THE MYSTERIOUS ALLURE OF BEIJING, CHINA

Welcome to Beijing, China

I seem to find myself attracted to far away destinations that have a richness and promise of a completely different world.  A place where science and technology are greatly advanced, but where one can still experience tradition and culture in everything around them.  Beijing is one of those places.  It is the capital city of the People's Republic of China and is one of  six "Chinese Ancient Capital Cities."


Due to the 2008 Olympics (Deemed "China's Coming Out Party"), Beijing is not as shrouded in mystery to me as it was and is more appealing as a destination than ever.  Getting to know a little bit about this exciting city during the Olympics is likely why I chose it as opposed to Hong Kong or another well-known city in China.

Dragon Dance at
Chinese New Year Festival

I have always enjoyed Chinese culture, a love that started for me with the birth of my son in the year 2000 - the New Millennium & the Chinese Year of the Dragon.  Being such a significant year, I could not help by become immersed in the symbolism of what that meant.  Over the years, we attended Chinese New Year festivals  regularly and indulged on the wonderful traditions and cuisine of this culture.  Two of our favorite celebrations include  the magnificent displays at the Bellagio Convseratory in Las Vegas as well as our new tradition at Lan Su Garden in Portland, OR.

HISTORY

Beijing has a long and colorful history, dating back over 3,000 years.   It was first settled by Peking man.  The recorded city of Ji, very close to Beijing, was crucial throughout the dynasties due to its important location for trading.   During the Ming Dynasty approximately 500 years ago, the name was changed to Beijing after the throne was captured and the city was then reconstructed, bearing some of the famous historical monuments and locations visited today.  Today, Beijing is the political and also the cultural center of China, flush with some of the world's most famous sites and incredible scenic beauty.  

BEST TIME TO VISIT 

The best seasons to visit China is undeniably in the fall.   It is the most comfortable in terms of the weather with little rain and temperatures between 50 and 72 degrees.  Due to the pleasant temperatures, this is the time when many museum pieces that are sensitive to high temperatures are brought out of storage for display.  Spring is a close second for visiting; however, those two seasons may also be the priciest.   Summertime is hot and rainy so be prepared if you are visiting during that time.   Winters are notoriously cold, although in some other parts of China there are some incredibly redeeming qualities to the season (Harbin Ice Festival).

TOP SIGHTS TO SEE

Beijing is a magical and mysterious place, filled with great beauty and splendid sights of historical and cultural significance. For those with a slightly different agenda, it is also described as a shopper's paradise!

• Great Wall (One of most famous monuments in the world accessible from different locations)
• Temple of Heaven (Holy Place)
  
• Tiananmen Square (Massive gathering site & famous public space)
• National Museum of China (Extensive collection of the nation's past)
• Forbidden City (Palace Complex)
• Hutongs (Ancient Transportation)
• Olympic Sites (National Stadium, National Aquatic Center, & Olympic Forest Park...all still in place)

CHINESE CUISINE

During my research on this beautiful city, I learned that Chinese Muslim is the most influential aspect in their cuisine.  Additionally, many types of International cuisine can be found there as well.  

Chinese dishes are categorized into eight different types and traditions of cuisine.  In Beijing, there are influences that can be found from all all eight styles.  Shangdong; however, is one of the more common styles found there.  All eight are listed below.

1. Shandong (Clean & pure...found in Beijing)
2. Sichuan / Szechuan (Spicy, pungent flavors)
3. Guangdong/Cantonese (Most familiar to Westerners)
4. Fujian (Seafood using sweet, salty, sour & savory flavors as well as pickled foods)
5. Jiangsu (Fresh fish, skilled carving techniques)
6. Zhejiang (Combination of local cuisines of Hanzhou, Ningbo, and Shaoxing)
7. Hunan (Combination of local cuisines of Xiangjiang Region, Dongting Lake and the Xiangxi coteau areas)
8. Anhui (Focuses on cooking temperature, braising & stewing)

Meals can be extremely formal with complex preparation techniques and presentations or much less formal.  There are countless options for dining here (Beijing Dining) including fine dining; less expensive family-run restaurants, food stands and "snack streets" where you can find a variety of quick options.  Roast duck is the true specialty here and is considered the local flavor of Beijing.  In addition to roast duck, pork, lamb/mutton, and seafood are very popular and can be found in the Hot Pot restaurants in the city as well as at the snack streets.  Vegetarian dishes also are plentiful which means there is something here for all who visit.  

If you're looking for the extraordinary served up skewer style, look no further than the many snack streets you can find.  In addition to the popular skewered and grilled meats along with skewered fresh fruit, expect to possibly come across skewered scorpions, grasshoppers, seahorse or sea star, and even beetles.   Other more mainstream dishes include meat-stuffed rolls called Roujiamo, pan-fried and stuffed crepes called Jian Bing, or stuffed buns called Baozi.  Sounds like you won't be going hungry there!


I hope you've enjoyed our exploration of Beijing, China.  I think you'll see as I have what a delicious and fascinating journey this would be (maybe with the exception of the exotic foods portion above...unless of course you have an appreciation for that).  What a transcending experience it must be to have some of the best and most flavorful foods in the world that one can enjoy in the midst of this ancient and beautiful paradise.  

Our next city of discovery before we leave the Orient is Tokyo, Japan; however, we're going to pause first to take a look at why folks in my hometown are so dedicated to ensuring that we "Keep Portland Weird!"   Hope you'll come along!