3 Days in Beijing - What to See Beyond the Games

Beijing: In The Middle Of Lecture No2

360 Cities – Beijing | 360° panorama by Yuqing Guo.

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Christine Negroni

Life In Beijing's Parks

I couldn't know it at the time, but that dinner served to me on Air China Flight 982 to Beijing would typify my experience during my week-long stay here. It was an unassuming little plate of vegetables, cooked vegetables, not my favorite way of eating greens frankly. But I took one bite and was pleasantly surprised. They were delicious.

On first glance, Beijing is the same way, vaguely familiar as large urban centers are anywhere in the world, some traditional buildings, some modern, some over-the-top, "what was that architect thinking?" and lots of people. This is China after all.

It's the second glace, the turn-in-to-an-alley-and-see-what-you-find that is consistently and unexpectedly, delightful.

In my opinion, Beijing is most charming because of the affection for music and movement exhibited by residents and their tendency to engage in these interests in public, en masse. Let's take exercise, for example.

On my third day in Beijing, Kensington Tours, a Canadian company specializing in customized itineraries, arranged for me to have a private tai chi lesson; just the basic moves, really. But it was a great overview and instructive in that it showed me how what appears to be a simple, low energy activity is actually pretty-darn exhausting.

As we did our lesson in a outdoor alcove by a Starbucks, I noticed people in the coffee shop watching us. I assumed it was amusement at the sight of a middle aged Western woman clumsily tackling this graceful, ancient Eastern martial art.

But the following day, as I wandered through the city on my own, and passed groups doing tai chi in public parks and on street side boulevards, I came to realize people were probably staring at me not because I was doing tai chi (or even because I was doing it badly) but because I was doing it alone. Tai chi is a communal thing.

Ditto for dancing, singing, playing board games, getting a massage and taking one's pet bird out for a walk.

Everywhere I turned in Beijing, another group was engaged in doing something together and on several occasions I was urged to participate.

"Welcome to join," one man about my age said as I watched him and 20 others jiving. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed that Jennifer Lopez's "Let's Get Loud," could be danced to with such restraint. But this dancing is not of the hip swinging kind. Imagine calisthenics, but fun.

When I stopped to photograph some women moving to a Chinese beat while spinning long colorful silk ribbons into elaborate shapes, an elderly lady forced the ribbon into my hand so I could give it a try.

Then she pried my camera from my fingers to photograph the result. Like tai chi, making the ribbon perform is a lot more difficult than it looks.

If the Beijingers weren't dancing they were singing. I dashed down a hillside at Jingshan Parkwhen I heard a haunting tune with a pulsating beat in the distance. I loved the sound and didn't want who ever was making it to end the concert before I got there.

I need not have worried. The little band was in no hurry to leave. Nor was it alone. One group of musicians was performing inside a covered picnic area, another was playing on the outside. Neither seemed even slightly miffed that the music was bleeding over.

During my walks through the parks of Beijing I found people amusing themselves and each other in a variety of ways. At one particularly rambunctious square there was a badminton game going on, several people were getting back massages, another little band was performing. All of this activity was decidedly non-goal oriented. How else to explain the men who use a damp mop-like swab to paint images on the pavement that evaporate within minutes of their creation?

With a population of 20 million people, I'm surprised that the people of Beijing are not weary of the company of their fellow citizens. Quite the opposite. The backstreet hutongneighborhoods may be congested, the high rises packed to the rafters but give these folks decent weather and outdoor space in which to enjoy it and a thriving community is on display and everyone, resident and visitor alike is welcome to participate.

Go China Travel Blog by Bloglongong

On August 8, 2008 the 2008 Olympic Games will officially begin in Beijing, the capital city of China. The city of Beijing is rich in culture and history. 3 dynasties have ruled China from Beijing. Visitors paying a call on the city for the first time will want to see a few of the sites in and around the Olympic Games. The following sites can all be seen in 3 days or less. While the culture can only be sampled in this time, it's important to make those samples memorable.

Beijing Cruise Tour

Cruise tours are available on the Yangtze River. The 3rd longest river in the world (after the Nile and the Amazon rivers), the Yangtze River is considered the dividing line between northern and southern China. Cruises along the river feature landmarks including the Great Wall and more.

The Forbidden City

Declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, the Forbidden City was China's Imperial Palace for centuries. It was built in 1406 and completed in 1420. The Imperial Palace housed the Emperor and his household. Commoners could not enter the Forbidden City and it was the center of the political and ceremonial government. There are 980 buildings present within the surviving complex and over 8,000 rooms. In 1924, the Forbidden City was put into the charge of the Palace Museum. Visitors can see the collections of artifacts and artistry of the Qing and Ming dynasties.

Summer Palace

The archetype of Chinese gardens, the Summer Palace is considered among one of the most classical gardens in the world. The palace was constructed during the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and was extended by succeeding generations. During the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911) it was the royal family's escape for rest and relaxation. Within the Summer Palace, visitors will discover Jade Spring Mountain, Fragrant Hill, Garden of Everlasting Spring and Garden of Tranquility and Pleasure.

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is located in the center of Beijing; he mixture of ancient and modern history makes Tiananmen Square a must visit location. A center for student protests in 1989, Tiananmen Square features Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People and the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. Tiananmen Tower was used traditionally for ceremony crowning the Emperor and the Empress.

The Great Wall of China

Originally built as a fortification to keep out the invading hordes, the Great Wall is one of the most enduring symbols of Chinese civilization. The Badaling Great Wall is located just over 40 miles north of Beijing. This section of the wall is the most preserved of the Great Wall and stretches like a great dragon along the mountain ranges.

Ming Tombs

Not far from the Badaling Great Wall are the Ming Tombs. While only two of them are open to the public, the Ming Tombs are the mausoleums of the Ming Dynasty's 13 emperors. The area is considered a rich historical and cultural treasure of the nation. The most magnificent of the tombs was the Changling dedicated for Emperor Zhu Di and his empress wives. Changling is open for visitors to tour.

There is so much to see and do at the Olympics, but these sites are all doable in 3 days or less. So take the time to explore the Beijing of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

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