Beijing Travel Tips, Beijing Travel Advice, Beijing Tour Tips, Beijing Tour Advice.

 

1: Visa

 

You do need a China Visa to enter Beijing. Foreign visitors can obtain individual or group visas from Chinese embassies and consulates, usually within a day or two. For individual travelers, single-entry visas are valid for entry within three months. For business people and other regular visitors there are multiple-entry visas good for six months at a time. Each visa is valid for a stay of 30 or 60 days, and can be extended while in China. Visitors should be sure to carry their passports while in China as they are needed to check into hotels, make plane or train reservations, exchange money or establish the holder's identity. 

 

72-hour Visa-free Transit

From Jan. 1, 2013, passport holders of the following 45 countries and regions will be granted a visa-free stay of up to 72 hours when taking an international transfer via Beijing Capital Airport (PEK): Argentina, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

 

2: When to travel to Beijing?

 

Most people prefer spring (April and May) and autumn (September and Octomber) to visit Beijing due to the comfortable weather. The autum is considered to the Golden Time for traveling in Beijing. Sumer time (June, July and August) can be very hot and humid in Beijing and due to Chinese summer vacation, there will be lots of Chinese tourists at this time in Beijing. The winter time is not as bad as most people think, if you plan a ski tour, Beijing's winter is not a bad choice. Winter is a good time to save money and see fewer visitors.

 

Chinese National Holidays are the worst time to travel to Beijing. Chinese like to say People Mountain, People Sea meaning lots of people in one place. You will be like a drop of water in the Pacific Ocean if you travel to Beijing during Chinese National Holidays. It is reported that there were 180,000 people visiting the Forbidden City on Oct, 03, 2013.

 

Chinese National Day Holiday is from Oct 01 to Oct 07, avoid this period of time. Chinese New Year Holiday is also a 7 day holiday and it is celebrated according to Chinese Lunar calendar, avoid Chinese New Year Holidays (usually in January or February).

 

3: Sightseeing Places and Itinerary

 

Must-see places in Beijing

Tian’anmen Square, 

Forbidden City, 

Temple of Heaven, 

Summer Palace, 

The Great Wall of China, 

Ming Tombs

 

Base on the local of the sightseeing places, it is better to arrange you itinerary the following way:

3 Days Beijing tour itineraries

Day 1: Arrival in Beijing, transfer to hotel, visit Temple of Heaven,

Day 2: Visit Great Wall of China, Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City.

Day3: Visit Summer Palace, depart Beijing in the afternoon.

 

4 Days Beijing tour itineraries

Day 1: Arrival in Beijing, transfer to hotel, visit Temple of Heaven,

Day 2: Visit Great Wall of China, Ming Tomb

Day 3: Visit Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace

Day4: Depart Beijing in the morning. 

 

5 Days Beijing tour itineraries

Day 1: Arrival in Beijing, transfer to hotel

Day 2: Visit Great Wall of China, Ming Tomb

Day 3: Visit Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven,

Day 4: Visit Summer Palace, Shopping at local markets

Day5: Depart Beijing in the morning. 

 

4. Money & Exchange

 

Currency Exchange

You can exchange traveler's checks or cash at most banks, and most 5-star and 4-star hotels always have a money exchange counter. You can also get a cash advance on your credit card on ATM machine. The exchange rate all over China is the same fixed by Bank of China. To change money, you have to have your passport at hand. If you want to change money in a hotel, you usually have to be a guest there. Sometimes if you are not a guest in a hotel but need to change money there, you can just say a random room number, but this doesn't always work. Remember to keep the exchange slip well because you need this slip to change the Chinese Yuan back to your currency if you do have this need at the end of the tour. At present, the RMB is not exchangeable on the International market, so it is only usable within the country. So when you are changing money, don't change too much, because it is difficult to change back into other currencies. To change RMB back into your home currency, you must retain the exchange slips that are given to you at the bank or money exchange counter.

 

Credit Card

Credit card is widely acceptable in hotels, department stores, restaurants and boutiques in Beijing. The credit cards commonly acceptable in China are Visa, MasterCard, and American Express Card.

 

ATM

Beijing is a very ATM friendly city. There are many banks with many ATMs. However, only about 50% of these accept foreign cards. The main foreign friendly ATMs are ATMs of Bank of China.  Bank of China ATMs work in both Chinese and English (depending on your card), use the latest equipment, and are pretty easy to find. They do have a habit of being over-used though, so sometimes they are out of cash, receipts or whatever. Also, the connection to the overseas banking network tends to have a high down time. If you are told by a Bank of China machine that your transaction has been declined and to contact your bank, do not panic. This often just means that the International network is unavailable. You should try the other banks ATMs, China Merchants Bank ATMs, ICBC ATMs or China Construction Bank ATMs. When you put your foreign bank card into a Beijing ATM it should give you the option to display English, or display both Chinese and English. The ATMs in China dispense Chinese RMB currency. It will be converted to your home currency at a quite reasonable rate usually.  The commission and transaction charges will be dependent upon your own bank's policies.

 

Counterfeit Money

Counterfeit money may be found in China and you may likely get counterfeit money as exchange from street vendors when you do shopping out on the street. Therefore, don't give big note money to street vendors. It is very common that shop and restaurant staff will carefully check your note when you pay. 

 

5: Telephone Calls

 

For direct dialing to China, the country code is 86. Major city codes: Beijing-10, Shanghai-21, Guangzhou-20, Xian-29. For other city codes, please contact telephone operator for assistance. Your China Hotel telephone operators can dial your home country numbers for you, but the cost is high. You may want to bring a calling card (AT&T, MCI etc.). Prepaid local phone cards are available at hotel shops or reception. All hotels in China offer international direct dialing phones at rooms. However, some hotels need a deposit before they provide this service. If you can not call international phones, you need to go hotel front desk and inform receptionists that you want to make international calls. After you pay a deposit, you will be able to call.

 

Cell Phone

There are three mobile carriers in China; China Mobile; China Unicom and China Telecom. China Mobile and China Unicom use GSM technology while China Telecom uses CDMA. Of the three, "China Mobile" boasts the biggest number of subscribers and the highest user penetration rate and China Mobile’s national network is the best. You can get access to GSM service of China Mobile everywhere in China, even in the remote areas of Western China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Tibet Autonomous Region. Come to an authorized China Mobile Service Centre and purchase an Easyown SIM card, pop the SIM card into your mobile phone, dial 13800138000 to activate, hang up and you're ready to talk or text. You can buy an authentic China Mobile SIM card at any authorized newsstand or corner store, but China Mobile Service Centers usually sell them for much less; about 20 RMB (3 USD). China Mobile charges no monthly fees and no bills will be sent. To check how much time you can still call - dial its hotline 10086, key in the authorization code on the card and within seconds you'll receive a text telling you how much credit you have. You can check your balance anytime by dialing 10086 and following the English prompts. Each China Mobile branch (provincial level) sets its own Easyown fees and plans and the fees and services vary from region to region. Please check with your local China Mobile's Service Centre or call China Mobile bilingual operators at 10086. The operators can fully explain and initiate the plan that best suits your needs and phoning habits. The plan you join will come into effect on the first day of the following month. For Easyown customers there's an easy way to substantially reduce the cost of long distance calls. Simply add the prefix 12593 before you dial the complete number with area code. Adding this five-digit prefix also applies to international long distance. Dial 12593 before the complete international number and your long distance fee can drop to as low as 1.2 RMB per minute in total (including the normal outgoing call charge). Without the prefix, international long-distance can cost 8 RMB per minute plus the local outgoing call fee. The international toll is charged at six-second intervals.

 

Useful Telephone Numbers in Beijing

Fire: 119

Police: 110

Ambulance: 120

 

6: Medical Service

 

Most hotels have access to a doctor. They can also help guests buy medicine or, if necessary, go to the hospital. Below is a list of a few local hospitals and clinics catering to foreigners:

 

Beijing United Family Hospital 

Add: 2 Jiangtai Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing,Zip: 100016 

Phone: 010-59277000

 

Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital

Tel: 86-10-6422 2965, 86-10-6422 1122

Fax: 86-10-6421 7749

Add: Ying Hua Dong Lu, He Ping Li, Beijing 100029

 

Peking Union Medical College Hospital 

ADD: 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing (the foreigners' wing is located behind and to the left of the main hospital entrance), Dongcheng District Mon-Fri 8am5pm

Tel: 6529 5284, 24hr em: 6529 5269

 

7: Water

 

Tap water at most hotels are not drinkable. Drink only bottled or boiled water. Tea is often provided free in hotel. Bottled water is widely available in all stores and street kiosks and sometimes provided free by the hotel. Made in-China mineral water is usually sold at around 3 yuan per bottle.

 

8: Laundry

 

It is hard to find laundry on the streets here in Beijing. There are also no coin-op laundromats. However, laundry services are available at most hotels. When you check-in hotel, you will find a laundry bag in your room with a price list. You may leave your clothes needed to be washed in the laundry bag. When you check-out hotel, you will be charged. Please be carefully about the laundry bag. Some hotels offer environmental friendly laundry bags which can be recycled. This kind of laundry bag is not free. One-day dry cleaning and ironing services are offered at better hotels. Quality of service and price vary.

 

9: Beijing Tourist Traps or Scams

 

Art Student or Students Practicing English

Never trust a “student” in Beijing who wants to practice English with you. You may easily encounter a student on Downtown Beijing’s Wangfujing Street. Here is a short scam story: "When walking down the Wangfujing area, a girl, dressed in student suit, asked me if I wanted to go for a cup of coffee so that she could practice her English. Certainly, I had no excuse to refuse, and then she brought me into a café. The menu is incredibly expensive, a small beer for 100RMB. The bill finally was 1200RMB. That's extremely terrible."

 

Tea House, Coffee Shop or Nightclub Scam

At many tourist areas, you may be approached by elegant female or gentleman who will give you a free Hutong tour or something else for free. He or she will tell you something interesting about Beijing, even the Beijing history and culture. After a while chat, he or she will invite you to go for a rest at the nearby tea house, coffee shop or a Karaoke Bar. There is the scam, and you will be asked to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars.

 

Picture-taking scam

Dressing up in traditional clothes for pictures at local tourist spots can be fun and memorable. It can also be expensive if you don’t clearly negotiate the price and know the price inclusions. Often they will tell you after you and a friend have posted that the price negotiated was per person. Or they will tell you the price is for only the smallest size print.

 

Hutong Rickshaw Scam

Strolling around the hutong areas is fun but can also be tiring and you might want to take in the sights from the comfort of a rickshaw. Before getting on the rickshaw, you need to negotiate the price, what is included, how long the richshaw ride will be. Make sure the price is per person, point-to-point, etc. Common scams are settling on a price for a tour (e.g. RMB70) only to be told in mid-journey by your driver that this price is per person or per hour and your time is up and you’ll have to pay more.

Beijing Buddhist Temples, Beijing Catholic & Chritian Church, Beijing Taoist Temples, Beijing Mosques.

 

China is a country with religious freedom and respects every religion. Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity are religions practiced in Beijing. Religious activities are carried out in Buddhist temples, Taoist temples, mosques and churches in Beijing. The most well known of these are: Catholic East Church, Catholic South Church, Gangwa City Christian Church, Chongwenmen Christian Church, Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, Guangji Temple, Guanghua Temple, Baiyun Taoist Temple and Yonghegong Lamasery (commonly known as the Lama Temple).

 

Church in Beijing

 

There are eight churches in Beijing. They include the Eastern Church (Wangfujing Catholic Church), Western Church (Xizhimen Church), Southern Church (Xuanwumen Catholic Church), Northern Church (Xishiku Catholic Church), St. Michael's Church, Nangangzi Church, Pingfang Church and Dongguantou Church. Nine other churches are located in Beijing's suburbs.

 

Beijing Eastern Church (Wang Fu Jing Church)
 

Located east of central Wangfujing Street, the Catholic East Church, or Wangfujing Catholic Church, is one of the best-preserved religious sites in the heart of Beijing. The present building was rebuilt in 1904 on the ruins of the burned church.

 

The East Church was originally called Saint Joseph's Church, and was built in the 12th year (1655) of Emperor Shunzhi during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was the second Catholic Church built in Beijing after Italian preacher Matteo Ricci built the “South Church” in southern Beijing at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In the 1980s, large-scale repairs and maintenance were carried out by the government for East Church. Beside the church is a front square of 1.2 hectares. Trees and grass were planted and various lighting facilities were installed to show off the gorgeous building at night.

 

Add: 74 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District

Tel: 010-6524 0634

 

Beijing Northern Church (Xi Shi Ku Church)
 

Xishiku Catholic Church, also called Xishiku Church (or Salvador Church, meaning Christ Church), Northern Church is located west of Zhongnanhai, at Canchikou and west of Ziguang Pavilion, so it is also called Canchikou Church. The sanctuary was later moved to Xishiku Street as Catholic North Church.

 

Xishiku Church is now the largest Catholic Church in Beijing. The style of the building is in typical Gothic style and it is famous for its grand architecture. Two pavilions with green glazed tile roofs were built on each side in front of the church with stone columns and stone lions surrounding and guarding the place of worship, adding the architectural style of Chinese gardens.

 

Built in 1890 by a French mission, the church was formerly the centre of a great complex of schools, orphanages and hospitals. The building has a tall, wide nave with side aisles, octagonal transepts and a huge sanctuary. There are many chandeliers, plus large, painted Stations of the Cross, antique stained glass and the remains of old wall decorations.

 

Add: 33 Xishiku, Xicheng District

Tel: (010) 6617- 5198

 

Beijing Southern Church
 

Xuanwumen Church: The oldest Catholic Church in Beijing, the Southern Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, is located at 181 Qianmen West Street in the Xuanwumen area. The church was first erected in the middle of the 16th century on the former site of the Donglin party, a political clique active in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). When the Italian missionary Matteo Ricci came to China during the reign of Emperor Wanli in Ming Dynasty, the emperor provided him with a residence which stood slightly west of the cathedral.

 

Add: 141 Qianmenxi Dajie, Xuanwu District

Tel: (010) 6603- 7139

 

The cathedral was rebuilt in 1657 during the reign of Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty. The cathedral was severely damaged by earthquakes in 1775 and 1900, and was rebuilt in 1904 to its present form. The main components of the 100-year-old building remain unchanged with one exception-its wooden support columns have been replaced by brick-and-mortar columns decorated with stone mosaics.

 

Today the cathedral remains in excellent condition. Masses conducted by more than 10 Chinese Fathers attract an increasing number of Chinese and foreign worshipers every Sunday, and the church is always crowded during Easter and Christmas.

  

Beijing Western Church
 

The Western Church, located on the southern side of Xizhimen Neidajie, is the youngest church among the four churches. The Western Church was first established in 1723 and restored in 1912. Because of a pharmacy factory beside the place of worship, it nearly cannot be seen from the street. But delicate Collins pillars and Gothic peaked arches inside the church make it grand, elegant and solemn.

 

Buddhist Temples in Beijing

 

It is estimated that there were more than 700 temples in Beijing prior to 1949, both inside the city, and in the suburbs. The exact number of temples in the capital now is unknown, but dozens of good examples remain. Many of the temples were damaged in the "cultural revolution" (1966-76) or taken over by residents. But with the government's restoration efforts, some remain intact and are becoming increasingly popular with worshipers and tourists. Here we list a selection of the Beijing best Buddhist temples.

 

Beijing Lama Temple (Yonghegong)

The Lama Temple is the biggest Tibetan Buddhist temple of the Yellow School in Beijing. Built in the Qing Dynasty, it was the former residence of Emperor Yongzheng before he took the throne. The temple combines the architectural styles of Han, Manchu, Mongolian and Tibetan peoples. Rosewood Arhat sculptures, white sandlewood Buddha statues and Buddha niche carved with silkwood are three must-see things at the temple.

 

Beijing Miaoying Temple 

This Buddhist temple, also called Temple of the White Pagoda was first built in the Yuan Dynasty, but was later burned down and rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty. The current temple was largely built in the Qing Dynasty. Only the white pagoda was left over from Yuan Dynasty, a structure that is more than 700 years old. The pagoda is an important symbol of Yuandadu, the first capital set up in the Yuan Dynasty in 1279 by Kubla Khan. It is also the biggest Tibetan Buddhist pagoda in China.

 

Beijing Guangji Temple

Built in the Jin Dynasty, this temple is more than 800 years old. The architecture inside is preserved from the Ming Dynasty, when it was rebuilt and given the present name. The bronze statues of Buddha are extremely precious. There are also stone tablets engraved with a poem by Qianlong, a Qing Dynasty emperor. The temple is where China Buddhist Association is located, and is the center of the country's Buddhist activities.

 

Beijing Fayuan Temple

Established 1,300 years ago, this temple is the oldest and biggest temple in Beijing. It is where the China Buddhist Institute and China Buddhist Literature and Cultural Relics Museum are located. The Buddhist scripture library at the ancient temple provides a display of stone sculptures from Eastern Han, Wu of Three Kingdoms, Northern Wei, Northen Dynasty, Sui and Tang dynasties. A wooden sculpture of Buddha that measures 10 meters is the biggest lying Buddha in Beijing. The temple is known for its thousands of cloves.

    

The Big Bell Temple Temple (Juesheng Temple) in Beijing

Named after a big bronze bell in the temple, it is now also known as the Chinese Ancient Bell Museum. There are presently 439 items/sets of ancient bells in the museum, the oldest of which is more than 500 years old. Other bells were made in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

 

Taoist Temples in Beijing

 

There are two Taoist Temples in Beijing: the White Cloud Temple in West Beijing and the Temple of God of Mt Taishan in East Beijing. The White Cloud Temple where the Chinese Taoist Association is located is the largest Taoist architectural complex in Beijing. The complex is composed of multiple courtyards set out on a central axis. From front to back the structures are as follows: a memorial archway, the main gate, a pool, a bridge, the Hall of Officials of the Heavenly Censor ate (corresponding to the Buddhist Hall of Heavenly Kings), the Hall of the Jade Emperor and the Hall of Religious Law (corresponding to the rear hall of a Buddhist temple).

 

Beijing White Cloud Temple (Bai Yun Guan)
 

The White Cloud Temple is in southwestern Beijing, directly behind the Broadcasting Building. It was called the Temple of Heavenly Eternity during the Tang Dynasty and the Temple of the Great Ultimate during the Jin Dynasty. It is the largest Daoist architectural complex in Beijing and was the headquarters for the Dragon Gate sect. Although historical records indicate that there were Daoist temples in Beijing during the Tang Dynasty, it was not until the early Yuan Dynasty that they came to be built on a large scale. The Yuan Emperor Shizu (Kublai Khan), whose reign lasted from 1260 to 1293, appointed a Daoist priest from Shandong province to the position of "National Teacher,"which nominally put him in charge of all Chinese Doaist affairs. This priest's name was Qiu Chuji, but he was commonly known as the Sage of Eternal Spring (Changchun Zhenren). While Qiu Chuji was in Beijing, he resided in the Temple of the Great Ultimate, which he expanded and renamed the Temple of Eternal Spring (Changchungong). From then on, it became the center of Daoism in northern China. It was not until the Zhengtong era (1436-1449) of the Ming Dynasty that its current name was adopted. 

 

The extant temple was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty and exemplifies the Daoist architecture of the period. The complex is composed of multiple courtyards set out on a central axis. From front to back the structures are as follows: a memorial archway, the main gate, a pool, a bridge, the Hall of Officials of the Heavenly Censor ate (corresponding to the Buddhist Hall of Heavenly Kings), the Hall of the Jade Emperor and the Hall of Religious Law (corresponding to the rear hall of a Buddhist temple). 

 

In the center of the rear courtyard is the Hall of the Patriarch Qiu, devoted to the worship of Qiu Chuji, and behind this, the Hall of the Four Heavenly Emperors, the second story of which is the Hall of Three Purities (corresponding to the Sutra Repository of Buddhist temples and housing the Daoist Tripitaka). Here one can see the similarity between Daoist and Buddhist temple architectures, though the decorative details and paintings make use of specifically Daoist motifs such as lingzhi fungus, specifically Daoist immortals and cranes, and the Eight Diagrams. 

 

The temple contains a stela with calligraphy by Emperor Qianlong recording in detail the history the history of the temple and the life of Qiu Chuji.

 

Add: Binhe Lu, Xibianmen, Xicheng District;

Tel: 010-63463531, 63443666.

 

The Temple of the God of Taishan Mountain in Beijing (Dong Yue Miao)
 

The Temple of the God of Taishan Mountain stands on Shenlu Street in the Chaoyang District. It is said that the temple was built as a place of worship for the Supreme Celestial Emperor of Taishan Mountain, one of the five sacred mountains of China. 

 

The temple was first built in the Yanyou period (1314-1320) of the Yuan Dynasty at which time it was one of the largest Daoist temples in the capital, and the first major temple in northern China belonging to the Zhengyi Sect of Daoism founded by Master Zhang Daoling. A glazed memorial archway inscribed with "In Reverence to the God of Mount Tai" stands at eh temple's front entrance. 

 

The temple complex is composed of three courtyards. The main courtyard contains three halberd gates (jimen), the Hall of the Taishan Mountain (Daizongbaodian), and the Hall of Moral Cultivation (Yudedian). 

 

In the center of the Hall of the Taishan Mountain are statues of the God of Taishan Mountain and his high-ranking attendants. The two corridors in front of the hall house 72 statues of deities, or "Chiefs of Departments," each representing some form of human activity or natural force. 

 

There are more than 100 stone tablets dating from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties in the temple compound. The most valuable is a four-meter-high stela inscribed, "Tablet of the Daoist Master Zhang" in the handwriting of the Yuan Dynasty calligrapher Zhao Mengfu. 

 

The temple was burned down in a battle during the last years of the Yuan Dynasty and was rebuilt in 1449 during the Ming Dynasty. The buildings standing today date from the Qing Dynasty, though they retain the style of the Yuan and Ming periods.

 

Mosques and Masjid in Beijing

 

Islam was introduced into Beijing around 10th century and the earliest mosque built in Beijing is the Niujie Mosque (also named Ox Street Mosque) which was built in 996. Islam became popular in the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty which built Beijing as its capital city. Dongsi Mosque and Erlizhuang Mosque were built during the Yuan Dynasty. In the following Ming Dynasty, Huashi Mosque and other four mosques were built. The Qing Dynasty saw the fastest growth of Islam in Beijing with over 30 mosques built in Beijing area. Currently there are seventy two mosques in Beijing (both urban and suburban area): four mosques in Beijing’s Dongcheng District; four mosques in Xicheng District; two mosques in Chengwen District; nine mosques in East Beijing’s Chaoyang District; seven mosques in North and West Beijing’s Haidian District; while the rest of mosques are located in suburbs of Beijing. The frequently visited mosques in Beijing are Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, Nandouya Mosque and Madian Mosque.

 

Night Life in Beijing, Entertainment in Beijing, Beijing Night Activities, Beijing Night Life Guide.

 

When night falls on Beijing, you can feel both traditional and modern atmosphere here. If you favor the traditional style of nightlife in Beijing, you are recommended to enjoy Beijing Opera in theaters like Chang’an Grand Theater and Huguang Guild Hall etc. Of course, tea houses are also highly recommended, such as Laoshe Tea House. Tianqiao (Overbridge) area is also a wonderful night life option, where you can eat, drink and enjoy the folk art. If you want to spend your nightlife in a modern way, bars and clubs can satisfy you. So enjoy your nightlife in Beijing!

 

Peking Opera

 

With a history of more than 200 years, Peking Opera is a synthesis of stylized action, singing, dialogue, and mime, acrobatic fighting and dancing to represent a story or depict different characters and their feelings. Peking Opera is known as China's national opera and is widely regarded as a unique expression of the Chinese culture. The Peking Opera used to be the most popular art in China, treasured by people of all ranks. It is now under increasing impact from foreign culture and new types of media, including television, video and audio recordings, film and the Internet.

 

Meilanfang Grand Theater
 

The Meilanfang Grand Theater, the first designed especially for Peking Opera shows, was named after late Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang. Mei Lanfang was a revered figure in China, best known for his performance of female characters. His masterpiece plays include "Farewell My Concubine," "The Drunken Concubine," and "Re-commanding the Army." Located in Beijing's downtown Xicheng District, the 14.7 million-U.S.-dollar theater can hold 1,100 people in its three-storied building. The theater was designed to hold 1,100 people because we want to lower the cost to enable more audience to watch quality performances with less money," Wu noted.

 

Add: Financial Street, Xicheng District

Tel: 010-58331288 58331388

 

Liyuan Theatre

Add: No. 175 Yong'an Lu, Qianmen Hotel, Xuanwu District

Time: 19:15-20:40 p.m.

Tel: 010-63016688, ext. 8860

 

Beijing Huguang Guildhall

Add: No. 3 Hufangqiao, Xuanwu District

Time: 7:30 a.m.-8:40 p.m.

Tel: 010-6351 8284

 

Acrobatic Show in Beijing

 

The Chinese acrobatics has a long history and rich national flavor. It is one of the oldest performing arts most popular among the Chinese people. Chinese acrobatics ranks among the best in the world thanks to its long history, rich repertory and distinctive artistic characteristics. Beijing is a great place to enjoy high quality Acrobatic Shows in China after night falls. Theaters performing acrobatic shows in Beijing include Chaoyang Theater, Tiandi Theater and Tianqiao Theater.

 

Chaoyang Theater

Opening Time: 17:15 to 18:15 every night / 19:15 to 20:30 every night

Address: 36 Dongsanhuan Bei Lu, Hujialou, Beijing

Direction: 100 meters northeast of the Jing Guang New World Hotel)

Phone: 0086-10-65072421

 

Tianqiao Theater

Opening Time: 17:30 to 20:45 every night

Address: East Beiwei Road, Xuanwu District. Beijing

Phone: 0086-10-63037449

 

Tiandi Theater

Opening Time: 19:15 to 20:40 every night

Address: Intersection of Dongsishitiao, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Phone: 0086-10-65023984

 

Chinese Gongfu Show in Beijing

 

From Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan, Chinese kung fu stars are idols for people around the world. Kung fu is almost synonymous with China. When foreigners come here, many of them see it as a good opportunity to learn Chinese martial arts. In the capital city of Beijing, many clubs and institutions have been established to satisfy the needs of these kung fu fans. Among which, the Red Theater is most famous for its Chinese Kungfu Show of Legend of Kungfu.

 

The Red Theater

Opening Time: 19:15 to 20:45

Add: No. 44, Xingfu Dajie, Chongwen District, Beijing

Tel: 010-67142473

 

Bars in Beijing

 

After nights fall, Beijing is as active as it was during the day time. There are various kinds of bar streets located in different part of Beijing for you to experience Beijing’s night life: Sanlitun Bar Street, Gongti (Workers' Stadium) Bar Street, Houhai Bar Street, Chaoyang Park Bar Street, Wudaokou Bar Street and Nanluoguxiang Bar Streets. Located in the embassy district in eastern Beijing, Sanlitun Bar Street is one of the best known and most popular bar streets in Beijng and it is a favorite of Westerners due to its heavily American and European influenced bars.

 

Sanlitun Bar Street

Sanlitun is by far the most famous and any taxi driver in the city will know how to get you there. Aside from South Bar Street, go behind the Sanlitun market to find Poachers and Kai bar off North Bar Street. Clubs Mix and Vics are in the Workers Stadium, also in this area.

 

Houhai Bar Street

Houhai is famous for the hutong that surround the lake. The hutong facing onto the lake have been made into bars whilst the ones behind the lake are still inhabited and offer a sneak view into traditional Chinese living. It is a vibrant and colourful experience any time of the day or night. Check out No Name Bar and Hutong Pizza.

 

Wudaokou Bar Street

Wudoku is in the Haidian district and not far from HQ. It is home to many universities so there is a large foreign community. Expect to meet many North Americans and Europeans here. Try Lush on Thursday or Sunday nights and Blah Blah Bar any night of the week (can be quite difficult to find, it’s in Beijing Language and Culture University). Also check out Propaganda (club) on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Look out for PSB events advertised in the WU area.

 

Chaoyang Park Bar Street

Chaoyang Park is not far from Sanlitun so it’s possible to travel between the two. The World of Suzie Wong’s is the best bar in this area and is busy most night’s of the week. The Goose and Duck is styled on a British pub.

 

Tea Houses in Beijing

 

Tea is integral part of Chinese society and a mainstay of economic and cultural activity that has not waned since the days of old Beijing. Long ago, teahouses were the centre of social activity and bubbled with the chatter of people from all walks of life. In the old teahouses noblemen, imperial officials, touts and peddlers chose their teas carefully and caught up on the day.

 

Lao She Teahouse 老舍茶馆

Tel: +86 10 6303 6830

Address: Building 3, Qianmen Xidajie, Xuanwu District

宣武区前门西大街3号楼

 

Ming Hui Cha Yuan 明慧茶苑

Address: Dajue Temple, Bei’an He, Haidian District

海淀区北安河大觉寺

Tel: +86 10 6246 1568, 6246 1569

 

San Wei Bookstore 三味书屋

Tel: +86 10 6601 3204

Address: 60 Fuxingmennei Dajie, Xi Cheng District

西城区复兴门大街

 

Wenshu Teahouse 文汝馨居

Tel: +86 10 8580 4341

Address: 10 Jianguolu, Chaoyang District

朝阳区建国路10号

Beijing Shopping, Shopping in Beijing, Beijing Shopping Guide, Things to Buy in Beijing.

 

Beijing has many shopping districts offering all kinds of goods from brand named things to local souvenirs of Jade and Antiques. The traditional shopping districts have been always Wangfujing Street, Qianmen Street, Dongdan and Xidan Commercial Street. There are also many outdoor markets which foreign travelers always considered to be a must see place. The Liulichang Street is renowned for paintings, Panjiayuan Market is for Antiques, Hongqiao market is for pearls while the Silk Market is for local souvenirs of Beijing.

 

Beijing Wangfujing Street

 

The 700-year-old Wangfujing (the Well of the Prince's Mansion) Street is one of China's oldest and most famous commercial areas, There are over 200 shops located along the 810-metre-long street and in an area of about 810 square meters. The street combines tradition, modernity, culture and commerce. With a group of sculptures depicting the lives of the people of Beijing in the old times was established in front of the modern New Dong An Plaza, a 70-square-metre relief sculpture recalling the operation of the 12 old famous shops in the area was set on the southern wall of the Women’s Department Store. Also the ancient well, from which the street got its name, was also symbolically restored.

 

Wangfujing Street came into being in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) more than 700 years ago. Wangfujing Street is said to have received its name in the Ming Dynasty more than 500 years ago. It was said that the emperor wanted all his 10 brothers to build their mansions in the place now known as Wangfujing so as to make it easy for him to keep a wary eye on them for fear that they might pose a direct threat to him. Therefore, the street was then named Shiwangfu, meaning mansions for 10 imperial brothers. Nowadays, the street is one of the busy shopping areas in Beijing.

 

Beijing Liulichang Street

 

Liulichang is a famous cultural street in Beijing established in the Yuan Dynasty. There used to be a colored glaze kiln and factory there; therefore, it is called Liulichang (colored glaze factory). In the Ming and Qing dynasties, most of the successful candidates in the imperial examinations at the provincial level who went to Beijing to participate in the imperial examinations gathered here, so there are many book and stationery shops that created a strong cultural atmosphere and became a book and antique market. In the period of the Republic of China, a large number of cultural famous persons developed such an indissoluble bond with it that looking for books and treasures there became a habit of many people. Many famous persons wrote inscriptions for book shops and cultural relic shops, such as He Shaoji, Lu Runku, Kang Youwei, Hua Shikui, Weng Tong, Liang Qichao and Shen Yimo, making Liulichang even more famous.

 

The present Liulichang has been reconstructed. The shops on both sides of the street are covered with blue bricks and gray tiles, and the brick carvings and colored paintings have a strong atmosphere of ancient streets. Many famous shops, such as Rongbaozhai and Chinese Bookstore are located on this street.

 

Location: Outside Hepingmen of Beijing from Yanshousi Street in the east to Nanbeiliu Lane in the west with Nanxinhua Street in the middle. The total length is 750 meter.

 

Qianmen & Dashilan Commercial Street

 

Dashilan is one of the famous commercial streets in Beijing. There are many famous century-old shops on the street such as Tongrentang. The commercial area outside Qianmen was formed in the Qing Dynasty when it was stipulated that people from other places must not stay in the city (within the present Qiansanmen Street) and the city gate of Beijing must be closed in the evening for the safety of the Forbidden City. People from other places had to live outside Qianmen. Thus, Qianmen Commercial Area was formed.

 

There is an old saying in Beijing:

Heading Majuyuan (hat shop)

Wearing Badaxiang (silk shop)

Stepping Neiliansheng (shoes shop)

Placing Sidaheng around the waist (native bank)

 

Thanks to its convenient location, Qianmenwai area has always been a place where there are many people from other places as well as large and small hotels and restaurants. The common characteristic of these famous old shops is that they pay attention to their reputation. For example, the founder of Tongrentang said, although the processing of drugs is complicated, we dare not use less labor; although improving the quality is expensive, we dare not use less material.

 

After six years of refurbishment, the new Qianmen Street was opened again in Sep of 2009 as the second pedestrian street in Beijing (the first one is Wangfujing Street). The new-look Qianmen Street, the most popular street during the Ming and Qing dynasties, has 103 stores, of which 81 are famous Chinese brands including Quanjude (Beijing Roast Duck), Tongrentang drug store, and Neiliansheng cloth shoes. International fashion brands have also opened stores on the popular commercial street, including Rolex, Zara, and Western food stores like Starbucks and Haagen-Dazs. The street has been modeled on its faade in the 1920s and 1930s.

 

Beijing Xidan Commercial Street

 

Xidan Street is one of the most famous traditional commercial areas in Beijing where companies in the general merchandise, food and beverage, entertainment and banking sectors can be found. A large number of merchants gather there, and the daily average volume of the flow of customers is more than 200,000. It is in a very important position in the commercial pattern of Beijing.

 

At present, there are many large modern shops in Xidan Commercial Area, such as Xidan Market, Xidan Shopping Center, Xidan Scitech Shopping City and Zhongyou Department Store, and some old shops of the capital, such as Guixiangcun food shop, Wanli shoes shop, Yuanchanghou tea house, etc. Beijing Book Building is the place where book fans gather. Xidan Cultural Square with a floor area of more than 35,000 square meters is the largest venue for a variety of cultural activities with a good environment in the downtown area of the capital at present, integrating recreation, entertainment and shopping. The central area of the commercial street is the recreation square. Xidan Cultural Square with underground restaurants, markets, cinema, bowling alley, swimming pool, rock-climbing club and the largest mirror palace in the country has become the largest venue for cultural entertainment along Chang’an Street. Commerce plays a major role in Xidan Commercial Area, and various related service industries are developed synchronously, showing the trend of mixed operations. The market is oriented to different consumer groups, providing mid- and high-quality commodities and highlighting the distinctive feature of professionalism and completeness to meet the needs of people of all ranks.

 

Main commodities: general merchandises, clothes and ornaments
 

Location: It is located at the geometric center of Beijing to the west of Tiananmen Square from Xuanwumen in the south and the east side of Hengertiao in the east to Xinjiekouhuokou in the north and the Second West Ring Road in the west. The length of the core section is 880 meters, and the total length is 5.4 kilometers. The street runs through Xidan city-level commercial center and two district-level commercial centers of Xisi and Xinjiekou.

 

Beijing Panjiayuan Antique Market

 

Panjiayuan Second-Hand Market is a holiday market where second-hand goods, handicrafts, collections and ornaments are traded. The market is divided into 4 business areas: the large canopy area for handicrafts, the area for ancient and old furniture, the area for ancient and old calligraphic works, paintings, books and periodicals, and the business area for ancient architectures with more than 3000 booths and businessmen of more than 10 nationalities such as Han, Hui, Man, Miao, Dong, Uigur, Mongolian, Tibetan and Korean nationalities from 26 provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government and autonomous regions, such as Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet. The main goods traded are furniture modeled after antiques, writing brushes, ink sticks, ink slabs and paper, ancient books, calligraphic works and paintings, old books and periodicals, agates, jades, emeralds, potteries, Chinese and foreign coins, bamboo, wood and ivory carvings, types of facial makeup in shadow plays, Buddhists’ keepsakes, national clothes, dresses, relics of the Culture Revolution and articles for daily use.On Saturdays and Sundays, it is crowded with vehicles, experts seeking treasures and novelties, and amateurs who only evaluate but do not buy. There are a variety of antiques, handicrafts and old household articles. You can find everything imaginable and see things you have never heard of. It is a good place for to sharpen your eyes.

 

Location: To the southwest of Panjiayuan Bridge, the southern part of the Third East Ring Road, Beijing

 

Business Hours: the business area for ancient architectures is open every day, and the large canopy area for handicrafts (goods spread out on the ground) is open every Saturday and Sunday.

 

Beijing Hongqiao Market
 

Hongqiao Market mainly sells pearl ornaments, clothes, shoes and bags. There are 5 floors above the ground and 3 underground floors with a total floor area of 32,000 square meters, more than 1000 stalls. With the gradual implementation of the overall plan for the comprehensive development and construction of the Hongqiao Market area, a commercial area integrating commerce, trade, food and beverage, tourism and entertainment will be formed there. With reliable commodity quality, reasonable prices, thoughtful services and good reputation, Hongqiao Market welcomes foreign friends, compatriots in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and Chinese people of all circles.

 

Beijing Silk Market (Xiushui Market)
 

The Silk Market has very few silk for sale. It has five floors on the ground and three on the underground, with a building area of altogether 28,000 sq. m, and a capacity of thousands of stalls. They are mainly selling replica name brand stuff from bags, shoes, clothes, ornaments, artifacts and silks which are all private owned. Bargaining is an “obligatory course” for people looking for treasures there. If the goods sometimes seem less than the genuine thing, bargain hunters revel in the opportunity of picking up just about any item of clothing you can imagine for a fraction of what they would expect to pay elsewhere.

 

Beijing Salitun Yashow Market
 

This four-floor store offers all the Chinese clothing in various styles and colors. Ruifuxiang, a famous shop selling qipaos (traditional Chinese women dresses) is located on the third floor. They have lots of traditional silk products on sale, and you can have your qipao or suits tailor-made to your special requirements.

 

Next door to Yashow Market to the east it is the Sanlitun Village which is one of the most luxurious shopping places in Beijing with brand names such as Apple, Adidas, Nike and so on.

Dining in Beijing, Beijing Cuisine, Restaurants in Beijing, Beijing Dining Guide,

 

Being the Chinese capital for centuries, Beijing's cuisine is very much influenced by culinary traditions from all over China, but the style that has the greatest influence on Beijing cuisine is that of Shandong cuisine. Another tradition that influenced Beijing cuisine is the Chinese imperial cuisine that originated from the Emperor's Kitchen, which referred to the cooking facilities inside the Forbidden City, where thousands of cooks from different parts of China showed their best culinary skills to please the imperial family and officials. Beijing cuisine can be characterised as follows: Foods that originated in Beijing are often snacks rather than main courses, and they are typically sold by small shops or street vendors. There is emphasis on dark soy paste, sesame paste, sesame oil, and scallions, and fermented tofu is often served as a condiment. In terms of cooking techniques, methods relating to different ways of frying are often used. There is less emphasis on rice as an accompaniment as compared to many other regions in China, as local rice production in Beijing is limited by the relatively dry climate. Dishes in Beijing cuisine that are served as main courses are mostly from other Chinese cuisines. Shandong cuisine and Huaiyang cuisine have been central to the formation of Beijing cuisine. Chinese Muslim cuisine is another important component of Beijing cuisine, and was first prominently introduced when Beijing became the capital of the Yuan Dynasty. 

 

As an international city, Beijing also offers many choices in western-style and non-Chinese cuisine, and the range of International cuisines in Beijing should satisfy even the most westernized of palates. Beyond this, there are plenty of fast food options, handy shopping expeditions or whenever you just need a cheese burger. McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, Starbuck's Coffee, Subway Subs and Dunkin-Donuts have all established chain stores in Beijing.

 

Imperial Court Food in Beijing 

 

Imperial Court Cuisine has its origins in the Imperial Palace of the late Qing Dynasty which is renowned for its careful selection of ingredients, fine cooking techniques and colorful decorations of the dishes. Each dish has a propitious name, such as Yu Feng Huan Chao (jade phoenix returning to the royal). And some of them even have short stories. Today Imperial Court Cuisine has become a major school of Chinese cooking with several places offering this unique flavor. Fang Shan Restaurant in Beihai Park and Ting Li Guan in the Summer Palace are the best ones.

 

Among the menus of the Imperial Court Food, the most famous one is the Royal Feast of Complete Manchu & Han Courses. As the name suggests, the grand meal was formed on the basis of the Manchu and Han cuisines which contains one hundred and thirty-four hot dishes and forty-eight cold ones, not counting fruit and desserts. In total there should be at least one hundred and eight courses. The Complete Royal Feast of Manchu & Han is divided into six meals which last three days. It assembles eight kinds of rare raw materials from the mountain, eight rare terrestrial ones and eight rare marine ones. The best Royal Feast of Complete Manchu & Han Courses is served at Fangshan Restaurant in Beihai Park

 

List of Restaurants Serving Imperial Court Food in Beijing

 

Tingliguan Restaurant 听鹂馆饭庄

Location: In the Summer Palace, Haidian District

Tel: 010-62881955, 010-62881608

 

Fangshan Restaurant 仿膳饭庄

Location: In the Beihai Park, Xicheng District.

Tel: 010-64011889, 010-64011879

 

Yushan Restaurant 御膳饭庄

Location: No.87, Tiantan Lu (天坛路), Chongwen District

Tel: 010-67014263, 010-67014281

 

Imperial Official Food in Beijing

 

Imperial official cuisine is particular to Beijing. It is characterized by its natural taste, lightness, softness and excellent cookery. For example, when chicken or fish is cooked, no additional peppers are used to preserve the original taste. The most famous type of Official food is Tan Family Food, available in the Beijing Hotel. This is the preferred food of the Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911) official Tan Zongling, and was later introduced into restaurants which are a combination of Cantonese cuisine and Beijing cuisine.

 

Another type of Imperial Official food is the Red Mansion Banquet described in the classic novel, Dream of Red Mansions. This book described a number of dishes and now there are several restaurants that serve this dish. The most famous place is the Beijing Grand View Garden Hotel. Other restaurants featuring Red Mansion Banquet are the Jinglun Hotel and Laijinyuxuan Restaurant in Zhongshan Park.

 

List of Restaurants Serving Imperial Official Food in Beijing

 

Tan Jia Cai 谭家菜

Location: 7/F, Building C, Beijing Hotel, No.33, East Chang'an Avenue, Dongcheng District

Tel: 010-65137766-1389

 

Li Jia Cai 厉家菜

Location: No.11, Yangfang Hutong, Deshengmennei Dajie (德胜门内大街), Xicheng District

Tel: 010-66180107

 

Grand View Garden Hotel (Red Mansion Banquet) 大观园饭店

Location: No.88 Nan Cai Yuan Street, Xuan Wu District, Beijing

Tel: 010-51818899

 

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. There are two different schools of roasting duck. Some restaurants make use of a close oven and straw as the fuel, which won't make flames go directly onto the duck. Before being put into the oven, a duck is filled with specially-made soup to make it possible to roast the duck outside and boil it inside at the same time. The time-honored Bianyifang Roast Duck restaurant serves ducks cooked this way. Some restaurants use an oven without a door. After a kind of dressing being spread all over a duck, it will be hooked up in the oven over the flame coming directly from the burning of the fruit-tree wood and it will be done in forty minutes. The largest Beijing Roast Duck chains in China, Quanjude is the representative of this kind of cooking.

 

When roasted and dried, the duck will look brilliantly dark red, shining with oil and with crisp skin and tender meat. Because of its appearance, few people could resist the temptation of it. When the roast duck is served, the chef will show you the whole duck. Then, he will slice it into about one hundred and twenty pieces with both skin and meat for each. Usually the duck is served together with special pancakes, hollowed sesame bun, green onions and sweet sauce. Dinners can wrap duck slices, onion, and sauce in a pancake or a sesame bun with their bare hands. Sometimes people would like to put in mashed garlic and cucumber or carrot strips as well. Some young women like to dip slices into white sugar directly. Other parts of the duck will be served as either cold dishes with its livers, wings, stomach, webs and eggs, or hot dishes with its heart, tongue and kidneys. The bones can even be decocted together with Chinese watermelon and cabbage.

 

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurants

 

Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant was established in 1864 (the third year of Tongzhi of Qing dynasty). With its long history, Quanjude roast duck is well known among both domestic and overseas customers. The duck is hung in the oven and roasted by flame burning from fruit-wood. It takes about 45 minutes for the duck to be done. The finished duck is characteristic with crispy skin, tender meat and the fragrance from the fruit-wood. It looks wonderful and appealing with a full figure, even claret color and the brightness and shine on the duck skin. It tastes pure and mellow with lotus leaf-shaped cake, scallion slices and sweet sauce jam, leaving a lasting and pleasant aftertaste. Currently Quanjude Roast Duck is the largest Roast Duck chains in China with branch restaurants located in Shanghai, Chongqing, Changchun, Harbin, Zhengzhou and Qingdao.

 

Bianyifang Roast Duck Restaurants

 

According to history, the earliest roast duck restaurant in Beijing was the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened during the Jiajing reign (1522-1566). Distinct from the method in which the duck is hung from a hook in the ceiling of the oven and roasted over and roasted over burning wood, the Old Bianyifang Restaurant roasted its ducks with radiant heat. The walls of the oven were first heated with sorghum stalks whereupon the duck was placed inside and cooked by the heat given off by the walls. A duck roasted in this manner is crisp to the touch and golden brown in appearance; its flesh is both tender and tasty.

 

Other Roast Duck Restaurants in Beijing

 

Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant at Nanxincang 大董烤鸭南新仓店

Location: 1-2/F, Nanxincang Int'l Building, A22, Dongsi Shitiao,

Tel: 010-5169-0328

 

Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant at Tuanjiehu 大董烤鸭团结湖店

Location: Bldg 3, Tuanjiehu Beikou, East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District.

Tel: 010-6582-2892/4003/4102

 

Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant 利群烤鴨店

Location: 11, Beixiangfeng Hutong, Zhengyilu Nankou, Qianmen East Street

Tel：010-67055578

 

Duck King Restaurant鴨王烤鴨店

Location: No. 1, Minzuyuan Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Tel：010-62049932

 

Hot Pot in Beijing

 

There are essentially two kinds of Hot Pot restaurant in Beijing: Mongolian and Sichuan style, the staple of both being mutton. Spicy Sichuan Hot Pot divides into half-spicy, half-not while the Mongolian Hot Pot is not spicy, and usually consists of vegetables and seafood. The pot itself is made of brass, with a wide outer rim where charcoal burns to heat liquid. Once boiling, the stock is used to quickly cook a range of ingredients. After a few seconds the meat and vegetables are ready to eat and dipped in a smooth sesame butter sauce that is delicious and incredibly filling! The most famous Mongolian Hot Pot restaurant is the century old Dong Lai Shu restaurant which is now a nation wide restaurant chain. There are over 10 Dong Lai Shun Hot Pot restaurants located in different areas of Beijing. The Dong Lai Shun Hot Pot restaurant located inside the Sun Dongan Shopping Mall is supposed to be the most authentic one. The spicy and delicious Sichuan style Hot Pot is represented by another Hot Pot Chains named Hai Di Lao which is operating about six restaurants in Beijing.

 

Vegetarian Food in Beijing

 

Chinese vegetarian dishes often contain large varieties of vegetables and some imitation meat. The imitation meat is created mostly with soy protein and/or wheat gluten to imitate the texture, taste, and appearance of duck, chicken, or pork. Chinese vegetarian dishes display a harmonious balance of colors and textures as well as flavors. Interestingly, you will frequently find dishes resembling a type of meat or seafood. For example, in Fried Mock Oyster, mashed tofu pieces are shaped like an oyster.

 

Recommended Vegetarian Restaurants in Beijing

 

Merits and Virtues Vegetarian House功德林(Gong De Lin)

Location: No.158, Qianmen Dajie, Chongwen District, Beijing

Tel: 010-65112542

 

Lotus in Moonlight Vegetarian Restaurant荷塘月色 (He Tang Yue Se)

Location: 3/F, the 3rd Cultural Center, No.66, West 4th North Ring Road, Haidian District, Beijing

Tel: 010- 62680848

 

Pure Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant净心莲 (Jing Xin Lian)

Location: 3/F, Lido Holiday Inn, No.6, Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Tel: 010- 64376688

 

Lili Vegetarian Restaurant百合素食 (Bai He Su Yi)

Location: No.23, Caoyuan Hutong, Dongzhimen Bei Xiaojie, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Tel: 010-64052082

 

Bodhi Sake Restaurant 菩提缘（Pu Ti Yuan

Location: No.10-16, Heiyaoguang Jie, Xuanwu District, Beijing

Tel: 010- 63546155

 

Getting around in Beijing, Beijing Traffic, Beijing Transportation, Beijing Tranport Information.

 

Beijing, as the capital city of the People's Republic of China and one of the four municipalities under administration of State Council, is a transportation hub, with a sophisticated network of roads, railways and airports. Five completed ring roads encircle a city with expressways heading in virtually all compass directions linking Beijing to virtually every corner in China. Beijing, as the capital city of the People's Republic of China and one of the four municipalities under administration of State Council is a transportation hub, with a sophisticated network of roads, railways and airports. Five completed ring roads encircle a city with expressways heading in virtually all compass directions linking Beijing to virtually every corner in China.

 

Beijing Capital International Airport

 

Beijing Capital International Airport is located in northeast of Beijing, capital of People's Republic of China, and 25.35km from the Tiananmen Square, center of Beijing city. It is not only an aviation gateway of Beijing and a window for international communication, but also a radial center for China civil aviation network, featured in a large-scale international airport, with most important location, biggest scale, fullest facilities and busiest transportation in China.

 

Beijing Capital International Airport, under the administrative control of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), officially opened on March 02nd 1958. With the development of civil aviation business and the increasing volume of passenger and cargo transportation, it was expanded in large scale. The Passenger Terminal 1, covering an area of 60,000m2, and auxiliary facilities, including parking apron and car parks, officially put into service on January 01st 1980. Terminal 1 was designed to serve 60 flights daily and 1,500 passengers at peak hours. The facilities at flight areas of the expanded Beijing Capital International Airport were meeting the 4E standards required by International Civil Aviation Organization.

 

With the continuous growth of quantity of international airlines to Beijing and the density of international flights, the Terminal was enlarged again from October 1995 to November 1999. The Terminal 2, covering an area of 336,000m2 and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, officially went into operation on November 01st 1999. Terminal 2 is able to handle 26,500,000 passengers yearly and 9,210 passengers at peak hours.

 

Construction of Terminal 3 started on March 28, 2004, and was opened in two stages. Trial operations commenced on February 29, 2008, it became fully operational on March 26, 2008. The budget of the expansion is US$3.5 billion. Far grander in size and scale than the existing terminals, it was the largest airport terminal-building complex built in a single phase with 986,000 square meters in total floor area at its opening. It features a main passenger terminal (Terminal 3C), two satellite concourses (Terminal 3D and Terminal 3E) and five floors above ground and two underground, with the letters "A and B" omitted to avoid confusions with the existing Terminals 1 and 2. Terminal 3C is dedicated for domestic flights, Terminal 3E for international flights, and Terminal 3D, called the "Olympics Hall", was used for charter flights during the Beijing Olympics, before its use by international flights.

 

Beijing Railway Station

 

Beijing Railway Station is an important hub of the national railway transportation. It was first built in the 1950s. Shortly after the birth of New China, this station had been enlarged, in 1959 becoming the biggest passenger transport station of those days. The building was impressively grand, with a combination of rich traditional and modern styles in its architecture. It was considered as one of the ten great constructions in the capital during the 1950s. Covering an area of 25 hectares (61.8 acres), the Beijing Railway Station is located in an extremely central location, just next to Jianguomen, and is within the confines of the city's 2nd Ring Road with convenient transports-numerous public buses and trains of the Subway Line 2 pass close to this station.

 

The Beijing Railway Station is capable of handling over 8,000 passengers at any time. Beijing Railway Station is the top grade national station that serves many lines. Generally, trains for Northeast China (including Harbin, Shenyang and Dalian), Shandong (including Qingdao, Jinan), East China (including Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou) as well as for Inner and Outer Mongolia depart from this station. International lines (notably the railway line linking Beijing to Pyongyang of North Korea; Ulan Bator of Outer Mongolia and Moscow), also depart from this station.

 

Beijing West Railway Station

 

Covering an area of 51 hectares (126 acres), Beijing West Railway Station is the latest railway station in China as well as in Asia at present. Opened in early 1996 after three years of construction, it [was expanded in 2000 and is now able to handle 300,000 passengers per day and also had a vast amount parking lots added.

 

Trains departing from Beijing West leave for destinations to major cities in West China, such as Xian, Chongqing, Chengdu, Lhasa and Urumqi) as well as cities in South China, such as Wuhan, Changsha and Guangzhou. The well-known Jingjiu or Beijing-Kowloon Railway line, begins from this railway station.

 

Beijing South Railway Station

 

Beijing South Railway Station is located in the south of Beijing between the Second Ring Road and Third Ring Road. The history of this station could be traced back to 1897 in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when it was called Yongdingmen Railway Station (永定门火车站), or Majiabao Railway Station (马家堡火车站).

 

A large scale reconstruction started before 2008 Beijing Olympics and it was completed on August 1, 2008. Covering an area of 26,000 square meters, The new station consists of five storeys with two above ground and three underground. The second underground floor and the third underground floor are respectively connected with the stations of the Subway Line 4and the Subway Line 14, and passengers can transfer to the subway trains without going out of the railway station.

 

Beijing South Railway Station mainly serves for the trains of the high-speed railways, including the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway and the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway and direct trains to Jinan and Qingdao. It only takes half an hour and five hours respectively traveling from Beijing to Tianjin and from Beijing to Shanghai.

Weather & Climate in Beijing, Beijing Climate & Weather, Beijing Climate & Weather Guide, Beijing Climate & Weather Information.

 

Weather in Beijing

Weather in Beijing can be described in general as being a humid continental climate, due to the Siberian air masses that move southward across the Mongolian Plateau. This type of climate is quite common in temperate regions over large land masses. The summers are hot owing to warm and humid monsoon winds from the southeast bringing Beijing most of its annual precipitation. January is the coldest month and July is the warmest. Winter usually begins towards the end of October. The summer months, June to August, are wet and hot with about 40% of the annual precipitation.

 

You may visit Beijing all year round. However, the best season is autumn from Sep 01 to the end of Oct which the local people call it the Golden Autumn period. Winter in Beijing is fairly cold and sometimes temperature can reach as low as minus 10. Warm clothing is highly recommended if you are visiting Beijing in winter as it can be extremely cold if it is windy in Beijing. Due to the cold weather, Beijing is a nice place for winter activities such as skating and skiing.

 

Spring in Beijing

Spring in Beijing is short, beginning in April and ending in May. Like winter, spring remains a dry season and is characterized by cold, high winds and sandstorms (caused by a combination of dry and hot air and high winds in the northern desert regions), especially in May. May also generally has more precipitation than in April. On average, temperatures change considerably during the spring with April having highs of 67F (19C) and May highs of 78F (25C). Precipitation during this season averages 1cm in April and rises to 3 by the end of May.

 

Summer in Beijing

The Beijing summer begins in June, reaches its peak in July and ends in August. Summer is also the season that witnesses the most precipitation, with June averaging 7cm, July averaging 22cm and August 17cm. Summer in Beijing tends to be a hot, humid affair and temperatures throughout the season average 85F (29C) with July regularly claiming the highest temperatures. The highest temperature ever recorded in the city was 107F (42C). Incidentally, summer is also the height of the tourist season

 

Fall in Beijjing

Autumn is generally considered to be the most pleasant season of the year. The season begins in September and ends in October. Precipitation drops off a great deal during this time with an average of only 5cm in September and just 1 in October. Average high temperatures in September is 78F (25C) and 66F (18C) in October.

 

Winter in Beijing

The winter season begins in late October and ends in March. Winter in Beijing is substantially cold with high temperatures hovering not far above freezing and low temperatures close to 17 degrees Fahrenheit (-8C) on average. The lowest ever recorded temperature in the city was -16F (-27C). Winter is often a windy season as well as being dry and is greatly affected by air masses from Siberia that move south across the Mongolian Plateau. January is on average the coldest month, and precipitation during the winter is often less than a centimeter.

 

Table of Statistics for Beijing Climate

 

Article Info

Title: Weather & Climate in Beijing

Author: Johnping

Last updated: 11/28/2013

Introducing Beijing, Introduction of Beijing, Brief Introduction to Beijing, Beijing Overview, 

 

History of Beijing

Beijing, the capital of China, is one of the world's famous historical and cultural cities. As a city with more than 3,000 years of recorded history, Beijing served as the capital of five dynasties including Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing for about 800 years. On Oct 1,1949, when the People's Republic of China was established, Beijing once again became the newborn capital of China.

 

Population of Beijing

The current population of Beijing as of 2013, as reported by the official Chinese Government statistics agency, was 21, 229,000. The population of Beijing has also been growing at breakneck speed. In the 10 years between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, the number of people living in the city grew by 44% - from 13,569,194 in 2000 to 19,612,368 in 2010. Although this last ten years has seen, by far, the most rapid growth seen in the city's modern history, the city has been consistently growing at speed - the average growth rate since the 1960s has been around 20% per decade.

 

Geography of Beijing

Beijing is located in the northern part of the North China Plain. It is situated at 39"56" north latitude and 116"20" east longitude, covering an area of 16410.54 square kilometers. The terrain of the area slopes from the northwest to the southeast with long and winding mountains ranging to the west, north and northeast, and a plain sloping gently toward the coast of Bohai Sea in the southeast. Aside from adjoining Tianjin City to its east, Beijing is bordered on all other sides by Hebei Province.

 

Culture & Heritage Sites in Beijing

In the city, cultural heritage sites and scenic spots could be found everywhere, including the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Zhoukoudian Site, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and the Ming Tombs, all of which have been put on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. By 2011, there are 162 museums and 4,300,000 heritage collections in Beijing attracting 35 million visitors.

 

Administrative Divisions in Beijing

Beijing Municipality currently comprises 16 administrative county-level subdivisions including 14 urban and suburban districts and two rural counties. Please check the following Map of Beijing for the location of different districts: 1 is Xicheng District and 2 is Dongcheng District and both Xicheng and Dongcheng are located inside the 2nd Ring Road nad enclosed by the former city wall which was torn down in 1960's. Haidian District, Shijingshan District, Chaoyang District and Fengtai Districts are urban districts between the 2nd and 5th Ring Road. Changping District, Shunyi District, Tongzhou District, Daxing District, Fangshan District and Mentougou District are inner suburbs linked by the 6th Ring Road. Huairou District, Pinggu District are outer suburbs and rural areas of Beijing. The two counties are Miyun and Yangqing which are outer suburbs and rural areas

 

District Map of Beijing

 

Article Info

Title: Introducing Beijing

Author: Johnping

Last updated: 11/28/2013