This last weekend celebrated the 11th annual Beijing International Tourism festival. The festival featured regional drum performances and a parade of floats from each of the 18 districts and counties in Beijing.

Drum Performance at the Opening Ceremony

Attendance at the festival reached record levels, accompanying a 20% increase in tourism to Beijing since last year. This number is all the more impressive since the Olympics took place in 2008. The festival’s closing ceremony highlights China’s penchant for ornate performance. To see the closing ceremony, click here.

The Olympics were Beijing’s debutante ball, earning it recognition as a global metropolis and the focal point of China’s history. In the post Olympic era, Beijing is creating a new draw for tourism by emphasizing its ancient roots and cultural significance.

Before I moved to Beijing I never expected that I would spend some of my winter weekends on the ski slopes outside of the city. I guess people (including myself) don’t tend to associate China with snow sports (beyond the ice sculptures of Harbin perhaps), so I thought I’d make a quick list of places where you can enjoy the snow in China.

Granted, these resorts are for the most part better suited to the amateur snow seeker, but nevertheless a cheap and relatively inexpensive excursion out of the city. Whether skiing, snowboarding, or hanging in the lodge is your thing, there are quite a few options for enjoying the winter in China.

Nanshan Ski Resort

• Location: Miyun county, Beijing (about 80Km from downtown Beijing)
• Description: 3000 pairs of skiing equipment for rental, 1318 meters of Toboggan Runs, air park, one bridge, and 5 jumping segments
• Cost: Weekday RMB180, Weekend RMB280, Holiday RMB320
• How to get there:Take Dongmi Zhuanxian Bus at Dongzhimen Bus Station, to Miyun Xidaqiao Station, RMB10/person. Then take a taxi to Nanshan (RMB10/car), about 10 minutes
• Contact: 84286688 or 64450990

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In celebration of Chinese New Year,  the Forbidden City (also known as the Palace Museum) will have reduced hours on Sunday, January 25 and Monday, January 26.

Sunday, January 25

• Opening Time: 8:30 am
• Last Tickets Sold: 11:00 am
• Doors Closed: 11:10 am
• Museum Closed: 12:00 noon

Monday, January 26

• Opening Time: 12:00 noon
• Last Tickets Sold: 3:30 pm
• Doors Closed: 3:40 pm
• Museum Closed: 4:30 pm

故宫博物院春节期间将1月25日及26日的开放时间做以下调整：

1- 1月25日开馆时间：上午08:30

停止售票：上午11:00

停止检票：上午11:10

闭馆时间：中午12:00

2- 1月26日开馆时间：中午12:00

停止售票：下午15:30

停止检票：下午15:40

闭馆时间：下午16:30

Chinese New Year is fast approaching, and while it’s one of our favorite times of year, it can also be an overwhelming time to travel. With a majority of Chinese citizens off of work and traveling with or to see their families, it takes a bit of planning and preparation to make sure your holiday goes smoothly. Yet despite the extra effort, this is one of the most vibrant and exciting times to travel in China, especially if you like to watch fireworks and eat dumplings.

• Stay off the rails. If at all possible, try not to travel by train during peak holiday weeks in China. This is by far the most popular method of travel, and the word “crowded” takes on an entirely new dimension of meaning when we consider train stations during Chinese New Year.
• Bring earplugs. Fireworks going off everywhere and at all hours can make getting your zzz’s in a bit hard. Packing earplugs will make it that much easier to get a good night’s sleep when you’ve had enough of the festivities.

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One of the perks (and perils) of traveling through Beijing and Shanghai is the excellent shopping that can be found, and often for great prices. With the holidays fast approaching, your resident WildChina shoppers thought we’d share a few of our favorite city haunts. Some are very well-known, and some are tiny gems that we were reluctant to part with. Happy holiday hunting!

Beijing:

• For serious bargain hunters,  the stalls at Hongqiao Market will whip up strands of pearls, coral, beads, and semi-precious stones to your heart’s content, while you watch. Buyer beware: quality (and price) varies greatly, so be sure to inspect your wares before you hand over your hard-earned RMB.
• Looking for something new for the home?  Lost and Found is the place for eclectic home-wares.
• If you have a fan of contemporary art on your shopping list, than the 798 District is a must even if the gallery paintings fall just a little out of your budget. For those less willing to fork over the big bucks for avant garde art, this is also a great place to source art, photography and design books.
• Grifted is home to an off-beat collection of unique, one of a kind gifts with a quirky sense of humor.
• Find almost anything at Panjiayuan, a massive open air market, perfect for souvenirs and “antiques”. Be sure to go early though, as that’s when you’ll find the best bargains. Only open on the weekends.

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On my train ride into Beijing yesterday, I had my first opportunity to taste a mooncake. Sitting on the lower level of beds, which during the daylight are the shared seats of everyone in the train’s cabin, I spotted a man in a neighboring cabin enjoying a small pastry. He noticed my curiosity and graciously offered me a taste.

Mooncakes, or yuè bǐng as they are known in Mandarin, are small cakes eaten to celebrate the Mid Autumn festival. Although there can be many variations, they are usually filled with a thick filling made from lotus paste or dried fruit. Sometimes, mooncakes are prepared with a duck egg yolk as part of the filling as well. This is thought by some to represent the full moon during harvest time.

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