Beijing Expert

Alleyways (hútòng 胡同) and courtyard homes (sìhéyuàn 四合院) have been the signature features of Beijing’s urban landscape since the Ming dynasty. These homes traditionally comprised buildings built around an enclosed courtyard, but many have been subdivided in modern times. The narrowness of the alleyways and of many courtyard homes discourages heavy traffic and encourages residents to live their lives on the street, fostering a strong sense of community. The pace of life in these neighborhoods is less hurried than on Beijing’s broad modern avenues; the noises less grating. The hutongs are like villages within the megalopolis. As you wander through them, you may feel as though you have stepped back in time.

Many hutongs have disappeared in the past decade to make way for modern apartment buildings and wider roads. Fortunately, some historic neighborhoods are being preserved, as you’ll discover if you take the walks described below. Besides winding you along some of Beijing’s most beautiful hutongs, these walks will take you to some of the capital’s best sights. We suggest going on foot since this will allow you to soak in the atmosphere, move at your own pace and observe the small details that make hutongs unique.

Renting a bicycle is also a good option, this way you can cover more ground and keep your feet relatively happy. Bikes for rent can be found at several prominent places in the Qianhai/Houhai areas, you’ll have to leave a deposit, but the hourly fees are very reasonable. Tandem bicycles are also available. If you’re not into biking, you can hire a pedi-cab. One reputable pedi-cab company that operates tours in the Qianhai and Houhai areas is Hutong Pedi-cab Tours (běijīng hútòng yóu 北京胡同游, 6615 9097 or 6400 2787). Tours cost RMB 180 per person and leave every day at 9am and 2pm, the tours last 2.5 to 3 hours. They start on Qianhai Xi Jie just across the street from the north gate of Baihai Park; the company’s riders wear distinctive orange vests and badges.

LAKESIDE HUTONG STROLL
The charming hutongs around Houhai and Qianhai lakes meander through quiet neighborhoods and parks along the lakeshore. The hutongs, despite being a tourist attraction, are living communities enclosed within a warren-like maze of narrow lanes. You can see residents chatting over a pot of tea on whicker chairs while their songbirds chitter their musical tunes. Strolling through the Houhai and Qianhai areas will take you by grand homes, hip cafés and the centuries old Bell and Drum Towers. A thorough exploration of the area will take about 3 hours, though 2 hours will be more than enough time to get a good look and feel for life in a hutong. While you’re there, it’s hard to get lost, just walk in any direction and you’ll come across a major landmark. There are numerous cafés along the way, drop into any one of them for a drink or a bite to eat. The area across from the north gate of Beihai Park, and where Qianhai Lake meets Houhai Lake has lots of eating and drinking options, any of them make perfect rest stops.

Drum Tower 鼓楼 gǔlóu
Bell Tower 钟楼 zhōnglóu
The impressive Drum Tower was initially built in AD 1272 during the reign of Kublai Khan. Its drums were beaten at fixed hours to mark the time. Climb up to the top floor for a great bird’s-eye view of the surrounding hutongs and the urban sprawl beyond. Inside is a collection of enormous Chinese drums on the 2nd floor and a shop selling Tibetan curios on the 1st floor. Good views are also on offer at the striking Bell Tower, which boasts a 63-ton bell that’s rung on important occasions like Chinese New Year.

Address: Di’anmen Da Jie, Dongcheng District 东城区地安门大街
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm
￥: 20 for the Drum Tower; 10 for the Bell Tower

Prince Gong’s Mansion 恭王府 gōng wángfǔ
It was good to be the Prince. Built in 1777 by a venal official, this 60,000m² compound was the home of Prince Gong, the last emperor’s father. Landscaped with ponds, arched bridges, rock gardens and pavilions, it offers a glimpse into the lifestyles of the rich and famous during the Qing dynasty. In summer, extracts from Peking Operas are occasionally performed outdoors or in the large hall.

Address: 17 Qianhai Xi Jie, Xicheng District 西城区前海西街17号
Phone: 6616 8149
Opening hours: 8:30am to 5pm
￥: 5

ANTIQUE MARKETS HUTONG WALK
The hutongs of Liulichang and Dazhalan lie in commercial areas. Poking around the old shops in Liulichang and Dazhalan is one of this area’s many attractions. If you decide to buy something, be sure to do some comparative shopping in nearby stores before pulling out your wallet.

The Liulichang (liúlíchǎng 琉璃厂) neighborhood spreads across both sides of Nanxinhua Jie. Scholars and artists have frequented Liulichang’s art shops and bookstores for centuries. Impoverished students from the provinces would sell their books and paintings here to finance their journey home. Nowadays, local merchants also cater to tourists, selling antiques, reproductions and souvenirs. Like the objects for sale, the neighborhood itself evokes the past since it has been restored to its early-20th century appearance.

Walking along Liulichang Xi Jie is like strolling through a living museum, the hutong filled with shops selling antiques and antique reproductions, kites, drums, posters from the 1930’s, Mao memorabilia, contemporary paintings and more. The most famous emporium is Rongbaozhai (róngbǎozhāi 荣宝斋, 19 Liulichang Xi Jie 琉璃厂西街19号), which for years has specialized in supplies for the scholar, gentleman and artist. These includes ink stones – shallow basins in which ink blocks are mixed with water – calligraphy brushes, seals, paper and scrolls. The shop’s brush sets, lacquer containers and paintings might make good gifts for the folks back home.

A branch of the famous Cathay Bookshop (zhōngguó shūdiàn 中国书店) can be found here (57 Liulichang Xi Jie 琉璃厂西街57号). On the ground floor is an exhibit of photographs of pre-Revolutionary Beijing, ancient maps, old books and more.

The Liulichang Dong Jie hutong runs east to west and is lined with a myriad of antique and imitation antique shops. On offer, running the spectrum from kitsch to truly collectible, are shadow puppets, ceramics, Peking opera masks, Buddha statues, paper lanterns, cloisonné, swords, opium pipes, paintings and more. It’s hard to recommend one store over another but Jiguge (jígǔ gé 汲古阁, 136 Liulichang Dong Jie 琉璃厂东街136号) has a good reputation. If you need a break from antiques, step into the Tian Fu Teashop (65 Liulichang Dong Jie 琉璃厂东街65号), where you’ll undoubtedly be offered a complimentary cup.

Nestled in the Tiaozhou hutong is the tiny Tiaozhou Hutong Mosque (tiáozhou hútòng qīngzhēnsì 笤帚胡同清真寺). This quaint mosque is not open to non-Muslims but you may be able to pop your head in for a quick peak. South of the mosque, at the intersection, is a Muslim bakery.

East of Liulichang is Dazhalan (dàshílànr 大栅栏), a wide pedestrian mall that’s bustling with activity. Also known as Dashilanr (pronounced da-shi-lar); this is Beijing’s oldest commercial street and is crowded with long-established shops selling clothing, fabric, shoes, Chinese medicine and more. The neighboring hutongs are also worth exploring. Look up while you stroll: some of the buildings on Dazhalan have turn-of-the-century gables and other architectural accents.

The impressive building with sloping Chinese roofs and two statues of mythical beasts (qílín 麒麟) outside its entrance is Tongrentang (tóngréntáng 同仁堂, 24 Dazhalan Jie 大栅栏街24号). Established in 1669, Tongrentang is China’s most famous purveyor of traditional Chinese medicine. On the 2nd floor are pharmaceutical ingredients like deer antler and ginseng, the latter often imported from the US. (One package of “President” brand ginseng features a portrait of George Washington). The 3rd floor sells imported medicine and vitamins.

Towards the east-end, on the north side of Dazhalan, is Ruifuxiang (rùifúxiáng 瑞蚨祥, 5 Dazhalan Jie 大栅栏街5号, 6302 1654), which has been selling silk here since 1893. The fashions are a little stodgy, but the building, with its carved panels of flowers and cranes, is worth admiring. Next door is the gaudy green façade of Yichenghou Department Store.

Before Liberation, Zhubaoshi Jie (zhūbǎoshì jiē 珠宝市街), in the east end of Dazhanlan, was Beijing’s major theater district. Today, it’s lined with small retailers stocking clothes, shoes, glasses and toys.

In a peppermint-green-and-white building at 5 Zhubaoshi Jie is the Qianxiangyi (qiānxiángyì sīchóu yǒuxiàn zérèn gōngsī 北京谦祥丝绸有限责任公司, 6301 6658). Established in 1840, it’s one of the most reputable silk shops in Beijing. The ground floor has a huge selection of bolts that are sold by the meter, while the 2nd floor has shirts, negligees, pajamas and gorgeous tapestries.

The tombs of 13 Ming dynasty emperors and their consorts are scattered in a gorgeous valley 45km northwest of Beijing. All but three of the Ming emperors are buried here. The first Ming emperor lies in Nanjing, the tomb of the second emperor remains unknown as he had his throne usurped by his uncle and another emperor was considered illegitimate and wasn’t given the honor of an imperial tomb.

The site for the Ming Tombs (shísān líng 十三陵) was carefully chosen as the imperial cemetery by fengshui masters after careful examination of the surrounding area on orders from the indefatigable Emperor Yongle, who also commissioned the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven. Once a year, sitting emperors would come here to perform extravagant rituals for their ancestors in order to keep their spirits placated.

For the history conscious and family centered Chinese, filial piety, in life and in death was of utter importance – to show disrespect to your father was a capital crime. Entrenched by Confucian values and the belief that ancestors require the occasional sign of deference, lest they cause trouble in the living world, ancestor worship became one of the central tenets of Chinese religious practices.

The Ming Tombs is an example of the importance laid upon showing proper filial piety and the self-grandeur of the emperors, many of whom begun construction of their tombs as soon as they ascended the throne, with construction ending only when they moved in.

The Memorial Arch (páifāng 牌坊), built in 1540, marks the entrance to the valley. At 12m-high, 31m-wide and sporting six intricately carved arches, this is the first indicator that no expense was spared when the emperors constructed their final self-monuments. Continuing along the path leads to the Grand Red Gate (dà hóngmén 大红门), which was built in 1426. At this point all worshippers had to dismount from their horses and carriages and walk the rest of the way. Further behind this gate is a Stele Pavilion (bēi tíng 碑亭) that’s held up by four large ornate columns. Inside this pavilion stands China’s largest stele, which is carved with the names of past Ming emperors. Exquisitely carved, this stele was completed in 1435 and is held up by mythical turtles, a symbol of longevity.

Once past the pavilion is the mythical Spirit Way (shéndào 神道). The path is lined with animals and mystical beasts like the qilin (qílín 麒麟) with horned heads and scaly bodies, seers of wisdom and the xiezhi (xièzhì 獬豸) with lion heads and horse bodies, seers of justice. There are also four statues each of military, civilian and imperial officials, who serve the emperor in his afterlife.

Of the 13 tombs, two are open for viewing, Changling (chánglíng 长陵) and Dingling (dìnglíng 定陵). The tombs were built with symbolism in mind. In front of the tombs are square courtyards representing earth, this is where the above ground buildings are and it was in these buildings where the memorial rituals were performed. Behind the courtyards are the circular tomb mounds representing heaven.

The Dingling Tomb is the burial site of the Wanli emperor, the 13th Ming emperor who ruled for 48 years until his death in 1620. Two of his empresses are also buried here along with him. The extremely well-built tomb took over 600,000 laborers six years to complete. Excavation of the tomb occurred from 1956 to 1958, the underground chamber was discovered through sheer luck when archeologists discovered a stone tablet left by the original builders. The stone tablet gave instructions on how to find the tomb – this was necessary when the tomb was re-opened for the burial of the emperor. Opening the tomb doors was also exceedingly difficult, the designers created an ingenious door locking mechanism that sealed the doors behind them. Around the Dingling Tomb are exhibition halls displaying various artifacts founds in the tomb and the underground burial chamber itself is open for public viewing.

The Yongle emperor and his empress are buried in the Changling Tomb. This tomb was the first and largest of the Ming tombs. Completed in 1427, this complex took 28 years to complete. Exquisitely built, this tomb features one of the largest halls in China. Huge columns and architecture along the same lines as the grandiose Forbidden City allow the above ground portions of this tomb to cast the emperor’s long shadow even in death.

Address: Changping District 昌平区
Phone: 6076 1423
Opening Hours: 8am to 6pm, peak-season; 8:30am to 5pm, off-season
￥：30 peak-season, 20 off-season for the Spirit Way; 60 peak-season, 40 off-season for Dingling Tomb; 45 peak-season, 30 off-season for Changling Tomb

The Great Wall (wànlǐ chángchéng 万里长城) snakes its way across northern China, from the Yellow Sea and past the Gobi Desert for some 6,000km. While it’s not visible from the moon as has been claimed, it’s still a remarkable piece of engineering and is the most famous symbol of China.

The genesis of the Great Wall dates to the Warring States period from 475 to 221 BC, when Chinese feudal kingdoms built earthen ramparts to defend against nomadic invaders. It was under the fierce emperor Qin Shihuang, who unified China in 221 BC that the Great Wall really began to take shape. He conscripted some 300,000 laborers to work for ten years on joining the various pre-existing sections into a single fortified wall. The suffering of the workers who toiled in freezing winters and scorching summers became legendary. As dynasty came into being and passed into history, the Great Wall was continuously repaired and extended.

The sections of the Great Wall near Beijing were renovated during the Ming dynasty, whose leaders spent a century strengthening and extending the Wall to the Yellow Sea. The previous ramparts, which were made of stones, packed earth and wood, were covered by Ming builders with bricks. They built crenellations to protect archers, widened the Wall so it could accommodate five horses abreast, and added many watchtowers. A system of beacons lit from tower to tower ensured that enemy troop movements were swiftly relayed to headquarters.

Despite such defensive features, the Great Wall failed in its purpose of keeping out invaders. It was breached several times, notably by the armies of Genghis Khan in 1215 and by Manchu troops in 1644. Conversely, the Great Wall was a tremendous success in forging a sense of nationhood since it marked the physical boundary between China and abroad, and the psychological boundary between civilization and chaos. Scaling forbidding landscapes of mountains and deserts, the Great Wall was also a triumph of the emperor’s will over nature.

There are three major sections of the Great Wall open to tourists near Beijing: Badaling (bādálǐng 八达岭), Mutianyu (mùtián yù 慕田峪) and Simatai (sīmǎtái 司马台). All three are built on steep terrain so it’s a good idea to wear comfortable shoes and bring water. This advice holds especially true when going to the Simatai section or to the “Wild Wall” sections that haven’t been restored. Many ex-pats enjoy hiking along the “Wild Wall” but it’s not for the faint of heart: climbing conditions can be arduous and there are no signposts, so hikers will need a good map or a guide.

Whatever section you choose to visit, the simplest way to get there is to hire a car and driver for the day. Depending on the type of vehicle and the distance to be covered, expect to pay anywhere from RMB 500 to 1,000 (plus an additional RMB 400 for an English-speaking guide). Another option is to join a guided tour, these cost around RMB 250 to 400 per person. Both private cars and tour bus reservations can be booked through hotels and travel agencies like CITS, CYTS and BTG.

Badaling Section 八达岭长城 bādálǐng chángchéng
Only 70km away by superhighway, Badaling is the closest section of the Great Wall to Beijing and can be visited in half a day. Moreover, its proximity to the Ming Tombs means both sites can be seen in a single outing. Badaling was completely restored after 1957. It has a chairlift and fast food restaurants and can be very crowded with hawkers and tourists, but all that fades away once you leave the parking area and begin to walk along the Wall.

Address: Yanqing County 延庆县
Phone: 6912 1235, 6912 1737
Opening hours: 6am to 6pm
￥: 80 peak-season 60 off-season

Mutianyu Section 慕田峪长城 mùtiányù chángchéng
Mutianyu is located some 90km north of Beijing, and like Badaling, is a recently renovated section that’s very popular. Mutianyu lies in rugged territory and reaching the Wall from the main gate involves a stre

nuous climb up a steep stairway, but fortunately there’s a chairlift. Once on top, the views of the Wall undulating down wooded canyons and up mountain ridges are breathtaking.

Address: Huairou County 怀柔县
Phone: 6162 6873
Opening hours: 7am to 6pm
￥: 35

Simatai Section 司马台长城 sīmǎtái chángchéng
The Simatai section is a dramatic testimony to Ming engineering skills with one section as steep as 85 degrees. Only partially restored, Simatai allows athletic visitors who climb past the first watchtowers to see the Wall in its wild, crumbling state. Less intrepid visitors can take a gondola. Simatai is 110km northwest of Beijing.

Address: Gubeikou Town, Miyun County 密云县古北口镇
Phone: 6903 1051
Opening hours: 8am to 9pm
￥: 30

The Lama Temple (yōnghé gōng 雍和宫) is an island of Buddhism in the heart of the concrete jungle. Monks in wine-colored robes live, study and pray in its pleasant gardens and halls. Decorated with delicate scrolls and massive icons, its buildings are a hybrid of Tibetan, Mongolian and Han architectural styles. The Lama Temple is a tranquil spot, except during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) when it seems all of China’s Buddhists throng its altars to burn bushels of incense and pray for good fortune.

This compound was originally built for Count Yin Zhen who resided here until 1723 when he moved to the Forbidden City to become Emperor Yongzheng. After his death, his devout son, Emperor Qianlong, converted the site into a Buddhist lamasery of the Yellow Hat sect, a sect that’s mainly associated with Tibet.

A walkway leads from the ticket booth through the garden and several archways to the temple grounds. After passing through the gateway at the end of the garden, visitors will notice a small Bell Tower on the right, and Drum Tower on the left. Ahead is the first of five worship halls, the Hall of Heavenly Kings (tiānwáng diàn 天王殿) that contains a large statue of Maitreiya, the Future Budhha with the four Heavenly Kings on the side. In the courtyard behind the hall is a pond with a bronze mandala depicting the Buddhist paradise. Next is the Hall of Harmony (dàxióng bǎodiàn 大雄宝殿), which is filled with prayer wheels and Buddhas of the Past, Present and Future, flanked by statues of 18 arhats, Buddhist “saints” who have reached Nirvana but have returned to help others. Formerly the emperor-to-be’s living room, the Hall of Eternal Blessing (yǒngyòu diàn 永佑殿) houses statues of the Buddha of Longevity and Buddha of Medicine, to who believers appeal for long lives and good health.

The fourth hall, the Hall of the Wheel of Law (fǎlún diàn 法轮殿) is where the monks study scripture and pray in the presence of a 12m-tall bronze statue of Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Yellow Hat sect. Behind this statue is a sculpture of a hill on which stand 500 arhats made of gold, silver, copper, iron and tin. Elegant frescos illustrating the life of the Buddha adorn the east and west walls and there’s a rare sand mandala preserved under glass on the west side of the building. The Lama Temple’s crown awaits in the Pavilion of 10,000 Blessings (wànfú gé 万福阁), the last and tallest worship hall. Inside is an extraordinary statue of Budhha standing 18m-tall, with an additional 8m underground, which was carved from a single Tibetan sandalwood tree. Satin prayer scarves flow from his giant hands.

As you retrace your steps to the entrance, pop into the minor halls that flank the courtyards, some of which contain Tibetan Buddhist deities covered in scarves to conceal their passionate embraces. From the main entrance, it is but a short walk to the Temple of Confucius (kǒng miào 孔庙).

Address: 12 Yonghegong Da Jie, Dongcheng District 东城区雍和宫大街12号
Phone: 6404 4499
Opening hours: 9am to 4:30pm
￥: 25