadays more foreigners are trying Chinese traditional herbal medicines and sometimes they prove to be of great success.
Flight to Beijing takes long time and crosses several or many time zones so jet lag is probably another problem. It can take several days to set your biological clock, therefore, sleep well before you go and after you arrive.
Hospital
Some hotels have in-house doctors versed in Western medicine and clinics. And foreigners who become ill in China are usually are provided with the best medical care available.
The following are some of the hospitals in Beijing treating foreign visitors and providing international-standard medical services:
Beijing Asia Emergency Assistance Clinic (AEA)
Building C, BITIC Leasing Center/No.1 Xingfu Sancun North Road, Chaoyang District
Tel: 64629100; 64629112
Beijing International SOS Assistance (SOS)
Suite 447, Kunlun Hotel, 2 xinyuannan Lu
Tel: 65003419; 65003388
Beijing United Family Hospital (Beijing Hemujia Yiyuan)
2 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 64333960
Beijing International Medical Center (IMC)
Room 106, Beijing Lufthansa Center, 50 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
Tel: 64651561; 1562/1563
Beijing Union Medical Hospital (Beijing Xiehe Yiyuan)
53 Dongdanbei Dajie, Dongcheng District
Tel: 65295284
Hong Kong International Medical Clinic
Swissotel, Beijing Hong Kong Macau Center, 3rd Floor, Dongsishitiao, Chaoyang District
Tel: 65012288 When you are in a completely strange place the first thing should be considered is how to communicate with others. Recently in Beijing this problem is much less serious. You got many different ways of communicating with local people, your friends and your families.
Language
The official language spoken in China is based on Beijing dialect and is called Putonghua or Mandarin. But you do not need to worry too much to travel to Beijing today because almost everybody is learning daily used spoken English in order to welcome foreign visitors and the Olympics in 2008.
Telephone Code
The country code for China is 86 and the city code for Beijing is 010. To call a Beijing number from other cities within China, you need to dial the city code 010 first, and then the number. When calling from abroad, the first zero is not needed. For example to call Beijing from the United States, first you need to dial 011 (the international access code) and then 86 (the country code for China) and then dial 10 (the city code for Beijing without the initial zero) and last dial the 8-digit number. When making local calls in Beijing, you just dial the 8-digit number, no city code.
Note: when dialing a 3-digit emergency number no city code is required no matter where you are within China.
Usually you can make domestic or international phone calls in your own room at hotels and the money cost will be put on your bill. When you are out, phone calls can be made in post offices and public telephone booths. To make an international direct dial call from Beijing, dial the international access code "00" plus the country code of the country you are calling, then the area code (if the initial code of the city or area is zero it should be dropped off)and the number.
Useful Numbers
In Beijing the commonly used numbers are listed below:
110 Police
114 Local Telephone Number Inquiry
116 Domestic Long Distance Inquiry
117 Time Inquiry
119 Fire
120 Ambulance
121 Weather Forecast
122 Traffic Police
184 Post Code Inquiry
185 Urgent Mail
Internet
In recent years, internet has been quickly developed in Beijing and other cities of China. Online access, e-mail services and PC rentals are being provided at most large hotels, and charges for them will be put on your hotel bill. Around the city the number of independent Internet cafes is growing at very fast speed.
Fax
Fax is an efficient way to communicate all over the world and most Beijing hotels provide fax services. History
Beijing is a world-famous city for its long history and splendid culture. According to archaeological discoveries, more than seven hundred thousand years ago, there were primitive people (Beijing Ren) in this area. The written records show that in 350 BC, it was occupied and made the capital of Ji. Later in its history it got other names such as Zhuojun during the Sui Dynasty (581-618), Youzhou during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Nanjing and Yanjing during the Five Dynasties and the Liao Dynasty (907-1125), Zhongdu during the Jin Period (1115-1234), Dadu during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Beiping and Beijing during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Beijing during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Beiping again under the control of Nationalist Party (1912-1949) and it finally was named Beijing after the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949.
In the year 1272, Beijing became the Capital of a unified country for the first time in the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368), which was written in the Travels of Marco Polo.
In fact, Beijing has been the Capital of Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing and Republic of China and today it still is the center of national politics, economics, culture, transportation and tourism.
Now Beijing is undergoing big changes and heading for modernization as ancient civilization meets with modern achievements of the whole world, creating youthful vigor and energy.
Climate
Beijing lies in the continental monsoon region in the warm temperature zone and its climate represents as hot and rainy in summer and cold and dry in winter.
The four seasons in Beijing are distinct. It is dry, windy and sandy in spring and hot and rainy in summer. Autumn is the best season in a year when the sky is blue; the air is crisp, mild and humid. However, winter is cold and dry with little snow. The average temperature throughout a year is 11.7 . The average temperatures of the hottest month, July and the coldest month January range from 27 and -4.6. The shorter seasons, spring (usually from February to April) and autumn (usually from August to October) are better seasons for visiting Beijing when it is sunny and warm with few tourists crowding in the attractions.
If you come to Beijing in spring, you could wear a thin sweater, a pair of sweat pants, and a coat. But sometimes it may be a good idea to bring a warm cap because it is windy and sandy during this period though it is not cold. In summer the temperature could reach as high as 30. When you go out, you could take an umbrella along with you if it doesn't bother you much, because a downpour may come unexpectedly at evenings from July to August. Autumn is the most beautiful season, but after October you may feel the constant changes of the weather and you may encounter light rains at any moment. So it is better to bring some heavy clothes with you. In winter, you need a heavy woolen sweater, and a long wind coat or a down jacket. Generally there will be two or three heavy snowfalls each winter, so it is always wise for you to have anti-skidding shoes with you when you come. Lastly, don't wear light-color clothes in winter.
Bilingual weather information can be obtained if you dial 121 in Beijing.
Tourism
Beijing had been the Capital of four Dynasties before the founding of PRC. Its Great Wall, splendid palaces, beautiful gardens, old temples, a considerable variety of exhibitions and museums and former residences of celebrities show its glorious history and civilization.
Today more than two hundred and sixty places of interest have been opened to the public with new ones under building and planning. Besides these places of interest, the natural scenery of Beijing's suburbs also attracts great many visitors with its charms, hills, lakes, hot springs, karst caves and so forth.
In 1986 sixteen famous scenic spots of Beijing were picked from forty spots and were named "the Sixteen Sights of Beijing". They are Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Badaling Great Wall, Beihai Park, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Fragrant Hill, Shidu Scenic Spot, Relics of Primitive at Zhoukoudian, Longqing Gorge, Big Bell Temple, White Dragon Pond, Ming Tombs, Lugou Bridge, Mutianyu Great Wall and Grand View Garden.
The Capital Airport, the largest and most advanced one in China, has more than twenty international airlines connecting countries in Asia, Africa, America, Europe and Oceania. It has over thirty airlines connecting about eighty big cities within the country. Meanwhile, it is the center of highway-net and communication.
There are more than two hundred star hotels in the city supplying more than fifty two thousand rooms. There are about three hundred travel agencies around here.
Beijing is not only a world-famous city for its tourism but also a good medium for you to know more about China, a time-honored country, and the Chinese, a diligent and wise nation.
Question: When is the best time to travel to Beijing?
Answer: Beijing is suitable for travel year-round but the best time to visit Beijing is from April to early November. It is worth noting that the city is very busy during the national holiday marking the Spring Festival that falls during January or February depending on the lunar cycle. Similarly the city is very crowded during the first few days of May and October, while during July and August the weather is very hot. For these reasons the city is probably best avoided at these times. Many people prefer to visit in March and April when it is very much cooler and not crowded. The average temperature at this time reaches approximately 15 C by day falling to a low of around 5C at night.
Question: Is it safe to go out late in Beijing?
Answer: Beijing is a pretty safe place, but going out late is not a good idea, especially alone. Though serious crime against foreigners is rare, pick-pocketing and purse-snatching has increased in recent years. Like any where else, it is always wise to be cautious especially when you are in a crowded place.
Question: How can I get to Capital Airport by myself?
Answer: Many people prefer getting there by taxi, which is very convenient. The fare is about CNY150.00 (including the expressway toll) for a 50 minutes' ride from the city center.
You could also get there by the airport shuttles. There are five routes available with departures every 15 or 30 minutes from various places in the city. You can get more details at the website of the Beijing Capital International Airport.
Please note that you need to arrive at a stop at least two and a half hours before your plane departs to ensure that you arrive in good time for check-in.
Question: I do not want to join a guided tour, so which bus should I take to visit the Great Wall?
Answer: State-owned buses that go to the Great Wall can be found quite easily at three places: the Tiananmen Square bus terminus, a stop at the southeastern side of Tiananmen Square and at Deshengmen. These buses are operated by Beijing FIT Traveler's Center and will gradually replace the former special bus lines of You 1 to You 18. At present, there are three service routes available. You can choose to go to Badaling Great Wall and Ming Tombs; or to Juyongguan Pass and Ming Tombs, or to Badaling Great Wall only. The buses are manned by uniformed staff members who do not peddle for custom on the street or on the square. You will need to purchase tickets in the ticket hall.
If you are traveling on your own in Beijing, you should be aware of the illegal coach tours, which claim they are operated by legal travel agencies or by Beijing FIT Traveler's Center. To avoid being cheated, you are advised not to book tours from hostels or hotels with a low star rating. To be sure of value for money always take the state-owned buses (following the information above) or book through a recognized travel agency.
Question: How can I buy train tickets in Beijing by myself?
Answer: There are four railway stations in Beijing, Beijing Zhan (main station), Beijing Xi Zhan (west station), Beijing Nan Zhan (south station) and Beijing Bei Zhan (north station). The Beijing Zhan and Xi Zhan have ticket offices for foreigners in their international waiting rooms on the 1st floor. Passports need to be produced when booking or purchasing tickets.
The tickets are always sold 5 days in advance so you need to purchase early to be guaranteed seats. However, during peak travel seasons, such as May holiday (May 1st to May 7th), National Day (Oct 1st to 7th) and during students' vacations (late Jun to early September and late January to early February), we suggest you book tickets from travel agencies or your hotel ticket booking center.
Please note that you should arrive at the railway station at least one hour before departure, because it is always very crowded.
Question: What are the airline companies in Beijing? How do you contact them?
Answer: The major airline companies and their contact numbers are:
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Airline Companies
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Airline Codes
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Telephone No.
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Air Canada
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AC
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64682001
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Air China Limited
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CA
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66013336
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Air France
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AF
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65881367
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Air Macao
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NX
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65158988
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All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd.
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NH
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65909174
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Asiana Airlines
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OZ
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64684000
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Austrian Airlines
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OS
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64622161
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British Airway
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BA
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85115599
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China Eastern Airlines
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MU
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64680066
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China Southern Airlines
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CZ
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65672208
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FINNAIR
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AY
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65127180
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Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Limited
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KA
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65182533
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Japan Airlines
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JL
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65130888
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Korean Air
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KE
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84538888
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Lufthansa
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LH
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64654488
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Northwest Airlines
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NW
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65053505
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Singapore Airlines
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SQ
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65052233
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Swissair
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SR
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65123555
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Thai Airways Int'l
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TG
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64608899
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United Airlines
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UA
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64631111 |
Providing special description of various unique productions of ancient Beijing like antiques, jade, silk, Chinese trational paintings and calligraphy, cloisonne, lacquerware, procelain and more...
Beijing, as a historical capital attracted numerous craftsmen to gather there and make their fortune, so the craftworks in this city relatively exhibit the cream of Chinese crafts.
The "Four Famous Representative Arts" in Beijing are cloisonne(Jingtailan), ivory carvings (Yadiao), jade objects (Yuqi) and carved lacquer wares (Qidiao). If you prefer folk handicrafts that we will mention later, you are sure to be interested in them. On the street you may meet lifelike flour-made or clay-made figurines (Mianren or Niren), colorful kites, exquisite paper-cut, Chinese knots (Zhongguojie) and so forth.
If you know some Chinese culture, will you miss "the Four Treasures in the Study" (Wen Fang Si Bao)? They are Chinese brush, Chinese ink, paper and ink stone. Many visitors like to buy Chinese traditional instruments in Beijing, too, because the instruments there are thought to be best in the whole country. Traditional calligraphies and paintings, porcelains, silk, embroidery, jewelry, snuff bottles (biyanhu) and seal cuttings (stones carved with one's name, called yinzhang in Chinese) are all good choices for you.
Some local food, preserved fruit (guopu), candied fruit (mijian) and Beijing snacks are all thought to be good to give your friends as presents. Don't forget Chinese medicinal herbs, if you do believe its magic power to help patients.
Some of the main shopping centers in Beijing are as follows: Wangfujing Street, Xidan Commercial Street, Liulichang Culture Street, Dashilan and Silk Alley (Xiushui Jie).
Cloisonne
Cloisonne is a unique handicraft. It is made of bronze and porcelain through complex artistic procedures as traditional painting and carving.
The earliest existing cloisonne was made in Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). During the Jingtai Period (1450-1456) of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), craftsmen found a kind of dark-blue material which was of graceful style. Blue is pronounced "lan" in Chinese. This is how it got the name: Jingtailan.
Cloisonne has a grave and magnificent appearance so people like to decorate their rooms with it and young women like wearing jewelries made of it. In addition, it also could be a superb gift.
Wangfujing Street
Wangfujing, a seven hundred-year-old commercial street, is located to the east of Tiananmen Square and stretches from Chinese Art Gallery to the Dongchan'an Avenue. It houses a wide variety of shops and boutiques where you can find all kinds of commodities, some of which are of world-famous brands. The recently finished Oriental Plaza (Dongfang Guangchang) adds more charm to Wangfujing.
Besides modern department stores, the Foreign Language Bookstore is also in this area. The Old-Beijing-Street is now seated underground, which was built and decorated in Ming and Qing style. The outstanding characteristic of it is the centralized well-known longstanding stores selling shoes, caps, silk cloth, scissors, Chinese brushes and ink-stick, jade articles, tea, desserts, pickled vegetables, roast ducks and so on.
The most popular sites for souvenir photos are the sculptures on both street sides, reflecting life of old Beijing.
Xidan Commercial Street
Xidan Commercial Street is on Xidanbei Dajie, west of Tiananmen Square and is famous for commerce, entertainment, dinning, and finance and so forth. Like Wangfujing, you also can see modern and old stores here.
Liulichang Culture Street
For collectors of antiques, Liulichang Culture Street is a place you should not miss. It only needs a few minutes' walk from the south of Hepingmen subway station. It is a traditional cultural market selling jewelry, antiques and ancient calligraphies and paintings. Note that antiques over one hundred years old are marked with a red seal and an export license must be signed in order to take them out of the country.
The best-known shop in this street is Rong Bao Zhai, which was opened about three hundred years ago, and it sells authentic works of paintings and calligraphies. There are also shops with old watches and furniture.
Dashilan
The oldest commercial street in Beijing is Dasilan, the most famous and peculiar prosperous street. Its history can be traced back to five hundred and eighty years ago when the Emperor ordered to build fences to prevent thieves from hiding. The fences built here were quite peculiar and kept for a long time. Later, Big Fences became the name of this street: Dashilan.
Dashilan is situated on south of Tiananmen Square, west of Qianmen Dajie, where many century-old shops and restaurants stand. You can buy some traditional handcrafts as well. Note that bargaining is always needed.
Silk Alley (Xiushui Street)
Silk Alley lies in Xiushuidong Jie off Jianguomenwai Dajie, near US Embassy. It is a good place to buy cheaper goods and the resident foreigners in Beijing come here frequently. Whatever you want to buy, like bags, shoes, handicrafts or sweaters, you can bargain with the owners.
Teahouse
Tea is a Chinese traditional drink, like coffee in Western countries. Many Chinese drink tea everyday, those who don't do so will make tea during Spring Festival or when entertaining friends, which is a way to show their respects to others.
A teahouse used to be a place both for drinking tea, watching traditional performances and having snacks and doing business, entertaining friends and for reporters it is even a place of gathering news. So the old-style or Jing-Style teahouses are quite bustling. Lao She Teahouse (Lao She Chaguang) and Tianqiao Happy Teahouse (Tianqiao Le Chayuan) are of this sort. They are a window for visitors to know about Beijing folk customs and folkways.
There is another kind of teahouse in Beijing; we may call them new-style teahouses which are quite tranquil. In these teahouses you will find everything matches each other, best teas, fine tea-pots and nice atmosphere. That is what we call the Tao of Tea (Cha Yi). Chinese, especially southerners pay great attention to tea and everything go with it. Gongfu Cha (a way of making tea), for example is a little fastidious, you may say, about tea sets, teas, water and the most important one: ways of pouring and drinking.
In new-style teahouses besides having good teas and nice snacks you could know more about Chinese culture, especially culture of tea. The best thing is its Chinese traditional atmosphere, making you relax and comfortable.
Teahouse
Old-Style
Lao She Teahouse (Lao She Chaguan)
It was founded in 1988 and is named for a famous Chinese author: Lao She, one of whose works is Teahouse. Lao She Teahouse keeps the traditional settings and performances of teahouses. Customers drink best teas, watch best performances, which are performed by famous artists every night and have delicious Beijing snacks there. Just imagine what a pleasant time they would have!
3/F Dawancha Building, 3 Qianmen Xi Dajie, Xuanwu District.
7:50-9:20pm
630368630
Yaotai Chaguan
Taoyanting Park, Xuanwu District
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Tianqiao Happy Teahouse (Tianqiaole Chayuan)
113 Tianqiao Market, Xuanwu District
6:30-8:30pm
Beijing Teahouse (Jingwei Chaguan)
76 Liulichang Xilu
9am-9pm
Story-Telling: 2:30-4:30pm, Mon.-Thu.
Beijing Quyi: 2:30-4:30pm, Fri.
Xiangsheng: 2:30-4:30pm Sat. Sun.
Huguang Guildhall Teahouse (Huguanghuiguan Chalou)
3 Hufang Lu, Xuanwu District |
New-Style
Wufu Chayiguan
104 Di'anmen Dajie, Xicheng District
64059648
Wu Yutai Chazhuang
44 Dongsibei Dajie
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Jiguge Chayuan
132 Liulichang, Hepingmenwai, Xuanwu District
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Others
Yuan Changhou Chayiguan
98 Xidanbei Dajie, Xicheng District
Taiyuanfang Chashe
1/F, Sino-Chem Mansion, A2 Fuxingmenwai Dajie
68569250 68569253
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Minghui Chayuan
Dajue Temple (Dajue Si), Bei'anhe, Haidian District
62071637 |
Museums and Exhibition Center
The word "museum" hadn't been introduced to China till late 19th century and the first public museum was opened in 1905 by Zhang Qian (1853-1926), a national bourgeoisie businessman. The person who made people know more about the social value of museums is Cai Yuanpei (1848-1940), a famous educationist. He said various museums could improve the sentiment of common people.
We could say that in modern society the number of museums is one of the criterions of the civilization of a city and especially for an international big city.
Museums in Beijing can be roughly divided into different kinds listing blow(Go to this link to find them): historical and revolutionary museums, art museums, relic museums, national and religious museums, special museums, former residences of celebrities, folk custom museums and scientific and technological museums. In addition, there are many nongovernmental ones collecting and exhibiting personal collections of stamps, chopsticks, antique, books and all sorts of things.
| Ancient Bell Museum
| Ancient Coin Exhibition Centre
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| Beijing Arts Museum
| Beijing Ancient Building Musei
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| Beijing Art Museum
| Beijing Aviation Museum
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| Beijing Luxun Museum
| Beijing Museum of Natural History
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| Beijing Music Hall
| Beijing Natural History Museum
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| Beijing Planetarium
| Capital Museum
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| Chairman Mao Memorial Hall
| China Art Gallary
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| China Physical Culture Museum
| China Science & Technology Museum
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| China Stamp Museum
| Forbidden City
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| Geological Museum of China
| Guomoruo Memorial Hall
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| Military Museum
| Museum of China History
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| Museum of Chinese Sports
| Museum of Chinese Stamps
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| Museum of Chinese Revolution
| Museum of International Art Palace
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| Museum of the Dabaotai Tombs of the Western Han Dynasty
| Nationalities Cultural Palace
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| Peking Man Exhibition Hall
| Sackler Museum
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| Stone Carving Art Museum
| Xubeihong Memorial Hall
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| Yanhuang Art Museum
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Exhibitions Centers
Exhibition is more than showing something; it is usually a way of bringing about prosperous economy. If you are doing business in Beijing then you have many choices when choosing a place to exhibit your products and seeking for copartners.
Modern Chinese Drama (Huaju)
Modern Chinese Drama began in early this century and soon attracted large numbers of fans because of its realistic contents of daily life of common people and its wide range of western works by Shakespeare, Moliere and Chekhov.
Chinese playwrights have created many plays about the changing life before and after the foundation of New China. The most memorable ones are Thunderstorm (Lei Yu), Teahouse (Cha Guan), The Family (Jia) and The Peking Man (Bei Jing Ren) etc. There are still new ones coming continually reflecting the life of China today.
In Beijing the People' Art Theatre is the most famous one to watch a drama show. Today drama theaters have many difficulties in developing, because more young people become to be fans of pop music and masses of TV programs.
Beijing Opera (Jingju)
The quintessence of Chinese culture, Beijing Opera, early known as Peking Opera, is a must see while you are in Beijing , equivalent to seeing an opera in Italy.
Beijing Opera was formed nearly two hundred years ago. It originated from Hui Ju of Anhui Province and later absorbed best parts of Han Xi, Qing Qiang, Kun Qiu and other local operas, and formed in Beijing, which is why it is called Jing Ju by Chinese.
Beijing Opera combines stylized acting of singing, dancing, musical dialogue, martial arts, facial makeup and attractive costumes. Its colorful facial makeup is fascinated for many foreign friends. In fact, the painting on performers' faces is not for its nice appearance, but to represent different characters. Red means loyal and brave, black represents powerful and wise, yellow and white stand for fierce and guile, blue and green show the characters of greenwood heroes, gold and silver indicate mysterious or super-natural.
The roles of Beijing Opera can be roughly divided into four: male role (Sheng), female role (Dan), painted face male (Jing), comedy actor or clown (Chou). Every role has its own facial makeup, decoration and costumes.
Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), perhaps the best known master ever, acted a Dan role. It is he who introduced Beijing Opera to western world. He acquired a global reputation and was regarded the leader of Pear Garden (the Chinese opera circle). His masterpieces include Farewell My Concubine (Ba Wang Bie Ji), The Drunken Concubine or Drunken Beauty (Gui Fei Zui Jiu), Scattering Flowers (Tian N¨· San Hua) etc.
Most people used to think Beijing Opera is loved only by older people, but as a matter of fact, people from little kids to older man or women love it very much. In the First National Piao You (Beijing Opera Fans) Competition this year, a four-year-old girl won a gold medal and the oldest gold-medal winner is eighty-four years old.
Acrobatics
Chinese acrobatics has a long history and is one of the most popular art forms among Chinese people. It has got a world-wide fame for its wonderful skills and marvelous acts.
Wansheng Theatre is the special place for the performances of Beijing Acrobatic Troupe. The performances of this troupe have gained many national and international prizes, such as Little Diabolo Girls, Morning Exercise, and it puts on performances at 7:15 every night.
Wansheng Theatre is in Xuanwu District. In Chaoyang District, there is another famous theatre, Chaoyang Theatre where you could see acrobatics and other programs of entertainment. It opens at 7:15, too. Imperial Court Cuisine
Imperial Court Cuisine, another important part of Beijing Cuisine, originates from royal kitchens where dishes and food were only cooked for the royal family. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Imperial Court Cuisine began to be popular among the common people with its original features that the raw material and the ingredients are carefully selected and the dishes are exquisitely prepared and delicately decorated in different colors with light taste and sufficient nutrition.
Many restaurants serve Court Cuisine in Beijing today, such as Fangshan Restaurant and Tingliguan Restaurant being the most famous ones.
Fangshan Restaurant is in Beihai Park and the most famous dish of it is Man-Han Banquet (a dinner of Man and Han national food) which includes "eight treasures from the mountains", "eight treasures on land" and "eight treasures from the sea", such as bear's paws, humps and shark's fins, and lots of rare things, but some of them are not available on table today. There are so many dishes (one hundred and thirty four hot ones and forty eight cold ones, besides many desserts) that you have to have them in six different meals in several days.
Tingliguan is in the Summer Palace and it used to be the place where Empress Dowager Ci Xi enjoyed her opera, which, of course, is as beautiful as a painting. It is famous for its "All-Fish Feast" of over fifty kinds and this is the only one in China. When the fish is served on the table, its mouth can be still opening and closing and its gills flapping. Sometimes the fish's mouth keeps moving even when it has been eaten to bones. But you don't have to be frightened; it is just falsely alive. You want to know its secret? Just go and try it!
Imperial Official Cuisine and Medicinal Cuisine
In the past, feudal officials were quite picky about their food, so their bland cuisine is usually exquisite and its material is always carefully selected. Tan Jia Cuisine and Hong Lou Cuisine are known as Imperial Official Cuisine.
Tan Jia Cuisine, coming from Tan family, is especially famous. Today it is a local authorized dish only served at Beijing Hotel. Hong Lou Cuisine, the one that was described in Dream of Red Mansion, is served at Beijing Grand View Garden Hotel, Jinglun Hotel and Zhongshan Park.
Medicinal Cuisine is also special in Beijing. Its dishes are made with rare ingredients such as ginseng, antlers, bear's paws, soft-shelled turtles etc. It is not only valuable in terms of traditional Chinese medicine but also nourishing in terms of delicacy.
Beijing Snacks
Beijing snacks, combining varied flavors from different nationalities like Han, Hui, Meng, Man and court snacks from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), include many kinds and form the characteristic of their own.
It is said that there are over two hundred kinds of snacks in Beijing, including dishes going with wine, such as Quick-Fried Tripe (Bao Du), Boiled Sheep's Head (Bai Shui Yang Tou), Flour-Pastry desserts, like Pancakes with Meat-Fillings (Rou Mo Shao Bing) and some other snacks for breakfast or as midnight snack, like Sticky Rice with Sweet Fillings (Ai Wo Wo) and Rolling Donkey (Lu Da Gun). What local Beijing people, especially elder ones like most are Mung Bean Milk (Dou Zhi), Fried Liver (Chao Gan) and Filled Sausage (Guan Chang).
There are also lots of famous restaurants selling snacks. Fangshan Restaurant sells Sticky Rice with Sweet Fillings and Pea-Flour Cake (Wan Dou Huang); Donglaishun Restaurant sells Cream Fried Cake (Nai You Zha Gao). In many restaurants you may find some other things special.
In fact, there are too many places for snacks in Beijing for you to make a decision which one to go to. So my suggestion may be helpful for you to save some time. Generally speaking, there are four places popular of this kind. One is Duyichu Restaurant, sitting at 36 Qianmen Dajie, Chongwen District. It was opened in 1738, and is famous for its Shao Mai, which has both attractive appearance and delicious taste. Another is Nanlaishun in Xuanwu District, where you can find about seventy kinds of snacks. The third place is Longfu Temple (Longfu Si) Snacks Restaurants which mainly sell Islamic Snacks. The fourth one is Evening Market Snacks Street near Donghuaemen, Wangfujing. It is a place where most common people go to have snacks. Fangshan Restaurant is a place where snacks of royal family are available.
Apart from what are mentioned above in fixed places, you can find many other kinds along roadsides. For example, Sugar-Coated Haws on a stick (Bing Tang Hu Lu), which is sold everywhere in cold days and is one of the daintiest snacks. It looks brightly red, bearing a little sour and sweet. You can also try Roast Sweet Potato (Kao Hong Shu or Kao Bai Shu). Eat it when it is still hot, it is fragrant and sweet. I bet you will never forget it.
Shish kebab (Yang Rou Chuan) is another good choice. Xingjiang Shish kebab is a snack that is popular not only in Beijing but all over the country. Mutton is strung together on a skewer and roasted over a charcoal. It is continually turned and when it is done, salt, pepper and zi ran, which is a special Xinjiang seasoning, are sprinkled over it. It is a little salty, a little hot but hasn't any unpleasant taste.
If you have enough time you may saunter around and drop in small restaurants, especially when the bigger ones have closed. You will find that it won't cost you much for your dinner, which is really good. You will find steamed bread, steamed dumplings, dumplings, noodles, and family-style dishes, which you probably couldn't see in bigger ones.
Quick-Fried Tripe (Bao Du)
Quick-Fried Tripe is an Islamic snack of tripe of sheep or cattle. When served, it is first cut into stripes or slices. Then, it is boiled in water. After it is cooked and dipped into sesame sauce it gets ready for eating. One of the famous restaurants is Bao Du Man, which lies in Niujie, Xuanwu District with a history of more than one hundred years and still run by Man family.
Boiled Sheep's Head (Bai Shui Yang Tou)
Boiled Sheep's Head is another Islamic snack people eat while drinking some wine. It undergoes the following procedures. First, boil sheep's head in water without putting in any seasoning and then cut it into paper-thin slices, at last scatter over it with a kind of special salt.
Pancakes with Meat-Fillings (Rou Mo Shao Bing)
Pancakes with Meat-Fillings are a kind of court snack, eating as a breakfast dessert by Empress Dowager Ci Xi. When you eat it you need to hollow a pancake and fill it with some minced meat. The pancake is a little burnt outside while the inside is still tender. It tastes salty, delicious and a bit sweet.
Sticky Rice with Sweet Fillings (Ai Wo Wo)
Sticky Rice with Sweet Fillings was once a court snack in Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368). Sticky rice is first steamed, pounded into pulp, shaped into a ball and then filled with sesame and white sugar, pea-flour, jujube paste or some other fillings. Then it is spread over with rice flour. It looks frostlike, tastes smooth and flexible and its fillings are loose and sweet.
Rolling Donkey (Lu Da Gun)
Rolling Donkey is a kind of cake made of bean-flour and is a famous Islamic snack in Beijing. It is made from steamed glutinous millet or sticky rice, scattered with fried bean-flour and filled with red pea. After being cut into blocks, it is rolled in soya bean-flour, which is why this snack gets the name, L¨² Da Gun. When you roll it in soya bean-flour, it looks like a donkey rolling on the ground, raising dusts.
Mung Bean Milk (Dou Zhi)
Mung Bean Milk, which was first drunk about one thousand years ago, is the Number one snack when people are talking about Beijing Snacks. It is actually remnant of mung bean when it is used to make starch. It looks grey-green and tastes sour and a little sweet. When served, it must go with pickles, which are thinly cut and sprayed with cayenne pepper oil. It will taste better, especially for those who try it for the first time. Most people will find it hard to swallow because of its flavor, but if you could manage to try for the second time, maybe you will like it. Some people have got into the habit of drinking it and they even would search everywhere and wait a long time in lines for it. Mung Bean Milk is also rich in protein, vitamin C and dietary fiber and has some effects like appetizing, relieving summer heat, detoxifying and some other effects that account for its popularity among many people.
You could find it in Jinxin Douzhi Restaurant, Ciqikou, Chongwenmenwai.
Fried Liver (Chao Gan)
Fried liver is actually done with such raw material as pig's intestines and some liver with soy sauce, mashed garlic, starch, aniseed etc. as seasonings. The intestine is boiled with seasonings and later the liver is added. When cooked, the juice is sparkling and clear while the intestine is tender and the liver is tasty. It is in fact not fried but boiled. But since it got the name in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), people accepted it according to the custom. Tianxingju Chaogan Restaurant, the most well-known restaurant for Fried Liver is in Xianyukou Jie, Qianmen, Chongwenmen District.
Filled Sausage (Guan Chang)
Filled Sausage is a dish made with intestine filled with starch, minced meat and some spices. It is first steamed and then cut into cubes and fried. When it is done, it looks inviting with salty water and garlic juice. It is said that Empress Dowager Ci Xi sang high praise of it, so you can imagine how delicious it is. Fuxingju, the earliest restaurant that sells Fried Sausage, used to pay this tribute to the royal family of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Pea-Flour Cake (Wan Dou Huang)
Pea-Flour Cake, which is made of white pea, is a snack people usually eat in spring. White-pea flour is first mixed with water, cooked over gentle heat and then fried with sugar. After it solidifies, it is cut into rhombohedra -shaped pieces. It has both nice look and nice taste. The best point of it is its fine and smooth texture that melt at the same time when you put it in your mouth.
Shao Mai
There are not many restaurants selling Shao Mai in Beijing and Duyichu Shaomai Restaurant, which lies in Qianmen Dajie and was named by Emperor Qian Long in 1752. It has the best reputation and attracts friends from home and abroad.
The wrappers of Shao Mai are made of flour, and it is rolled by a specially-made roller to form nice shape. Then it is put in different fillings in different seasons, usually young chives in spring, cucurbits together with mutton or vegetables in summer, crabs in autumn and pork with onion in winter. Steamed Shao Mai looks white and translucent, with beautiful pleats on the top, which look quite like sheaves of wheat heads or bunches of white flowers.
Barbecue
Along with Roast Duck and Hot Pot, Barbecue is another most famous food in Beijing, which can be traced to ancient nomad in northern China. Meat, usually veal or mutton, is cut into thin slices and then soaked into a mixture of soy sauce, a kind of special wine, ginger liquor, white sugar and some other seasonings. After that you put the meat onto a grill and turn it over for several times till it gets cooked with long chopsticks. The next thing to do is to serve it together with pancakes, sweet garlic and cucumber.
The two restaurants bearing great reputation in Beijing a
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