Exploring Beijing
Whether you have 24 hours or 24 days, Beijing offers a lifetime of twists, turns and journeys. But if you do have to squeeze it in here some of the best of the best of the great city. Enjoy!
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Mastering the Stroke
For the Chinese, calligraphy is not only a practical way of writing characters but it is also a revered art form.
As art, the way the calligrapher holds the brush, how he presents and stylizes the character conveys his culture, emotional being and...
Escape to Charcoal Hill
I felt obligated to visit the Forbidden City while in Beijing as it tops every "must see" list. I sort of wish I hadn't. Even though I went early in the morning it was already mobbed with tourists. After about thirty minutes inside the compound...
Hey Man! You wanna try...?
"Hey man, come get the sheep penis!"
My dad swung his camera around, but the vendor had already dropped out of site, sheep penis or whatever it was sizzling in a wok in front of him. My dad picked up one of the skewers and vendor returned.
"Ten...
Something forbidden in Beijing
At this very moment, I'm in the Beijing airport. I saw this sign on the airport tram. I'm not exactly sure what is being "forbidden"... but it looks either fun or painful.
The Umbrella Artisans of Beijing’s Ruo Shui Tang Workshops
“Our umbrellas are a part of our culture that is disappearing,” says Cheng Dehu, the owner of Beijing’s Ruo Shui Tang Oil Paper Umbrella Workshop. As China has modernized at a breakneck pace, most traditional oil paper umbrellas have been left...
Chasin' the Train
If you want to travel from Beijing to Xi'an, I recommend riding the overnight train. Although the amenities are basic, the view is spectacular: you can sip tea while watching the scenery transform from a sprawling city to a rural landscape.
Off the beaten path in Beijing
If you plan a trip to Beijing, make sure to allow time to visit the “798 Art Zone” or Dashanzi Art District where a mix of political, cultural, and economic combustion have created an edgy contemporary art scene.
You could easily spend a day...
Gastronomic Tour of China
From October 13 to 24, food writer Fuchsia Dunlop will lead guests through cooking classes, insiders’ restaurant visits, and a farm stop on a culinary tour from Beijing to Shanghai. From $5,990. Photo by Keren Su/Corbis. This appeared in the...
Just Ducky
Li Qun is hidden in a Qianmen hutong. To find it, follow the ducks painted on the hutong walls! The restaurant puts on no airs and feels endlessly authentic despite the fact that pictures of statesman and ambassadors who have eaten there hang in...
Climbing the Great Wall at Simatai
Hiking the Great Wall was an amazing experience. What made it even better was going to Simatai, which isn't as heavily visited as Badaling and other parts of the Wall. It's harder to get to and takes more effort to reach, but it's worth it. The...
YongHeGong - Tibetan Lama Temple
To understand China, it's imperative to understand the role of religion and philosophy on the culture. Buddhism has played a prominent role, and this gorgeous temple tells a bit of that history. The YongHeGong is on the north quarter of Beijing...
Painting in the park
A serene encounter with a delightful old painter. Beijing's parks are incredibly beautiful. Some of my best memories include afternoons like this - watching a humble painter grind his ink onto a skillet and create a masterpiece on wrinkled rice...
Discovering the Forbidden City - No Map Required
I used to be a docile tourist: get a map and brochure at the entrance, follow the route or beeline to points of my interest. One day impatience taught me the rollicking fun of ignorance and discovery. I didn’t feel like waiting in line at the...
The Golden Egg
When I first visited Beijing, I was pleasantly surprised by the many innovative works of architecture, such as this, the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Located just a few minutes from the Forbidden City, it is a beautiful building to see...
Great Wall
There's a reason this is one of the wonders of the world. No, it cannot be seen from outer space, but it is truly magnificent. When visiting China, avoid the super touristy hotspots. We visited a spot that locals preferred called MuTianYu, about...
