Beijing Your Way

Exhibition: History in the Making: Sketches for Iconic Paintings
Venue: Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery, 798 Art Zone, Beijing
Add.: Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery, 798 East R.d, 798 Art Zone, No.2 Jiuxianqiao R.d, Chaoyang Dst,Beijing
Opening hours: 10:30-18:30, daily from Tuesday to Sunday
How to get there?
By Car: From Sanyuan Bridge or Siyuan Bridge enter the Airport Expressway, and then leave the Airport Expressway at the entrance to Jiuxianqiao Rd.
By Bus: Take Bus 401, 402, 405, 445, 909, 955, 973, 988, 991 to Dashanzi or Wangyefen Stop.

The fascinating pieces of painting works are very familiar to us, and how about the sketches? Have you ever viewed them? Now here is such an exhibition in 798 Art Zone of Beijing.

The sketches exhibition is a good choice for your indoor events during the May Day Holiday and weekends.

Until June 3, Hadrien de Montferrand Gallery situated in the 798 Art Zone holds an exhibition on the sketches of some famous paintings created during the Socialist Realist Style of the time.

Visiting the exhibition is just like reading a sketchbook, readers may feel or read the drawing, filled withe half-finished ideas and thoughts. Visitors can not help ask “what was the artist imagining or thinking when he was drawing the work?”, “What had his instructions been?” What kind of room or circumstances was the artist finished the marvelous work?” and so on.

The precious sketches release the process of history in the making of the iconic paintings.

Event: 2012 Beijing International Western Food Cultural Festival
Venue: the Great Bell Temple Zhongkun Square, at the cross point of three business circles :Xizhimen, Zhongguancun and Yaao.
Date: from April 27 to May 3, 2012.
How to get there?
Bus Routes: take Bus No. 87, 100, 123, or 425 to get off at Dazhongsi (Great Bell Temple) Stop.
Subway Line: take Line 13 to get off at Dazhongsi (Great Bell Temple) Stop and out from Exit A.

Today, April 26, the 2012 Beijing International Western Food Cultural Festival opens to public at the Great Bell Temple Zhongkun Square in Beijing.

The delicious and attractive international western food cultural festival is the 8th one in Beijing. This year, 40 imported food exhibitors exhibit their hundreds of special foods to visitors, the foods from Switzerland, France, Spain, Japan, Belgium, Thailand, and so on. The delicious foods cover chocolate, red wine, coffee, organic oil, olive oil, kinds of deserts and so on.

Visitors can taste and buy them home at the group-purchase price, and even could DIY the foods, what a fantastic thing it is!

People could catch the International Western Food Cultural Festival in Beijing until May 3, 2012.

Event: Images on Rebirth of Wenchuan Exhibition
Venue: Gallery N9, National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district
Time and Date: from 9:00 to 17:00, Apr 27 to May 7, 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
 
Wenchuan has been known for the world since the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008, now nearly 4 years past, international photographers record the rebirth images of new Wenchuan after the deadly 8.0 Richter Scale.
 
There are 18 international photographers from 13 countries including America, Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Spain, and Egypt take part this exhibition.
 
There are more than 150 selected photos to be showcased to the public, all the photos record, from the photographers’ own perspectives, the earthquake stricken areas in Wenchuan. The photos are divided into different themes to be exhibited: “Reconstruction · Home”, “Culture · Inheritance”, “Warmth · Livelihood” and “Happiness · Life”.

Event: Lilac Festival
Venue: Jietai Temple, Maan Mountain, Yongding Town, Mentougou District, Beijing
Date: from April 20 to May 20, 2012
Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00
Ticket: 45 Yuan
How to get there?
Bus Routes: take Bus No. 921, 336, 959, to get off at Pingguoyuan (Apple Garden) station and then transfer 931 to get Jietai Temple.

Lilacs have enjoyed a reputation as a kind of poetic flower since the ancient times, and many Chinese poets had left their poems under the lilac tree.

April and May are the best time to appreciate the lilacs in Beijing, and the best places to go are the Fayuan Temple located in Chengnan and Jietai Temple located in Mentougou.

Jietai Temple is situated at the foot of Maan Mountain of Mentougou in Bejing, so the temperature here is 3-4 Celsius Degrees lower than Beijing downtown. And the lilacs blooming period can last about one month, while this year, it is from April 20 to May 20.

There are 1130 ancient lilac trees grown in the Jietai Temple, and 20 trees of them even own a 200 years history. Most of the lilac trees here are grown 5 to 6 meters high and the crown shade area usually covers 30 to 70 sqms.

Especially during the Lilac Festival, the colorful enchanting blooming lilacs such as pink, light purple, purple red and so on will fully spread the whole Jietai Temple, just like a wonderland in the earthly world.

Besides lilacs, there are two other rare flowers, all with more than 100 years, one is called weigela and the other is black peony.

Event: The 20th Miaofengshan Traditional Spring Temple Fair
Date: April 21 to May 5, 2012
Venue: Jiangou village, Miaofengshan town, Mentougou District of Beijing.
About 55kilometers away from the Beijing downtown.
Tickets: 40 Yuan
How to get there?
Take the subway Line1 to get off at Pingguoyuan station, then out from Exit A ,
and then transfer Bus No 892(9:30 am, 2:pm).
 
Every year from the 1st day to the 15th day of the fourth month in Chinese lunar calendar, Miaofengshan Scenic Area will hold the traditional Spring Temple Fair, during these days, pilgrims from different areas would form many teams, called Xianghui, to perform for the goddness of Bi Xia Yuan Jun.
 
Xiang Hui will bring a Lion Dance, and visitors can watch a Flower Drum dance, a man with a gong and a woman with a flower drum sing and dance together.
 
What’s more, visitors can also get a sip of luck to sip the lucky rice porridge free. As well as there are many unique local products for sale.
 
The traditional temple fair is not held during the Spring Festival same with many other temple fairs, because Miaofengshan is a place connected to three beliefs systems: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The 8th day of the fourth month in lunar calendar is Buddha’s birthday and the 15th day of the fourth month in lunar calendar is the Bi Xi Xian Jun’s.
 
Bi Xia Yuan Jun, also called Old Niang Niang, was the daughter of the god of Tai Mountain- Dong Yue Da Di, to whom the Taoist Dongyue Temple in Chaoyang district is dedicated, according to folk expert Wang Zuoji, author of The History of Beijing’s Xiang Hui.

Event: Annual Apricot Blossom Festival
Date: until the beginning of June, 2012
How to get there?
Bus Routes: take Bus No. 919, to get off at Yanqing, and then transfer Bus No. 920 to Xinzhuangbao Village Station.
Subway Line: take Line S2 to get off at Yanqing.
 
Located in the northwest of Beijing, 74 kms from the capital, Yanqing County is known for tourists due to its kinds of spring tourism activities every year, and the annual apricot blossom festival usually held during mid-April to the end of May is also one the them.
 
This year, the Apricot Blossom Festival started from April 18 and will last until the beginning of June, nearly two months.
 
The attractive fragrant snowy sea covers an area of 200,000 mu including different spots, such as Xiangying Township Xinzhuangbao Village (area of 6000 mu), Badaling Town, large and small floating Tuo village (an area of 1000 mu), Great Wall, The Shuiguan Great Wall at Badaling, Badaling Great Wall Section (surface plot of 3,000 mu), Badaling Wild Animal World (800 acres), Lotus Hill Scenic Spot (an area of 1000 mu) and Jingzhuang Village (an area of 1000 mu).
 
So, tourists can not only appreciate the blooming apricot blossoms but also have a mountain and green Great Wall tour.
 
What’s more, other interesting activities such as experiencing the local folk customs, picking-up fresh vegetables and fruits, cycling on special days such as April 22, May 19 and so on are waiting for you to join!

Event: 2012 Tulip Festival in Zhongshan Park
Venue: Zhongshan Park, No.4 Zhonghua Lu, Dongcheng district, Beijing
Opening Hours and Date: 6:00 to 21:00, daily, form Apr 17 to May 17, 2012.
Ticket: 10 Yuan
How to get there?
 Bus route: take Bus No. 1、4、5、10、22、52 to get off at Zhongshan Park station;
 Subway lines: take Line 1 to get off at Tiananmenxi Stop.
 
On April 17, the 2012 Tulip Festival kicked off at Zhongshan Park of Beijing.
 
The Tulip Festival is scheduled to be held for one month, until May 17, during the coming 30 days, visitors in Beijing could view and appreciate the charming tulips in bloom in Zhongshan Park.
 
This year, there are nearly 300,000 tulips bloomed in various colors showed to public, covering more than 100 species, as well as some rare tulips species in the world, such as the “Queen of Night”, “Spring Green” with unbelievable green flowers, red and yellow “World Favorite ”, and faint yellow “Prince of Sun”.
 
And the professional florists made 6 themed tulip exhibition areas for local and foreign tourists and visitors.
 
What’s more, many other famed flowers such as orchids, butterfly orchid and azaleas will also be showed in the exhibition halls.

Event: First Xiang Culture Festival and the 10th Mountain Flowers Show at Xiangshan Park
Venue: Xiangshan Park, 40 Maimai Jie, West Suburb of Beijing
Date: from April 1 to May 13, 2012
Opening Hours:
April 1- June 30, 6:00-18:30
July 1- August 31, 6:00-19:00
November 16-March 31, 6:00-18:00.
Ticket (Admission Fee of the Park):
Peak Season (April 1-Novermeber 15): 10 Yuan
Off Season (November 16-March 31): 5 Yuan
How to get there?
Bus Routes: Take bus No. 318, 331,360, 634, 696, 698, 714 to Xiangshan Gongyuan bus stop

The 10th Xiangshan Mountain Flowers Show and the First Xiang Culture Festival are both opened to visitors at Xiangshan Park of Beijing.
 
There are more than 20,000 buttercup flowers blooming in the park waiting for you to enjoy, also peach flowers, the prunus, the fructus and numerous of other exotic flowers are full in bloomed.
 
The two festivals aims to bring Xiang or Fragrance in different ways, in which visitors can feel by their own eyes, ears, and noses and so on.
 
Visitors could choose different routes to tour around the Xiangshan Park, here are two ready for you:
South Prunus route: Dongmen—Jingcui lake—Xiangshan temple (ruins)—Shuangqing vllia, this route is mainly for Prunus.
On the middle route: Dongmen-Qinzhengdian—Tingxuexuan—Zhisongyuan—Fenglin village—Jiariyuan—Yanjing lake.

Event: Anxiety as an Artist Tool Exhibition
Venue: Magician Space, 798 East R.d, 798 Art Zone, No.2 Jiuxianqiao R.d, Chaoyang Dst,, Beijing
Opening hours: 10:30-18:30, daily from Tuesday to Sunday
Date: Until May 20, 2012
How to get there?
By Car: From Sanyuan Bridge or Siyuan Bridge enter the Airport Expressway, and then leave the Airport Expressway at the entrance to Jiuxianqiao Rd.
By Bus: Take Bus 401, 402, 405, 445, 909, 955, 973, 988, 991 to Dashanzi or Wangyefen Stop.
 
Official Website of Magician Space: www.magician-space.com
 
Keren Cytter is an Israeli Female artist, but now living in Berlin, Germany.
 
Anxiety As an Artist Tool is Keren Cytter’s first solo exhibition in China, which kicked off at the Magician Space in 798 Art Zone of Beijing.
 
Keren Cytter’s first solo exhibition in China brings four different short films to us, including Brush, Der Spiegel, Four Seasons and Video Art Manual.
 
The above four film works created by Keren Cytter reveals her own doubts and anxieties for the current world. That the situation of lack of faith in the human values.
 
The exhibition starts at the Magician Space on March 30 and will be opened to public until May 20.

Event: The 10th Beijing Miyun Heilongtan Spring Blossoms Festival
Date: From April 8 to Middle of May, 2012.
Location: Northwestern Lupiguan Pass, Miyun County, Beijing
Features: kinds of charming spring blossoms around annual April and May, three waterfalls, eighteen pools with the deepest one is the Heilongtan, or Black Dragon Pool in English, and many water entertainments for tourist
Opening Hours: from 9:00 to 17:00, daily
How to get there?
Direct Line from downtown Beijing during weekends and holidays:
Time: starts from Dongzhimen during 7:00am-9:00am, and returns from Heilongtan at 4:00pm.
Pickup Point: Dongzhimen, 100 meters ahead of Dongzhimen 980 hub station
Round-trip tickets: 50 Yuan, without the admission fee of Helongtan
                80 Yuan, with the admission fee of Heilongtan.
 
The 10th Spring Blossoms Festival at Heilongtan,or Black Dragon Pool, in Miyun County of Beijing, is going on.
 
April and May are the best time to appreciate the spring view of in or around charming Beijing. And here is another highly recommended hot spot for spring outing with friends and families: Heilongtan, or Black Dragon Pool at Miyun County of Beijing.
 
Different from last years, more species of flowers, scattered nearly every corner of the Heilongtan Attraction, are blooming. Gorges, hillsides, mountain paths and the pool banks!
 
This year, visitors can view the apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, pear blossoms and azaleas and so on scattering at the mountain, full at your eyes of views.
 
What’s more, there are more water entertainments in the Heilongtan: boating, cycling with adults or children, and a lot of other creative activities. The water entertainment area covers more than 8000 square meters.
 
The Heilongtan Spring Blossom Festival will last until middle of May.