The name Badachu means Eight Great Sites, and refers to the eight Buddhist temples and monasteries scattered across Cuiwei, Pingpo and Lushi hills at the foot of Beijing’s Western Hills Scenic Area. Located along the outskirts of Beijing, it was restored during the 1980’s and has since become a famous tourist destination.

There are a total of eight former Buddhist temples and monasteries in Badachu Park. These are the Temple of Eternal Peace (Chang’ansi), the Temple of Divine Light (Lingguangsi), Three-hill Nunnery (Sanshan’an), the Temple of Great Mercy (Dabeisi), Dragon Spring Nunnery (Longquan’an), the Temple of Fragrant World (Xiangjiesi), The Cave of Precious Pearl (Baozhudong), and Zhengguo Temple. (more…)

The 29th Beijing Olympic Game Torch design unveiled at Beijing time March 26. China based high-tech company Lenovo designed the Torch. The torch shape resembles a Chinese scroll decorated with Chinese traditional cloud pattern.

The Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will traverse the longest distance.

2007.04.30 Update:  Lenovo will release a limited edition laptop computer featuring similar design.

Starting from Beijing on March 31, 2008, and will go along the following route: (more…)

April 22nd is the international Earth Day. Did you ride a bicycle today?

The sign reads “Love Beijing, Ride a Bicycle.”

Beside the Lama Temple, the Temple of Confucius is located. It was initially built in 1302 (Yuan Dynasty) and additions were made during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a total area of 22,000 square meters (5.4 acres). It is the second largest temple constructed for Confucius, the greatest thinker and educationalist in ancient China, ranking only behind the Temple of Confucius in Qufu, Shandong Province. Now the temple houses the Beijing Capital Museum.

This temple consists of four courtyards. The main structures include the Gate of the First Teacher, Gate of Great Accomplishment, Hall of Great Accomplishment and Worship Hall. Dacheng Hall is the main building in the temple, where the memorial ceremony for Confucius was often held. Inside the temple one can see that 198 stone tablets are positioned on either side of the front courtyard, containing 51,624 names of Jinshi (the advanced scholars) of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Also 14 stone stele pavilions of the Ming and Qing dynasties hold the precious historical information of ancient China. (more…)

Guangji Temple is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in China. It is now the headquarters of the Chinese Buddhism Association, and the center to conduct national Buddhist activities.

Originally built in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), additions were made to the temple by successive dynasties. The present temple was completed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the original structure having undergone three expansions, three fires, and three reconstructions. It now covers an area of 5.766 acres. The major structures in the temple are the main gate, the Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, Yuantong Hall (or Buddhisattva Hall) and Sutra Hall. (more…)

March 12 was the Arbor Day in China, and various planting activities will last about one month.

New

1 National Stadium (NST)
2 National Aquatics Center (NAC)
3 National Indoor Stadium (NIS)
4 Beijing Shooting Range Hall (BSH)
5 Wukesong Indoor Stadium
6 Laoshan Velodrome (LSV)
7 Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park (SRC)
8 China Agricultural University Gymnasium (CAG)
9 Peking University Gymnasium (PKG)
10 Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium
11 Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium (BTG)
26 Tennis Center (more…)

(BEIJING, March 27) — On the occasion of the 500-day countdown to the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) unveiled the Games’ medals.

BOCOG Executive Vice-President and chairman of the evaluation panel Jiang Xiaoyu attended the unveiling ceremony and delivered a speech at the Capital Museum on Tuesday.

The medals are designed with inspiration from “bi”, China’s ancient jade piece inscribed with dragon pattern. The medals, made of gold and jade, symbolize nobility and virtue and are embodiment of traditional Chinese values of ethics and honor.

The medals are 70mm in diameter and 6mm in thickness. On their obverse side, the medals adopt the standard design prescribed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) — a drawing that represents the winged goddess of victory Nike and Panathinaikos Arena, while on their reverse side, the medals are inlaid with jade with the Beijing Games emblem engraved in the metal centerpiece. (more…)

Coal Hill 景山公园
Made from earth excavated to create the Forbidden City’s moat, Coal Hill is the centerpiece of a pleasant park. Aligned directly north of the Forbidden City, Coal Hill, it was believed, would protect the palace from evil spirits. Despite such fengshui, the last Ming emperor was unable to halt the disintegration of his dynasty and hung himself on a cypress tree at the foot of the hill as Beijing fell to a rebel army in 1644. Coal Hill’s top drawing card is the panorama visible from Wanshou Pavilion atop the hill, notably the spectacular views of the Forbidden City.
Address: Jingshan Qian Jie, Dongcheng District (directly north of the Forbidden City) 东城区景山前街,故宫北门外
Phone: 6404 4071
Opening hours: 6am to 10pm, peak-season; 6:30am to 7pm, off-season
￥: 2

Eastern Qing Tombs 清东陵
One of two royal cemeteries of the Qing dynasty, these stately tombs hold the remains of five emperors, 15 empresses and assorted nobility and concubines. The Spirite Way and the tombs of Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi are the most memorable sights. The Eastern Qing Tombs are some 3 hours away from Beijing by car.
Address: Zunhua, Hebei province 河北省遵化
Phone: 0315 - 694 5471
Opening hours: 8am to 5pm, peak-season; 9am to 4pm, off-season
￥: 80 (more…)