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With clear blue skies and cool breezes, fall is the best time of the year to go hiking and appreciate the colorful foliage in Beijing. So, where are the city's best spots to admire the gold and red leaves?
Here, we've compiled a list of the top 5 places to visit in Beijing during what's dubbed in China as the "golden autumn season."
Zhoukoudian (周口店), located in 50 kilometers to the southwest of Beijing proper, is the former residence of Peking man, who lived here approximately 200,000 to 500,000 years ago. Since the discovery of a complete skull on December 2, 1929, Zhoukoudian, which had more recently been noted for its production of lime, became world-famous as the "home of the Chinese ape-man". After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the number of sightseers and scientists increased rapidly, and Zhoukoudian has become a great tourist attraction.
Since joining the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1985, China now has 56 World Heritage sites, ranking second in the world. Here, China.org.cn lists 10 of the sites most worth visiting in China.
Located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain some 16 km west of Datong City, Shanxi Province, Yungang Grottoes were built against the mountain and extend about 1 km (0.62 miles) from east to west. The construction of the caves was started under the auspices of the noted monk Tan Yao in 453 and took 50 years to complete. Some 40,000 people, including the Buddhists from what is present Sri Lanka, contributed to the huge project.
Lying about 2 km northwest of Anyang City, the Yin Ruins (殷墟) cover an area of 30 square km. It was once the capital of the Shang Dynasty empire 3,300 years ago and is the first capital ruins with a historical record confirmed by oracles and archaeological excavations. "Yin" was the ancient name for the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC-1100 BC).
China.org.cn selects and reviews the 10 best films made in Hong Kong in the 25 years after 1997, when the city returned to the motherland, in order to showcase Hong Kong filmmakers' creativity, uniqueness, and hard work.
Stretching between the Yongding Gate in the south of the city and the Drum Tower and Bell Tower in the north, the 7.8-km-long Beijing Central Axis, also known as the Chinese capital’s “backbone,” is of global fame. From the surrounding areas of the Forbidden City to the nearby communities, many time-honored brands whose food are intangible cultural heritage are located along this axis. Let’s get on a gourmet tour of the Central Axis!
It is summertime again. The sweltering heat has seized the entire Beijing city. Along either side of the north-south central axis of Beijing, there is architecture epitomizing the imperial culture, and also street markets emblematic of traditional urban culture. Today the street markets are interspersed with stalls for iced snacks, but for our ancestors centuries ago, who lived without air-conditioning or refrigerators, if they desired cold drink in to beat the summer heat, what would they do?
Xidi Village (西递村) is located in the southeastern part of Yixian County, Anhui Province and has over 300 simple, yet graceful, Ming and Qing dynasty residences, of which 124 are well preserved.
Xanadu (元上都) is an over 740-year-old historical site located in the Zhenglan Grasslands of northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It has been included on the World Heritage List. Its inscription was approved during the 36th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 29, 2012.
The Beijing Central Axis, a 7.8-kilometer-long north-to-south line stretching through the center of the city's historical neighborhood, boasts important memorial halls, ceremonial buildings and landmark architecture dating back to the 13th century. The buildings along both sides of the axis offer a glimpse into the lives of emperors, aristocrats and ordinary folks in history. As a result, it presents a comprehensive picture of traditional Chinese society.
Pingyao (平遥古城) is a small town in central Shanxi Province whose history goes back 2,700 years, when it was first built during the reign of King Xuan (827-782 BC) of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Until this very day, the town looks much the same as when it was the county seat of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Located in southern Anhui Province, Mount Huangshan (黄山) covers an area of 250 kilometers, of which 154 square kilometers are scenic attractions. Its landscape features "four wonders" of imposing peaks, spectacular rocks, odd-shaped pines, and a sea of clouds.
Beijing is a world-renowned historical and cultural city with a history of more than 3,000 years as a city and capital of the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The rich and profound ancient village culture found in and around the city remains an important part of the capital's history and culture. Below we recommend 10 must-see ancient villages in the Beijing area as the 2023 May Day holiday approaches.
The Longmen Grottoes, located near Luoyang, Henan Province, are a treasure house of ancient Buddhist cave art. The grottos were hewed and carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), when the rulers relocated their capital at Luoyang near the end of the 5th century. At that time Buddhism was spreading east into China and was venerated by the imperial court. The Buddhists adopted the practice of carving rock temples, dedicated to the Buddha.
The Ming tombs lie in a broad valley to the south of Tianshou Mountain (Longevity of Heaven) in Changping District, about 44 km northwest of Beijing proper. To the southwest of this valley, a branch of the Yanshan Range suddenly breaks off and forms a natural gateway to the 40-square-km basin in which the bombs were built. Thirteen out of the 16 Ming emperors as well as 23 empresses, 1 highest-ranking concubine and a dozen immolated imperial concubines were buried in this peaceful valley.
Hongcun Village (宏村) is about 11 km from the county town of Yixian County. The whole village was originally laid out in the shape of an ox. The west end of the village, called Leigang Hill, resembles an ox head and that is where two huge trees stand like ox horns.
In Dazu County, some 165 kilometers away from Chongqing, are more than 40 sites of stone carvings with over 50,000 statues of Buddha completed from the later Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty. The grottoes on the Beishan Hill and Baoding Hill are the largest in scale, richest in content and most refined in artistic skill.
Suzhou in Jiangsu Province is a city of rivers and canals and also a city of gardens. Hence it is called the “Venice of the Orient”. The Ming and Qing dynasties between the 14th and 20th century were its prime periods of garden building, when at one time there were more than 200 private family gardens. A dozen of them are still in good condition today, including the top four classic gardens – the Fisherman's Net Garden, Lion Grove, Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden.
At the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain in northwestern Yunnan Province is the ancient town of Lijiang (丽江古城). In the remote past, it was already inhabited with tribal people. In 1253, Kublai Khan, the Mongol chief, stationed his troops here on his southward march to conquer the State of Dali. For the next 500 years, to the early days of the Qing Dynasty, the place was ruled by a hereditary succession of chieftains from the Mu clan of the Naxi people, under the jurisdiction of the imperial court.
Xiaoxue (小雪) is a weather phenomenon, indicating that the snowy season begins.
During the period of Lidong, most parts of north China enter the winter and there is snow only in northwest and northeast China, but when Xiaoxue comes, the vast areas in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River enter winter, and it begins to snow in north China.
Winter is the season with the lowest rainfall during the year, and south China has more rain than north China. It often starts snowing after mid-December in the areas south of Yangtze River where cold and wet weather makes people feel chilly. In the areas north of the Yellow River, indoor central heating starts in mid-November, but in the places south of the Yellow River it is cold and wet without heating in the house. Nowadays, public places and some well-off families can afford to have heaters for the winter.
People may easily catch cold or flu in winter since it is warm indoors and cold outdoors. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), people need to adjust themselves to the weather changes. First, they should have enough sunshine and fresh air. Secondly, they should eat enough nutritious food. Bamboo shoot soup, winter melon soup, balsam pear, corn, buckwheat, carrot, lamb, beef and other high-energy food are highly recommended dishes.
Compared with Western art, traditional Chinese painting is more stylized and abstract. That difference is easy to spot in landscape paintings, thanks to one deceptively simple trick steeped in Chinese culture.
There are two types of traditional Chinese painting: The “gong bi,” or meticulous style, emphasizes neat, precise and meticulous renditions of objects. In contrast, the “xie yi,” or free-hand style, stresses flexibility in brushwork and ignores unimportant details.
Both types embrace the use of blank, un-inked space. In Taoism, opposites are needed for harmony to exist. The harmony of Yin and Yang becomes the balance between the dreamy void and concrete sights in a traditional Chinese landscape painting, where there is always more than meets the eye.
Lidong (立冬) reflects the changing of seasons, indicating that winter begins. It often falls on November 7 or 8 of a year.
Since China is a vast territory, the temperature difference between the north and south is great. The temperature difference between the northernmost city and the southernmost city could be more than 30℃ (86oF).
Lidong was an important festival in ancient China, when the emperor led his civil and military officials to offer sacrifices to heaven in the northern suburb of the capital. In modern days, to celebrate the festival, some people choose to have swimming competitions in the icy rivers found in bitterly cold places like Harbin in Heilongjiang Province.
China was a farming country in the past, so people would have a break on the day of Lidong after a busy year, cooking delicious food as a reward. Chinese people now still keep this custom of eating delicious food, especially high-energy food, on Lidong. In south China, chicken, duck, fish and other meats are people's first choice; in north China, especially in Beijing and Tianjin, people would like to have Jiaozi (Dumpling), signifying the change of seasons.
China has one of the world’s oldest systems of medicine: Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medication date back at least 2,200 years. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is deeply entrenched in Chinese culture.
At the heart of TCM is the balance between yin, a passive force, and yang, an active one. Traditional Chinese healers seek to restore a dynamic balance between the two complementary forces. The goal is mainly pursued through medicines consisting of desiccated plant and animal material and practices such as acupuncture, which inserts thin needles through your skin at strategic points in your body to regulate the flow of energy or life force — known as chi.
Be it yin, yang or qi, the guiding principles of TCM are rooted in the Chinese philosophy of harmony. When you have a nutritiously balanced diet and avoid overdoing physical exercises, you will get a nod of approval from a TCM doctor.
Mount Taishan, with its main peak rising 1,545 meters above sea level, in central Shandong Province, has, since ancient times, been a mountain held in high esteem by the Chinese people. It is known as the “First of the Five Sacred Mountains”, all situated on the Central Plains of the country. It ranks third among the five mountains in terms of height. Its reputation comes mostly from its cultural position. According to historical records, Mount Taishan became a sacred place haunted by emperors to offer sacrifices and meditate in the Zhou Dynasty over 1,000 years before the Christian era. A total of 72 emperors were recorded as visiting it. Men of letters also came to acquire inspiration, to compose poems, write essays, paint and take pictures. Hence, a great many cultural relics were left on the mountain.
Taishan Temple at the foot of the mountain is one of several major palace architectural complexes in China. The Azure Clouds Temple near the top of the mountain is another grand building complex, a special combination of metal components, wood, and bricks and stone structures. From the Taishan Temple to the Azure Clouds Temple there are numerous stone tablets and inscriptions and ancient buildings on the way. Visitors derive much pleasure from climbing Mount Taishan. From the red gate at the foot of the mountain to the South Heaven Gate at the top are some 7,000 stone steps, which wind their way up the mountain slopes, each step offering a different view.
Mount Taishan became part of the world cultural heritage list in 1987.
As one of the most magnificent ancient defense works, the #GreatWall was put on the world cultural heritage list in 1987.
As a Chinese saying goes, “Penmanship reveals personality.” Chinese calligraphy bears the imprint of what makes Chinese culture unique.
There are five Chinese script styles. In the order of their appearance, they are seal script (zhuanshu), clerical script (lishu), cursive script (caoshu), running script (xingshu) and standard script (kaishu).
The five distinct writing styles, with their precision and abandon, pay tribute to the unutterable charm of Chinese characters. More significantly, they are fruits of Chinese aesthetics and philosophy.
Compared with the other four styles, kaishu, the most widely used style, stands out with its elegance and harmony. Its dynamically balanced brushstrokes combine orderliness and expressiveness, strictness and freedom.
This feature of kaishu is a beautiful example of Chinese culture’s pursuit of the golden mean.
Shuangjiang (霜降) reflects a weather phenomenon. In fact, frost forms on the ground when water vapor meets cold air. So, Shuangjiang does not refer to the fall of frost, but the phenomenon of cold weather when hoar-frost appears.
However, this does not mean that frost is seen everywhere in China. It is still too early in south China when the temperature is around 16℃ (60.8oF) on the day of Shuangjiang, while in the valley areas in south China the hoar-frost doesn't appear until winter comes. Even in the areas with the same latitude, it is not the same, due to different terrains and different altitudes.
It is the busy time for farmers to harvest rice and plant wheat and rape. They have to finish the harvesting and planting in good time, neither too early nor too late since the weather changes very quickly.
At Shuangjiang, it means that it has entered late autumn. To prevent from illnesses, like cough and chronic bronchitis, people should pay attention to their diet with more fruits and vegetables like pears, apples, olives, onions, ginkgo fruits and mustard leaves for this period.
When grave-faced fortunetellers were carving oracle bone script during the Shang dynasty (1600 to 1046 BC), they had no idea what it would blossom into.
Around 1,000 years later, the first standardization of the Chinese characters took place during the Qin dynasty (221–207 BC), a milestone in the unification of China. Fast forward to 1956, simplified characters were adopted in the Chinese mainland. Traditional Chinese characters are still in use in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.
Most Chinese characters are pictophonetic, consisting of a radical indicating the meaning and a phonetic component for the sound. Pictographic characters, which account for more than 40% of the characters in oracle bone script, comprise less than 7% of Chinese characters today.