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Chaoyang District2002/03/01
Located in the East of Beijing City, this 476sq.k district has been described as offering all things to all people--not least because it forms the prime commercial, entertainment and shopping heart of the capital. It also embraces the Central Business District (CBD), and is thus the China HQ for, currently, more than 8,000 foreign companies. Government and other official entities also abound, as do foreign embassies. The district also boasts delightful parks, notably Chaoyang; many theaters; the world-famous Workers' Stadium; fabulous indoor and open-air markets; almost countless restaurants between them offering probably every major Chinese and foreign cuisine; traditional teahouses by the score; dozens of four- and five-star international hotels; and unique cultural remains from the Yuan Dynasty. Probably the majority of tourists and business visitors base themselves in Chaoyang--the ideal starting point for all other areas of Beijing. Listing all attractions well worth visiting would require a
hefty book, so we can only point the way to a mix of venues in
the cultural/recreational bracket. Most will delight you. Few,
if any, will disappoint. China Red Sandalwood Museum This spacious museum is nothing less than a temple to fast-disappearing red sandalwood, a natural resource now so rare that each one-inch of it is said to be worth as much as an inch of gold. While the museum is the world's sole repository of the timber, don't be fooled into thinking that it is merely stacked with planks of the stuff. Instead you will find a vast array of red sandalwood Chinese traditional furniture, and superbly carved models (some huge) of, for example, the intricate guard towers of the Forbidden City and a detailed representation of a courtyard enclosing--(alleys) and dwellings. Every single one of the scale models' thousands of tiny bricks has been hand-carved. Indeed, not one of the hundreds of exhibits contains a single metal nail or screw, for the Chinese are masters of holding things together with intricate wooden pegs. From the outside, the near-10,000sq.m museum gives every appearance of being a traditional Chinese temple. The interior, however, might best be described as modern/practical, with its various halls designed to provide visitors with the best possible views of exhibits. Predominant are furniture of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and Buddhist art and artifacts. You will also find the traditional tools used by artisans over the centuries.
No. 9, Xinglong Xijie Jintong Expressway Ritan Park The Park, originally the Altar of Sun--built in 1530--was used by Ming and Qing emperors to offer sacrifices to the God of the Sun. Before the founding of modern China in 1949, the main structure of the temple was destroyed and historical relics stolen. In 1951, the Beijing government expanded the temple area to more than 300 hectares. Recent years have seen Ritan Park transformed into a delightful retreat. Improvements include a large entertainment center.
No. 6, Ritan Beilu Chaoyangmenwai China Ethnic Cultural Park China is home to 56 minority nationalities, each with a unique cultural heritage, customs, costumes, arts and crafts. Located near the Olympic Sports Center, this grandiose park features replicas of ethnic housing and artifacts, and song and dance performances by ethnic representatives. It can take at least a day to explore the park, which has been developed over the past two decades. For visitors, it provides a stunning insight to the lives of the many millions who make up China's different nationalities.
No. 1, Minzulu Blue Zoo Beijing This zoo is best known for its salt-water aquarium, the first in Beijing. Visitors obtain a magnificent view of the aquarium's widely diverse sea creatures by walking through Asia's largest (120m) transparent underwater acrylic tunnel. It is a stroll through a wonderland of some 6,000 sea creatures from all over the world. A plus for visitors is an informative educational facility that, among other things, provides an insight to to tropical fish and sea ecologies and environments.
South Gate of Workers' Stadium Chaoyang Park Chaoyang is the largest afforested metropolitan park in Beijing, offering numerous attractions beyond the simple pleasure of strolling through superbly maintained grassed and flowered areas. In fine weather, many families spend whole days here, enjoying picnics or eating at the good choice of restaurants and teahouses. Children usually make a beeline for the funfair, which offers thrilling rides. Chinese President Jiang Zemin is among dignitaries who have on many occasions personally planted trees in the park.
No.1, Nongzhannanlu Silk Alley Market This colorful market is a must for any newcomer to Beijing. Visitors can select from more than 400 booths, where some 1,000 vendors are happy to indulge in bargaining. First golden rule: never immediately pay the asking price. Shrewd negotiation will see you paying a good deal less. Second golden rule: smile and be courteous, and you'll usually get a good response. Many "good buys" are available, especially in silk and other garments, plus accessories ranging from scarves to leatherwear. You will also find a huge array of souvenirs, but beware of those claimed to be genuine antiques. Silk Alley can be a fun place, the more so if you have a Chinese friend with you to help you with bargaining.
East of Silk Street and South-east of Ritan Embassy
Area Panjiayuan Antique Market This is a good place to seek out folk art and handicrafts, the claim being that the market offers Beijing's largest, most diverse collections. It is also a major distribution center for handicrafts. The market has around 3,000 booths covering some 50 hectares--a scene made busier by the presence of almost 10,000 market workers and, on an average day, up to 50,000 bargain hunters. Visitors will also find a good choice of antiques ... many of which are not as antique as one is led to believe. Panjiayuan is a fun day out, whether or not you buy anything. It also provides the chance for some good snapshots.
Junction of East Third Ring Road and Panjiayuan Bridge. Turn West onto Panjiayuan Lu. Beijing Jinzhan Tulip Garden You can almost follow your nose to find this venue, such is the collective scent that fills the air when myriad flowers burst into bloom. The garden covers an area of 260,000sq.m which is divided into production and display sectors for every imaginable type of flower and plant. Some people call the place Beijing's Garden of Eden. The production sector is well worth a special look-see, for not everything grown here ends up on the sales counters. Think of it as akin to Britain's famed Kew Gardens, where amazing things are done with plants. The ornamental-flower/plants outlet is colorful in the extreme, a paradise for nature lovers who also like to cultivate their own blooms.
Jinzhan Township (West of Dongwei Road) Beijing Laitai Flowers and Plants Trade Center Laitai is arguably Beijing's largest "supermarket" for what seems all things botanical, such is the huge choice of flowers and plants. But it's far more than just a retailing organization. It also comprises a wholesale setup; export, import and display services; garden tools and furnishings such as mini windmills; and probably everything else to do with flowers and plants. As at Jinzhan Tulip Garden, visitors can easily go into sensory overdrive from the vast mix of aromas.
No. 9, Maizidian Xijie Sanlitun Bar Street Glittering Sanlitun Bar Street, located virtually at the center of Chaoyang District, is known to visitors from all over the world as Beijing's No.1 collective watering hole. It's snazzy, jazzy and, come nightfall, often frenetic as revelers get a few pints under their belt. Bars and restaurants abound, and while the area is currently undergoing a modernizing facelift, its unique fun-filled atmosphere prevails. Bar Street has existed for around 20 years as Beijing's first concentrated collection of western-style pubs, bars and restaurants. Sadly, its cut-price fashion-wear booths have been relocated elsewhere. The street generates considerable revenues for the municipality, much of it earned during the summer months when visitors like to drink alfresco and view the passing scene. Night brings considerable noise from discos, a seeming contradiction because the street is within the boundary of the city's main embassy area. Which is why one comes across not a few foreign diplomats who like to revel just as much as tourists. |
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