Discover Beijing Chapter Ⅵ:Beihai Park & Lama Temple

In the last article, we have talked about some very famous attractions in Beijing.But in this chapter,maybe you are not familiar with the two tourist attractions which are magnificent while with great history background.Let's show you the Beihai Park and Lama Temple in detail.

                                                       Chapter Six

 Natural Elegance & Historical Greatness of Beijing

                                                       --Beihai Park & Lama Temple

Someone may say that the real Beijing is in the streets. However, the answer is partly right. The magnificent places in Beijing are also undivided parts of the culture of old Beijing. Do you explore for places as elegant in nature while with great history background? Sometimes, those most famous places can have perfect combinations of these two. Beihai Park and Lama Temple are the two outstanding among them. 

As a lead, Beihai Park is well-known for its natural elegance and the historical greatness of Lama Temple proves its status. 

Beihai Park

Beijing’s most elegant park is built around the Bei hai, the north lake in Beijing. It is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved ancient imperial gardens in China located in the city center. 

The charms of Beihai Park include pavilions, gardens and a stunning Tibetan-style pagoda.—It is not only a classic combination of the grandiosity of the northern gardens and the refinement of the southern gardens in China, but also a perfect integration of magnificent imperial palaces and solemn religious constructions.

1. Circular City

Circular City is at the southwestern corner of Beihai Park. The city wall stands about 4.6 meters high and has a circumference of 276 meters. Among the various places to visit in the Circular City including halls, towers and pavilions, the most important construction is the Chengguang Hall which holds the extremely precious white jade statue of Buddha introduced from Burma at the end of Qing Dynasty. 

2. White Dagoba

White Dagoba

On top of the Jade Flowery Islet, the White Dagoba was built in 1651 on the former site of the Palace in the Moon where Kublai Khan received Marco Polo. Now, resting on a huge stone base, it stands 35.9 meters high and is capped by two bronze umbrella-like canopies, with 14 bronze bells hanging around them. The views of the city from atop the hill are dazzling.

3. Nine-Dragon Screen

Nine-Dragon Screen

To the northwest lies the well-known Nine-Dragon Screen, which is the only screen having nine huge dragons on both sides among the most famous three Nine-Dragon Screens in China. Even after 200 years, the Nine-Dragon Screen is still bright in color and complete in appearance, showing the high techniques of Chinese arts and crafts in ancient times.

There are nine huge coiling dragons on each side of the screen and big or small dragons in different postures decorating the two ends and the eaves, making a surprising total of 635 dragons. 

4. Five-Dragon Pavilions

To the southwest of the Nine-Dragon Screen lies the Five-Dragon Pavilions - five connected pavilions with spires and pointed upswept eaves. From a distance, they appear together like a huge dragon. 
There are many exquisite carvings and paintings on the girders and pillars of the pavilions which make the Five-Dragon Pavilions a delightful place for the royal members in ancient China to relax and appreciate the natural beauty.

Lama Temple

Lama Temple is the largest and best-preserved lamasery in Beijing. The dimension of the temple is magnificent. Decorated with delicate scrolls and massive icons, its buildings are a hybird of Tibetan, Mongolian and Han architectural styles. 

The evergreen pine and cypress trees make for a peaceful and secluded environment. The back structural layout is composed of a cluster of buildings, halls and pavilions intermingled with each other. Upturned eaves and ridges are beautifully interwoven, forming a picturesque architecture.

The 5 worship halls in Lama Temple are in a row. As a result of the ancient architecture, every element of the temple is entirely symmetrical, with main halls on a north-south axis and wing halls on both sides. The front structural layout of the temple is bright and spacious.

1. Hall of Heavenly Kings

Hall of Heavenly Kings

It contains a large statue of Maitreiya, the future Budhha with the four Heavenly Kings on the side. In the courtyard behind the hall is a pond with a bronze mandala depicting the Buddhist paradise. 

2. Hall of Harmony

It’s filled with prayer wheels and Buddhas of the Past, Present and Future, flanked by statues of 18 arhats, Buddhist "saints＂who have reached Nirvana but have returned to help others. 

3. Hall of Eternal Blessing

Hall of Eternal Blessing

It houses statues of the Buddha of Longevity and Buddha of Medicine, to who believers appeal for long lives and good health.

4. Hall of the Wheel of Law

It’s the study place for the monks and pray in the presence of a 12m-tall bronze statue of Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Yellow Hat sect. Behind this statue is a sculpture of a hill on which stand 500 arhats made of gold, silver, copper, iron and tin. 

5. Pavilion of 10,000 Blessings

Pavilion of 10,000 Blessings

It’s the last and tallest worship hall. Inside is an extraordinary statue of Buddha standing 18m-tall, with an additional 8m underground, which was carved from a single Tibetan sandalwood tree. 

After all these vividly description of Beihai Park and Lama Temple, do you have a heartbeat and eagerness to go to these two places? –Just follow your heart to experience the natural elegance and historical greatness of Beijing to get real enjoyments. 

Discover Beijing Chapter V: Wanderlust of Old Beijing

In the last article, we have talked about some Beijing dishes and snacks. I think not only Beijing dishes and snacks will attract you but also a great number of tourist attractions and historic sites.In this chapter, We will show you some mystic and historical attractions which is famous in Beijing,even in the world.
                        

                                                         Chapter Five

　　　

　　　Beijing, Beijing? Old Beijing!

　　　                        
                                      --Wanderlust of Old Beijing

Beijing is unarguably one of the most visited places in the world. Every year finds millions of people come to Beijing to see the capital of China, a fast changing metropolitan city of old and new. There are in fact a great number of tourist attractions and historic sites in Beijing. 

If you resort to a travel booklet, you can often see historical Beijing tour plans as below:

● Marvel at the scale and ingenuity of the Great Wall.
● Visit the incredible ancient Forbidden City Home to China's Emperors. 
● Visit ancient Ming Tombs and be amazed at what the emperors took with them.
● Be awed at the grandeur of the Imperial Temple of Heaven.
● Be amazed at the beauty and regality of the imperial Summer Palace.

However, those general words about these famous places in Beijing can only give you a little information or some useful travel tips. What you really need in mind are the profound and historical treasures of them which are the outstanding figures of old Beijing.

1. Great Wall: To Be a Hero

Great Wall

The incredible Great Wall of China began construction almost 2,500 years ago under the direction of one of the most notorious, short lived, and influential of China's Emperors, Qin Shihuang. The Wall was completed over a period of more than 1,000 years, perhaps due to conflicting dynastic zoning regulations and building codes, not to mention workers dying on the job.

Climbing the Great Wall is a must for you no matter how busy you are! In China, as the saying goes:" One who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero." The grand Great Wall is really amazing and good place to challenge. In Beijing there are mainly eight sections of the Great Wall crossing the northern part of Beijing for 600 kms. 

The eight sections are Badaling, Juyongguan, Huanghuacheng, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Gubeikou, Jinshanling, and Simatai. Most of the sections of the Great Wall in Beijing are well-preserved and mainly the relics dating from the Ming Dynasty, the time for huge construction. For the Great Wall hiking, get ready for strong footwear. For hot weather, please also prepare for sunblock, sunglasses and water. For cold days, get ready for your hat and heavy coat.

2. Forbidden City: Symbol of the Imperial

Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is the ideal place for you to begin your exploration of Beijing by opening its mysterious face. With over 9,000 rooms and over 250 acres, this large palace building was built between 1406 and 1420. It burned down and was rebuilt, sacked and renovated for times, so most of the architecture you can see today dates back to the 18th century in the Qing Dynasty. 

There are many famous spots in Forbidden City. For example, the main entry point Meridian Gate, other well-known gate is the Gate of Supreme Harmony, which opens up to a courtyard that held audiences of 100,000. The three great ceremonial halls, Hall of supreme Harmony, Hall of Middle Harmony and Hall of Preserving Harmony are also must-see spots. At the northern end of the compound is the delightful Imperial Garden with gnarled cypresses, scholars' rocks and pavilions.

3. Ming Tombs: Awe to the Imperial

Ming Tombs

Located 50 kilometers northwest of the downtown Beijing, noted as the 13 Tombs, this is the burial area of 13 out of 17 emperors of the Ming Dynasty, the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It was the final dynasty in China administered by ethnic Hans. The Ming Tombs is an example if the important laid upon showing proper filial piety and the self-grandeur of the emperors, many of whom begun construction ending only when they moved in.

At present there are only two tombs which have been dug and open to the public: Dingling Tomb and Changling Tomb. Changling Tomb is the first tomb to be excavated. It took two years for the digging and restoration, and was opened in 1958. Dingling has been excavated so completely that people now have to go into the burial chamber itself. However, it is a very deep climb down and people with problems of their heart or kneels are not advised to visit the underground tomb. 

4. Temple of Heaven: Pray in faith

Temple of Heaven

Built between 1409 and 1420, the Temple of Heave is one of Beijing's most impressive parks in terms of architecture, color and significance. The Temple is basically a huge communications terminal which the Emperor used to communicate directly with Heaven. Several times a year, the Emperor would come here to pray for good harvests, enough rain and other heavenly boons. The construction of the Temple is based around the number nine, the largest of the single digits, which is divine in Chinese numerology.

This temple is situated in the southern Beijing City. It has been one of the most sacred sites for the whole country for the past five centuries. It worked as sacrificial compound buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors. It boasts of the largest sacrificial place in Beijing among a few imperial altars to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, the Moon super natures. 

5. Summer Palace: Grand Imperial Garden

The Summer Palace, originally named Qingyi Yuan or the Garden of Clear Ripples, was first constructed in 1750 which was supposed to serve as a summer resort for the Empress Dowager Cixi.

Summer Palace

Regarded as the largest imperial garden in China, Beijing's Summer Palace is in fact a park-styled royal retreat extending out over 10 square miles in northwest suburban Beijing. Once a summer resort for emperors, a 290-acre partk-palace is still a retreat for visitors, who can take a rest here or wander around old pavilions, buildings, temples, bridges and the huge lake - Kunming Lake. 

Summer Palace is mainly comprised of Longevity Hill (Washoushan) and Kunming Lake. Much of the park is covered by Kunming Lake. With masterly design and artistic architecture integrating the highlight of Chinese garden arts, the Summer Palace has earned a title of "Royal Garden Museum". It is a royal garden most completely preserved with richest landscapes and large compact buildings. The Summer Palace was listed as the world cultural heritage in 1998.

The Summer Palace is a monument to classical Chinese architecture, in terms of both garden design and construction. Borrowing scenes from surrounding landscapes, it radiates not only the grandeur of an imperial garden but also the beauty of nature in seamless combination that best illustrates the guiding principle of traditional Chinese garden design: “The works of men should match the works of Heaven”.

All in all, old Beijing still have varies of old places for you explore, even you just turn around a street corner can you find out old things of Beijing that interest you deeply. 

Have you discovered something of old Beijing? Let’s share those thrill things together to fulfill our wanderlust in old Beijing.

Discover Beijing Chapter IV: A Bite of OId Beijing

In China, Folk have a saying "food to taste a priority". Beijingers also take the food as the prime necessity in their lives. There are various kinds and delicious dishes and snacks such as the wolrd-renowned dish Beijing Roast Duck. But besides the Beijing Roast Duck, do you know any others? In this chapter, we will talk about the some dishes and snacks you may have not known but which have take the important position in the food culture of Beijing.

Chapter Four

Beijing, Beijing? Old Beijing!

                                                                  --A Bite of Old Beijing

Beijing snacks have a high reputation because of its long history, various kinds, refined materials and delicious taste. Beijing snacks flavors are mainly characterized by different ethnics. Until now, there are still many restaurants that have served the local snacks for hundreds of years. Beijing snacks used to be very famous in Beijing in the old days. The kind of snacks is varied, there were approximately more than 200 of them.

Famous and outstanding old Beijing dishes and snacks are just as following, to name just a few:


Beijing Roast Duck

Beijing Roast duck is thought to be one of the most delicious dishes all over the world; most visitors coming to Beijing will never forget to have a try. Eating Peking duck is seen to be one of the two things you are absolutely supposed to do while in Beijing. 

Beijing Roast Duck

The two famous restaurants that serve Beijing Roast Duck are Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurant and Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, both of which have a history of over one hundred years.

There is a proper way to eat it. First, pick up a slice of duck with the help of a pair of chopsticks and dip it into the soy paste. Next, lay it on the top of a thin cake and add some bars of cucumber and shallot. Finally, wrap the stuff into a bundle with the sheet cake (a thin pancake).





Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour/Rolling donkey

Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour/Rolling donkey

Rolling donkey (Lv Da Gun) are steamed glutinous rice rolls filled with red bean paste or brown sugar that is then rolled and covered in a soybean flour crumble. Its origins can be traced to the Qing Dynasty. The cake, which has a yellowish color, is sweet and a little sticky, with a very nice bean flavor.




Stewed Pork Liver

Stewed Pork Liver

Chao gan, or stewed liver, evolved from stewed pork liver and stir-fried pork lung, both folk foods from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The cleaned chitterlings are cut into pieces after being boiled in water. They are then stewed in mushroom soup with garlic sauce, chopped spring onion, chopped ginger and pork liver. Chicken soup and mashed garlic should be added before ready to serve. The soup is a glossy dark red and the pork liver and chitterlings are tender. Chao Gan used to be served with small dumplings, but now there is no particular way to eat it. 


Actually, long ago in old Beijing, the food service establishments were strictly stratified by the food service guild. Each category of the establishment was specifically based on its ability to provide for a particular segment of the market. The top ranking food service establishments served nobles, aristocrats, and wealthy merchants and landlords, while lower ranking food service establishments served the populace of lower financial and social status.

The different classes are listed in the following subsections.

Zhuang 

Foodservice establishments with names ending with the Chinese character Zhuang are the top ranking foodservice establishments, not only in providing foods, but also entertainment as well. The form of entertainment provided was usually Beijing opera, and foodservice establishments of this class always had long term contracts with a Beijing opera troupe to perform onsite.

Beijing Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant

Tang

Foodservice establishments with names ending with the Chinese character Tang are the second class foodservice establishments were generally evenly divided among onsite banquet hosting and catering (at customers’ homes). In terms of catering at the customers’ sites, foodservice establishments of this category often only provided dishes strictly according to their menu, and would not provide any dishes that were not on the menu, because they were generally incapable of providing dishes outside their menu according to the specific occasion.

Zhai

Foodservice establishments with names ending with the Chinese character Zhai were mainly in the business of serving different customers onsite on a walk-in basis, but a small portion of the income did come from hosting banquets made by appointment for customers who came as one group. Food service establishments of this category would also only provide the few specialty dishes they are famous for, but they would mostly bring the already cooked dishes to the location, and would only cook on locations occasionally.

Old Beijing snacks and dishes have their own bright features that they can represent the spirit of a time, a nation and generations. How can you probe into old Beijing culture without tasting all these mouth-watering cusines?