Touring city’s traditional treasures
Amidst the fierce and frosty competition of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, participating media representatives were invited to a taste of the treasures of Beijing.
From Feb 1-20, the 2022 Beijing Media Center invited scores of journalists from home and abroad on tours of the capital to allow them to see the high-quality development achieved in recent years.
During the media tours, the journalists participated in a range of activities and were impressed with Beijing’s history and culture.
The first stop of the tours was the Temple of Heaven. Built in 1420, it was used by emperors to pray for good harvests during the Ming (13681644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
Following the guides, the journalists learned about the history and culture behind the temple. They also tried to make traditional sachets containing five different crops, which are believed to bring people happiness and good luck.
The first day trip ended at Yongding Gate, the starting point of Beijing’s historic central axis. Standing at the gate tower, the media representatives had a panoramic view of the city’s symmetrical layout and landmarks along the axis, which include the Palace Museum, Tian’anmen Square and Drum Tower.
Lyu Zhou, director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua University, told the journalists that the central axis changes as the city evolves.
For example, the Olympic Forest Park, a legacy of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, was built at the extended line of the northern axis.
“The axis has witnessed the city’s growth and become an important cultural symbol,” Lyu said.
To further explore Beijing culture, a media group headed to Heping Guoju on Feb 6, a renovated commercial block located on Wangfujing Department Store’s underground floor. The 2,870-square-yard block recreates Beijing’s street scenes from the 1980s.
Walking around the area, visitors could see newspaper sellers and barbers do business along the hutong-style lanes. Small objects that record history and memories can be found everywhere.
Heping Guoju also showcases diverse folk culture and intangible culture heritage including sugar-figure blowing, paper-cutting, palm leaf weaving and shadow puppetry.
During the 20-day event, the media groups were served various local specialties including roast duck, lyudagun (glutinous rice rolls with sweet bean paste), and Beijing fried sauce noodles.
It was the first time for some foreign media representatives to taste Beijing delicacies, which they said were delicious.
More than history and tradition, Beijing, as a modern metropolis, is a magnet for the latest fashions and popular culture.
Taikoo Li Sanlitun, Chaoyang district, offered journalists a glimpse of residents’ fashionable lifestyles.
As one of the city’s consumption centers, the area is home to a raft of high-end fashion brands, trendy bars and restaurants serving international cuisine.
One journalist said Beijing is an attractive city because it is where history and modern civilization marry perfectly.
The media groups also made trips to Dashilan Street in Xicheng district. With a history of 600 years, the area used to be a bustling commercial center. But today, it has transformed into the city’s new cultural landmark integrating traditional culture and modern art.