China Travel Reference

Lama Temple

Yonghegong, (Palace of Harmony and Peace) sitting in East City District, once had been the mansion of Emperor Yongzheng during his days as the crowned prince. After he ascended the throne he had it converted into a lamasery, which has remained as such to this day. Influences of Han, Manchurian, Mongolian and Tibetan architecture are palpable in this complex that consists if three finely crafted archways and five imposing halls laid out tastefully over an area of 66,400 square meters. Among the treasures in these halls, there is a 26-meter-tall statue of Maitreya (the Smiling Buddha), which is carved out of a single sandalwood trunk., 18 meters above ground and 8 meters below ground.

The Great Wall
　

Starting from the east coast of the Pacific Ocean, winding through Mountains, grassland and deserts, Great Wall, like a dragon, runs across the north part of the Chinese territory about 6,350 kilometers.
The Great Wall was first built in 7 century BC, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring State Period in Chinese history. It served as the self-defense work against trespassers from the nomadic tribes living in the north of China. But during that time the Great Wall was in separate condition, not in one line. Till 221 BC, the Qin emperor had all the walls linked up, then the Great Wall came into being. From then on, the construction

of the Great Wall went intermittently for more than 2,000 years. If we could link all the walls built in different dynasties up, the wall could run across the earth for more than one circle.
     The Great Wall not only served as the defense work, but also as the signal transmission net-work. Every several hundred meters, there is a tower standing on the highest place of the wall, which was called beacon tower. In the past on the tower there would be solders to keep watch. When the enemy was in sight they would make fire during night and smoke in the daytime. When other solders on the beacon towers saw the signal they would do same thing. Then the emergency message could be sent to capital city within the shortest time.

     In Beijing area the Great Wall is about 629 kilometers, the most of them were built on the ridges of mountains, looking imposing and magnificent. In Beijing, there five sections of the Great Wall open to the tourists, namely: Badaling Great Wall, Juyonggaun Great Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall, Simatai Great Wall and Jinshanling Great Wall. In 1987 the Great Wall was put on the list of the World Heritage of the UNESCO.

Hutong Tour
　

Hutong is a kind of city alley or lane, typical in Beijing. It has a history more than 800 years and first appeared in Yuan dynasty. In the past, Chinese people lived in quadrangle yard—a Chinese traditional building, with houses on four directions, the main building sitting on the north, side buildings on the other three sides. Between quadrangle yards, passages were left. These passages are called “hutong” in Chinese. Quadrangle yard, as one of Chinese traditional architecture, represents the old Beijing. Its unique culture and life were all breeding there with typical Beijing flavor. Trees screened quadrangle yards, Long alleys in the shadows of trees running from north to south or from east to west made the town like a chess board. The crying of vendors for theirs foods echoed rhythmically in the alley. The life in the quadrangle yards and Hutong were really tranquil and pleasant. Today, Beijing is experiencing a great change. Modern buildings are mushroomed everywhere. But Hutong areas, as a part of the old culture, has been preserved by the municipal government. There, we could take pedicabs along alleys, visit local family and have a talk with them. All these are real recalls of the old life of local citizens in Beijing.