Beijing 1. What to see in Beijing in one day
A step-by-step guide to transferring in Beijing: how to get out into the city and not get lost, how to get to the center and what to see in Beijing in 1, 2 and 3 days. Everything you need to know when flying in transit through the capital of the Middle Kingdom!
Beijing Capital International Airport (Beijing Capital International Airport, PEK) is the largest in China. It has three terminals connected by shuttles and trains. The third terminal is the largest and is divided into C, D, E. The airport is huge, and we will try to explain how not to get lost in it.
- The first part of the article will be devoted to the following questions: how to get into the city during a visa-free transit, how to get to the center, as well as how to check in for the next flight and what to do while waiting in the Shoud.
- The second part of the article is a route through the sights of the city, which you can see during a long transfer in Beijing for 6-12 hours, one, two or three days.
(Photo © Tomasz Wagner / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Transfer in Beijing: how not to get lost?
Despite the fact that the airport is simply gigantic, everything is clearly organized in it. There are maps and diagrams in the terminals, there are always inscriptions in English on the signs, and the staff will always tell you what and how - so do not worry.
International flights arrive at the T3E terminal. So, what actions should be taken during transit so as not to get lost?
Waiting for the connection at the airport
After exiting the plane, go along with everyone to the escalator and go up to the 3rd floor (3F). In the event that the baggage is checked in to the final destination and the flight is very soon, then follow the Transit signs: go to the check-in counters for transit passengers ( International Transfer), you will be given boarding pass(if you don't have one yet) - then go through passport control, go down (floor 2F), go through customs and get into the waiting area for boarding the next flight. If you go to the waiting area, you will not be released back, so be careful.
If the baggage is checked in before Beijing, you will have to pick it up and check it in for the next flight. To do this, use the instructions for entering the city (read below) and focus on the Exit and Baggage Claim signs. Pick up your luggage and go to customs (China Customs). Then you will find yourself in the arrivals hall (T3C). Look for Departure or Chek-in signs: take the elevator to floor 4F, where the check-in hall is located. Find your check-in desk and check in your luggage. Then get back on the same train you came on and get to T3E. Next - the usual formalities: inspection and passport control, and then go to the waiting room. Here you can relax, have a snack, drink coffee or take a nap in comfortable chairs while waiting for your flight.
(Photo © dcmaster / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)
We go out to the city
Go up to the 3rd floor (3F). If you need to get out into the city, go where most of the passengers go and go to the checkpoint For transit passengers leaving airport - the one on the far left (sometimes, if it's not working, employees can direct you to the booth on the far right). Say "transit" and give the officer an arrival sheet (Arrival Card) along with a passport and itinerary sheet ( electronic ticket) necessarily on the English language . The departure must be from the same airport, and the time spent in the capital must not exceed 72 hours. On the Arrival Card, also write the number of your flight with which you are departing.
If the migration card was not given on the plane, then they lie on special racks. You need to fill in Latin. Do not lose the other half of the migration card - Departure Card - you will need to give it to the officer upon departure. Experienced travelers are advised to take a few cards with them and fill them out to save time when transiting back through Beijing.
According to the reviews of tourists, employees often do not want to let travelers out during the docking in the city and strive to send them to the waiting room, so be vigilant. In this case, it is better to have a printout from the embassy website about the right to transit, and also insist that you need to pick up your luggage and check it in for another flight, even if this is not entirely true.
After successfully passing passport control on the escalator, go down to the platform of the train that runs between parts of the terminal. Get to the final stop T3C and get off at the baggage claim hall (Baggage Claim). Get luggage (if necessary) and go to customs - China Customs. After the security check, go to the arrivals hall, from where you can go to the express, taxi and bus stops.
Departure from another terminal
If you need to fly from another terminal when transferring at Beijing Airport, there is no need to panic - terminals 1 and 2 are connected by a passage, and a free shuttle runs between them and T3 - Free Inter-Terminal Shuttle Bus(look for the corresponding index). Shuttle stops: Gate 5 F1 of T3 - Departure floor of T2 - Departure floor of T1 - Gate 7 of Arrival floor of T2 - Gate 7 Arrival floor of T1 - Departure floor of T3.
The bus runs every 10 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night. On the way - about 10-20 minutes. You can also get there by express, but the ticket costs 25 yuan.
(Photo © Enzojz / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
What to do at the airport?
The Shoudu is big, beautiful and interesting, and if you have enough time and you are not going to the city, you can walk along it. There are numerous cafes and restaurants (note that almost everything is closed at night), hourly and capsule hotels, various expositions, a SPA, a fitness center, duty free and an entertainment center for children.
The building has left-luggage offices, a huge number of outlets, free Wi-Fi (password and login must be obtained from a special machine after scanning your passport), ATMs and exchangers, machines with free drinking water, as well as vending machines where you can charge your mobile phone (there are various chargers, if you suddenly checked your luggage) - in general, everything for a comfortable pastime.
Beijing airport hotels are: 1 hour - 80 yuan without a shower and 100 yuan - with a shower. It is convenient to search on Roomguru - there you can find both hotels and apartments.
You can download maps of the Shoudou and its terminals on the official website.
How to get from Beijing airport to the city
Airport Express Train
One of the fastest and most convenient ways to get from Beijing Airport to the city center. Going straight from customs, you will see the box office - Airport Express Tickets. Ticket price - 25 yuan (looks like a plastic card), subway fare - 2 yuan. Next, you need to go down to the station. Express trains run from 6:20 am to 10:50 pm every 10-12 minutes. It stops at Terminal 2 and 3, as well as at Dongzhimen and Sanyuanqiao stations. From Sanyuanqiao Station, you can transfer to Subway Line 10, and from Dongzhimen to Line 2 and 13. Travel time is about 20 minutes.
Buses (Airport Bus and Airport Shuttle)
Buses can take you to any part of the city. Bus stops have a large blue board with bus information. A ticket costs from 15 yuan, the box office - Local Bus Ticket - is located at exit No. 7 of T3. Buses run from 7 am to midnight. There are also night buses that run from 0:00 to last aircraft. Travel time - about an hour (excluding traffic jams). Stops at T3 exits 1, 7 and 9. Take a look
(Photo © A. Galassi / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)
What to see in Beijing in 1, 2 and 3 days
If the traveler has a short transfer in Beijing, then you can take the opportunity to get to know the Chinese capital better. All transit passengers are allowed to visit the city for 72 hours, during which time there is a lot to see in Beijing. To obtain a stamp on visa-free transit, you must have a ticket to fly from the airport to a third country within the specified period, a passport and a completed migration card.
If there are only a few hours left, then this time will only be enough for formal procedures. If the transfer is 6, 10, 12 hours or more, then you can already go to the city: keep in mind that at least 2 hours are spent on the road (round trip) and 1.5-2 hours are left for the airport. Well, if you have a stopover for 72 hours, then you can have time to go through all three routes presented below.
If you are planning a trip to the Chinese capital, then you will have to spend at least a month exploring local attractions. But, as a rule, most tourists plan to explore Beijing in just 3 days. We have prepared for you a ready-made itinerary "What to see in Beijing in 3 days".
Today we have in the program the largest square in the world, one of local museums, theater and a couple of parks.
Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)
Tiananmen Square is the largest square in the world. It has a size of 440 thousand square meters - just enough space for sixty football fields. It is eight hundred and eighty meters long and exactly half a kilometer wide. There's room for half a million people here - the population small town. This place has seen just a lot of important and significant events. Chinese history and politics, the many ups and downs of the country. Here there was a divergence, here the December Ninth Movement passed, here Mao Zedong told the people that from now on they are citizens People's Republic China ... And in 1986, Tiananmen Square was named one of the "sixteen main attractions of Beijing." Now here they raise the flag in the morning and lower it in the evenings - this is a whole ceremony, which crowds of people gather to watch.
- Address: Changan Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
- Opening hours: open around the clock.
- How to get there: you can get to the stop "Tiananmendong" by buses of routes 2, 82, 59, 52, 5, 99.
Palace Museum of the Forbidden City
Gugong, also known as the Forbidden City, which is located in the middle of the Chinese capital, is a palace that was the residence of twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its territory is 720,000 sq. m. And the construction area is 150 sq. m. m. Gugong began to build in the year 1466, and finished in 1420. Now this building serves as the National Palace Museum. Gugong is the most important monument of Chinese culture of the first class, the most unique monument of architecture, the best preserved wooden building on Earth, created in ancient times.
Address: Jingshanqian Street 4, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From April 1 to October 31: Tue-Sun from 08:30 to 16:00
From November 1 to March 31: Tue-Sun from 08:30 to 15:40
How to get there: you can get to the Forbidden City stop by bus 103 or 685.
State Grand Theater of China
The National Grand Theater of China is located in the west of Tiananmen Square, west of Great Hall, south of St. Chang'anjie. Its parts are the main building, an underground gallery from the north and south, underground parking, there is also a man-made lake, the surrounding area is landscaped. The entire theater occupies one hundred and eighteen thousand nine hundred square meters. m, and the total construction area - one hundred sixty-five thousand square meters. m. There is an opera here, concert hall, drama theater, small theater. This is the largest of all Asian theater complexes.
Address: Changan Street 2, Xicheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 09:00 to 17:00
How to get there: you can get to the stop "Tiananmenxi" by bus number 1 or, alternatively, number 52.
jingshan park
Jingshan Park is a national beautiful place level 4A, the most important protected national cultural monument. It is located in the front street. Jingshan, which is located in the Xicheng district. The park is located close to the lake. Beihai, north of here, also nearby, is the road from the Shenumen Gate of the Forbidden City. It was previously a garden that belonged to three dynasties - Yuan, Ming, Qing. This attraction is located in the central axis of the city's fortifications of the Chinese capital, and in the middle of it is a mountain with the same name as the park. It used to be Beijing's main peak. The area of Jingshan Park is twenty-three hectares.
Address: Shanxi Street 44, Xicheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 6:30 to 18:00
How to get there: you can get to the Forbidden City stop by bus 103 or, optionally, 685.
Beihai Park
Beihai Park is one of the best-preserved gardens of Chinese emperors to this day. It is located in the middle of the city. This garden was laid out more than a millennium ago, and now it is a real treasure of the garden art of its country: the beauty of the palaces of emperors and the majesty of religious places are miraculously intertwined here. On the this moment is an AAAA attraction. The area of the park is seventy-one hectares.
This park became available to visitors in 1925 and received government protection in 1961. In the west of it is a beautiful mountain, and in the north-west - the lake. Sanhai. This lake is a collection of smaller lakes: Zhonghai and Nanhai. The park is one of the ancient gardens of the emperors of China.
Address: Wenjin Street 1, Xicheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From April 1 to October 31: Tue-Sun from 6:30 to 20:00
From November 1 to March 31: Tue-Sun from 7:00 to 16:30
How to get there: you can get to the stop "Beihaibeizhan" by bus routes 13, 42, 107, 111, 118, 609, 701, 612, 623.
Ticket price:
What to see in Beijing in 3 days: Day 2
Today we will see one of the main Chinese attractions, as well as a couple of temples and one interesting alley.
Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China
Part Great Wall Mutianyu is located in Huaizhou, seventy-three kilometers northeast of the Chinese capital. It can be visited instead of the Badaling Wall. The section, which stretches for two and a half kilometers, borders Juyongguan on the western side and Gubeikou on the eastern side. Mountains rise around this place, so you can always admire beautiful views here.
Mutianyu was erected at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, and this wall stands where the walls of the Northern Qi Dynasty used to be. It became part of the Great Wall of China only at the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the year 1569, the wall was rebuilt, very diligently and firmly fortified. A granite wall rising seven or eight meters high and four or five meters wide is what it is now.
Address: Mutianyu Village, Huairou District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From November 16 to March 15: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:00
From March 16 to November 15: Mon-Fri from 7:30 to 18:00; Sat-Sun from 7:30 to 18:30
How to get there: bus stop "Mytianyuhuandao" can be reached by bus H24.
Ticket price: full - 40CNY, preferential - 20CNY
Yonghegun Temple (Lamaist Temple)
Lama Temple is located in the northeast of Dongcheng District, on East Street. Yonghegun. This is the largest of the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Chinese capital. In 1983, by government decree, it became one of the national Buddhist monasteries in the territory of the Han people. The monastery has three elegant arches and five large halls. The style of the building, its curved roofs, antique arches - all this is associated with great antiquity, and mountains are located on the western and eastern sides. The area of the temple itself is sixty-six thousand four hundred and forty square meters. m, and it has more than a thousand rooms.
Address: Yonghegong Street 28, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From April 1 to October 31: Mon-Sun from 09:00 to 16:30
From November 1 to March 31: Mon-Sun from 09:00 to 16:00
How to get there: you can get to the Yonghegong stop by bus No. 116, 117, 13, 684.
Ticket price: full - 25CNY, preferential - 12CYN
Confucius Temple and Imperial Academy
The Temple of Confucius, aka Kunmiao, and the Imperial Academy, Guozijian, are located on the street. Guozijang, near Yonghegong Temple. The temple, located in the Chinese capital, is the second largest Chinese Confucian temple. Bigger than it is only the Qiufu Temple, which is located in the village of Zhongni, located in the Shandong province, in the homeland of Confucius. Confucius was worshiped in the Beijing temple during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
This temple, consisting of three courtyards, occupies an area of about twenty-two thousand square meters. m. It is planned as standard for Chinese temples: along the south-north axis. The main buildings here are the Gate of Great Achievement, the Hall of Great Achievement, and the Chongsheng Memorial Temple. Here it is recommended to take a closer look at a very large number of tablets made of stone, and of the old trees that grow in the temple courtyard.
Address: Guozijian Street 13, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:00
How to get there: You can get to the Yonghegong stop by bus No. 116 or, optionally, No. 117.
Nanluogu lane
This lane is one of the oldest Beijing streets. It is very popular with shopaholics and those who like to eat in restaurants and drink in bars.
It is known as one of the oldest lanes (hutongs) in this city. Now it is not even a lane, but a whole street, where there are many retail outlets, bars, restaurants for city guests, and there are establishments here that are owned by foreigners. For example, a very real Indian citizen keeps an Indian restaurant here, T-shirts are sold in a store owned by a British, but Filipinos work in a store that sells ceramics. There are very luxurious places here - but they are for the rich and high-ranking people. This place is also loved by young people, because there are a lot of things you can buy for more favorable price than in the rest of Beijing.
Address: Nanluoguxiang Alley, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours: open 24/7
How to get there:
By subway to Nanluoguxiang station on line 6.
By bus to the stop "Jiaodaokounan" by bus routes No. 13, 107, 124, 113, 612, 758, 803.
What to see in Beijing in 3 days: Day 3
On the third, last day, we will see another temple and two palaces.
Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)
Tiantan is a whole temple and monastery complex located in the central part of the city. There is the only round temple in Beijing - the Temple of the Harvest, which is often called the Temple of Heaven, this is the main temple in the complex. The total area of Tiantan is 273 hectares. This is one of the Beijing symbols.
Tiantan was built in 1420, when the Ming Dynasty ruled China under the motto "Yongle". At first, the building was called the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but in 1530, when a separate Temple of the Earth was erected, only Heaven was worshiped there.
Tiantan is located southeast of the palace of Chinese emperors. By age from the date of construction, it is approximately the same age as Gugun. As mentioned above, it was built to worship not only Heaven, but also the Earth, hence the unique shape of its territory - a square south and a rounded north. In China, the circle is the symbol of Heaven, and the square is the symbol of Earth.
Address: Jia Tiantan Road 1, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
From March 1 to June 1: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:30
From July 1 to October 31: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 18:00
From November 1 to February 28: Mon-Sun from 8:00 to 17:00
How to get there: You can get to «Tiantandongmen» by buses of routes 6, 34, 35, 36, 39, 41, 43, 60.
Ticket price: 30CYN.
Summer Imperial Palace (Yiheyuan)
This attraction is one of the most unique gardens of Chinese emperors. Yiheyuan is located on the northwestern side of the city, fifteen kilometers from the center. His park occupies an area equal to two hundred and ninety hectares, with three-quarters being a reservoir. This park belonged to the emperors of China, was their residence and garden. Its huge lake supplied water to the entire city, and also had a connection with the river, which made it possible to use the reservoir for transport links with other places near Beijing.
Address: Xinjiangongmen Road 19, Haidian District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 6:30 to 20:00
How to get there: You can get to Yiheyuan by buses No. 330, 331, 346, 508, 579, 584, 601, 608, 696.
Ticket price: 30CYN.
Old Summer Imperial Palace
This attraction is located in the west of the Chinese capital, not far from Summer Palace, and its parts are several parks: the park of the Summer Palace, Changchun, Yichun. This whole attraction has another name, unofficial - "Three Yuanming Parks." This park complex was built at the beginning of the eighteenth century. In the year 1860, during the Second Opium War, it was burned by the troops of Britain and France, leaving only ruins. This park complex large scale, and different horticultural methods were applied here, all kinds of gardening styles were combined, so this whole attraction is the pinnacle of Chinese horticultural art.
Address: Qinghuaxi Road 28, Haidian District, Beijing
Opening hours: Mon-Sun from 7:00 to 19:00
How to get there: You can get to Yuanmingyuannanmen by bus routes 319, 320, 331, 432, 438, 498, 601, 626, 628, 664, 690, 696, 697.
Ticket price: 25CYN
Enthralled with enthusiasm, he entered the path of modernization, and to this day guards his historical and cultural objects. Moreover, most of them are excellent landmarks for tours of Beijing, from the Temple of Heaven to the Drum and Bell Tower and Tiananmen Square. One of the first stops for any visitor is Tiananmen Square.
When talking about Beijing, two places come to mind: the Forbidden and Tiananmen Square. People often mistake the Tiananmen Gate, where you can see the portrait of Chairman Mao, for the street itself. You can't come to Beijing and not take a photo in Tiananmen Square.
The gate and Tiananmen Square, shared by Chaman Street, are must-see sights when you are in this city, you haven't really been to Beijing unless you've visited this place filled with all the cultural symbolism.
For Chinese people it is a majestic place where so many people from all over the world flock to visit what is so important to them. Other historical sites are just a few steps away, such as Mao Zedong Mausoleum, Great Hall of the People and National Museum China.
Tiananmen Square isn't just big, it's huge. In fact, it is one of the largest squares in the world. The square is located in the center of Beijing, which in itself is very important, as it is one of the symbols of Beijing. It is the center line of the city.
Most of Beijing's historical monuments lie along its central axis, imaginary lines of 7.8 kilometers dividing the city into two symmetrical parts. In fact, the city was built around this line. It starts from the Yu Ding Men gate in the south and takes us to the Drum Tower and the bell in the north. From here you have a beautiful view, on both sides you can see the alleys of the hutong, which from the outside may seem a little untidy, while inside the courtyards are actually very symmetrical and neat.
In Beijing, you have to join the mass of people who wander around Tiananmen every morning just to watch the flag-raising ceremony. Every morning people get up at two o'clock in the morning, then to be the first to arrive at the square and watch the flag-raising ceremony. It has already become a tourist spectacle that people wait for hours just to see this three-minute show.
The Forbidden City is located directly north of Tiananmen Gate. For almost five centuries, it served as the imperial palace, it was the home of the emperor and his family, as well as the ceremonial, political center of the Chinese government. Forbidden City with an area of 72 hectares, the largest palace ensemble in the world. It took 14 years to build and today the Imperial Museum is located here. The Forbidden City has been declared an object world heritage in 1987, it was listed by UNESCO as the world's largest collection of surviving ancient wood sculpture.
Within its walls, the emperor usually began the day by greeting his ministers. Now, when this time is already in the past, throughout the forbidden city you will see the imperial symbolism - the dragon. Since yellow was the symbol of the imperial family, this color dominates the Forbidden City. The roofs were made of yellow glazed tiles, the decorations in the various halls were surrounded by yellow, and even the bricks on the ground turned yellow. The imperial library was an exception. Today, in the Forbidden City, you can still see those roof tiles and ancient relics that will easily take you back to the days when this city lived in all its imperial splendor.
In the past, every girl dreamed of being at court as a concubine or a titled wife, but once they got into these walls, they were not allowed to leave them, or at least it was very difficult. You can imagine how many life stories these walls keep.
Entrance to the Forbidden City will cost you 60 yuan, a low price to pay for enjoying the ancient city.
Jingshan Park is one of the most famous parks in Beijing, and Jingshan Hill offers one of the best views in District. The view from here is amazing, you can see the roofs of the Forbidden City, which stretch down and to the south. Originally Jingshan Park was the imperial gardens, but now it is public, it is beautiful and serene, no wonder so many local residents come here on the weekend. Here you will find a flower that is the embodiment of imperial power - a peony that is found everywhere here. Other famous place a bit gloomy, is the place where the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty committed suicide.
Sometimes it is crowded here, but this only adds to the special atmosphere. In addition to Tai Chi exercises and meditation, locals believe that singing is good for health and good for preventing depression. That is why thousands of people gather in the same place every week and sing.
The best way to see Beijing is by bike. The trip around the Forbidden City takes half an hour, but you will likely spend much more time. In the past, only the highest ranking people and government officials were allowed to enter the Forbidden City. All shops existed here only to work for the emperor. And the alleys of the hutong are still named after various artisans who served the emperor today.
In the mornings, you can see older locals walking around with birdcages or cycling with cages tied to the back. Favorite pastime here is to take the birds with you to the park and listen to them sing.
Beihai Park, located next to Jingshan Park, is located northwest of the Forbidden City. You can take a taxi to get there, but on a nice day, walking or cycling is best. In the past, Beihai Park was winter palace, and the imperial family and its entourage spent the coldest months here. It is said to be one of the oldest large and well-preserved ancient imperial gardens in China. One of the most important features of Beihai Park is the nine dragon screen. In those days, the nine and the dragon were symbols used only by the emperor. In addition, the pronunciation of the nine in Chinese resembled the word longevity.
The White Pagoda in Beihai Park was created by the order of the Shunzhi Emperor, the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty, to show his belief in Buddhism and his desire to unite China's various ethnic groups.
Right around the corner of the Forbidden City, you can find a man who has been making opera masks for 20 years. His masks are made of papier-mâché, clay, or plaster; a small mask takes at least two days to make, while a normal-sized one takes three days. Each mask has different colors and each color has its own meaning. For example, black is the color of a hero, it may be black and white, but the dominant color is black, which is why he is still a hero. Green is for stubborn characters, while blue is for rage. There are two types of white: transparent white, characterizing a traitor, milky white, arrogance, symbolizing arrogance, domination and strength.
While in Beijing, you cannot pass by the Beijing Opera, just near Tiananmen Square is the Chang'an Theater - the most famous place where you can watch and listen to Beijing Opera (a kind of national art). The preparation for the opera here is fundamentally different from the preparation for the opera in the West, here the emphasis is on make-up and costumes that characterize the various characters and personalities on stage. Peking opera is a national Peking art, despite its name, it originates in Anhui province. She combines the skills of oratory, singing, dancing and combat in movements that are more symbolic and suggestive than realistic. Performers are valued for the beauty of their movements.
Watching Peking Opera is an unusual experience, you won't understand what they are singing about even if there are screens with subtitles. But the energy radiated by the performers, their thoughtful costumes, are worth watching the performance.
One metro stop from Tiananmen Square is Wangfujing, Beijing's famous shopping street. Here you will find many shops and shops, but if you are looking for local souvenirs, walk a little, take a look and walk a little from main street. You will find a small interesting lane full of stalls.
When you arrive in China, you simply must buy yourself a few local souvenirs, and do not forget to bargain. The city of Beijing is known for its history and culture within what is in the old imperial city, and here you will find world famous brands. This whole area is a shopping paradise, so watch your wallet and be careful not to get burned by your red-hot credit card.
At night, the Wangfujing area is lit up and food vendors from all over China place their stalls here. You will find the most exotic Chinese cuisine here, both hot and cold.
Old Beijing is a phrase suitable to describe families living in Beijing for more than three generations. There is one activity that they especially love, kite flying. What better way to enjoy the old city than to learn the craft from older Beijingers?
Around the Forbidden City, you can taste the local Beijing life.
January 17th, 2018 08:58 am
My first (and so far only) trip to the “real abroad” - where not only the money is different, as in pre-Maidan Ukraine and Belarus, but also the visa regime, and, most importantly, incomprehensible language - took place last New Year. There was not much choice: the closest to Irkutsk, except for Ulaanbaatar, which is too cold at that time, is Beijing. The flight there takes about two and a half hours (for comparison, it takes almost 6 hours to fly to Moscow).
1.
For winter, traveling to China is quite comfortable: it is, of course, not hot there - the temperature mostly fluctuated around zero, but in winter an anticyclone dominates Beijing, the air is dry and there is almost no precipitation. True, there is a drawback: smog constantly hangs over the capital. The trip lasted 6 days, of which 4 fell on Beijing proper, one day on neighboring Tianjin and another half day on the Great Wall of China (the nearest section of which, however, also administratively belongs to Beijing).
It is not very convenient that the Irkutsk-Beijing flight flies in the middle of the night. At 6 o'clock in the morning we landed at the huge international airport in Beijing - Beijing Capital. We got there with several transfers: by tram, which runs inside the airport, to free bus from one terminal to another, by express train to the city, and finally by subway from Dongzhimen Station to Central Station.
So, Beijing meets us in darkness, turning into silver. However, because of the smog, approximately such lighting persisted all day. Exit the metro at the central railway station where our hotel was located. Although we did not use the station for its intended purpose: the express train to Tianjin leaves from the South Station, and we went to the Wall by bus. But trains to Russia, apparently, depart from here.
2. 
The path to the hotel leads through hutongs (a word of Mongolian origin) - traditional Beijing lanes built up with "siheyuans" - one-story houses with a courtyard. In all guidebooks around Beijing, the hutongs are described as a “leaving nature,” but in fact there are still quite a few of them in the city. However, it is possible that here, near the station, they were saved on purpose so that visitors would immediately plunge into the “exotic”.
3. 
Hutong often come across outdoor toilets - free and fairly clean.
4. 
5. 
Here you can also see another attribute of China - a large number of motorcycles, bicycles, etc., sometimes in a rather bizarre form.
6. 
The hotel where we booked a room was also built according to the traditional principle - around the courtyard.
7. 
Surrounding area. Due to the lack of snow, it is quite clean here in winter, although garbage on the streets comes across quite often (however, the wipers work tirelessly).
8. 
Smog over the city. Although I didn't find it difficult to breathe here. But I came for an incomplete week, and people live here all the time.
9. 
International food service chains are widespread. McDonald's and CFS seem to be much larger than even in Moscow. But the assortment here is different from the Russian one (I can’t judge about the European one, I haven’t been).
10. 
Beijing is crossed by straight, long and wide highways. The city is regularly planned and oriented to the cardinal points, in accordance with the principles of feng shui.
11. 
Along many streets there is a dedicated lane for cyclists and owners of other small Vehicle which are widespread here. Poverty, which previously did not allow and still does not allow many to buy cars, smoothly merges with fashionable urban trends.
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Dance floor in Dongdan Park.
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The park is small but includes an artificial mountain typical of Chinese landscape art. (We would have made one in Irkutsk, say, on Konny Island, where now there are sloppy land dumps from the construction of the shopping and entertainment center, on which you can break your legs).
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At the top is a traditional gazebo.
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We exit to the central latitudinal highway Jianguomen.
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Once dominated by the hutongs, the street is now lined with modern office buildings and hotels. As far as I understand, the "transformation" mainly took place in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.
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Further to the west, closer to Tiananmen Square, buildings appear that we would call “Stalin” buildings (otherwise, rather of the pre-war type), but here, apparently, they were built under Mao, in the 50s and 60s.
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This seems to be a modern imitation of the same style.
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We are approaching the walls of the Forbidden City.
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Approaching the Tiananmen gate, we witnessed something incomprehensible: a crowd of Chinese gathered, apparently in anticipation of some kind of spectacle for which the street was blocked, but did not wait and dispersed. Well, or something we did not understand.
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It quickly got dark, and we walked a little more through the evening city.
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Market with all sorts of exotics.
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Wangfujing shopping street.
***
Thus ended the first day when we made a preliminary acquaintance with Beijing. We celebrated the New Year at our hotel. The Chinese do not celebrate our New Year, it's in NG by Eastern calendar with his pyrotechnic excesses, it is better not to meddle here. So on January 1, unlike our cities, Beijing continued to live a normal life.
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On this day we decided to visit the Beijing Zoo, located northwest of the city center. We got on the subway.
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The zoo was opened at the end of the imperial period, in 1908.
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The main "stars" of the zoo are, of course, pandas.
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Here they even erected a monument - probably for the number of tourists that they attract.
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I don’t know how it is in China, but in the south of Russia such trees that shed their bark are called “shameless”.
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Sculptures here are a little less than living animals.
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Where is the hippo? There is no hippo!
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An unusual picture for us: there is ice on the rivers and ponds, but there is no snow.
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Birds step carefully on the ice.
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There is also open water.
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Surrounding building.
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So, 2017 started with a visit to the Beijing Zoo. Then during this year I visited two more - Kaliningrad and Alma-Ata.
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Near the zoo there is an exhibition center, similar to our VDNKh.
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Some institution of Russian cuisine. This is how the Chinese imagine a Russian peasant (although, for me, he looks more like a Scandinavian or a European in general).
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Surrounding building.
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The analogues of our Khrushchev houses here are mostly six-story.
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Northern railroad station. Here we took the subway.
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We left a couple of stations to the east, at the Buddhist temple complex Yonghegun.
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Once it was the palace of one of the princes of the Qing Dynasty, but was transferred to the lamaist clergy as a sign of the goodwill of the Manchu emperors towards their Tibetan and Mongol subjects.
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It began to get dark. After strolling through the streets of Beijing in the evening and having dinner in a Peking duck restaurant, we return to our hotel. It was decided to dedicate the next day to a trip to the neighboring city of Tianjin, which will be the subject of the next part of the story.
I have long wanted to see the Forbidden City in Beijing. Today, everyone can see with their own eyes the largest palace complex in the world, included in the UNESCO list. But until recently, China was a fairly closed country, and to some extent continues to remain so to this day. And getting a Chinese visa is quite difficult, it takes a lot of time and effort, as well as resourcefulness. And those who live in the European part of the continent and do not travel to China on business matters usually do not consider tourism to China as a possible traditional alternative to European vacations.
But some still sometimes wonder how to get to China without a visa. It turns out that for the most daring and inquisitive there is one trick that will allow you to visit Beijing in transit, or other cities in China with large airports, such as Shanghai, Kunming, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Urumqi, and not worry about visa issues.
The fact is that China has a 72-hour visa-free transit rule. If you are flying from one country to a third via (or via another major international Airport), and you have less than 72 hours between plane connections, you can safely apply for a transit visa.
At the exit, specify which officer to approach to get transit, show your ticket, explain that you would like to see the city (Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou) and get a stamp in your passport (for a whole page!). That's the whole procedure. Now you can safely leave the airport and head to the center. It will be better if the luggage is checked in to the final destination, then nothing will interfere with you.
Highway to Beijing
What to see in Beijing in one day
I prepared a little and already knew what to see in Beijing in 1 day. And I used this opportunity to see the Forbidden City in Beijing.
- In 24 hours, it’s even possible to go to the closest section of the Great Wall of China!
- What if you have a 72 hour transit visa, then you can plan a whole mini-trip.
The only negative (which in this case also acts as a plus) of the Forbidden City in Beijing is its accessibility. There will be a lot of people besides you.
China is an overpopulated country! You will see the Chinese in in large numbers. They will be everywhere and always, they will make noise and interfere with you. The Chinese are pushing, rushing and fussing, but you shouldn't take it personally. But do not forget that you came to visit them.
Tour group
Chinese
The first obstacle will be language. It is unlikely that you speak Chinese (congratulations if I am mistaken!), and the Chinese rarely know any other language than their native language. Although now in China it is very fashionable to learn English, and Russian was useful once before. In China without knowledge Chinese you still won't get lost.
Among the airport workers you will meet Russian speakers, and at tourist sites there will always be those who know a few words in English, and sometimes you are lucky and you will meet truly intelligent people. But for some reason, taxi drivers are behind the times, and it is they who must bring and take you away and do it as quickly as possible so that your plane does not fly away without you.
Therefore, it will be useful to find people in advance who will either teach you a couple of Chinese phrases, or, in order to avoid misunderstandings, simply write you the necessary words on paper, with which you will communicate with taxi drivers. I had two phrases with me - "I want to go to Tiananmen Square" and "Beijing Capital International Airport." Both papers are helpful!
How to get to Tiananmen Square
So, catch a taxi at the airport. You will be taken to the counter. Tiananmen Square (天安門廣場, Tiananmen) will cost about 100 yuan. 1 yuan equals 4.6 rubles. See the Mausoleum of Mao and the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, after which the square is named. Also nearby is the Chinese Parliament - the House of People's Assembly, a great contrast with the ancient buildings is the modern building of the Grand National Opera House.
Guard
Organized tours gather in Tiananmen Square from early morning
Entering the Forbidden City through the Gate of Heavenly Succession
Sunrise over downtown Beijing
Main Sun Gate to the Forbidden City
Great Hall of the People in Beijing
Forbidden City in Beijing
Go to the portrait of Mao, visible from afar, which guards the ancient Forbidden City (紫禁城, Zijincheng, Forbidden city), trying to control the power of the emperors. it huge complex, to which you can and should devote a lot of time, without being afraid of the crowds and carefully examining every corner. It may seem to you that each pavilion is similar to the other, but this is a deceptive similarity.
Zeitgeist in the Forbidden City
Giant square inside the Forbidden City
Ornate pavilion wall
Throne in the Forbidden City
Inside the pavilion
One of the large pavilions in the Forbidden City, where tours take place
Courtyard of the Imperial Palace
Cauldron in the Forbidden City
beautiful wall
Artistic crafts. Seasons
Jinshan Park
If you exit through the north gate, you will enter Jingshan Park (景山, Jingshan park), an artificial hill that was built according to Feng Shui rules to protect the City from the winds and bad weather. Today, thousands of Chinese people practice sports or other hobbies (singing, dancing, calligraphy, etc.) in the park.
From the top of the hill you have a stunning view of the Forbidden City. The main thing is that the sky is clear, that in recent times a rarity in Beijing. Usually the horizon is covered with haze, which gives the imperial palace a mysterious look.
Two twisted trees
Reflection
stone terraces
Pagoda at the top of the hill
The Chinese are massively engaged in physical education in the mornings in the parks
How to get to the Great Wall of China from the Forbidden City
If you still have time and dream of seeing the Great Wall of China, take bus 609 or 5 from the park to Jishuitan Men Station. The trip will take about half an hour. If you are not afraid to get lost, you can walk and meet within an hour. At Jishuitan, change to the tourist bus 919, just specify that it goes exactly to Badaling. The ticket will cost you 12 yuan. In an hour and a half, if there are no traffic jams, you will be at the entrance to the Wall! Price entrance ticket- 45 yuan. Funicular - 105 yuan.
You can return the same way or immediately take a taxi to the airport.
However, in one day you can see only the closest section of the wall, Badaling. But, as you know, there are three more sites, open to visitors, and among them there is, among other things, a little restored wall, from which you can learn much more about Chinese history than in the restored sections. How to get to all sections of the Great Wall of China and other sights of Beijing, read.
Central Avenue
I hope that an unexpected surprise to get acquainted with Chinese culture will open up new horizons for you.
Watch the video about visa-free 72-hour transit in Beijing:
What else is important to know about Beijing?
To get to the city of Beijing and see its sights, you need to buy a ticket and fly by plane to Beijing Capital International Airport, located in the capital of China. There are direct flights from Moscow to Beijing several times a day.