The sight seeing In Beijing

Forbidden City is lies in the center of Beijing, it is a construction complex which used as the residence for the emperor 's family in Ming and Qing Dynasty. The other name of Forbidden City is Palace Museum and there are many precious history collections keep here and all of them represent the highest level of Chinese art. There are many sight seeing around Forbidden which are could not missed for the Beijing Travel, such as Beihai Park, Shichahai, Zhongnanhai, Jingshan Park and Zhongshan Park. Among them, Beihai park is a masterpiece built with all the best used in the garden construction in ancient China. Many tourists from inbound and outbound would like to have a visit to Beihai Park when they do the Beijing China Tour. Zhongnanhai is the political center for the headquarters of the Chinese government live in there. Tiananmen
Square, at the front of Forbidden City, also a welcome place for the Beijing Trip, such as Qianmen, Tiananmen, Mausoleum of Chairman Maoand National Museum, etc..

Summer Palace and Old Summer Palace is located in the west of Beijing, both of them are the summer resort for the royal family in Qing Dynasty, all of them had been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage. Both of them are very beautiful royal garden with long history, between them, Summer Palace is more welcome by the foreign guest for it is repaired many times in Qing dynasty and modern China and remain its original appearance, but old Summer Palace leave some remains left by the war, it is a patriotism education base now.

Temple of Heaven is located in the south Beijing, it is also a sight seeing which listed by UNESCO World Heritage Site. The picture of it is a sign for the Beijing Travel. It is a place used for worship in Ming and Qing dynasty, the emperors come here to preyaer for good harvest and good weather. Temple of Earth is located in the north of Beijing, Temple of Sun lies in the east and Temple of Moon lies in the west in Beijing city. There are many temple in Beijing such as Tanzhe Temple, Dongyue Temple, etc.. If you are interested in Chinese culture, Confucius Temple and Imperial Collage could not be missed for your Beijing trip. The Confucius Temple is to memory the Confucius in the history, he work much for the Chinese education for thousands years. The imperial colleage is the highest school in ancient China. The oldest Catholic
church in Beijing is built at year 1605, it is Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The oldest mosque in Beijing is located in Niujie with more than 1000 years history.

Beijing

Beijing, the capital of People's Republic of China, attracts many tourists visit here expecially for its Great Wall. The population here is about 20 million until now, it is the central of China both in political and cultural.
There are 14 districts and 2 counties in Beijing, the transportation here is very development, both in railway and roads. After the construction of Beijing Capital airport in year 1958, there are many international and domestic flights arrival and departure from this city.
With the long history as a capital city, Beijing has been the heart for centuries in China's history. The history of Beijing could traces to 230 thousands years ago, Zoukoudian Peking man is located in Dragon Bone Hill, current Fangshan district. Then Beijing is the capital Jin Dynasty, Liao Dynasty, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasty, etc.. Among them, Beijing is influence most deeply by last two dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang declaring himself as the first emperor in year 1368, he is the first emperor of Ming dynasty and founded the capital in Nanjing. The third emperor in Ming dynasty, Yongle moved the capital to Beijing from Nanjing and built a magnificent constuction in Beijing - Forbiden City. The construction for Forbidden City lasted about 15 years (1406 - 1420). The emperor Yongle moved to Forbidden City in year 1420. After that, Beijing is the political center of China, but Nanjing is the second capital in Ming dynasty.
Ming Dynasty also enlarge and rebuilt many Great wall within Beijing, the famous Badaling Great Wall and Mutianyu Great Wall had been repaired by the officer in Ming Dynasty.
As one of the major visit target city in the world, more and more guest arrival there to enjoy Beijing tours from inbound and outbound. Expecially the Forbidden City and Great Wall.  
Beijing, as the most important transport hub in China, own the largest railway station in Asia, the guest could arrival here with bus, train or flights. The main stations is Beijng railway station opened in year 1959. Beijing west railway station is openned in year 1996. There are more than 400 trains arrival at Beijing everyday.
Beijing is also a place own many famous universities, such as Peking University and Tsinghua University. Many students from all where of the world come to here continue the study.

Beijing Zoo

Beijing Zoo is located in the Xizhimenwai anvenue of Beijing, the east is Beijng exhibition center and Russian
restaurant. The area there is about 0.86 square kilometer with 90000 square meters lake. It is the oldest zoo with more than 100 years history, this zoo own the most species animals with in.

In Ming Dynasty, Beijing zoo is a royal manor and change to the prince residence of the royal family. The east area is named Leshan Garden, the west Ke Garden. In Guangxu period of Qing dynasty (1906), Ke Garden and Leshan Garden merged to one garden named Wansheng Garden.

After year 1949, the goverment enlarge and rebuilt here as a zoo. Every animal own their special house, the most famous and welcome place is the Panda house. It is the must-be place for the foreign guest when visit Beijing.

The current Panda house is built at year 1990 to celebrite the 11th Asia game, the style of this constuction is very special. The area of Panda house is about 10000 square meters and construction area of 1425 square meters. The construction is just like the bamboo. Northeast of the entry gate for the visit and southwest is the exit, with all of 3 exhibition hall within here. It is a good place to visit the famous Panda zoo here. There are some local travel agency organize Beijing coach tour to visit here, such as the one day bus tour to Hutong, Panda Zoo, Lama Temple and Olympic Stadium. The price for this tour is only US$30 per person.

As the oldest, biggest zoo in China, there are more than 120 million guest visit here every year. The open time of Beijing zoo as following:
15th March - 30th Apirl: 7:30am~17:30pm
1st May - 30th September: 7:30am~18:00pm
1st October - 14th November: 7:30am~17:30pm
15th November - 14th March: 7:30am~17:00pm.

For the individual visitors, you could take the subway line 4 arrival the Beijing Zoo station.

The entry tickets for Beijing zoo is RMB20 per person include Panda zoo in high season and RMB150 per person in low season. The boats is also avalible here, you could take boat from Beijing zoo to Summer palace or summer palace to Beijing zoo, the price is RMB70 per person.

Hutong

Hutong is a Characteristic street in Beijing, the building in Hutong is Courtyard, it is the local house of the local family. Hutong is mostly disappeared in mid-20th century beacause of the construction of Beijing. The rest hutong had been protected by the goverment in the purpose to preserve the Beijing traditional residence culture.
Hutong, mongol language, means water well in the ancient times, the residence live by the well as the necessary life, the people live near to one well is formate a community.

In the early 15th century, Ming dynasty, Beijing is compose with the Inner City and Outer. The royal family and the officer live in the inner city near to Forbidden City. The courtyard could varied with the ranking by its construction, include the carve and roof beam, etc.. The aristocrats lived in the east and north area of Beijing and the civilian lived in the north and south area. The courtyard in the north and south is more smaller the hutong is narrower also.
Hutong is a representation of Beijing, with the long capital history, the hutong represent the normal life for the civilian of ancient Beijing. Nowadays there are some local people live in Hutong, the most famous Hutong is located in Shichahai.

The longest Hutong in Beijing is Dong, Xijiaominxiang hutong. The narrowest one is Gaoyou Hutong located in north of Zhushikou, Chongwen district, this hutong is only 0.65 meters wide. The oldest one is located in Changchun street, Xuanwu district, named Jiexiang Hutong, it own more than 900 years history.
Nowadays many people visit China would like to have a visit to Hutong, there are more and more Beijing tours cover hutong in Beijing. Such as half day hutong tour or one day Hutong, Panda Zoo and Lama Temple Tour, etc.. All of them are welcome by the foreign guest for its convenient and economy.
The most welcome Hutong is around Shichahai, it is named for there are 10 temple within this area in the ancient times. The lake is lay by the Hutong in this area. From Qing dynasty, it became a place for the summer resort and also a best scenery in local Beijing.
You could have a boat on Shichahai in the summer and skating in the winter. After year 1949, Beijing is make a clear silt in Shichahai and built baluster in this area. Many ancient royal garden and palace is located here, such as the Mansion of Prince Gong and the Mansion of Prince Chun. It is also the business area in the ancient times.

Ming Tombs

Ming Tombs is located in Changping District, the north of downtown Beijing. The northern area of Ming Tombs is Tianshou mountain, the place for built Ming Tombs is chosen by the emperor Yongle, third emperor of Ming Dynasty. Emperor Yongle, Ming Dynasty, is the person whom moved capital from Nanjing to Beijing. With the construction of Forbidden City in year 1420.
There are 13 emperor in Ming dynasty built their tombs in this area. The first emperor in Ming Dynasty Zhu Yuanzhao, is buried in Nanjing, the second one Zhu Yunwen is disappeared without any tomb. Except this two emperor, the tombs of the rest emperors in Ming Dynasty all situated here.
There are only one tombs had been excavated. It is Ding Tomb in Ming Tombs, the work for the excavation is bagan in year 1956 and end at year 1957. At first, the expert would like to excavate the Changling, the tomb of the first emperor Zhu Di, it is also the biggest tomb in this complex. But in the purpose to protect the biggest tomb, Ding Tombs became the first one and the only one to be excavated until now.

Thoudands of heritages like silk, wood, textile & porcelain found with this excavation. China government decided not to excavate any tombs after that because with this excavation for the Ding Tombs, many items had been damaged for the shortage of protection.
For the foreign tourists whom would like to have a visit to Ming Tombs, the bus tour is a best choice for that, for Ming Tombs dislike the other sight seeing located in downtown Beijing, it is far from city center. The group tour to Badaling Great Wall and Ming Tombs is only US$20 per person, very economy and convenient.

Jiankou Great Wall

As the unique style and beauty scenery, Jiankou Great Wall became a hotspot Great Wall among all of the sections in Beijing. It is lie in Huairou District of Beijing, about 73 kilometer in the north of the downtown. Mutianyu Great Wall is located in the east of Jiankou Great Wall, about 10 kilometers away, Moshikou Great Wall is located in the west.
Jiankou Great Wall start its construction in year 1368, the Ming dynasty in China, it is mainly construct by some large white rocks, the workers here transfer these rocks from some  cities far away Beijing. Without any repair and reconstruction, there are many jagged cliff here, with many steep drop offs. So Jiankou Great Wall is a section hard to climb and a little dangerous for the tourists whom visit here.
If you would like to visit Jiankou Great Wall, you could arrival at Xizhazi Village or Jiushuikeng Village first, it is located in the north of Jiankou Great Wall, the north area is named Hou Jiankou and south named Qian Jiankou. From these 2 village, you could walk about 100 meters and arrival at Jiankou Great Wall. With the 1 kilometers great wall, the south section is about 450 meter higher than the north.
The scenery in Jiankou Great Wall is very impressive, the style of highest watch tower is like an Eagle with fly upward. The sky stairs is another scerery could not be missed on the Jiankou Great Wall sight seeing, it is a section of steep stairs with an angle about 70~80 degrees, it is very hard to climb on it for the people themselves.
There are some other sight seeing there like Beijing Knot, it is a gather place for 3 Great Wall from differnet
direction, Nine Eye Tower, this watch tower own 3 layers, 9 holes in every said of the wall, just like 9 eyes; Zhengbei Watch Tower, it is an excellent place to enjoy the sunrise and sunset, very beautiful with the ground of Great Wall; Cloud Stairs, it is a section in Jiankou Great wall and rise like a section on the white clouds. The watch tower here all with varied style and very unique.
In this years, some Great Wall lover would like to visit Jiankou Great Wall when they have the Great Wall tour, Jiankou Great Wall is a choice, but for it is a little dangerous for its situation, it is not as popular as the other Great Wall in Beijing.

Jinshanling Great Wall is one of the most famous Great Wall in Beijing

Jinshanling Great Wall is one of the most famous Great Wall in Beijing, it is located in the border of Luanping in Hebei Province and Miyun district of Beijing. It is first built in Hongwu period in Ming Dynasty (year 1368) with the direct of general Xuda. After that, the famous Chinese gerneral Qi Jiguang and Tan Lun enlarged and rebuilt this section of Great Wall in year 1567. Now it is the most important sight seeing in Beijing and listed into World Culture heritage.

As one of the essence part of Great Wall, it is set as a national sightseeing in year 1911. The altitude of Jinshanling Great Wall is about 700 meters, Jinshanling is near to Simatai Great Wall and from the south of Jinshanling Great Wall, i is the Miyun reservoir. There are many towers covers here with various character, it is the most magnificent Great Wall within Beijing. Around the Jinshanling Great Wall, there are many trees and mountains, it is a place suitable to visit in every season.
Jinshanling is start from Longyu Kou in the west and east to Watching Beijing Tower, it is about 10.5 kilometers for the total. With located in the Yan mountain, it besides the steep cliff, there are 64 watch tower, 5 pass and 2 beason located along this section. It is the best preserved section of all of the Ming Great Wall and regards as th essence of the Great Wall built in Ming Dynasty. The soliers stand on this great wall could have a wild field of vision, with the intensive watch tower, Jinshanling Great Wall is easy to defense the enemy's invasion in the ancient times.

The watch tower here is about every 1 separated by 50~100 meters. The wall of the tower all huge stone with 5~8 meters, the various of them is different with their own character, some mixed with brick and wooden, some mixed of brick and stone, the eaves of these tower is different too, Jinshanling Great Wall is regarded as the most beautiful one in Beijing.
With the visit of Jinshanling Great Wall, the tourist could enjoy the magnificent and majestic deeply. Nowadays, more and more tourists would like to visit Jinshanling Great Wall when they tour Beijing. And the best method to visit Jinshanling Great Wall is by the bus tour, it could save the tour fee for Jinshanling Great Wall is far from the downtown Beijing and hard to find even the local people. There are many bus tours in Beijing with English speaking tour guide to serve for the foreign guest these years.

Summer Palace is an imperial garden in Beijing

Summer Palace is an imperial garden in Beijing, mainly compose with the Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. It is located in the northwest of Beijing and easily to arrival at everywhere at Beijing. The tourist whom would like to enjoy the Summer Palace could take the subway line 4 and arrival at Beigongmen Station. Beigongmen is the north gate of famous Summer Palace. Or there are many bus tours in Beijing for foreign guest with English speaking tour guide. The guest could join the bus tour to enjoy the sight seeing of Summer Palace also, it is more convenient and comfortable.
The square of Summer Palace is 2.9 sqare kilombers, 75 percent in this garden is full of water. There are many constructions include various halls and pavilions around 60 meters high Longevity Hill. The scenery around the hill could varied to 2 part, one is the front part and the other is the back park, different with the front part, the back part of the hill is full of natural beauty without artificial.

Kunming Lake covers 2.2 square kilometers, the soil excavated by the Kunming Lake built the Longevity Hill. Summer Palace had listed in UNESCO in December 1998. It is a must be sight seeing when the tourists do Beijing Travel.
The history of Summer Palace could back to Jin Dynasty, year 1161. When the capital of Jin Dynasty moved to Beijing, the royal family built a Gold Moutain Palace in the site of normal Summer Palace. Summer Palace is enlarged by Qianlong Emperor in Qing Dynasty (year 1644-1911) in year 1749, in purpose to celebrite the 60 years' birthday or his mother.
There are many palace within Summer Palace as the residence for the emperor and the concubines with different design. Kunming Lake is built imitate the west lake in Hangzhou. Hangzhou is a very beautiful city and Hangzhou Tour is welcome by the foreign tourists in these years.
This palace enduring many times damage in the history, the first is by the Anglo-French Allied in year 1860 and eight country allied in year 1900. In year 1886 and 1902, Empress Lan ordered to rebuilt Summer Palace with the 30 million taels silver which was used on stronger Chinese navy.