Various attractions in Beijing will provide plenty of entertainment over Spring Festival, Yang Feiyue reports.
The Capital Library of China is among the highlights of the capital's trendy Spring Festival routes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Ten routes, offering an array of experiences, were launched in Beijing in late January to spice things up for residents and visitors during Spring Festival. With trans-provincial travel affected due to COVID-19, Beijing residents can, instead, sample the delights of their city during the holiday.
The routes were launched by the Beijing Bureau of Culture and Tourism and cover hot attractions chosen by online users featuring the capital's rich leisure, fashion and shopping resources, as well as elements pertaining to the upcoming Winter Olympics.
Past meets present
Many time-honored brands have set up shop on Qianmen Street on the capital's Central Axis, including the Peking roast duck restaurant chain Quanjude and Beijing's famous Muslim beef producer Yueshengzhai. One can also find creative culture products featuring Palace Museum elements and other folk art on the pedestrian street, which is lined with buildings in the style of the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It's an ideal place to take a selfie against the wintery backdrop.
Beijing Fun is a site that shouldn't be missed on Qianmen Street. The new cultural landmark allows visitors to enjoy reading in the art space of the Page One bookstore that is adorned with a variety of cultural and creative products, chat with friends over coffee at Starbucks, or experience gourmet food at one of many popular restaurants in the area.
About 300 meters east of Qianmen Street, the bustling business landscape gives way to bridges, flowing water of a small river and other scenes reminiscent of "water towns in the south of the country" in the Sanlihe area. Visitors can also find music, stand-up comedy and magic performances, as well as historical architecture, in the area.
Jingshan Park is among the highlights of the capital's trendy Spring Festival routes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
The height of history
The Wanchun pavilion at Jingshan Park in Xicheng district is one of the highest points of downtown Beijing and one of the best sites to take in the city's Central Axis, especially when it is draped in snow. The Palace Museum and the Bell and Drum Towers look breathtaking from that vantage point.
Two blocks away, to the east of the park's southern gate, Honglou, or the red building, which once served as Peking University's library, is a brick-wood structure established in 1918 that is considered the home of Chinese advancement－the May Fourth Movement started at Honglou, where early founders of the Communist Party of China, Li Dazhao and Chairman Mao Zedong, worked and learned about Marxism, using it as base to disseminate information about the movement and attracting people with a vision of a better China.
About a 20-minute walk away, the Jixiang Theater, established in 1906, offers splendid Peking Opera performances.
Lakes and lanes
One can find traditional hutong in the Shichahai area in Xicheng district. Shichahai, with its lake, covers an area of around 336,000 square meters. Within its boundaries are its three water sections of Qianhai, Houhai and Xihai, and many well-known scenic spots and historical sites, including Prince Gong's Mansion and the Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling (Madame Sun Yat-sen). During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the lake was the northernmost point of the Grand Canal, and boats arrived here carrying silk and food from all points south. Every winter, the lake takes on a carnival atmosphere as it is turned into an ice rink.
Yandai Xiejie, or Yandai Byway, is a hutong in the neighborhood that, in the late 19th century, was a famous cultural street for antiques, paintings and stationery, as well as being popular among tobacco aficionados. It remains a frequent destination for Beijing residents to explore gastronomic delights, antiques, books, paintings and ancient buildings.
Exiting the street from the east, visitors must take a trip to Nanluoguxiang, about 10 minutes walk away. It is one of the oldest blocks in Beijing and has a well-preserved hutong layout from the Yuan Dynasty. Visitors can enjoy the distinctive architecture and immerse themselves in the local lifestyle and culture.
Phoenix International Media Center is among the highlights of the capital's trendy Spring Festival routes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Artistic pursuits
The Chaoyang Museum of Urban Planing offers visitors an experience of both old and new, history and the future. The museum was built on the site of an old gas-appliance factory and an auxiliary facility for beach volleyball during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. There are a range of interactive exhibitions, as well as a cinema and a 4D theater, that help visitors to better understand the capital.
A 10-minute taxi ride away, Phoenix International Media Center is a draw for photographers due to its stunning architectural features. It's a complex integrating TV program production, as well as office and business spaces. The design was inspired by a Mobius Strip and sits in harmony with the park landscape nearby.
Right across the road sits the Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy, where multiple international art exchanges have been staged. It's a great place to appreciate works by the prominent Chinese painting master Qi Baishi.
For music lovers, the Musicfans Art Space, 10 minutes drive from the art museum, provides not only high-quality live music performances, but also coffee and drinks, and a space to meet friends.
798 Art Zone is among the highlights of the capital's trendy Spring Festival routes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Vintage charms
Langyuan Vintage in Chaoyang district is home to a host of bookshops, chic restaurants and coffee shops. It was built on a large-scale textile storage and logistics warehouse. Visitors can take in the beautiful surroundings, including the Liangma River and Jiangfu Park. The old watchtower and lightning rod, with its red brick walls, can transport the viewer into another era.
A 20-minute drive away, Beijing's 798 Art Zone, named after the factory of that name built in the 1950s, is characterized by modern art. It has become the center for the exhibition of Chinese culture and art, as well as a site for world-famous cultural and creative businesses.
For more art and museum experiences, take a 10-minute drive to Cuigezhuang, where the Caochangdi arts zone, the China National Film Museum and the China Railway Museum are clustered together.
Documenting the city
A glimpse of the past is available at the Beijing Archives in Chaoyang district, which has become a hot spot raved about by online users. There are currently seven exhibitions that carry themes such as the Olympics, city development, treasured items and revolutionary history. The Capital Library of China is 10 minutes drive away, which offers abundant books, a nice reading space and other cultural activities for visitors. Coffee and simple meals are available.
The Yuanmingyuan Park is among the highlights of the capital's trendy Spring Festival routes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Royal getaway
The Summer Palace in Haidian district presents a stunning picture in winter, with its natural landscape of hills and open water. It features pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges. It is the largest existing and the best-preserved royal garden in China and boasts one of the biggest venues for ice skating in the capital.
The Yuanmingyuan Park, about 15 minutes drive away, is a good way to delve further into the city's imperial past. Serving several emperors, it inherited the 3,000-year-old tradition of Chinese royal gardens.
French and British imperial troops captured the palace in October 1860 and destroyed it, looting its contents. Modern technology has virtually "restored" bustling scenes of a special 19th-century maimaijie, or "buying and selling street", a theatrical version of a place where Qing-dynasty emperors would visit if they wanted to experience a moment in the lives of the common people.
Beijing World Park is among the highlights of the capital's trendy Spring Festival routes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
The world and motion
Beijing Auto Museum in Fengtai district is devoted to science and technology and the growth of the automotive industry and its innovation and development. It covers an area of more than 50,000 square meters.
The pandemic might have kept outbound travel to the bare minimum, but the Beijing World Park, a 10-minute drive from the museum, offers a view of the world outside China. The park features 108 miniature re-creations of famous landmarks from 55 countries and regions around the world. The park also offers dynamic performing arts, including night lantern shows, to bring joy to visitors.
Winter wonderland
The Beijing Winter Olympic Park in Shijingshan district, covering over 1,100 hectares, sits along the Yongding River. Improvements to the park have helped enhance the landscape along the river, linking railways and Shougang Industrial Park. The integration of various elements including the Winter Olympics, Xishan Mountains and the Yongding River, the former Shougang industrial site and railways has created a new landmark in western Beijing.
The park features elements pertaining to the Winter Olympics and visitors can appreciate the magnificent Big Air Shougang, the Games' ski jumping and snowboarding venue, from different angles.
One of the highlights of the park is the 42-kilometer-long marathon route, which starts from the Gaojinggou River, and passes many attractions, including Big Air Shougang, Xinshougang Bridge and Yongding River Recreation Forest Park.
About 15 minutes drive away, Shijingshan Amusement Park offers modern entertainment and recreation. The ancient European castles, Arabian restaurant, gardening art and a wide range of entertainment facilities all promise a fun experience. This year, the park has prepared winter activities, as well as an exhibition displaying Winter Olympic culture.
Universal Beijing Resort is among the highlights of the capital's trendy Spring Festival routes. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Universal appeal
The Urban Central Green Forest Park in Tongzhou district sits on the south bank of the Grand Canal. It has a stadium and grasslands for exercise and leisure. Basketball, badminton and tennis facilities are available. A winter carnival has already been in place to enable the public to experience curling and cross-country skiing.
About 20 minutes drive away, the Universal Beijing Resort offers several all-new attractions along with the best Universal rides, shows and highlights from around the world. Visitors can take a stroll through the Universal CityWalk, where Western cuisine and time-honored Chinese brands like Peking roast duck chain restaurant Quanjude and the hotpot Donglaishun both await hungry customers.
Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn
