Things to do in Beijing
Beijing may be one of the most populated cities on earth with a staggering 13 million people living within its boundaries, but it still remains a mystery to many across the globe. For while the Chinese protest its modernity, most of the sights are steeped in the country's phenomenally long and rich history.
It is worth making sure you indulge in some modern Beijing, however, as well as sticking to the easy option of a 'history of the empire' trail. One of the best ways to see the hi-tech and affluent urban environment that is beginning to emulate the West, is to go shopping. This way, you'll soak in the atmosphere of the place and might even pick up some technical gadgets at a steal.
For other tourist attractions that capture this city's modern persona, head straight for Tiananmen Square. The world's largest public square, its name became synonymous with communist oppression in 1989 when peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators were run out by the army with tanks.
Since then, it has been an international representation of China's notoriously repressive regime and is such an iconic space that no visitor to the city can escape without having seen it. Many say it feels like a desert, but visit at dusk and you gain a different impression. There are also many museums around its perimeter to dip into.
Another part of the city's recent history is the Beijing Underground City. Built during the cold war, when the threat of nuclear war was an everyday occurrence, Chairman Mao had miles of bombproof underground tunnels built to safeguard the future of the Chinese nation. The maze is now put to use as warehouses, hotels and restaurants. With 90 entrances all hidden in shops, you can only really visit by joining the mapped section, which still labels the tunnels with their originally intended functions such as the cinema and hospital.
However, the real camera-snapping moments in Beijing come from the sights of the Empire. The most visited of these ? and a great way to spend an otherwise hot and dusty day ? is the Summer Palace. Its immense park includes temples, gardens, pavilions and lakes that once represented a summer escape for royalty. It is is recommended that you set aside a good few hours to meander through the park's treasures, but you might be better able to enjoy the ambience out of high season, when the tranquillity is dampened by the hoardes of tourists.
It is the Forbidden City that the royal family used the Summer Palace to escape from. Hidden from the world for 500 years, this incredibly preserved collection of ancient buildings will transport you back to the world of emperors and concubines, wealth and power. Now including museums contained within the great halls, which are continuously restored in a ten-year cycle.
The final aspect of this rapidly changing and historically saturated city to visit is its religious one. The Lama Temple is the largest temple in Beijing, magnificently ornamental and covered from top to toe in statues, frescoes, tapestries and carvings. Here, however, nothing is sacred from politics and while the official line is that the existence of this beautiful Tibetan temple discredits any view that the relationship between China and Tibet is not entirely at peace, you may be wise to retain an air of scepticism.
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Things to Do
