Exploring
out-of-town Beijing
By
staff reporter ZHANG HUA
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Heilongtan (Black Dragon Pool)
tourist spot, in Shicheng, Miyun District, with its
18 pools in various shapes, and 220-meter-high waterfall.
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Drained by the
hustle and bustle of workaday life, urbanites seek a change
of environment in their free time. Outside Beijing city, in
the suburban districts and counties of Changping, Huairou,
Miyun, Yanqing, Pinggu, and Mentougou, are various local folklore
villages that welcome weekend and holiday guests.
Experiencing
Folk Customs
Country life has
an undemanding pace. There is all the time in the world to
stroll through vegetable gardens and orchards, and try tasty
local dishes like boiled corn, baked corn cakes, and cornmeal
dumplings with vegetable stuffing.
The 80 villages
in Beijing's suburban areas nestle among a wealth of historic
sites, natural landscapes, and folk customs. They offer something
for everyone.
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Miyun Longju Mountain Village
local dishes are a big hit with visitors.
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Villages
Surrounding the Great Wall
Huairou District
Zhuanghu Folklore
Village
A short distance
from the Mutianyu Great Wall, this village offers the opportunity
to pick fruits and chestnuts, and to go rainbow trout fishing.
Altogether 35 households with a total 500 beds offer tourist
accommodation.
Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 25-30 yuan person/day.
To get there: Take
bus No. 916 from Dongzhimen going to Huairou, and take a minibus
to your specific destination. Private cars should take the
Beijng-Shunyi Road at Sanyuan Flyover or Siyuan Flyover, and
drive northward to Bohai Town, Huairou District.
Tel: 61632679
Miyun County
Hexi Folklore
Village in Gubeikou Town
Scenic spots here
include the Wohushan Great Wall, Yinshan Great Wall, and an
ancient mosque. The village has a total accommodation capacity
for 1,000 visitors.
Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 35 yuan person/day
To get there: Take
an air-conditioned coach (Beijing-Chengde) from Dongzhimen
to Gubeikou, or the 7:00 am train to Gubeikou from Xizhimen
Railway Station. By private car, take the Airport Road to
Beigao and turn on to the Beijing-Miyun Road.
Tel: 81051291
Beikou Folklore
Village, Gubeikou Town
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Ancient local-style dwellings
are well preserved in Chuandixia Village, Mentougou
District.
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This village's
historic sites include the Panlongshan Great Wall, which is
in its original state, the ancient Northern Qi Great Wall,
and the ancient imperial road built in 1860. The village has
a total accommodation capacity for 1,000 guests.
Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 30 yuan person/day
Transport: Take
the 7 a.m. train from Xizhimen Railway Station to Gubeikou,
and then change to the shuttle bus service. Private cars should
take the Airport Road, and turn on to the Beijing-Miyun Road.
Tel: 81051133
Changping District
Taizi Folklore
Village
This village is
two kilometers from the Badaling Great Wall, near the Juyong
Pass in the east. There are streams to ford, ice gorges to
explore, and evening campfire parties to enjoy.
Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 50-65 yuan person/day
To get there: Take
bus No. 345 from Beijing to Nandajie, and then change to No.
12 bus. Private cars should take the Badaling Expressway.
Tel: 89791384,
89791394
Folklore Villages
Surrounding the Ming Tombs
The Ming Tombs
are the resting place of 13 Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) emperors
-- the largest number of imperial tombs extant, and designated
World Cultural Heritage. The folklore villages here are in
Changping District northwest of Beijing.
Deling Folklore
Village in Changling Town
Deling is 500 meters
from the Deling Mausoleum near the Ming Tombs Scenic Area
and Ming Tombs Reservoir. It offers campfire parties, folk
art performances, and farmhouse dinners. There are 30 local
families that provide a total 200 beds for guest accommodation.
Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 60-80 yuan person/day
Transport: Take
bus Nos 345 or 845 from Deshengmen to Changping, then take
the No. 314 to Qikongqiao. By car, take the Badaling Expressway.
Tel: 60761704
Zhaoling Folklore
Village
Visit the Dingling
and Zhaoling mausoleums, and visit the Nine Dragon Pond and
Lord Guan Temple.
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Mountain villas in Changyuan,
Yanqi Township, Huairou District.
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Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 50 yuan person/day
Transport: Take
bus No. 345 to Dingling, and walk the remaining two kilometers
west. By car, take the Badaling Expressway.
Tel: 60761261
Kangling Folklore
Village
Visit the Kangling
Palace, observe the ancient walls in the shape of the Chinese
character "口” and see
the 800-year-old gingko tree.
Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 50 yuan person/day
Transport: Take
bus No. 345 from Deshengmen for Changping, change to a No.
5 local bus for Tailingqiao, walk two kilometers westward,
or drive along the Badaling Expressway.
Tel: 89721330
Ethnic Folklore
Villages
Huairou District
Sunshanzi Folklore
Village
This village is
in Labagoumen Township, Huairou District, near a primeval
forest, and is a showplace for Manchu ethnic customs. There
are 60 households providing a total 600 beds for tourist accommodation.
Accommodation inclusive
of dinner: 25-30 yuan person/day
Transport: Take
bus No. 936 from Dongzhimen. By private car, turn on to the
Beijing-Shunyi Road from Sanyuan Flyover or Siyuan Flyover.
Drive northward to Huairou, change to National Highway 111
and head northward.
Tel: 60623511
Miyun County
Yaoqiaoyu Folklore
Village
At this village
can be witnessed authentic Mongolian customs and culture charmingly
enacted by Mongolian ladies from the Xilin Gol Grassland.
Transport: Take
the Dongzhimen-Miyun coach for Miyun, and then change to a
local bus (Yunxiugu-Yaoqiaoyu). By car, take the Airport Road,
turn on to the Beijing-Miyun Road at Beigao, and drive to
Xinchengzi.
Tel: 81022484
NB: The
15th day of the 12th lunar month to the 10th day of the first
lunar month is the Spring Festival, when the atmosphere at
folklore villages is particularly vibrant. In addition to
yangko dances and folk art performances, firecrackers
will be set off, New Year couplets pasted up, paper-cuts made
and Chinese dumplings cooked. Reservations for this period
should be made one week in advance.
Fruit Picking
Tours
Shunyi District
Anlilong Eco-agriculture
Tourism Mountain Village
Located in Longwantun
Town, Shunyi District, the village combines eco-agriculture,
eco-tourism, and the hospitality industry. It has a large
hi-tech plantation where 80 fruit varieties including apples,
pears, grapes, peaches, strawberries, cherries, apricots,
haws, and several edible fungi are cultivated. In the Peony
Viewing Garden are 100 rare peonies and Chinese herbaceous
peony varieties. Visitors to Anlilong may pick fruit or buy
flowers. French style farmhouses enhance the village's pastoral
scenery.
Prices:
Vegetables: calabash,
seven-color pepper, cucumber and tomato 6 yuan/kg
Fruit: apricots,
nectarines, and peaches 8 yuan/kg; plums 4 yuan/kg; watermelons
3 yuan each
To get there: take
the Beijing-Shunyi Road, and follow the road signs.
Pinggu District
Pinggu has mountains
on three sides, and plains at the center. Its fresh air and
rich soil make it an ideal peach-planting base. Pinggu peaches
were a tribute in ancient times, and are nowadays served at
state banquets. The royal families of Thailand and Brunei
are so partial to Pinggu peaches they send their personal
pickers to Pinggu every year.
Transport: Take
a coach from Dongzhimen Station No. 918 stop at 7:30 am to
Jinhai Lake, Great Canyon and Limestone Caves, or drive along
the Beijing-Miyun Road to Pinggu, following the road signs.
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Hongluo Temple in Huairou District,
amid lakes, mountains and gardens.
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The best quality
large peaches may be picked in August, September and October
at Liudian Wanzhuangzi, Jingdong Canyon, and Jingdong Limestone
Cave.
Flat peaches are
picked in September and October at Liudian Wanzhuangzi Economic
Area and Jinhai Lake.
Greenhouse peaches
are available February to May at Daxingzhuang, Xinnongcun
and Zhonghujiawu greenhouse peach bases.
Miyun County
Beijing Nanshan
Ski Village
In addition to
skiing activities, there is also fruit picking at Nanshan.
Its orchards are scattered over the nearby mountain valleys
that are inhabited by pheasants and roe deer. The most pleasant
times to visit are summer and autumn, when the "Ping-Pong"
and Jufeng grapes, Hongfushi and Guoguang apples, matsutake,
walnuts, chestnuts and mushrooms may be picked.
Drive along the
Beijing-Miyun Road following the road signs.
Best Picking Times
Early-late July:
"Ping-Pong" grapes
Mid to late July:
walnuts
Late July to mid-August:
grapes
Late July to mid-September:
Hongfushi and Guoguang apples
Late July-August:
matsutake
August: chestnuts
Late September
to mid-October: Hongfushi and Guoguang apples
October: Mushrooms
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Greenhouse in the Glorious Land
Agriculture Park.
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New
Attractions
Beijing Labagoumen
Primeval Forest
Labagoumen, the
primeval forest near the Manchu Ethnic Town of Huairou District,
has forest coverage of 90 percent and abundant varieties of
rare trees. Visitors have a wide choice of activities. In
Spring they can look at its 40 square-kilometer area of azaleas
and l
ilacs, make a summer
trip around the resort, or enjoy the beautiful maple leaves
in autumn. The Guest House in the area has dining and accommodation
characteristics of the Manchu ethnic group.
Tel: 60627640
Place: Labagoumen
Primeval Forest Park
To get there: Take
bus No. 936 from Dongzhimen to Sunshanzi, then take a mini
bus to your specific destination, or take Nos 936 or 916 for
Huairou Department Store, and change to a minibus heading
for Sunshanzi. Private cars should go to the Sanyuan or Siyuan
Flyover and turn on to the Beijing-Shunyi Road, drive northward
to Huairou, turn on to the National Highway 111, and head
north.
Accommodation:
180-210 yuan for standard room, and 2,100 yuan for a siheyuan
(quadrangle), which accommodates six people.
Mountain Villas
in Huairou District
The mountain villas
in Changyuan, Yanqi Town, Huairou District are ideal vacation
resorts. You can sit and look at the scenery on a sunny day,
listening to folk music as you sip a cup of tea or coffee
made from sweet local spring water. The delicious local rainbow
trout is not to be missed.
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Guyaju (Ancient Cliff Dwellings)
in Yanqing District -- caves in a precipitous cliff
whose origins remain a mystery.
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Visitors may choose
from villas, log cabins, or self-contained courtyards. Prices
range from 50 to 200 yuan.
Transport: Take
bus No. 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou, and change to a mini-bus.
Private cars should go to the Sanyuan or Siyuan Flyover, turn
on to the Beijing-Shunyi Road, and drive northward to Huairou,
following the road signs.
Tel: 61627027,
61627396
Beijing Glorious
Land Agriculture Park
A modern hi-tech
agriculture park, the Beijing Glorious Land Agriculture Park
is in western Haidian District. Using the latest agricultural
techniques, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and crops are planted
in transparent bottles, under strictly controlled circumstances
in which viruses cannot survive. Flowers grown in this way
are more colorful and last longer. Detailed information of
the whole growing process is available, and visitors to the
park may also enjoy swimming, tennis, golf, squash and shuffleboard.
Villas are provided, in addition to American style log cabins,
and for long-term rent, a greenhouse is also available.
Admission: 20 yuan
for adults and 10 yuan for students and disabled
Add: Liaogongzhuang,
Sijiqing Township, Haidian District
Tel: 88701087
Accommodation:
220-360 yuan for a guest room, 1,800-2,400 yuan for a villa,
and 2,500 yuan for an American style log cabin.
Transport: Take
bus No 850, 977, 336, or 746 to Shifangyuan, or drive westward
four kilometers along the Fushi Road.
