Beijing Travel Information

Guided China Tour Beijing Travel Information Beijing, China’s capital and one of the great travel destinations of the world, offers sights and cultural relics found nowhere else on earth. The city has a character all its own; there are quadrangles, small alleys, tricycle, boiled mutton, roasted duck, arts and crafts, Peking Opera, The Great Wall, the 2008 Olympics venue and a vibrancy that is the distinctive flavour of Beijing. You can only really appreciate these unique features when you come to the city to see, hear and feel them all for yourself. The biggest public square in the world, Tian’anmen conquers with its grandeur at first sight. A few steps away, come to visit the Forbidden City. It was the Imperial Palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and is one of the largest, and certainly the most completely restored, ancient architectural complex in the world. Walk in the footsteps of Emperors; come to the museum and see with your eyes, and feel with your hearts; you’ll begin understand what life in this richest of feudal realms was like for the Imperial Rulers, their concubines and their slaves. Departing from the Imperial vermilion and gold hues of the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven is decorated in blue, the colour of the Heavens. The perfect harmony between the architectural environment and nature can be felt here; you might easily imagine the vivid spectacle of a great sacrifice to the Heavens for a good harvest. Located in Huairou County about 45 miles from Beijing, Mutianyu Great Wall enjoys a long history and is part of the glorious culture of China. It connects Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou Great Wall in the east. The wall was first built in Northern Qi Dynasty (550 – 557). In Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang, two famous patriotic generals, rebuilt it in order to strengthen its defensive potential when they guarded the strategic pass. It served as the northern protective screen, guarding the capital and imperial mausoleums for generations. Mutianyu Great Wall winds 1.4 miles through lofty mountains and high ridges, many sections of which are made of granite. The unique structure makes the wall almost indestructible. It measure 23-26 feet high and four to five yards wide. Both of the wall’s inner and outer sides have parapets to defend against enemies coming from the two sides. Some parapets are saw-tooth shaped instead of the regular rectangular form. Below the parapets, there are square embrasures the top of which are designed in an arc structure, different from the traditional round embrasures. The Ming Tombs are located in the northern suburbs of Beijing. Although there are thirteen tombs of Ming Dynasty Emperors from the period after the capital was moved from Nanjing to Beijing. Currently, due to archaeological research and restoration, only two tombs, Changling and Dingling are open to the public. The Lingsi Palace and Chingling Tomb’s second yard really deserves a visit. This is unique, a magnificent palace made of camphor wood. The ceiling is colourfully painted and supported by sixteen solid camphor posts. The floor is decorated with gold bricks. The potential gourmet’s highlight of the whole trip in Beijing; is if you desire to taste the famous Peking Roasted Duck. From the whole roasted duck to the soup of the duck bones, you’ll enjoy a banquet made from every part of the duck. Moreover, the chef will demonstrate his skill of cutting the skin of the duck for your entertainment. If you exploring the Forbidden City and the Ming Tombs, it will certainly improved your understanding of the lifestyles of China’s ancient Imperial Court, then take a half day Hutong Tour will give you an insight into the lives of ordinary Chinese people and reveal their social culture in today’s Beijing City.