Category Archives: Beijing Attractions

The Forbidden City, also called the Imperial Palace or the Palace Museum, is located in the center of Beijing. Covering an area of 72 hectares, the Forbidden City is the best-preserved imperial palace in China, and also the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architectural accomplishment and even the largest ancient palatial structure in the world. It is a great ancient architecture works where 24 emperors had been living here during the period of the Ming and Qing Dynasty and it has been listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987. It is a famous AAAAAA attraction in China without which any of your Beijing tour would be incomplete.

The Forbidden City is divided into two parts: the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation in the south and the Inner Court where he lived with his royal family in the north.  When you are walking inside the Forbidden City, you will find that its roofs are built with yellow glazed tiles; decorations in the palace are painted yellow; even the bricks on the ground are made yellow by a special process—Yes, you may guess it, this is because yellow is the symbol of the royal family in China. You will first reach its main entrance— Meridian Gate, then to the outer court where you can see three main buildings—the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, finally to the inner court to view the Palace of Heavenly Peace, the Palace of Union and Peace and the Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility. All of these majestic architectures will make shock you and make you unbelievable and unspeakable.

Tips: 1) Ticket price: 60 RMB/ adult (not include the Pearl Hall and the Hall of Clock and Watches) for the peak tourist season from 1st April to 31st October; 40 RMB/ adult (not include the Pearl Hall and the Hall of Clock and Watches) for the slack tourist season from 1st November to 31st March; 2) Open time: 8:30 a.m.to19 p.m. for the peak season and 8:30 a.m. to 15: 40 p.m. for the slack season. 3) Best time to visit: late April to early June and late August to the end of the November. Late April to early June will be the best time of the best when the colorful flowers are blossoming. 4) Ways to go there: Take the No. 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 20, 52, 22, 120, 728 and 802 city buses to Tiananmen Square west stop or Tiananmen Square east stop and then get off.

Covering an area of 273 hectare, the Temple of Heaven is one of the famous attractions in China located in the southeastern of the Forbidden City with 4 times bigger than the Forbidden City.  It is a place to offer a sacrifice to supreme Ruler of Heaven in winter solstice for the emperors of the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. The distribution of the Temple of Haven shows “back” glyp and the altar wall is made with two sections: the inner altar and the outside altar, with the outside altar’s length totaling 6,416 meters and the inside altar 3,292 meters.

Travelling here, you will find that the Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall, whose south part is square which symbolize the earth and the north semicircular symbolizing the heaven. The northern wall is higher than that of the southern part, which shows the heaven is high and the earth is low, it also reflects that the heaven is round while the earth square.

 

The main architecture of the Temple of Heaven gather at the axle wire of the inside altar, which is connected with a broad bridge called Vermilion Steps Bridge whose south end is lower than its north end, and from the south to north are the Circular Mound Altar (Yuanqiutan), Imperial Vault of Heaven (Huangqiongyu) and Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest (Qiniandian). In addiction, there are ancient architectures and historical sites including the God Kitchen, the Animal-killing Pavilion and the Hall of the Abstinence, whose design are ingenious, color reconcile and architecture excellent.

 

Tips: 1) Ticket price: 10 RMB/adult for the slack season from 1st November to 31st March and 15 RMB/ adult for the peak season from 1st April to 31st October. 2) Opening time: 6 a.m. to 22 p.m. for the entrance gate, 8 a.m. for the inside attractions. 3) Best time to visit: spring and autumn; one advantage to visit in winter is you can experience the acoustic building of the Temple of Heaven. 4) Don’t miss the Three Echo Stones, Echo Wall and Nine-Dragon Cypress.

With a long history of more than 600years, the Shanhai is located in Qinhuangdao City, which is nearly 300 km east of Beijing. It is the entrance to sea among the whole Great Wall, whose total length being 26 kilometers, average height 12 meters, width over 10 meters and major sections including Laolongtou Great Wall, Nanyiguancheng Great Wall, Beiyi Great Wall, Jiaoshao Great Wall, Sandaoguan Great Wall and Jiukoumen Great Wall. Among which the Laolongtou Great Wall is the entrance to the sea as it meets the Pacific Ocean at Bohai Sea, and it enjoys the reputation of “the sole of the China”.

The Shanhaiguan Great Wall is know as the “ First Pass under Heaven” that are made up of 7 castles—Guancheng, Dongluocheng, Nanyicheng, Beiyicheng, Weiyuancheng and Nihaicheng, around which are tall, strong and majestic wall with its length 4,769 meters, height 116 meters and thickness 10 meters. Shanhaiguan played an important military role in ancient times. It is the product of the Ming Dynasty policy and the “Tuntian Policy” and its reformation policy at that time has great effect on the consolidation and development of the Shanhaiguan.

There are 6 famous tourist areas in Shanhaiguan: Laolongtou, Temple of Meng Jiang Nü, Jiaoshan Mountain, First Pass under Heaven, Longevity Mountain, and Yansai Lake. Travelers who visit the Shanhaiguan Great Wall do remember to pay a visit to the Laolongtou and the First Pass under Heaven as there as the most popular among all the attractions there. Attractions near the Shangaiguan Great Wall include Beidaihe Scenic Area in Qinhuangdao City, you can also have a visit there if time available.

No one will ever understand the military power of China in ancient times if he or she has never visit the Great Wall at Shanhaiguan. So, just have a travel in the Shanhaiguan Great Wall anytime you like as it scenery varies and shows different beauty all the year round. You will never regret by doing that!

Located in the Gubeikou County with about 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Beijing and a 2.5-hour journey from the city center, the Simatai Great Wall has far less travelers than the crowded Badaling Great Wall. The length of the Simatai totals 5.4 kilometers with 35 watchtowers whose average distance between two watchtowers is 100 – 200 meters with the nearest two only 44 meters from each other. It is the most essential and special section of the whole Great Wall which is characterized by elaborate conception, unique design, novelty construction and various appearance. The Great Wall professor has praised that” The Great Wall is the top one wonders in the world, while the Simatai is the No.1 section of the whole Great Wall’. It is the only section to retain the original appearance of the Ming Dynasty and was acknowledged by UNESCO as one the World Heritage Sites in 1987.

Compared to the Badaling Great Wall at Badaling, the Simatai Great Wall is much steeper with precipitous steps and shows some unique features of its own which can be described as “perilous, dense, diverse, artful, and peculiar”. It was built along the steep mountain ridges, with Heavenly Ladder and Sky Bridge being the most thrilling parts. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Great Wall at Simatai by ropeway, pulley, boat or hiking as it is separated into two parts by Simatai Reservoir, over which a chain bridge runs through east to west. Travelling here, you will find a section laid with bricks carrying inscriptions that recorded the date on which they were made, and the code number of the armies who made them. Attractions near the Simatai Great Wall include the Gubeikou and Jinshanling sections with only 20 minutes away.

What should be paid attention to? 1) Dress for hiking and dress for the weather and choose comfortable footwear with good grip and support for the feet. Layers of clothes that can be taken on and off will be a great choice. 2) Wear anti-sunshine product such as hat, sunscreen, lip creams and sunglasses to protect your skin or anti-coldness clothing to keep warm as it is colder on the wall than down in the valleys because of altitude and exposure. 3) Bring breathable waterproofs for protection from heavy rain and strong wind instead of umbrellas. 4) Keep in good physical condition if you want to complete the Shanhaiguan hike as the steps here are rather steep and some points are even narrow during your hiking.

Jiayuguan

Jiayuguan, the most western end of the Great Wall with 6 kilometers southwest of Jianyuguan City of Gansu Province, or 380 kilometers from Dunhuang City and 750 kilometers from Lanzhou City, is built in the Hongwu emperor period in Ming Dynasty and got its name got its name for being located on the Jayu Highland between the Wenshu and Heishan mountains at the foot of the Qilian Mountains. It is the best preserved section of the whole Great Wall and the essential stop of the ancient Silk Road in the narrowest point of the western part of Hexi Corridor. Travelling here, you will experience the desolation and loneliness of the desert and wall as the Jiayuguan passes through the Gebi Desert from its west to east.

Being built with rammed earth in 1372, the Jiayuguan covers an area of 34 square kilometers with its total length 733 meters and height 11.7 meters and its shapes looks like a trapezoid. Together with an inner city wall, outer city wall, trenches, and fortifications with walls around them, the Great Wall in Jiayuguan has a good layout with a three-storied gate tower and 4 corner towers; you can enjoy the fascinating views of the boundless Gobi Desert and the snow-capped Qilian Mountains here.

Boasting so many alluring and amazing sceneries, the Jiyayuguan will be a great place to leave you wonderful and memorable experience in China. Moreover, the architectural complex of the castle is magnificently exquisite for its towers and pavilions have a classic beauty and grandeur with their roofs upturned at the end of the ridges, you will always experience different scenes in all directions regardless of seasons. Attractions near here are including The Suspended Great Wall, Great Wall Museum and Qiyi (July First) Glaciers, which will make your tour here colorful and worthwhile!

Important tips for you to visit the Jiayuguan: 1) Choose comfortable footwear with good grip and support for the feet. 2) Dress layers of clothes. 3) Take sun protection in the summer and dress for sub zero temperatures in the winter. 4) Bring breathable waterproofs for protection from rain and wind.

Located in the Huairou area with its west connecting to Juyongguan Great Wall and east connecting to Gubeikou— about 95 km (59 miles) north of Beijing (a 2 hour 30 minute journey from the city center), the Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the 16 new scenic spots in Beijing and it is the less crowded section of the whole Great Wall. Moreover, it has better architecture than at Badaling with more watchtowers. The famous attractions in its west such as Jiankou, Niujiaobian, Yingfeidao are the essence of the whole Great Wall.

Features about 1500 years of history, the Mutianyu Great Wall is a masterpiece of restoration, with 22 original style watchtowers about one every kilometer, on overlapping mountain ranges. And it is the longest fully-restored Great Wall section opens to tourists. With the greens of pines and cypresses covering ninety percent of the surrounding area, the scenery here is beautiful all the year round, together with the project of the hiking cables, slippery paths, dreaming stone city, the Mutianyu Great Wall has been the combination of the Great Wall culture, stone culture, physical culture, healthy fitness and entertainment, it has attracted numerous travelers to visit here, of whom including the pre-president of the UK Major and the pre-president of America Clinton.  It has been listed as the No.1 attraction for the foreigners in Beijing in 1992 and entitled as a 4 star level spot area in China in 2002. Nearby attractions of the Mutianyu Great Wall include the Jiankou (Arrow Nock) section, which is only 20 minutes away.

Plan your trip to experience the alluring scenery of the Great Wall in Mutianyu now; it will be an enjoyable and comfortable tour for you. Keep the following tips in mind: Just wear the short clothes in the summer as it’s so hot in Beijing at that time and anti-coldness clothes in winter because it’s much colder at the wall than at the valleys in winter of Beijing. Do remember to take the anti-sun products to protect your skin under the sun and take the raincoat instead of the umbrellas with you because of the strong wind there.  You will find it amazing and memorable when seeing the Great Wall in its awe-inspiring former glory, winding through mountain scenery, with easier walking conditions and fewer crowds.

Located in the Yanqing, about 80 km (50 miles) northwest of Beijing with a 1 hour 30 minutes journey from the city center, the Badaling is the representative section of the Ming Great Wall. With more than 1,000 meters above sea level, it is the best preserved and the most popular one amongst all the Great Wall sections, where you can have a birds’ eyes view of the spectacular and astonishing scenery. Its grand scenery, completed facility and profound culture and history have attracted numerous travelers from home and broad to have a visit here, of whom including about 370 state leaders and VIPs such as Obama, Nixon and Thatcher.

The Great Wall at Badaling was built in the 18th year (1505) of the reign of Hong Zhi, an emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). Compared with the other sections, it is features comprehensive tour services such as a circular-screen cinema, GreatWallMuseum, shopping and dining facilities, as well as barrier-free structures for the disabled. GreatWallMuseum here is an all-around museum that takes the Great Wall as its theme, which comprehensively reflects the history, policy, military, economy and culture of the Great Wall. Nearby Attractions include the imperial cemetery – Ming Tombs, which is located about half way from Beijing city center to Badaling.

The best time to visit the grand Badaling is summer and early autumn time. Do remember to choose comfortable footwear with good grip and support for the feet and those clothes with layers that can be taken on and off for greater comfort and temperature control. And also wear the skin product for sun production in summer as the summer in Bejing is so hot and anti-coldness in winter for the sub zero temperatures because of altitude and exposure in the wall. Take the breathable waterproofs for protection from rain and wind also because the umbrellas here are inconvenient in strong winds. Start to plan your trip now and you’ll have a memorable experience here!

With a length of more than 100, 000 kilometers, the Great Wall is a majestic and magnificent attraction situated in the vast area of Norther China crossing from the West to the East, which is one of the greatest defensive project in the old times, reflecting not only the combination of the strong willpower and of the high-lever wisdom of the Chinese people at that time, but also the extraordinary achievement in the area of the engineering technology and long history of the People’s Republic of China. It has been listed as one of the seven wonders in the world because of its long-lasting construction time for more than 2000 years and numerous project volume in terms of defensive project in old times.

Sections of the Great Wall left include: Mutianyu, Shanhaiguan, Jiayuguan , Simatai, Badaling, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Jinshanling, Hushan, Jiumenkou, Datong, Juyongguan, Dajingmen and Tngamen Graet Wall, but among these, the first five are the most famous in the world.

The Great Wall at Mutianyu is fully-restored and characterized by many watchtowers on overlapping mountain ranges, which is less crowded and has better architecture than that of Badaling.

Badaling is the best-preserved and most popular section of the Great Wall, which is one of the closest sections to Beijing with about 1.5 hours on the Badaling Expressway). And there are about 370 foreign leaders and VIPs having climbed the Badaling section.

The Simatai Great Wall is a section of unrestored original wall, well-preserved with a good range of architecture. Every part is at least 400 years old. The mountains at Simatai are particularly steep, offering great views, but the hiking is more testing.

Shanhaiguan is known as “the First Pass Under Heaven”. With Old Dragon’s Head (Laolongtou), the eastern limit of the Great Wall, only 5 km away, you can see where the Great Wall meets the sea. It is an important section of the Great Wall with military function.

Jiayuguan is a very well-preserved pass that has been a gateway of the Silk Road for centuries. Jiayu Pass, in the Western limits of the Great Wall in Gansu Province, traverses desert and much of the wall but it has been buried by sandstorms.

The main function of the Great Wall nowadays is the reflection of the spiritual culture of the Chinese Nations which stimulating the Chinese people to protect our nations and the witness of the Chinese people working hard together to achieve miracle and glory rather than the military function. Besides, it has been a must-see attractions for not only Chines but also foreigners.Therefore, start to plan your trip to visit the highlights of Great Wall, especially the Badaling Great Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall, The Simatai Great Wall, Shanhaiguan Great Wall and Jiayuguan Great Wall, you’ll find it worthwhile and unforgettable!