China is the largest country in the
world is better than a broad area and the population. Is one of the oldest
civilizations in the world having ancient cultures and multitudinous, and
having amazing culture. China is the third most visited country in the world.
The number of overseas tourists was 55.98 million in 2010. Foreign exchange
income was 45.8 billion U.S. dollars, the world's fourth largest in 2010. The
number of domestic tourist visits totaled 1.61 billion, with a total income of
777.1 billion yuan.[1]
China's growing economy is also
generating a surge in business travel. In China, the percentage of sales
dependent on business travel is higher (38%) as compared to the US (21%) and
28% in the UK, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council's 2013
business travel forecast for the Asia-Pacific region.[2]
A. Astronomical
and Geographical Position
China, (People's Republic of China), is situated in eastern
Asia, bounded by the Pacific in the east. The third largest country in the
world, next to Canada and Russia, it has an area of 9.6 million square
kilometers, or one-fifteenth of the world's land mass. It begins from the
confluence of the Heilong and Wusuli rivers (135 degrees and 5 minutes east
longitude) in the east to the Pamirs west of Wuqia County in Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region (73 degrees and 40 minutes east longitude) in the west, about
5,200 kilometers apart; and from the midstream of the Heilong River north of
Mohe (53 degrees and 31 minutes north latitude) in the north to the
southernmost island Zengmu'ansha in the South China Sea (4 degrees and 15
minutes north latitude), about 5,500 kilometers apart.
The border stretches over 22,000 kilometers on land and the
coastline extends well over 18,000 kilometers, washed by the waters of the
Bohai, the Huanghai, the East China and the South China seas. The Bohai Sea is
the inland sea of China.
There are 6,536 islands larger than 500 square meters, the
largest is Taiwan, with a total area of about 36,000 square kilometers, and the
second, Hainan. The South China Sea Islands are the southernmost island group
of China.
China is extremely broad strategic location their areas ,
south and is situated next to the former soviet union and Mongolia .East over a
broad bordering on the sea , while in the north and west in the form of a
mountain range .It was a very famous anciently china in the world and is
associated with other countries .The limits of the Chinese state is: the north,
the people republic of Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan. In east of China is
the east china sea, the yellow sea ,in the North Korea , and the south china
sea. South: Nepal, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
in west.
B.
Climate and Natural Situation
China lies mainly in the northern temperate zone under the
influence of monsoon. From September and October to March and April next year
monsoon blow from Siberia and the Mongolia Plateau into China and decrease in
force as it goes southward, causing dry and cold winter in the country and a
temperature difference of 40 degree centigrade between the north and south. The
temperature in China in the winter is 5 to 18 degree centigrade lower than that
in other countries on the same latitude in winter. Monsoon blows into China
from the ocean in summer, bringing with them warm and wet currents, thus rain.
Great differences in climate are found from region to region owing to China's
extensive territory and complex topography. The northern part of Heilongjiang
Province in northeast China has no summer, Hainan Island has a long summer but
no winter; the Huaihe River valley features four distinct seasons; the western
part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is covered by snow all year round; the
southern part of the Yunan-Guizhou Plateau is spring-like all the year; and the
northwestern inland region sees a great drop of temperature in the day. Annual
precipitation also varies greatly from region to region; it is as high as 1,500
millimeters along the southeastern coast. Decreasing landward, it is less than
50 millimeters in northwest China.
Southern china temperate season, while the western part of
china temperate seas army. In the rainy season in china the southern part of
rainfall is almost reached 3,000 mm per year while in northwestern only reached
50 mm per year Eastern china sea and plato Tibet have only rainfall about 500
mm per year Rainfall that size signifying that the area somewhat dry. Dry areas
include Mongolia also plato in, plato loss, and plato tibet. The air
temperature warmest in china happened in July. The average daily temperature is
2000C. Affecting climate type tumbahan also there for example the
forest. Forest in china can be in the top six for type, namely the tropical
rain forest, the leafy forest wide tambuh throughout the year a mixture of,
forest deciduous woodlands, forest hard wood mixed and coniferous forests (the
leafy forest needle ).
C. Population
Total Population 1.37 billion (2013). 711.82 million in urban
area (2013) , share 52.6% of total population in China. China population is
distributed unevenly with more in the east (more than 300 persons per square
kilometer) and fewer in the west (about 40 persons per square kilometer. The
national average density of population is 143 per square kilometer (2013
census). For basic urban population data. Provinces and Cities page. The
average size of household was 3.7 persons. The proportion of population aged at
0-14 was 26.4 percent, those aged 15-64 was 67.2 percent, and that of the
people aged 65 and over was 6.4 percent. The Average Chinese Life-Span of the
population was 70.8 years, that for male was 68.71, and female, 73.04.
D. Currency
Chinese Money is called Renminbi (RMB) (means "People's
Currency"). The popular unit of RMB is Yuan. The official exchange rate
between U.S. Dollar and Renminbi Yuan currently is about 1 : 8.3 (1.00 Dollar =
8.30 Yuan). 1 Yuan to 10Jiao, 1 Jiao to 10 Fen (There are parts of China the
Yuan is also known as Kuai and Jiao is known as Mao. Chinese currency is issued
in the following denominations: one, two, five, ten, fifty and a hundred Yuan;
one, two and five Jiao; and one, two and five Fen. The renminbi is the official
currency of the People's Republic of China. The name (simplified Chinese: 人æ°åž; traditional Chinese: 人æ°å¹£; pinyin: rénmÃnbì) literally means
"people's currency".
The yuan (å
/å) (sign: ¥) is the basic unit of the
renminbi, but is also used to refer to the Chinese currency generally,
especially in international contexts. The distinction between the terms
"renminbi" and "yuan" is similar to that between sterling
and pound, which respectively refer to the British currency and its primary
unit.[citation needed] One yuan is subdivided into 10 jiÇo
(è§), and a jiÇo
in turn is subdivided into 10 fÄn (å).
The ISO code for renminbi (which may also be used for the
yuan) is CNY (an abbreviation for "Chinese yuan"), or also CNH when
traded in Hong Kong.[3]The currency is often abbreviated
RMB, or indicated by the yuan sign ¥. The latter may be written CN¥ to
distinguish it from other currencies with same symbol (such as the Japanese
yen).[citation needed] In Chinese texts the currency may also be indicated with
the Chinese character for the yuan.
E. Entrance
Requirement
Every
people needs visa to visit china. This is some China visa types:
1.
Tourist (L) Issued to aliens who are
going to PRC for tourism.
2.
Business (F/M) Issued to aliens who
are invited to PRC for business visit, an investigation, a lecture,
scientific-technological & cultural exchanges, intern practice.
3.
Student (X) Issued to aliens who are
going to PRC for study, furthering studies.
4.
Work (Z) Issued to aliens who are
going to PRC for a post or employment.
5.
Talent (R) issued to high-level
personnel and much-needed highly talented people.
6.
Family Reunion (Q) issued to to
relatives of Chinese citizens or foreigners with permanent residence permit
residing in PRC.
7.
Private Visit (S) issued to family
members of foreigners residing in China for work, study, etc.
8.
Transit (G) Issued to aliens who are going to
a third country in transit of PRC.
9.
Crew (C) Issued to crewmembers involving
international-based transportation by trains, airway and ships and their
accompanying family members.
10. Resident (D) Issued to aliens who are going to
reside permanently in PRC.
11. Journalist
(J-1, J-2) Issued to foreign journalists for the purpose of reporting from PRC.
F. Transportation
Transport in China has experienced major growth and
expansion in recent years. Airports, roads, and railway construction will
provide a massive employment boost in China over the next decade.
Rail, which is the primary mode of transport, has doubled in
length since the mid-twentieth century, and an extensive network provides
service to the entire nation. The larger cities have metro systems in
operation, under construction, or in the planning stage.
The highway and road system also has gone through rapid
expansion, resulting in a rapid increase of motor vehicle use throughout China.
Although China's transport system comprises a vast network of transport nodes
across its huge territory, the nodes tend to concentrate in the more
economically developed coastal areas and inland cities along major rivers.
The physical state and comprehensiveness of China's
transport infrastructure tend to vary widely by geography. While remote, rural
areas still largely depend on non-mechanized means of transport, a modern
maglev train system was built in China to connect the city center of Shanghai
with its international airport.
Much of contemporary China's transport systems have been
built since the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949. Prior to 1950,
there were only 21,800 km (13,546 mi) of railway lines. In 2010, the railway
network has since been expanded to 90,000 km (55,923 mi). Rail travel remained
the most popular form of transport, although air travel has also experienced
significant growth since the late 1990s. The government-led effort — that began
in the 1990s — to connect the country by expressways via the "National
Trunk Highway System" has expanded the network to about 97,000 km (60,273
mi) by the end of 2012making China's the longest expressway network in the
world (in front of the United States).
G. Main Cities
a.
BEIJING — Ancient and Modern Capital
Beijing, China's capital city for over 700 years, is rich in
history, both ancient and modern. Beijing is home to some of the finest
remnants of China's imperial past, most famously the Great Wall of China,
China's legendary line of defense; the Forbidden City, the largest and
best-preserved ancient imperial palace complex in the world; the Temple of
Heaven, fascinating site of imperial worship; and the Summer Palace, a lovely
imperial garden. There is also Tian'anmen Square where the People's Republic of
China was inaugurated by Chairman Mao, whose body still resides there in its
show casket. Beijing has a glorious past, but is by no means stuck in the past.
Standing side-by-side with old Beijing's crimson palace complexes are the
city's modern buildings, the super-modern Olympic Village, with the Bird’s Nest
Stadium and Water Cube; the dazzling shopping malls in Wangfujing Street and
the colorful entertainment center of Houhai. Despite all the changes in recent
years, traditional lifestyle has been well-preserved in the oldest
neighborhoods of the city — the Hutongs, which are mazes of narrow alleyways
and old traditional courtyard houses. A tour by rickshaw through the Hutongs
will give travelers a glimpse of old Beijing.
b.
SHANGHAI — China's Prosperous
Largest City
Shanghai, China's biggest city, oozes an atmosphere of
vitality which can rival New York and Paris in terms of modernity. Shanghai is
the second largest “city proper” in the world after Mumbai. As one of the
world’s leading economic and business cities, Shanghai's modernity is evidenced
by the ambitious skyline in the Pudong Economic Zone and the gorgeous night
scenes of the Huangpu River, when the spectacular lights of its immense towers
dance in unison. Shanghai's colonial legacy combined with things Chinese has
created a unique culture, which is a fusion of the East and the West. The Bund,
the waterfront of the city gives a vivid illustration of the combination of
East and West cultures through its large collection of colonial architecture. However,
old Shanghai is not set to disappear overnight. Beneath Shanghai's impressive
modern buildings and in the back alleys, scenes of the 1920s have been
kept.Unlike Beijing, Shanghai does not brim with many great sights. Except for
Yuyuan Garden, Jade Buddha Temple, and the Huangpu River Cruise, there are not
many famous tourist attractions. However, the beauty of visiting Shanghai lies
not in scurrying from sight to sight but in the feel of the city's modern
atmosphere.
c.
XI'AN — A Window on China's Ancient
Civilization
As the second most famous of China's ancient national
capitals (after Beijing), Xi'an was the first capital of a united China in 221
BC (the Qin Dynasty). It also served as the capital during the golden eras of
the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) and the Tang Dynasty (618–907).Thus Xi'an is
blessed with a great number of precious relics and historical sites, with the
highlights being the Terracotta Army (a contender for the eighth wonder of the
world), two historical Buddhist Pagodas (Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Small Wild
Goose Pagoda), the Great Mosque, the Ancient City Wall, and the Banpo Site (a
prehistoric civilization museum). Xi'an was also the starting point of the Silk
Road, an ancient trade route that extended from Asia to Europe and played an
important role in economic and cultural exchange between the East and the West
in ancient times. Xi'an is, for certain, one of the most popular tourist
destinations among foreign travelers, and so is included in the itineraries of
many of our tour packages. At China Highlights, we feel that a tour to Xi'an is
something that any tourist to China would not want to miss, as it serves as a
window on China's ancient civilization.
d.
GUILIN — China’s Top Karst Landscape
Guilin, with its marvelous limestone
scenery, is renowned as one of the most beautiful places on earth.
The city, nestling among the vegetation-clad pinnacles on the banks of the Li
River, seems to belong to a landscape painting.
During his visit, former US President Nixon was
inspired by Guilin's picturesque natural scenery and remarked: "I
have visited more than eighty countries and over a hundred cities. I have found
that no city can surpass the beauty of Guilin.”
Guilin City is in the center of two
tourist honey pots (each about 1½ hours by bus): Yangshuo and Longsheng,
which are renowned for their beautiful scenery. Yangshuo in
particular has become a paradise for backpackers, with its idyllic karst
countryside, its easy-going atmosphere, and its Western food and beer. Longsheng is
famous throughout China, if not throughout the world, for the scenic beauty of
its terraced rice paddies, and for its Zhuang and Yao ethnic culture.Guilin is
due west from Hong Kong, from which it can be reached by air in an
hour. A tour of Hong Kong can be easily combined with a Guilin
tour.
e. HONG
KONG — Like Nowhere Else on the Earth
Hong Kong is not like any other
place on earth. As one of the most important economic and financial centers in
the world, Hong Kong enjoys all the benefits of a dynamic and vibrant
metropolis. While definitely Chinese, it still enjoys a good measure of
independence. Hong Kong is afusion of cultures. Remnants of its colonial past,
British culture, share space with Chinese tradition. Once known as an exotic
port for Eastern trade, it is now famous for its movies.
Hong Kong is a world-renowned shopping
paradise, known for its tourist-friendly atmosphere and numerous options. The
huge shopping malls of Central, Admiralty and the street fashion factory in
Causeway Bay are reasons for many travelers to make their Hong Kong trips. Hong
Kong also has some amazing beaches and natural sights for outdoor
lovers. Lantau Island for example, provides a relaxing atmosphere for
a holiday break. Words fail to convey the essence of Hong Kong. If you want to
appreciate this "Oriental London", visit Hong Kong ready for a
fast-paced eye-opener.
f. Hangzhou
— Next Best to Heaven
When Marco Polo came to Hangzhou in
the 13th century, he declared it “the most beautiful and elegant city in the
world". There is a popular Chinese saying: "Above there is heaven,
below there are Hangzhou and Suzhou." Hangzhou's "heavenly"
beauty attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to its exquisite West
Lake area each year to enjoy the placid lake, beautiful gardens,
reflecting pools, lavish temples, and lakeside teahouses.
There are many well-known historical and cultural sites
around West Lake, such as Lingyin Temple and Six Harmonies Pagoda. You can also
combine a Hangzhou Tour with visits to the nearby ancient water
towns, like Xitang and Wuzhen.
The most famous products of Hangzhou
are silk and tea. No wonder China's National Silk Museum and National Tea
Museum are all located in Hangzhou. At the tea plantation located in the hills
near West Lake, visitors can learn about the processing procedures for tea and
watch a traditional tea ceremony.
g. Chengdu
— Hometown of Giant Pandas
Chengdu is the hometown of Giant
Pandas. Although there are giant pandas in zoos in various places around China,
such as Beijing Zoo in Beijing, and Shanghai Zoo in Shanghai, the best place to
see pandas is in Chengdu. Visitors can see Giant Pandas at Chengdu Giant
Panda Breeding and Research Center, or take part in volunteer program at Dujiangyan
Panda Valley. Besides, there are many historical sites, such as Sanxingdui
Ruins Museum, Qingyang Palace. To experience theleisurely local life,
visit the Wide and Narrow Alleys and Jinli Old Street, or sip
tea while watching the magical face changing of Sichuan Opera.
Chengdu, more than 2,000 years old, has been a famous
cultural center with age-old colorful traditions of both religious and civil
significance. Home of poets of old and spicy Sichuan food, Chengdu has
also become a popular place for Westerners to reside.
h.
Huangshan — Majestic Beauty
Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains) is
surely the most famous and most photographed and painted mountainous region in
China. It was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990.
Outstanding natural
beauty is Huangshan's number one feature. Austere and majestic clean rock
faces rise sheer among the mists, clung to by the hardiest of pines. This is
the scenery of legends. Indeed it is said that China's supernatural ancestor,
the Yellow Emperor, lived here.
The Yellow Mountains' classic
four attractions are curiously-shaped pines, oddly-shaped rocks, the seas
of clouds, and hot springs. There are hundreds of peaks and thousands of
ravines, many made accessible by well-worn steps. Lotus Peak, Bright Summit,
and Heavenly Capital Peak are the three major peaks, all rising more than 1,800
meters (5,900 feet) above sea level.
Nearby attractions not to be
missed: Xidi Village and Hongcun Village present ancient
China's elegance and tranquility with well-preserved ancient folk houses and
flowing rivers. Xin'an River is a recent popular hiking destination,
while Tachuan Village's autumn scenes are among the best in China.
i.
Lhasa — Gateway to Transcendent
Tibet
Lhasa, capital of Tibet, is the gateway to explore Tibet.
Tibet, the highest land o the earth is a world away, a traveler's dream. Lhasa
is the center of Tibetan cultural and religious life. "Lhasa" is
Tibetan for "place of the gods", and is revered as such. There are
many sites and religious sites in the city proper and its suburbs, among which
the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, and
Norbulingka are world famous. At Barkhor Street, visitors can go souvenir
hunting, rub shoulders with locals, and experience the sacred "one step
one bow" way to religion. Most tourists enter Tibet via Lhasa. Outside the
city is Tibet's wealth of natural wonders and holy sites, from Lake Namtso to
Mt. Everest, to Mount Kailash.
j.
Suzhou — Elegant Water Towns and
Gardens
Suzhou is famous for the water towns around it and its
traditional Chinese gardens, like Humble Administrator's Garden. Suzhou's
gardens harmoniously mix man-made landscapes with natural scenery:
architecture, painting, calligraphy, and horticulture are combined, and
enclosed like pearls by walls. China's water towns hold the quintessential
image of traditional Chinese villages. Centuries-old wooden houses lining
crisscrossing canals, arched stone bridges, and people in bamboo hats punting
sampans, form the unique charm of the ten or so water towns around Suzhou. The
most popular ones are Zhouzhuang (very commercial), Xitang, and Tongli.30
minutes by high-speed train from Shanghai, 5 hours from Beijing, it is very
convenient to combine Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou in a tour.
H. Tourist Area
and Tourist Attraction
a. Forbidden
City
As the largest and best-preserved ancient royal building
complex in the world, the Palace Museum is a reflection of the highest
architecture level in ancient China. Forbidden City, located in the center of
Beijing, is the largest, best-preserved in the world. The Forbidden City used
to be the imperial palace of Ming Dynasty which began to be built in 1406 AD
and completed in 1420 AD with toilsome work of tens of thousands of laborers.
The rectangle-shaped palace is 961 meters from south to north and 753 meters
from west to east. It covers an area of 725,000 square meters and the building
area is 155,000 square meters with 8,707 rooms. The wall of palace is 12 meters
high and 3,400 meters long. There is a moat with the length of 52 meters around
the palace. In this way, the palace becomes a strong and impregnable castle.
The building complex was laid out very precisely in accordance with a feudal
code of architectural hierarchy which designated specific feature for
reflecting the paramount authority and status of the emperor.
There are four gates to enter the palace, respectively named
Wu Gate in the south, the main entrance, Donghua Gate in the east, Xihua Gate
in the west and Shenwu Gate in the north.. The Wu Gate has five arches and the
middle arch was specially constructed for the emperor. This is also the central
axis of the palace and Beijing City. In the past, even though you are the
high-ranking government official, you are only allowed to go across the side
arch to enter the palace. Construction of the National Palace on the basis of
its layout and function is divided into the exterior and interior imperial
court.
Centering round Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central
Harmony and Hall of Preserving Harmony, the exterior is the place where feudal
rulers exercised their power and held festivals and rituals. The interior court
includes Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Union, Palace of Earthly
Tranquility, Hall of Mental Cultivation, etc. It's the place where the emperor
and his family lived.
In 1911 the last feudal dynasty, the Qing, fell to the
republic revolutionaries. The last emperor, continued to live in the palace
after his abdication until expelled in 1924. On October 10, 1925, the Forbidden
City became the Palace Museum and was opened to the public. Many parts of the
palace were destroyed by the war, age and bad weather. After the establishment
of People's Republic of China, the palace has been renovated in large scale by
the government since 1950s. In 1961, the Palace Museum was designated national
key cultural relics under state protection. In 1987, the Palace Museum was
selected on the World Heritage List.
Travel
Tips
Admission
Fee: 60RMB (low seasons), 40RMB (high season)
Open Time: Tikets are begun to sell at 8:30 and stopped to sell at
16:00 in high season while in low season the time of selling tickets is from
8:30 to 15:40
Telephone: 86-10-85007422, 85007421
See
more at:
http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/forbidden-city.htm#sthash.NY3YiRxM.dpuf
b. The
Chinese Great Wall
The Chinese Great Wall is the great construction in the
history of human civilization. It was praised as the Eighth Wonder of the World
many years ago. The construction of the Great Wall began during the Spring and
Autumn Period to the Warring Period (770BC-221BC). After unification of China
by Qinshihuang (the first emperor in China), Qinshihuang ordered his people to
build a new wall on the base of the original one in large scale. Subsequent
dynasties continued to strengthen and extend the wall. The most part of the
extant wall from Shanhaiguan in Pohai to Jiayuguan in Gansu Province were built
by Ming dynasty (1386 – 1644AC). The Great Wall is 7.8 meters high, 6.5 meters
across at its base and 5.8 meters at its top. There is a watchtower rise to
about 12 meters every one hundred meters.
Dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period, more walls were
put up to defend the borders of the different kingdoms and nomad nationalities
in the northern China. The Great Wall had become the dominant fortification for
Han people since Qin Dynasty. In fact, the walls didn't resist the attacks of
the dangerous enemies. Ming Dynasty tried their best to renovate the wall,
regardless of the expense to humans in effort, time and financial well-being,
but ironically, the leader of Qirat not only led his army to crack the defense
of the wall, but also took the emperor Yingzong of Ming Dynasty alive in
1499AC. At any rate, the Great Wall is just a wall which cannot protect a
nation. Interestingly, the most prosperous Tang Dynasty was one of dynasties
which never renovated the wall.
The Great Wall is the symbol of the Chinese civilization. It
is the fruit of the Chinese nation's wisdom. Now, the Great Wall is the famous
scenic spot attracting tens of thousands of tourists. There is a well-known
Chinese saying on the wall, "He who has never been to the Great Wall is
not a true man". The Great Wall was selected on the list of the World
Heritage in 1987.
Travel
Tips
Badaling
Great Wall
Admission Fee: 45RMB, or 85 (Badaling Great Wall plus cinema)
Open Time: 6:30-19:00(high season), 7:00-18:00(low season)
How to Get to: Take coach bus in downtown for about 1 hour. The
coach bus starts at east Qianmen Lou in the morning. (Round-way fare: 90RMB)
Tips:
1. If you travel alone, don't believe the tour guide on coach bus.
2. A bottle of water around Great Wall is more expensive so that you should buy
water beforehand in downtown.
Mutianyu Great Wall
Admission Fee: 20RMB to 45RMB
Open Time: 8:00-16:00
How to get to: Take Bus No.936 (7:00 or 8:00) at Dongzhi Gate
Tips:
1. It is steep at Mutianyu Great Wall so you should be very careful
2. If you plan to stay overnight, please take the thick coat and some food.
Jiankou Great Wall
Admission Fee: 20RMB Open Time: 7:00-17:00
How
to get to: Take Bus No.916 to Huairou and then rent mini-bus to
Jiankou Great Wall.
-
See more at: http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/great-wall.htm#sthash.ryFyAJSa.dpuf
c. Temple
of Heaven
Temple of Heaven is located in the southeast of Beijing and
existed for more than 500 years. Temple of Heaven was built for emperors of
Ming and Qing dynasties to worship the heaven. Temple of Heave is the largest
and best-preserved architectural complex for sacrifice in China.
Occupying an area of 2,720,000 square meters, the Temple of
Heaven is slightly larger than the Forbidden City. There are two layers of
walls around the Temple, dividing it into two parts: the inner enclosure and
outer enclosure. The main buildings of the Temple include Hall of Prayer for
Good Harvests, Imperial Heavenly Vault and Circular Mound Altar. The Hall of
Prayer for Good Harvest has three concentric circles of massive wood columns
symbolizing the four seasons, 12 months and 12 daily hours. The Imperial Vault
of Heaven is a smaller circular building constructed without crossbeams; its
dome is supported by complicated span work. The Circular Mound Altar is a
triple-tiered white stone terrace enclosed by two sets of walls that are square
outside and round inside, which are symbolic of the square earth and round
heaven. Emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties held their ceremonies to worship
the heaven in the Circular Mound Altar on winter solstice. Therefore the
Circular Mound Altar also called "Heaven Worship Altar".
The whole construction of the Temple of Heaven is made by
wood so it is the architectural masterpiece of wood construction in China.
Another marvelous and magnificent spot of the temple is Echo Wall. When
standing in the center of the Circular Mound Altar, you can hear the bright
sound which seems to come from the earth's core and sometimes from the sky.
The design ideology of the Temple of Heaven manifests broad
and vast sky. As for the aspect of distribution of building, the inner
enclosure is situated on the east of north-south axis of outer enclosure; the
Circular Mound Altar and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is located on the
east of the axis of the inner enclosure. This layout makes the west part of the
Temple wider.
As the largest building complex for worshiping heaven in the
world, the Temple of Heaven was inscribed on the list of the World Cultural
Heritage in 1998.
Travel
Tips
Address: Tian Tan Lu (north gate entrance), Beijing, China
Opening Times: Daily 8:00-18:00; daily 6:00-20:00 (park).
Admission Fees: 10RMB (low season), 15RMB (low season)
Note: joint ticket: 30RMB (Low season),35RMB(High Season) Disabled Access: Yes Telephone: (10) 6702 8866.
-
See more at:
http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/temple-of-heaven.htm#sthash.TckWTvYL.dpuf
d. Hutongs
Hutongs, a type of narrow alleys or street, is very typical
and unique in Beijing. With the history of 700 years, Hutongs in Beijing
display the aspect of Chinese cultural history. At first glance, Hutongs is
seemed to have the similar appearances with grey walls and grey tiled
buildings. However, if you are patient to talk with the dwellers in Hutongs,
you will find that every hutong has its own anecdote and allusion.
Hutong was not only the backbone of transportation in the
ancient Beijing but also the place where common people lived. Hutongs represent
the vicissitude of society and are rich in cultural atmosphere, which makes
hutongs like a folk museum.The term 'Hutong' first appeared during Yuan Dynasty
(1206AD-1370AD) with the meaning of 'town'. The place which was closer to
Forbidden City was lived by those who had the higher social status like
high-ranking officials and wealthy merchants. Their houses were called siheyuan
which was characterized by carved and painted roof beams and beautiful gardens.
And Hutongs were built and lined by the siheyuan and walled gardens.
In the mid-20th century, many hutongs were demolished to
pave the way for new buildings and roads. Some of them still stands and have
been designated as the protected area.
Some
famous hutongs are listed below:
−
YandaiXiejie
It is said that Yandai Xiejie is the
oldest and most famous Hutong in Beijing. It is 232 meters long and located in
front of Drum Tower. In Qing Dynasty, the shops in this hutong operated the
business of tobaccos, smoking sets and curios. 'Yan' in Chinese means tobacco
and 'Dan' pouch. Yandai is a pouch to contain tobaccos. And some persons said
that the shape of street look like a smoking pipe. During 1950s many buildings
were converted into residential houses and this street was redeveloped to
contain its historical features in 2007. You can find various types of shops
and stores of Indian cloths, Tibet costumes, Lijing crafts, Shaanxi pottery and
so on.
−
Ya'erHutong
Ya'erHutong
started from Xiao ShibeiHutong in the southwest and is connected with
YandaiXiejie. In the east end stands a famous stone bridge named Xinding
Bridge. With the length of 820 meters, it winds along the north bank of Shicha
Lake and parallels with north part of Houhai Lake. Guanghua Temple is located
at No.31 of Ya'erHutong. It was constructed during the reign of Emperor Wanli
of Ming Dynasty (1368AD-1644AD). It is one of best-preserve temples in Beijing
and still in use. Some important Buddhism activities are held here.
−
JinsiHutong
The No.12 of
Da JinsiHutong has a special arch which was wrote in the book of Lonely Planet
and best-known to many tourists. It is said that this siheyuan is the only
place which can be lived by foreign tourists.
Travel
Tips
Admission
Fee: free of charge
Open
Time:
-
See more at:
http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/hutongs.htm#sthash.3lfEBXQj.dpuf
e. Fragrant
Hills Park or Xiangshan Park
Fragrant Hills Park also called Xiangshan Park is situated
in the northwest of Beijing city, about 20 kilometers away from downtown. With
an area of 1,600,000 square meters, Fragrant Hills Park is famous for its
imperial garden style and abundance of precious cultural and historical relics.
In fact, Fragrant Hills Park used to be a royal garden in
Chinese history. In Jin Dynasty, Emperor Shizong order to build the temple on
Fragrant Hills named Grand Yong'an Temple which was now called Xiangshan
Temple. During the rule of Emperor Zhangzong of Jin Dynasty, Huijinglou and Jixing
Altar were constructed on the hill. In 1795, the government of Qing Dynasty
carried on the large-scale constructions on hills by investing the tremendous
human and other resource over years.
Rising 557 meters above the sea level, the name of Fragrant
Hill not derives from the fresh air or aroma in the area but the hills
themselves. A biggest stone lies on its peak and looks like an incense burner
from the distance. Especially, during the morning or twilight, the stone is
shrouded in mist and cloud. It looks as if the mist and cloud curl up from the
incense burner. So the hill is named Xianglushan Hill and shorted for Xiangshan
Hill (Fragrant Hill).
When mentioning Fragrant Hill, visitors are always impressed
by the red leaves of Common Smoketree. The red leaves of Common Smoketree are
the most charming autumn scenery in Beijing. Therefore, the autumn is the best
time to visit Xiangshan Hills. The red leaves of Common Smoketrees of all over
the hill look like the blood. After frost, the red turns purple-red. These
trees were planted during the rule of Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty. Now,
the number of Common Smoketrees reaches 940,000 and become Common Smoketrees
forest.
Inside of the park, you can see Luminous Temple and
Jianxinzhai. Luminous Temple is Tibetan-style monastery which set up in 1780
for receiving Penchen Lama. The most striking building in the temple is
Octagonal Glazed Tile Pagoda which is 30 meters high. There are 8 bells hanging
on its 8 eaves.
Going north from Luminous Temple, we can see a wall and
inside the wall is Jianxizhai which is the only best-preserved historical site
in the Fragrant Hills Park. Jianxinzhai was constructed in 1522 and rebuilt in
1796. The construction is featured with southern style courtyard.
In different season, Fragrant Hills Park takes on different
view. If you plan to visit Beijing, the Fragrant Hills Park is a must-see
place.
Travel
Tips
Address: Xiangshan
Lu, Haidian District Admission Fee: 10RMB Telephone: 86-10-62591155,
86-10-62591264
How to Get to: Bus No.360, 318, 714, 733, 737, 833 and 904
-
See more at:
http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/fragrant-hills-park.htm#sthash.HakK8rzL.dpuf
f. The
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace situated in the northwestern outskirt of
Beijing, about 15 kilometers away from the downtown area of Beijing. As one of
the Four Most Gardens of China, the Summer Palace is a grandest integral
imperial garden, therefore, it is praised as the "Royal Garden
Museum". This former imperial garden with an area of 12,900,000 square
meters contains about 3000 hills, palaces and gardens. The construction of the
Summer Palace once called Qinqyiyuan (Garden of Clear Ripples) began in 1750
and completed in 1764.
In 1860, the Anglo-French Allied troupes destroyed the
Qingyiyuan. In 1888, the Empress Dowager Cixi misappropriated the navy funds
about 1.5millions kilogram of silver to rebuild the garden and renamed it the
Summer Palace. In 1900, the Summer Palace was destroyed by the Anglo-French
Allied force again and many building were completely burnt out. In 1903, the
garden was renovated. However, it was once again destroyed in successive years
of tangled warfare among warlords.
The Summer Palace, dominated mainly by Longevity Hill and
Kunming Lake, drew on the Chinese traditional arts of garden construction and
borrowed the view of natural mountains and water landscape. In this way, it
seems that the garden was created by nature rather than by human. The golden
glory of pavilions and halls, the rich verdure of hills and rippling water of
lake combine to engender the feeling in visitors that they are walking in the
heaven. So the Summer Palace is definitely a gem of the traditional Chinese art
of garden construction. Centering on the Pavilion of the Fragrance of Buddha, the
garden includes hundreds of building, about 20 courtyards, and 3,555 ancient
constructions among which the Long Corridor, Stone Boat, Suzhou Street and
Garden of Harmonious Interests are best-known to all. Many kinds of old and
precious trees and flowers grow in the garden.
The Summer Palace can be separated into three parts,
political activities zone, the living zone and the entertaining zone. The political
zone, led by Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, is the venue for major
political and diplomatic affairs. The living zone, represented by Hall of
Happiness and Longevity, is the place where the Empress Dowager Cixi, Emperor
Guangxu and his imperial concubines lived. The entertaining area is comprised
of the place along the Long Corridor, and west area.
In 1961, the Summer Palace became one of national key
cultural preservation centers. In 1998, it was selected on the World Heritage
List. In 2007, it was approved as the 5A tourist attraction.
Travel
Tips
Admission
Fee: 30RMB (high season), 20RMB (low season)
-
See more at:
http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/summer-palace.htm#sthash.RX1D9DXT.dpuf
g. Lama
Temple
Lama Temple, also called Yonghe Palace, is the largest and
best preserved lamasery in Beijing. Constructed in 1964, it once was the
residence of Emperor Yongzheng (the third emperor of Qing dynasty). After the
death of Emperor Yongzheng, it was converted into lamasery in 1744 and so
Yonghe Palace became the national center of Lama administration.
Occupied an area of 66,400 square meter, Lama Temple is
comprised of torii, Grand Hall, Yongyou Hall, Falun Hall and Hall of Boundless
Happiness. It is dotted with screen wall with carved murals and decorated
archways. The interior pavement leads to the main halls. The evergreen pine and
cypress add the peaceful and secluded atmosphere. The Yonghe Palace with the
distinctive ethnic characteristics of Manchuria, Han, Mongolia and Tibet has
the highest rank in China.
The
following details describe the main building inside Lama Temple.
At the south courtyard stand three high monuments, a huge
screen wall and two stone lions. Passed through monuments, a pavement
leads you to Zhaotai Gate (the gate of Lama Palace) in the north. Inside the
gate stand Bell Tower and Drum Tower on both sides. A huge copper pan by the
side of Drum Tower weighs 8 tons which was used to cook La Ba Congee (eaten on
the eightn day of the twelfth lunar month). To the north is an octagonal tablet
which describes the history of Lama Temple.
Grand
Hall once was the place which was used to receive civil and military officials.
In the north of the hall shrine three 2-meter-high sculptures of Buddha. They are
Sakyamuni, Medicine Guru Buddha and Amita Buddha. North of Grand Hall is
Yongyou Hall which is the location for lamas for reading scriptures and holding
Buddhist ceremonies. In the center of the hall is a Buddha which was carved out
of sandalwood.
In center of Falun Hall is a Buddha with the height of 6.1
meters which is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, Tsongkhapa. This bronze statue
was completed in 1924 and cost 200,000 silver dollars. Behind the Tsongkhapa is
an Arhat Hill containing 500 Arhats all elaborately carved out of padauk.
There is another spectacular in Hall of Boundless Happiness,
i.e. the sculpture of Maitreya that is 18 meter high and about 8 meters is
below the ground.Now the Lama Palace is an important heritage site under state
protection.
Travel
Tips
Admission Fee: 25RMB
Open Time: 9:00 -16:30
-
See more at:
http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/lama-temple.htm#sthash.ILc69czB.dpuf
h. Yuanmingyuan
Park
Yuanmingyuan Park, situated in the northwest of Beijing, is
the most magnificent royal garden of Qing Dynasty in the Chinese history. The
construction started in 1709 during the rule of the Emperor of Kangxi (the
second emperor of the Qing Dynasty.), went through 6 emperors and finally
finished in 1875. The park is comprised of the Eternal Spring Garden, the
Wanchun Garden and Yuanmingyuan Garden with the building area of over 160,000
square meters as big as the Imperial Palace and the area of water as large as
the Summer Palace.
Yuanmingyuan Park was named by Emperor Kangxi.
"Yuanming" means round and brightness in Chinese and the Chinese
character is "åæ". The
implication of "Yuan" is moderate and the "Ming" means that
the brightness can cover the whole nation. Yuanmingyuan drew on the
characteristics of Suzhou gardens and inherited the cream of Chinese ancient
gardening. The southern part of Yuanmingyuan Park is the place where the
emperor handled the national affairs. And the rest part distributes forty
scenic areas in which more than 50 spots imitate famous parks, lakes and
mountains at home and abroad. Yuanmingyuan was also like an art museum which
collected numerous curios and art works. Yuanmingyuan Park was the home of
various sorts of exotic flowers and unusual trees. No wonder that Yuanmingyuan
Park was reputed "the most beautiful garden in the world".
Unfortunately, this grand royal garden fell into ruins
during the Second Opium War. British and French troops ruthlessly invaded
Beijing in 1860. On October 6, the Yuanmingyuan was seized by British and
French army. On the following day, the invaders began their crazy robbery and
destruction. After robbing of everything in the park, Earl of Elgin ordered to
set fire to the Yuanmingyan Park for covering up their guilt. After three days
burning, the park was turned from a beauty into a deserted place.
After the establishment of People Republic of China, the
central government attached much importance to the protection of Yuanmingyuan
Park. In 1979, Yuanmingyuan became one of the national key cultural
preservation centers. The restoration of the park had been gradually carried
out after 1979. Now, Yuanmingyuan has been developed into memorial park.
Travel
Tips
Admission Fee: 10RMB
Open Time: 7:00-19:00
-
See more at:
http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/yuanmingyuan-ruins-park.htm#sthash.DFmJydTE.dpuf
i. Ming
Dynasty Tombs
Ming Dynasty Tombs is located at the foot of Tianshou
Mountain of Changping County, about 50 kilometers away from Beijing. Covering
an area of over 124 square kilometers, Ming Tombs is a cluster of tombs where
the thirteen emperors of Ming Dynasty were buried. The site of Ming Tombs was
chosen by Emperor Yongle, the third emperor of Ming Dynasty who moved his
capital to Beijin and began to build imperial mausoleum in 1409.
The Ming Tombs is in a small basin which is surrounded by
hill on three sides. The site of Ming Tombs was strictly chosen according to
Fengshui (geomancy) principles. According to these, evil winds descending from
the North must be deflected; therefore, an arc-shaped area at the foot of Jundu
Mountains north of Beijing was selected.
Every emperor's tomb was constructed at the foot of a hill and every two
tombs are at least 500 meters apart. Except Siling Mausoleum locating in the
northwest, the rest twelve tombs were constructed at the right or left of
Siling Mausoleum. Designers of Ming Tombs attached importance to the harmony
and unity of nature and human being.
These thirteen tombs share one way
called Sacred Way. The Sacred Way is composed of Stone Arch, Big Red Door,
Beilou,etc. Entering into the area, visitors can see Stone Arch constructed
with white marble in 1540. The Stone Arch was carved with the delicate images
of dragon, lion and cloud. Big Red Door is situated at the due south of the
area of Ming Tombs. There once were two stelas carved with words like
"officials must get off the horse and walk into". The road behind the
Big Red Door is Sacred Way leading to Changling Mausoleum. Changling Mausoleum
is a joint burial tomb of Emperor Yongle and his queen. Changling Mausoleum is
the first and best preserved tomb compared with the rest ones.
Dingling Mausoleum is the only tomb which has been
unearthed. Dingling Mausoleum is the tomb of Emperor Wanli, which was
constructed from 1584 to 1590. Occupying an area 180 thousand square meters,
Dingling Mausoleum takes the shape of round at the front part and square at the
back part of mausoleum. The shape of Dingling Mausoleum symbolizes the Chinese
ancient philosophical idea, i.e. the Earth was square and Heaven was round.
The Ming Tombs was inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage Site
in August 2003.
Travel
Tips
Ding Tombs
Admission Fee: 45RMB (low season), 65RMB (high season)
Open Time: 8:30 -17:00 (low season), 8:00-17:30 (high season)
Long Tombs
Admission Fee: 30RMB (low season), 45RMB (high season)
Open Time: 8:30-16:30 (low season), 8:00-17:00 (high season)
Zhao Tombs
Admission Fee: 20RMB (low season), 30RMB (high season)
Open Time: 8:30-16:30 (low season), 8:30-17:00 (high season)
Note: Low season is from November 1st to March 31st of the following year. High season is from April 1st to October 31st.
-
See more at: http://www.chinatour.com/beijing/beijing-attractions/ming-tombs.htm#sthash.ZHVT3eJy.dpuf
I.
China Culture
Beijing enjoys the reputation of time-honored historical and
cultural city in China. As the capital of five dynasties, Beijing preserves a large
number of imperial palace, imperial gardens, temples and ancient tombs which
are symbols of a cultural city. Undoubtedly, Beijing is the culture hub of
China. Forbidden City, the imperial palace of Ming and Qing dynasties, well
displays the traditional Chinese styles in architecture. Temple of Heaven is
world-famous for its logical layout and delicate structure. Ming Tombs
including 13 tombs is the biggest imperial mausoleum in Beijing. Beijing
culture can also be represented by other elements such as its dialects, opera
and cuisine besides the ancient buildings.
J. Temples
China is a
country with the religious freedom and respect. As the capital of China,
Beijing has many temples including Taoism, Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Islam
temples, and Christian and Catholic churches. The famous Buddhist temples like
Tanzhe Temple have become the hot tourist destinations. As for Taoist temples,
Baiyun Temple is the best representative which is the popular destination for
pilgrim not very touristy. Yonghe Lama Temple is one of the largest and most
important Tibetan Buddhist temples in the world. One of Catholic churches is
located in the area of Wangfujing. Some Christian churches can also be found in
Beijing.
K. China’s
Dialect
Beijing dialect, is a dialect of Mandarin spoken in the area
of Beijing and then became the basis of Standard Chinese, the official language
of China. Beijing dialect is very similar with standard Chinese, but it is very
easy to distinguish whether an individual is a native of Beijing speaking or an
individual of standard Chinese.
L. ChinaOpera
Beijing Opera or Peking opera is very favored by Beijing
locals. It is a form of traditional Chinese theatre. Beijing Opera can
originate from the several ancient operas in China. In 1790, 'Four Great Anhui
Troupes' brought Anhui Opera to Beijing. The performance of Anhui Opera make a
hit and 'Four Great Anhui Troupes' performed with Hubei troupes in 1826. The
combination gradually formed into Beijing Opera. Now Beijing Opera is the
national theatre style.
M. China Hutong
Hutongs are a kind of narrow alleys formed by lines of
siheyuan, traditional courtyard dwellings. Hutongs originated from Yuan
Dynasty. According to investigation, the oldest Hutong is SanmiaojieHutong with
history of 900 years. DongxiJiaominHutong is the longest with length of 3,250
meters. The shortest one is QianshiHutong only with length of 0.7 meter.
N. China Food
Beside numerous attractions, Beijing is also a culinary
capital, where authentic Beijing specialties like Roasted Duck, imperial court
food and local snacks are easily available. Walk on the Wangfujing Snack Street
and tasted the mouth-watering Shredded Potato, Rolling Donkey, Tuckahoe Pie,
Noodles With Soybean Paste and Palace Chicken Cubes, Refreshments and the
likes, each of which would tease your taste bud greatly. Dine in the
local-famous QianmenQuanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, Fangshan Restaurant,
Shanshuijian Restaurant, Ritan Restaurant and Hancang Restaurant, where these
featured specialties would be served.
·
Peking Duck
Peking Duck or Beijing Duck is best-known for the thin and
crispy skin, rich taste and long history. The culinary of Pecking duck can be
dated back to Yuan dynasty when it was a dish of imperial food. The foodies
conclude some ways and timing to eat Beijing duck. The duck is tasted palatable
in spring, winter and autumn. The authentic versions of dish should be served
with most skin and little meat. Generally it is eaten with pancakes, sweet bean
sauce and scallion. The sweet bean sauce is smeared on the pancakes, then
slices of meat is put between the pancakes.
·
Imperial Court Food (Fangshan)
Imperial Court Food or Fangshan is the food for emperors.
After downfall of Qing Dynasty, the imperial cooks began to run the restaurants
and the dishes they cooked were very familiar with imperial court food.
Fangshan features ingredients and special presentation including beautiful
vegetable carvings.
·
Zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean
paste)
Zhajiangmian is a very popular dish in the north China.
Beijing Zhanjiangmian stands out compared with it in other places. It is
composed of such main materials as pork, handmade noodles, vegetable pieces and
soy sauce. The delicious Zhajiangmian lies in the zhajiang which is salty
fermented soybean paste stir-fried with ground pork. Accroding to season, the
various vegetable pieces are also served in the noodles. For Beijingers
especially the old, they are fond of hot noodles in winter or cold noodles in
summer. Having taste of authentic Zhangjiangmian is indispensable for tourists
in Beijing.
·
Fried Dough Drops (Pinyin: chaoge
da)
Fried Dough Drops is a special local snack in Beijing. The
Fried Dough Drops is characterized by unique flavor and fragrance. It was
created by a mother and her daughter who run a restaurant named Fuangfu near
Peach Arch. During the process of cooking, wheat flour, beef, fresh vegetable
and other ingredients are used. The dish is nutritious and digestible.
·
Fried Liver (Pinyin: Chao Gan)
As one of Beijing local snacks, Fried Liver is cooked with
such raw material as pork's livers and intestines with garlic, starch,soy,
garlic, bone soup and other ingredients. So Fried Liver is not greasy but
light. It is evoluted from "Fried Lung" in Song Dynasty
(960AD-1279AD). In the early time, it was eaten with Baozi (steamed stuffed
bun) as a breakfast. But now, Fried Liver is eaten at any time and with any
other food.
·
Quick-Fried Tripe (Pinyin: Bao Du)
Quick-Fried Tripe is a famous
Beijing local snack, which is an Islamic snack. The tripes of cattle or sheep
are cut into slices or stripes and put into boiling water. After it is cooked,
the tripes are stirred with sesame sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper oil, and
scallion. Then, Quick-Fried Tripe is ready for you.
·
Filled Sausage(Pinying: Guang Chang)
Filled Sausage is a special snack in
Beijing. It is made from pork intestine filled with starch and minced meat.
After being steamed, filled sausages are fried and then diced. When eating, the
salt and garlic juice are added. It is said that Empress Dowager Ci Xi once
taste filled sausage and spoke highly of it. Fuxingju, the earliest restaurant
to sell filled sausages, specialized in making filled sausage and offer the
sausages as tribute to royal family of Qing Dynasty(1636- 1912).
·
Lvdagun(Glutinous Rice Rolls with
Sweet Bean Flour)
Lvdagun is a very traditional snack
in Beijing. It is made from millet flour or sticky rice stuffed with red bean
paste. And then the formed Lvdagun is trundled in sesames. It originated in
Chengde and became popular after introducing into Beijing because Manchu were
fond of sticky food. Lvdagun is characterized by fragrant, glutinious and
sweet.
·
Aiwowo (Glutinous rice ball)
Aiwowo is a traditional Islamic
snack made from sticky rice, saugar, sesame seeds, peach kernels. The history
of Aiwowo can be dated back to early Ming Dynasty. In the ancient times, the
snack shops provided Aiwowo from Spring Festival until the early autumn. Now,
it can be eaten at any time in a year. With rich nutrition, Aiwowo are good for
those who have a poor appetite and weak body.
O. China Food
Streets
a. Fangzhuang
Food Street
As a new food street, Fangzhuang
Food Street is famous for its diverse Chinese cuisines. With complete
facilities and spacious restaurants, it not only provides the various Chinese
cuisines but also serve Japanese, German and Italian food
Location: Fangzhuang Area, Fengtai District How to Get to: Take Bus No. 37,
434, 655, 741 to Balihe Stop
b. Wangfujing
Snack Street
Wangfujing Snack Street is located
at the south side of Friend World Mall. Wangfujing Snack Street collects the
famous snacks from Beijing and other places in China. Here you can also find
the equisite souvenirs and folk handicrafts. Location: To the west of
Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District How to Get to: Metro Line 1 to Wangfujing
Stop or take bus No.20, 37, 41, 59, 103, 104, 120, 420, 802.
c. Guang'anmen Food Street
Guang'anmen Food Street are created
with the reconstruction of the south Beijing. This street features the hot
food. During the dinner time, nearly every restaurants are crowded with
customers. There are also some time-honored restaurants here. Location:
Guang'anmennei Street, Xuanwu District How to Get to: Metro Line 2 to Peach
Arch or bus No.14, 66, 102, 105 to the Luhufang Bridge West Stop.
d. Xiaoyun
Road Food Street
Located in the commercial area,
Xiaoyun Road Food Street houses many restaurants in different styles and sizes.
Foreign food preponderates and those foreign food and its atmosphere attract
people to eat here. Location: Xiaoyun Road, Chaoyang District. How to Get to:
Bus No.516, 659, 682, 708 to LulaitiHuahui Stop.
e. Qianmen
Food Street
Qianmen Food Street houses many
time-honored restaurants where you can eat authentic Beijing cuisine and local
snacks. Although it is not as popular as other food streets in Beijing, the
food here represts food culture of Beijing. It is also the place where foreigners
must go. There are Quanjude Peking Duck Restaurant, Laozhengxing Restaurant and
other famous restaurants with history of over 100 years. Location: Qianmen
Street, Xuanwu District How to Get to: Bus No.1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 20 to
Tiananmen Stop or Qianmen Stop or Metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East Stop and Line
2 to Qianmen Stop.
f. Time-honored
Restaurants in Beijing:
·
Yu Shan Royal Dish Restaurant
Address: No.87, Tiantan North Road Telephone:67014263
·
Bian Yi Fang Roast Duck Restaurant
Address: ChongwenmenHedemenHote Telephone: 67120505
·
Jin Yang Restaurant Address: No.241,
Zhushikou West Street, XuanwuDiscrict Telephone: 63031669,63037636
·
Baijia Dayuan Address: 15 Suzhou
St., Haidian District, Beijing Telephone: 010/6265-4186
Li Family Restaurant Add: 11 YangfangHutong, DeneiDajie, Beijing, China Tel:
010-66180107
g. Western-style
Food Restaurants in Beijing:
·
Manhattan Steakhouse Address: State
Guesthouse,2nd floor. 9 FuwaiDajie(jia), Xicheng District
·
Sports City CafeAddress: Gloria
Plaza Hotel, 2 JianguomennanDajie, Chaoyang District Telephone: 6515 8855
·
Han Na Shan (a Korean barbecue
restaurant) Address: Anhui Area #3, Bldg. #4, 3rd floor, Chaoyang District Telephone:84885588
T.G.I. Friday's Address: 19 Jian Guo Men Wai Da, Jie Citic Building 100004 Beijing
Telephone: 861085263388
·
Greem T. House (Zi Yun Xuan)
Address: A subtly marked door, on the east side of Bellagio, Chaoyang
Telephone: 010/6552-8310
P.
China Shopping
Besides attractions and food, Beijing is also home to
different branded goods and various delicately-designed souvenirs, which makes
it a great getaway for kaleidoscopical shopping. In Xiushui Street, Wangfujing
Commercial Street, Liulichang Street, Panjiayuan Antique Market, Xidan
Commercial District, such must-haves like palace lantern, cloisonné, Fresh
water pearls, dough shaping, jade ware, carved Lacquerware, snuff bottles,
antique furniture, well-preserved fruit are all available.
WHAT TO BUY IN BEIJING
a. Cloisonné
Cloisonné is also called enamel. The oldest cloisonné originated in Yuan
Dynasty(1206AD-1370AD) and prevailed during the reign of Emperor Jingtai of
Ming Dynasty(1368-1644). With the history of about 1,000 years, cloisonné is
made from red copper as body, and then thin copper wire is decorated on the
body. After that, beautiful enamel materials are filled. In the ancient time,
cloisonné was just used by royal and aristocrats so that it was the symbol of
power and social position.
Recommended Shop: Beijing Enamel Factory
How to get to: Take Bus No.7 and 986 to Anlelin Stop.
b. Lacquer
ware
There
are two types of lacquer ware. One is carved lacquerware and the other is gold
filigree lacquer ware. The art of carved lacquer ware was formed in the 14th
century. With beautiful carvings and exquisite shapes, the carved lacquer ware
such as chairs, screens and vases is important category of handicraft. Gold
filigree lacquer ware is made of gold and silver inlaid with jewelry.
c.
Beijing Dough Toys
Dough
toys originated in the folk society. It is made of flour and stick rice flour.
Artists pinch the basic shapes of people or animals and then carve on the
shapes with bamboo knife. The dough toys are small in shape and convenient to
carry. Beijing dough toys are one of best souvenirs to family members and
friends.
d. Jade
Carvings
Jade
ware is always regarded as ornaments and sacrificial vessels and Beijing is the
center of jade ware in China. Jade wares in Beijing can be separated into two
kinds by size. Jade can be carved into human figures, containers and tea set,
which are large jade wares. The jade rings and seals, small in shape, are small
jade wares. Jade carvings enjoy the high reputation in the world. Recommended
Place to Buy: in the area of flower market of Chongwen Gate How to Get to: Take
Bus.41, 25, 110, 39
e.
Inner-Painted Snuff Bottles
The
art form of inner-painted snuff bottles developed in the late Qing Dynasty. The
pictures and calligraphies are painted on the inside surface of the bottles.
When producing inner-painted snuff bottles, a tiny paint brush through the neck
of the bottle is used to paint the elegant picture and make precise strokes
backwards by artists.
f.
Beijing Crunchy Candy
If
you are a candy-lover, you should have a taste of Beijing candy. Beijing
crunchy candy is one of top three kinds of candies in China. With a long
history, Beijing crunchy candy is very famous in China with its high quality.
g. Beijing
Preserved Fruit
Beijing preserved fruits are a typical local product. In ancient time, the
imperial cook preserved the fresh fruits into honey or sugar for emperor and
then the method of making preserved fruits spread to the folk society. The
preserved fruit maintained in honey is called honey glazed fruit and in sugar
is preserved fruit.
WHERE TO BUY IN BEIJING
h. Xiushui
Shopping Street
Covering an area of 28,000 square meters, Xiushui Street is a shopping place to
sell shoes, bags, famous brand clothes, fashionable clothes and handicrafts.
The fun of the street lies in haggling. The price on the tag is not fixed. You
can bargain with the shopkeepers at about 30 percent of the price on the tag.
The more you haggle, the less money you may pay. Bargaining is a rule here.
Location: No.8, Xiushui East Street, Chaoyang District.
i.
Wangfujing Shopping Street
Wangfujing Street with length of about 1,000 meters is considered "the
first street" in China. On the both sides of the street stand
miscellaneous stores and malls. It starts from Wangfujing south entrance where
the Oriental Plaza and Beijing Hotel can be found and ends north at Wangfujing
Subway Station. There are many famous brand shops, department stores and
souvenir shops on this street. Although Wangfujing is not a hot destination, it
is the most-visited and must-see shopping place for tourists. Location: In
Dongcheng District How to get to: Take metro line 1 to Wangfujing Station or
take taxi.
j.
Qianmen Shopping Street
Qianmen Street is the famous commercial street along the Beijing central axis.
There were over many time-honored stores and restaurants with history of 100
years like Pianyifang Duck Restaurant, Quanjude, Lao She Teahouse, TongRen and
so on. Pianyifang and Quanjude are two best restaurants to taste the Beijing
Duck. Lao She Teahouse, situated at the west of Qianmen Street, is a place to
enjoy tea and watch the traditional show. The must-see attraction on the street
is Guanghe Tower which was built in the late of Ming Dynasty and was the
earliest theatre stage. It was said that Emperor Kangxi once watched opera
here. Location: From Zhengyang Gate in the north to Tiantan Road in the south
How to get to: Take Bus No.17, 22 and 120 or metro line 2 to Qianmen Stop.
k. Shopping
Malls & Departments
·
China World Shopping Mall Address: 1
JianguomenwaiDajie, Chaoyang District Telephone: 010 6505 2288 Joy City
(XidanDayuecheng) Address: 131 Xiandan North Street, Xicheng District, Beijing
Telephone: 010-66517777
·
Shin Kong Place (XinGuangTian Di)
Address: No.87, Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District Open Time: 10:00-22:00 How to
get to: Metro Line 1 to Dawanglu Beijing Parkson Shopping Center(Parkson
Department Store) Address: No.101, Fuxingmen Inner Street, Xicheng District,
Beijing Telephone: 010-66536688 Open Time: 9:00-22:00 How to get to: Bus No.4,
15, 37, 52, 337, 802, 718, 743 or metro line 1, 2 to Fuxingmen
·
Oriental Plaza Address: No.1, East
Chang'an Street, Dongcheng District. Telephone: 010-85186363 Open Time:
9:30-22:00 How to get to: Metro Line 1 to Wangfujing
·
Seasons Place Shopping Centre
Address: No.2 Jinchengfang Street, Xicheng District, Beijing Telephone:
010-66220888 Open Time: 10:00-21:00 How to get to: Bus No. 15, 205, 337, 37, 4,
52, 728, 802, 800, 743, 800, 4, 937, 500, 387, 423, 44, 456, 49, 50, 661, 662,
702, 719, or Metro Line 2 at Fuxingmen Exit A, Line 1 at Fuxingmen Exit B and
then take bus No.800 to the shopping center
Q.
Best Time to Visit China Especially Beijing
Beijing Autumn
The best months to visit Beijing are May, June, September
and October. But in May and October, you should remember to avoid the national
festivals like May Day and National Day when there are 3 or 7 days holidays.
Beijing will be very crowded with domestic tourists during these two
holidays.
Spring in Beijing falls in April and May. In April, the
weather is changeable and sometimes sand storms may happen. In May, it is warm
and comfortable for traveling. Summer is not very long but hot. Autumn is a
comfortable season when the leaves begin to turn yellow. Without the
disturbance of summer heat and winter coldness, you can climb the Fragrant Hill
and enjoy the beauty of red maple leaves.
[1]Factbox:
Basic facts about China's economy
[2]
^[1]
[3]Badkar,
Mamta (2014-02-27). "Chinese yuan's drop is largest since its 2005
currency revaluation". Business Insider. Retrieved 2014-03-03.
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Created By:
I Wayan Agus Pradnya Setiawan (1415834017)
I Komang Suyada (1415834025)
