Beijing Your Way

People entered or exited China 411 million times in 2011, which ups 7.6% over 2010, the Ministry of Public Security’s Exit and Entry Administration recently announced.
 
Among the 411 million times, mainland residents account 140 million, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan residents own 217 million times, which is a 6% increase over 2010. And the foreigners are 54.12 million times, this number increase 3.8% over 2010.
 
Among the foreigners, the top ten foreign countries’ people coming to China are: South Korea, Japan, Russia, America, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Mongolia, Philippines and Canada.
 
As for the reasons coming to China for the foreigners are :
Sightseeing-12.21 million
Visiting-4.75 million
Service workers-2.69 million
Business meeting-1.56 million
Jobs-931,000 times
Studying -181,000 times
Visiting family or friends -110,000 times
 
Shanghai Pudong Airport and the Beijing Capital Airport are the largest entry and exit venues.
(source:echinacities)

Event: Royal Temple Fair in the Old Summer Palace
Date: from Jan 23 to Feb 6, 2012 (from the 1st day to 15th day of the first lunar month in China)
Ticket: 10 Yuan
How to get there?
Bus Route: Take Bus 365, 432, 562, 656, 681, 717, 814, 319, 320, 331, 438, 498, 628, 664, 690, 696, 697, 801, or 826 and get off at Yuanmingyuan.
Subway Line: Take Subway Line 4 and get off at Yuanmingyuan Station.
 
The Old Summer Palace, or Yuanmingyuan, is the well-known imperial garden in Beijing.
 
The first Royal Temple Fair held in this imperial garden started in 2010. And this year, it is the third Royal Temple Fair.
 
This Old Summer Palace was once one of the most bustling and booming places in China during Spring Festival in Qing Dynasty.
 
This year, the Royal Temple Fair focus on the usual array of Chinese performances, costumed staff and traditional staff, even the pretty delicious imperial cuisines.
 
Yet the debate always exists whether such a solemn place should hold such a commercial fair.

Event: 29th Longtan Park Temple Fair
Ticket: 10 Yuan
Date: from Jan 22 to Jan 29, 2012
How to get there?
Subway Line: take Subway Line 5 to the East Gate of the Temple of Heaven Station, Exit B.
 
2012 is the Dragon Year in Chinese tradition, which is one of the 12 Chinese horoscopes. So “Dragon” absolutely becomes the leading role among the dozens of temple fairs in Beijing.
 
Ditan Temple Fair and Longtan Temple Fair are the two hottest ones in the capital, among the Beijingers and the tourists home and aboard. As, every year, there will be a culture feast brought to the visitors.
 
The Longtan Park culture corridor of the central island is to present the “Dragon of the Dragon Year” exhibition to celebrate the history of Chinese dragon culture.
 
There will be lots of interactive games and competitions inviting visitors to join in, such as national Go team, the Chinese chess team, the Gobang team and the Chinese checkers team and so on.
 
What’s more, to avoid long line at the entrance ticket booths, the Ditan and Longtan Temple Fairs will allow visitors to use bus IC card to pay for the entrance fees and offer free buses between the northwest gate in Longtan Park from the Temple of Heaven east stop on Subway Line 5, make the visitors can travel the two temple fairs easily.

Event: The 8th Tiantan Culture Week
Date: from Jan 23 to 27, 2012 (from Jan 1 to 5 on Chinese lunar calendar)
Venue: Tiantan Park (the Temple of Heaven), Beijing
Activities: Representing the ancient royal heaven worship ceremony
How to get there?
Bus Route: take Bus 53, 120, 122, or 525 to Tiantan south gate stop
         Or take Bus 2, 20, 35, 69, 707 to Tiantan west gate stop.
Subway Line: take Line 5 and get off at Tiantan east gate stop and get out from the Exit A.
 
It is reported that on Jan 16, there is a rehearsal of a performance presenting the ancient royal heaven worship ceremony in the Tiantan Park (Temple of Heaven) in Beijing.
 
They are preparing for the 8th Culture Week of Tiantan Park, which is held annually, in a bid to present to heaven worship ceremony based on the historical record in Qing Dynasty, such as the honor guard performance, ritual music and dancing show as well as the ancient music show in the Divine Music Administration and so on.
 
This year, it is for the first time to show the Emperor of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) coming by sedan.
 
The Tiantan Park (The Temple of Heaven) was first built in 1420 and used to be the imperial sacrificial altar during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Now there will be an annual reenaction of the ancient royal ritual for the worship of heaven during the Spring Festival, the Chinese New year, Jan 23 to 27, 2012.

Event: Ditan Park Temple Fair in Beijing
Venue: Ditan Park,Andingmen Waidajie, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening Hours: from 09:00 to17:00, from Jan 22 to Jan 29, 2012
Ticket: 10Yuan, 8 Yuan for group tickets
How to get there?
Subway Line: Take Line  2 or 5 to the Lama Temple station (雍和宫), and get out at Exit A. The park’s south entrance is just a short walk over the bridge.
 
“Go to Temple Fairs with families and friends” has become a must to do thing during the traditional Spring Festival.
 
And temple fairs in Beijing have a long history, especially received popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911）and as well as the Republic of China（1912-1949）. Now, there will be many such temple fairs to be held during Spring Festival Holiday, some are very traditional, and some add their own features.
 
And Ditan Park Temple Fair is one of the biggest and varied temple fairs in Beijing, most traditional one, really a good chance to experience and get more about Chinese Culture.
 
There will be more than 200 performances on schedule during the Ditan Temple Fair, separately in four stages.
 
Visitors can not only watch wonderful traditional performances by the troupes all over the country, taste the delicious snacks, view kinds of exhibitions, but also can buy kinds of arts and crafts!

Event: Hongluo Temple Fair
Features: The abbot will hold prayer meetings and give benedictions to the visitors.
Venue: Hongluo Temple, four kilometers from Qingchun Road in the north Huairou District, Beijing
Date: From Jan 23 to Jan 28, 2012 (the 1st day to the 6th Day of the first month in Chinese lunar calendar.)
Ticket: 40 Yuan for admission
How to get there?
First take subway Line 2, 13 or Airport Express, get off at the Dongzhimen Station and out from B Exit. The bus station is just at the right hand. Taking bus No. 936 can reach the Hongluo Temple directly, and the bus runs from 7:00 to 17:00.
 
Every year during Spring Festival Holidays, many different temple fairs will be held to celebrate the traditional Chinese New Year.
 
And Hongluo(Chinese:红螺,Pinyin: Hóng Luó, English: Red Snail) Temple Fair is one and the only fairs in Beijing held in functioning temple. 
 
And many people make the pilgrimage every year to enjoy the temples profound sense of Buddhist culture and the scenic splendor of the classical buildings. And what’s more, the abbot will hold prayer meetings and give benedictions to the visitors.
 
This year the Hongluo Temple Fair will be held from Jan 23 to 28. And this year, the temple fair is themed “Fu” or “Blessing”. There will be a series of folk dancing and acrobatics Hebei Province’s Cangzhou Troupe in the temple courtyard, and other traditional famous Spring Festival celebrated activities and famous snacks and so on, which will give you a fantastic experience.
 
And visitor can fortunately appreciate the three durable plants of winter: pine, bamboo and plum blossom, There are also thousands of plum blossoms, including pink plum blossoms, red plum blossoms and weeping willow plum blossoms.
 
Located four kilometers from Qingchun Road in the north Huairou District, Hongluo Temple is at the southern foot of Hongluo Mt, and it is the largest Buddhist temple in northern China, covering an area of 8 kilometers. It was originally built in CE378 and later renovated and enlarged in Tang Dynasty.

Exhibition: Special Exhibition of Masterpieces in Chinese Ancient Paintings
Venue: Hall 13-17, 19-21, National Art Museum of China, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district
Time and Date: from 9:00 to 17:00, Jan 17- Apr 10, 2012
Tickets: Free
How to get there?
Bus Route: take Bus 2, 3, 8, 60, 101, 103, 104, 108, 109, 111, 112, 420, 810, 814, 819
 
The special exhibition is prepared for three years, aiming to show the public the ink masterpieces in Chinese ancient paintings. And this is also a rich cultural feast of Spring Festival to all the visitors!
 
140 ancient works have been donated by Deng Tuo from his personal collection in 1964, and all the ink works are regarded as the priceless national treasures by the experts.
 
This time more than one hundred calligraphic works and paintings are exhibited to public in National Art Museum of China, from 9:00 to 17:00, Jan 17- Apr 10, 2012.
 
This is a must to visit exhibition during your Spring Festival visit in Beijing, to feel closely the art soul of the master in ancient time through the masterpieces of ink works in Chinese ancient paintings.

Recently the official website of the Palace Museum released the adjust opening hours during Chinese Lunar New Year Eve and Spring Festival (Jan 22-23, 2012).
 
During the two days, the opening hours will be shortened as follows:
22nd January 2012 (Sunday, Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve)
Opening Hours: 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Last ticket sold at 11:00 am
Last entry: 11:15 am

23rd January 2012 (Monday, the Spring Festival)
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 4:30 pm
Last ticket sold at 3:30 pm
Last entry: 3:45 pm
 
If you plan to visit the Palace Museum during Spring Festival, please do refer the new opening hours.

Event: Strawberries Temple Fair
Venue: Xingshou Town(3 kilometers away from the Sixth Ring), Changping District, Beijing
Date: From an 25 to 30, 2012
 
The big Spring Festival is approaching, and this year it will fall on the day of Jan 23, 2012.
 
And every year during this special time, many people will choose temple fairs to feel the New Year pleasant atmosphere. Beside the traditional temple fairs, there are still some novel and creative temple fairs to be held this year, and the Strawberries Temple Fair in Xingshou Town is just one of them.
 
About 3 kilometers away from the Sixth Ring of Beijing, Xingshou Town has been well reputed for its delicious strawberries. And even you can taste the imported brand strawberries from Europe and Japan.
 
Now the area of strawberries covers more than 6,000 mu (about 4,000,000 square meters), with over 4,000 greenhouses.
 
During the Strawberries Temple Fair this year, there are many interesting activities and games awaiting you to join.

Exhibition: Mojong Hoo Solo Paper Exhibition
Venue: The 2nd Floor exhibition hall of building No.1,Today Art Museum
Opening Hours and Date: Monday – Sunday,10am – 8pm, until Jan 19,2012.
Ticket: 20Yuan,
10Yuan(by Student Card / Elder Card / Soldier Card)
How to get there?
By subway : Guomao Station / Shuangjing Station
By bus: take 23, 28, 35, 300, 348, 37, 57, 705, 715, 730, 801, 802, 810, 830,              907, 957, 976, special 3, special 8 and get off at Shuangjing station (or Gas Engine Factory) . Then walk about 300m towards north, you’ll arrive at the crossing of Baiziwan road. Go straight along the Baiziwan road, you’ll see the building of TAM on your right hand. 
 
Mojong Hoo is a skillful artist and she is good at painting the usual subjects in ordinary life, such as windows, colorful flowers, boxes on the table cloth, tea cups, ink bottles, apples or crumpled cigarettes, in the restrained painting style, antiquated colors, novel yet natural perspective or simple images.
 
Visitors can feel the artist inner experience when viewing the works of Mojong Hoo: her sensitivity and simple attitude to life.
 
The paper works exhibited this time are selected from her works on paper from 1960s to 1990s.
 
Mojong Hoo was born in Shanghai, then she had been leading a moving life since 26. She used to live in Taiwan, Brazil, Spain, and then settled in Paris in 1965. And in 1990s , she moved back and settled in China.