DK Travel : Beijing

At the heart of Beijing is tradition, given physical form in the mighty Forbidden City, from where successive imperial dynasties have ruled since the 15th century. Neighboring Tian’an Men Square is the China of recent history, of red-flag socialism and Mao. But this is also a city on the move, as an all-pervading spirit of change makes Beijing the most 21st-century of capitals.

Tang chao lizi

Chestnuts, roasted in hot sand and served in a paper bag. A seasonal snack appearing in autumn.
Tang hu lu

A kabob of candied hawthorn berries.
Tanzhe Temple

This enormous temple dates back to the 3rd century AD, when it was known as Jiafu Si. It was later renamed for the adjacent mountain, Tanzhe Shan. It has a splendid mountainside setting, and its halls rise up the steep incline. The temple is especially famous for its ancient trees.
Tea

All over Beijing are shops devoted to tea. One street specializes in nothing else with dozens of shops together offering around 500 different varieties of leaf. The packaging can often be quite beautiful too, from bright red tins to cardboard-tube containers decorated with a waving Mao.
Tea sets

You’ll never look at a cup the same way again. For a start, Chinese tea cups are often three-piece affairs with a saucer to prevent burned fingers and a lid to keep the leaves out of your mouth. They are sized from mug to thimble, and the colors and patterning can be exquisite, making a nicely-boxed tea set the number one gift from China.
Teahouses

You shouldn’t leave Beijing without visiting a teahouse. Tea is served with great ceremony, complete with smellings and recitations of Confucian sayings and poetry. The price of the tea varies greatly according to quality. For venues, see Top 10 Teahouses.
Television Cultural Center

Rem Koolhaas’s third high-profile Beijing project is a companion piece to his show-stopping CCTV Building. It may lack the visual impact of its sibling but when complete it will have much to offer Beijingers and visitors to the city, combining as it does a planned five-star hotel and 1500-seat theater, plus several restaurants, and exhibition spaces.
Temple of Heaven

Originally the venue for annual winter solstice sacrifices, which were performed by successive emperors to ensure ample harvests, the temple remains Beijing’s most recognizable icon (see Temple of Heaven).
Temple of Heaven

The name refers to a vast complex that encompasses a large, marble sacrificial altar, the iconic three-story Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the smaller Imperial Vault of Heaven, and many ancillary buildings, all set in a landscaped park. This is one of Beijing’s most absorbing sights. Allow at least a half day to take in everything (see Temple of Heaven).

Temple of Heaven
Temple of Heaven Park

Historic structures and a vast expanse of well-tended gardens, including a rose garden (see Temple of Heaven).