Amazing crafts of Beijing
Jan 26, 2015 at 06:07 AM
Beijing is abundant in arts and crafts. Among the various amazing crafts of Beijing, the prominent ones include good selection of jade ware, pearl items, ceramics, vases, ivory carving, filigree work and carpets. Then there are glass paintings and calligraphy, woodcarvings, cloisonnéé, silk flowers, drawn work, rugs, lacquer ware, and other silk fabrics. Besides, glassware, theater props, clay sculptures, embroidery and gauze lanterns are other prominent crafts found in the capital city. Dough figurines, which is a simple folk handicraft of great artistic quality is another amazing craft of Beijing. The Jade ware or the art of jade carving and polishing is an ancient art developed over 3,000 years ago. Jade has always been considered as valuable treasure by the Chinese. The process of creating jade ware involves selecting the stone, designing a pattern to be drafted onto the surface, rubbing the stone with special instruments to get into the desired shape and finally polishing the product to make it shiny. Cloisonni is another craft found some 600 years ago during the Ming Dynasty. To create cloisonni enamel one need to inlay copper strips on copper roughcast. Then pack the spaces with glazed enamel of various colors and bake the piece. Next is to polish and gild the piece to create objects such as vases, boxes, lamp stands, and ashtrays and so on. Jewelry and other trinkets created out of it are also popular today. Next is ivory carving, which is an art that dates back to 3,000 years. Typical subjects of this craft are flowers, human figures as well as birds and animal figures. The minute "rice grain" carving is another craft that is executed on ivory. The carved lacquer ware items include traditional jars, boxes writing articles, dishes and personal adornments, along with other artistic creations. The filigree and inlaid work is amazing craft of Beijing where you can get jewelry, hairpins, cuff links, braziers and incense burners. Then there are daily-use articles like mirrors, candy boxes and lamp stands among others. In silk flowers, the crafts available include bouquets, flower baskets, and lanterns along with many other interesting objects. The baihua carpets are available in new patterns which are creating wave at the international market.
Location of Beijing
Jan 29, 2015 at 07:40 PM
Location of Beijing is on the west coast of Pacific at the northern tip of North China Plain with Tian'anmen Square in the center of the city. The Greater Beijing is composed of an area of 16,808 square km with 39% flat land and 61% mountainous area. Beijing has millions of people living in it with half of them settled on the outskirts of the city. Beijing is bordered by the Yanshan Mountains on three of its sides including west, north and east. On the other hand, the small alluvial plain of the Yongding River is located towards the southeast of Beijing. Location of Beijing is such that the city faces the Bohai Sea, which is also known as the Beijing Bay. Beijing is one of the three mega - cities in the country which falls under the direct jurisdiction of the central government. The city is divided into 10 districts and 8 counties. The city enjoys a moderate continental climate with average yearly rainfall of about 600 to 700 millimeters. The rainy season lasts through late June, July and August. Summer receives most of the rain in Beijing; while on the other hand, spring in Beijing is dry with dust. Winter here is long and dry, while autumn is the best season in Beijing. When you talk about the location of Beijing, knowing its past history also becomes inevitable. Beijing is the cultural core of China and is the birthplace of human civilization. This is the place where primitive communities lived and reproduced in over 700,000 years ago. Beijing existed as a city over 3,000 years ago during the period of the Shang Dynasty. Beijing became the capital city of Yan Kingdom in 352 A.D during Jin Dynasty. Later, the city served as the capital of one dynasty after another, thereby turning into a central city for all ethnic groups across China. Beijing was also the alternate capital of the Liao Dynasty and was known as 'Yanjing' during 938 to 1123. Then from 1153 to 1214, the city served as the capital of the Jin dynasty, Yuan Dynasty as well as Ming and Qing dynasties in the later period. ...
Young crowd of Beijing
Dec 24, 2014 at 09:41 AM
Like any other popular metropolis, the young crowd of Beijing is a bunch of fashionable, educated and modern people who knows how to have fun and enjoyment. While the elderly people enjoy operas and theatre, the young crowd en-route bars, night clubs, and lounges. Beijing presents a sparkling night life with some happening night spots like San Li Tun Bar Street. With the start of a sparkling evening, the young crowd of Beijing can be seen swarming around the hot spots of the city in bunches. They can be seen in trendy attires all set to hit the rocking venues in the city. Besides clubbing, another popular activity that the fashion loving young crowd of Beijing loves is shopping. The boutiques, fashion stores and malls in the city serve this purpose well. People also like to spend good time in the evenings in gardens. For the elderly, things tend to slow down at night, while the youth can celebrate in various night spots till the wee hours in the morning. Beijing is a sparkling city and it offers something or the other to everyone. This is also a tourist friendly city, which is why people love to explore it. And this has been proved by the increasing number of foreign tourists reaching Beijing every year. Beijing receives youth from all over the country as well as from across nations who come here for various purposes. Youth come to Beijing for studies, to learn the Chinese culture, to explore and experience the rich traditions of the country and for seeking jobs. To solve the purpose of lodging of youths in Beijing who reaches here from different parts of the world, the city possesses numerous youth hostels. These hostels are spread across the city and offer good option for international students to get accommodation. Besides hostel facilities, there are various other options of accommodation available in Beijing. Being the capital, the city presents a large array of hotels including luxury and budget hotels for tourists to stay. Moreover, backpackers and rented accommodations are also available here. Be it a short trip or a long visit, you will have no problems in your Beijing sojourn. There is much to do and enjoy, which everyone should experience. ...
Dongcheng district of Beijing
Feb 08, 2015 at 02:10 AM
The busy Dongcheng district of Beijing with its historical sites and popular attractions is the heart of the city of Beijing in China. The Dongcheng district lies towards the east of the capital of China and presents wide range of places to explore for tourists. This area is popular not just for its cultural heritage but has equal importance as a political and commercial hub. The Dongcheng district with its 17 sub-districts includes many significant parts of the Old City and other areas. There are many admired attractions in the Dongcheng district of Beijing. The Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven are the most significant ones. Both these sites are enlisted as UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Tourists also frequently visit the Tiananmen Square in Dongcheng district. The Tiananmen Square is spread across a huge area where tourists coming to the city like to hang around. Moreover, the square is bounded by numerous huge buildings constructed in the soviet style and many other government offices too. Even the Hutongs and shopping areas in the Dongcheng district are equally popular among tourists. Dongcheng presents good nightlife with numerous clubs and bars offering night activities. The area has a number of temples including Confucius temple, Zhihua temple, and Tongjiao temple among others. Museums like Police museum, Imperial City Art museum, and National museum of China are also located in the district along with others. The area is also abundant with galleries and parks like Wang Fung Art Gallery, Courtyard Gallery, Zhongshan Park, Ditan Park, Changpu River Park and so on. Besides, the Dongcheng district of Beijing has other equally important monuments like Drum and Bell Towers, Ancient Observatory, and Legation Quarter. For those who love theater the area offers enormous activities. The lively people of Beijing love to explore the Dongcheng district for different reasons. Similarly, tourists coming from all over China and abroad also like to explore this area for attractions, shopping, and other things. Overall, a visit to the Dongcheng district in Beijing is a must for anyone coming to the city for the first time. With wide activities and places Dongcheng is a popular hangout zone for locals and tourists. ...
Beautiful People of Beijing
Jan 05, 2015 at 08:21 PM
Beijing has always been an interesting destination for foreigners. Expatriates have loved this city immensely. Many students who come to Beijing to pursue their higher education decides to live here for years even after completing their studies. There are numerous reasons which encourage people to live in Beijing. The culture and the atmosphere of the city is one such thing that attracts young people from all over the globe to come and settle here. This is the reason why despite the barriers of language, people comes and stays here and also learns Chinese culture and language. Among the various things to lure you in China include the simplicity and beauty of its people along with the appealing sights and scenes. You are sure to find many lively and beautiful people of Beijing during your trip to the city. The cultural heritage of China is great and Beijing being the capital is a highly influenced city. The fact that culture of China is distinct from the rest of the world makes it all the more interesting for people to learn and know about it. This also makes Beijing and other parts of China such interesting places to explore. Moreover, if you are in the company of the beautiful people of Beijing, you are bound to learn many interesting things about the history and rich culture of the country. Along with the vastness of culture, the diversity of religion that is seen in Beijing is equally vast. The city presents a plethora of striking temples spread all across. People in Beijing practice different religion including Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Islam, and Christianity among others. For visitors in Beijing, it is very interesting to experience and explore the religious and cultural places of significance in the city. When in the city, you must explore the popular places of religious faith to see how the beautiful people of Beijing follow their religious beliefs. The sheer atmosphere and the surrounding of these religious destinations are sure to make one feel extremely delighted and humble. And to experience this on your own, you must plan a trip to Beijing soon. ...
Interesting life of Beijing people
Jan 04, 2015 at 02:40 AM
People in Beijing lead an interesting life, which is a nice blend of modernity and ancient cultural heritage of China. Despite being the capital of the country and a cosmopolitan centre, the city perfectly combines both these aspects. Touring Beijing would enable you to understand and experience this fact well. When it comes to the daily life of the people here, it definitely circles around the marvelous historical monuments of the city, like Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City and so on. The elderly in Beijing start their mornings with their regular walking or exercise regime in the parks and squares of the city. People also visit the heritage sites for exercise or for practicing martial arts and other physical activities. The Hutongs in the old city of Beijing also form a significant part in the life of Beijing people. The Hutongs serve as interesting web of alleys with courtyard homes on both sides of these alleyways. In ancient Beijing everyone used to live in the courtyard houses in Hutongs. But depending on the stature of the family, the size of the courtyard house and the number of roofs in the house used to vary. Due to this, the Hutongs and its courtyard houses receive special attention of people, especially foreigners. The communities living in Hutongs know each other as they have been living there for ages. Tourists are fascinated by these Hutongs because they get to see the glimpse of ancient Chinese culture in these Hutongs, while experiencing the slow paced life of its people. Most tourists hire pedicabs and bicycles to explore these Hutongs. Elderly people in these Hutongs can be seen spending time with each other or enjoying some light moments with their grandchildren in the alleys. People of Beijing also love to watch Opera and the Peking Opera with a history of over 200 years is one of the popular operas here. Generally, elderly people love to spend the evenings watching operas. Not just locals, the tourists also love the experience of watching opera in Beijing. The highlights of opera shows in Beijing include the vibrant costumes, stunning paint on faces, and display of martial art forms. Overall, Beijing is a fascinating destination that one must experience once in their lifetime. ...
Temple of Heaven in Beijing
Jan 29, 2015 at 06:41 AM
The Temple of Heaven in Beijing originally served as a place where solemn rites were performed by the ruling emperors in China. The emperors in ancient China were regarded as Son of Heaven who prayed in the Temple of Heaven for good harvests and to seek atonement. In fact, the Temple of Heaven can be termed as an altar rather than a temple in the strict sense of the term. The Temple of Heaven is spread across a huge area with different structures placed in different locations within the area. The area is surrounded by a wall with a gate situated at each compass point. Most of the structures and halls that you can see within the compound of Temple of Heave in Beijing are round in shape, whereas their bases are mostly square. The idea behind it is the fact that earlier people had this notion that the Heaven is Round and the Earth is Square. Similarly, the northern end of the huge area is shaped semicircular, while the southern end is created in square shape. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the most astonishing highlight of the Temple of Heaven Park. The Imperial Vault of Heaven and the Round Altar are other highlights of the Park. There is also an animal killing pavilion that served as site for slaughtering animals for sacrifice. Though this area remains locked now, tourists can still sneak-a-peek from the outside. A long corridor is another highlight of the Temple of Heaven where locals like to sit and relax or even play games. There is also a large park where locals come for their regular exercise schedule. The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is a great place to visit to know about the ancient religious customs followed in China. Being covered across a huge area, you need a few hours to explore the entire site. If you explore the park and the corridor of the Temple of Heaven, you can also encounter many locals spending leisure time here. Overall, the temple of heaven is one of the popular sites that you cannot miss during your Beijing trip. ...
Use of bicycles in Beijing
Dec 22, 2014 at 10:58 PM
Just about two decades ago the streets of Beijing were filled with numerous bicycles as most people preferred using this means of transport. However, with changing times, cars have taken over the bicycles and Beijing has turned into a traffic-clogged city like any other populated cities in the world. With the changing trend, the use of bicycles in Beijing has dropped rapidly and the lanes used for parking bikes have been rapidly filling with parked cars and auto rickshaws. In fact the use of bicycle in Beijing was recorded as 17 percent in 2010 from about 60 percent in 1986. The typical Beijing bicycle with one-gear and a metal basket on the front was a very common thing in the past which has now been limited to very few. In fact, there were makeshift stands on every corner of the street that were mainly aimed at repairing these bicycles as and when an issue in the bicycle comes up for any user. With the changing the trend in general these days bikes and cycles are not meant for those who tend to maintain a class of their own. Beijingers are of the view that bicycles are not a luxury item and so people are not ready to accept it. However, for many the loss of the use of bicycle in Beijing or the bike culture is a very disappointing thing, especially for many western expatriates. They rather find it easy to commute in bicycles for short distances as they tend to get rid of the fuss involved in looking for cabs or for getting a driver’s license in the city. Moreover, the fight that is involved while commuting on the subway and buses is turning more and more expats towards the use of bicycles. In fact, many tourists who come to the city for vacations like to travel across the attractions within the city limits of Beijing by means of rented bicycles. Riding a bicycle in Beijing is a fascinating thing for people coming most western countries where they do not see this bicycle culture much. Many people who travel alone and backpackers love the idea of use of bicycle in Beijing and love to commute across the city of Beijing in these iconic bikes. ...
Beijing as the center of commerce
Dec 14, 2014 at 12:20 PM
Being the capital of one of the largest countries in the world, Beijing serves as the center of commerce. There are numerous international exhibitions and conventions that takes place in Beijing every year. This city serves as the perfect venue for all kinds of trade shows and events. In fact Beijing as the center of commerce is one of the most sought after places in the globe. To promote and to advertise the details about the various exhibitions and trade shows that takes place in Beijing, the organizers takes to graphic and print advertising. So if you are on a business trip in Beijing or you are here to attend a convention, these graphics and advertising will surely attract your attention. Even if you are here as a tourist, you are bound to come across such graphics featuring venue and dates of exhibitions and conventions taking place in Beijing. Over the last few years, the popularity of Beijing as the center of commerce and trade and as a venue for international events has increased considerably. This is another reason why the city receives numerous foreign tourists every year. ...
Safety of tourists in Beijing
Jan 25, 2015 at 02:21 AM
Although Beijing is a safe city for travelers, however it is important to keep vigilant so as to keep troubles away. Especially if it is women traveler travelling alone in Beijing, they tend to confront unique challenges. So for the safety of tourists in Beijing, it is important to be alert of the surroundings and eyes and ears open. Beijing being a modern city and the capital of China is one of the most popular cities in the country that tourists live to visit. There are few things that need to be taken care of while traveling to Beijing, especially for women travelers. Being a foreign woman you can be the target of sexual nuisance in the city, which you should be careful of. While commuting alone it is advisable to be confident and use your body language. While walking keep your head up and act confident. Adopt an attitude so that you are not targeted for by people who prey on timid travelers. In case someone follows you in the street and you feel in danger, you should get inside a shop nearby and tell the shopkeeper or manager about the issue and ask for help. If necessary, ask them to call a taxi or call the police for further assistance. While in restaurants and other public places, it would be safer to sit next to other women or families. Even in case of using subways or other mode of public transport, sit or stand next to women or a family. It is very unlikely that the attacker troubles you when you're in the company of other people. Other things to remember for the safety of tourists in Beijing include not traveling alone when it’s too late at night. Moreover, don't flaunt expensive jewelry openly. Even when in crowded areas stay alert because some thieves prefer crowded places to steal valuables Another measure of keeping the safety of tourists in Beijing is to carry a dummy wallet with a small amount of cash and keeping the rest is a safe place like in a pocket under your shirt or under the belt that you should wear inside your dress and so on. ...
Warm and friendly people of Beijing
Feb 20, 2015 at 03:35 PM
One of the biggest democracies in the World, China is a country of some wonderful places and people with a glorious history and magnificent culture. It will take months together if you want to experience the beauty, serenity and cultural heritage of the country because you will have to travel all across the country to explore its significance. However, this might not be possible for everyone to take such extended trips. So to take a general idea of the history and culture of China, you might like to enjoy a short trip to Beijing, the capital of China, which is the Political as well as cultural hub of the country as well. Among the various things that you would love about the capital city of China, the warm and friendly people of Beijing will definitely feature in the top of the list. An amazing city with amazing people, Beijing is loved by everyone who travels across the city once. The lives of the warm and friendly people of Beijing revolve around the magnificent historical places that the city boasts of and which are mostly located in the heart of the city. Moreover, the parks and gardens too make special place in the heart of Beijing people as they love to visit them for their morning strolls and evening walks. Don’t be surprised if you see a bunch of kids or adults practicing a form of martial arts in one such park early in the morning. Another common sight in Beijing is of elderly people sitting in squares or parks and chatting together about the current political scenario of the country or the world. You will also see such gatherings in the old hutongs or alleys in Beijing. By touring the hutongs on bicycles or tricycles, or even on foot, you can experience the activities that the common people in these areas are busy with. Despite the continual architectural modernity and the changing fashion trends of modern Beijing, you will still be amused to see that the young people of the city has immense respect towards their values and culture. Moreover the warm and friendly people of Beijing portray all the more optimism towards the future to make their city an acknowledged metropolitan city in the world. ...
Beijing city
Jan 11, 2015 at 11:51 AM
Beijing is a famous ancient city abound in culture. In 1045 BC, Beijing was established as a city and it served as a capital for nearly 800 years. Beijing city served as the provisional capital of the Liao Dynasty, while it was the capital of several dynasties including the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty. The city has now turned as an international mega-city. Overall, Beijing is a city mingled with tradition and contemporary life. Beijing presents magnificent adventure to experience for the first time visitors by means of its exceptional historical heritages. For anyone planning their first trip to Beijing should avoid coming here during summers, when temperatures soars quite high. Moreover, winter season is also better to avoid as the temperature can go down to -20°C. So, that leaves you with the option of spring and autumn, which definitely are the best time to visit Beijing. Especially the months of May, June, September and October are most preferred months for visiting Beijing city. There are many direct flights coming to Beijing every day from different parts of the world. Air China and British Airways also offer direct daily flights to Beijing from the UK. Moreover, now with Beijing offering a 72-hour visa-free stay, the city has been serving as an attractive stopover for many traveling to Australia or Japan. Flights like Air France and Lufthansa also offer safe travel option to Beijing with short change-overs in Europe. The airport in Beijing is around 17 miles away from the city and tourists can opt for a taxi to commute o the city center. Talking about public transport, Beijing city presents one of the largest subway networks in the world, which is not only smooth but cheap too. However, it is a heavily congested network, especially at peak times and so one need to take care of the safety of their belongings. Despite the fact that subway system is congested, you are sure to reach your destination on time. However, if you use roads to commute you will take more time as the traffic on road during peak time is worst at times. ...
