Exploring the Beijing Environs

By staff reporter ZHANG HUA

Jiaoshan Great Wall near Qinhuangdao.	A hilly view of the Imperial Summer Resort in Chengde.
Beidaihe beach.	The Mulan imperial hunting ground -- now a national forest park.

Hebei Province's promotion of its tourism resources may seem understated compared to the unabashed pride the capital Beijing, ensconced at its center, takes in its historic and cultural sites. Encompassing 58 national-level cultural relic sites, a number few other provinces surpass, Hebei nonetheless stands equal to Beijing in this respect. It was in Hebei that the three ancestors of the Chinese nation -- the Yellow Emperor, Yan Emperor and Chi You -- first fought and then allied to create the ancient Chinese civilization 5,000 years ago. The states of Yan and Zhao were in present day Hebei during the Spring and Autumn (770-476 BC) and Warring States (475-221 BC) periods. There are consequently large amounts of cultural relics and historic remains still to be found in the province. Hebei, formerly Beijing's home province, also played a significant role in safeguarding the capital during the last three imperial dynasties -- the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911). This may explain Hebei's deference to its former capital "ward."
Given Hebei's abundance of natural and historic sites, visitors should first pinpoint those of greatest interest to them and then choose a route. The province currently offers world cultural heritage, ancient city, traditional health therapy, home of martial arts and acrobatics, Great Wall, and natural scenery tours.

World Cultural Heritage Tour

The Hall of Mist and Rain in Chengde's Imperial Summer Resort.

Hebei boasts four world cultural heritage sites: the Imperial Summer Resort and its Eight Outlying Temples in Chengde, and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Eastern and Western Mausoleums.
The Imperial Summer Resort is north of downtown Chengde City, 230 kilometers from Beijing. It was here that the Qing emperors went in high summer to escape the heat of the capital and handle state affairs in the comparative cool of Chengde. Construction of the resort started in 1703 and continued for 90 years, through the reigns of emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong. In contrast to the grandiose Forbidden City in Beijing, the Summer Resort accentuates rural simplicity and the beauty of natural scenery, complemented by both southern and northern gardening techniques. It is the largest imperial garden extant in China, almost twice the size of Beijing's Summer Palace, and incorporates 120 groups of ancient structures.
The Summer Resort is composed of the palace, which housed the offices and living quarters of the emperor and his imperial family, and its surrounding lake, plain and hilly scenic areas.
The resort's lake area is smaller than that of Kunming Lake in Beijing's Summer Palace, but its five bodies of water, formed by causeways and islets that are connected by bridges, and adorned with elegant South China style structures fascinating in their diversity, further enhance its aesthetic appeal.
The plain area is where the emperor's temporary residence, the "Ten Thousand Tree Garden" once was. Emperor Qianlong would meet nobles, religious leaders of minority ethnic groups and foreign envoys in the largest (24 meters in diameter) of the 28 Mongolian yurts of varying sizes spread over the area. Today all that remains of the garden is an expanse of grassland and woods.
The western and northern parts of the Summer Resort are hilly and forested, the temperature in this shaded area 4-5 degrees lower than in the city of Chengde.
The Eight Outlying Temples surrounding the Summer Resort form the world's largest cluster of imperial temples. They represent examples of the Buddhist architectural styles of different ethnic groups, including the Manchu, Han, Mongolian, Tibetan and Uygur, and demonstrate the unity of China's various ethnic groups.

NB: The best time to visit Chengde is from late July to early August. Even then visitors are advised to bring long-sleeved shirts and full-length trousers to ward off the morning and evening chill.

A 1,000-year-old iron lion in Cangzhou.

The Qing Dynasty Eastern Mausoleums complex is in Hebei's Zunhua City. It is the largest and most representative imperial tomb area in China. Its 15 mausoleums are the resting place of five emperors, 15 empresses, and over 100 imperial concubines, princes and princesses.
The complex contains 580 magnificent and imposing buildings, among which is the widest stone archway extant in China. It contains Emperor Qianlong's underground palace and the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Cixi, in both of which are exquisite Buddhist stone sculptures and carvings. There is also a 600-m divine path following the mountain contour leading to the Xiao Mausoleum. There are regular reenactments of ancestor worship ceremonies at the Eastern Mausoleums.
The Qing Dynasty Western Mausoleums are in Hebei's Yixian County, 120 kilometers south of Beijing. Here, four emperors, three empresses, princes, princesses, and imperial concubines are buried. The earliest and largest on the site is the Tai Mausoleum of Emperor Yongzheng located at the center of the area. The divine path leading to the Tai Mausoleum is laid in three layers of huge bricks, lined with towering pines and cypresses and 40 or so other structures. The first of these at the southern end of the path is a five-arch bridge, and further north are three large stone archways carved with designs of landscapes, flowers and animals. These are considered most representative of the Western Mausoleums works of art.

The Great Wall Culture Tour

Its entire length from the Shanhai Pass in Hebei to the Jiayu Pass in Gansu measuring 6,700 kilometers, more than 2,000 kilometers of the Great Wall is in its province of origin, Hebei. The Badaling and Mutianyu sections fall under the jurisdiction of Beijing, but other sections of the Great Wall highly recommended to see and climb, such as Jinshanling, Luowenyu, Panjiakou, Jiaoshan, Jiumenkou, Shanhaiguan, and Old Dragon Head, are all located in Hebei Province.

A 1,000-year-old 22.13-meter tall bronze Buddha in the Longxing Temple, Zhengding.

The 10.5-km-long Jinshanling section, in Hebei's Luanping County, is generally considered to be the Great Wall's finest scenic backdrop. Having apparently learnt from weaknesses in other sections of the wall, the builders constructed a strong defensive system of forts and watchtowers, double walls, criss-crossing firing ranges, and a beacon tower alarm system at Jinshangling. Its military fortifications of square, round, oval, and L-shaped buttresses, and embrasured watchtowers are unique to Jinshanling.
It may not be widely known that the Great Wall at Panjiakou, near the Xifengkou Great Wall 60 kilometers northwest of the county seat of Qianxi, is partly submerged beneath the Panjiakou Reservoir. Here the wall zigzags from Xifengkou across the mountain to Panjiakou. In the past, the two sections relied heavily on each other for mutual defense.

NB: The Hebei Provincial Tourism Administration often hosts Great Wall culture surveys, trekking and climbing contests, adventure tours, summer camps, and folklore visits to farmers' homes at the foot of the Great Wall. Those interested in any of these can contact the China Hebei Overseas Tourist Corp (CITS)
Tel: 86-311-5815102/5821994 Fax: 86-311-5816047 E-mail: otchb2@heinfo.net
Add: 175 Yucai Street, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei.
Hiking along the Great Wall is physically demanding and requires experience.

Baoding Traditional Keep-fit Tour

Baoding is an historic town whose cultural relics include the ancient Lotus Pond, the Daci Pavilion, the Governor-General Office of Hebei Province, and the Han Dynasty tomb at Mancheng.
The ancient Lotus Pond at the city center is noted for 12 scenic sites, each of which has an associated legend originating in ancient times. The park also contains 100 or so inscribed steles from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
The Office of Governor-General of Hebei Province at the city center was built during the Hongwu Reign (1368-1399) of the Ming Dynasty, and is the best preserved provincial level ancient administrative office.
Baoding is known as "city of longevity." The average life span of its inhabitants is considerably longer than the national average. Local people have long practiced health-maintenance exercises. Every year from October 9 to 15 the local government organizes the Respecting the Old and Keeping Fit Festival. During that week various schools of such regimens as qigong, massage, acupuncture, martial arts, medicinal foods, and various kinds of apparatus exercises open for public displays.
Anguo City near Baoding is a major medicinal herb producer and processor in China and has the country's largest traditional Chinese medicine raw materials market. Almost all Anguo households grow medicinal plants, and the city's experienced herb processing workers have helped create its reputation for high quality medicinal materials, remedies, and diet therapies.
A popular Baoding tour souvenir item is a pair of stainless steel spheres to be held and rolled around in the palms of the hand. This is believed to be highly beneficial to the health.

NB: This tour takes two days. The first day covers the China Martial Arts Hall and Anguo Medicine King Temple in the morning, and the Medicinal Materials Museum and market in the afternoon. On the second day townspeople can be observed taking exercise before breakfast, after which is a visit to the qigong hospital. There is a tour of the Governor-General's Office in the afternoon. If time allows, visitors are recommended to see the Han Dynasty tomb in Mancheng, where two complete sets of jade burial suits sewn with gold thread have been unearthed.

Cangzhou Martial Arts and Acrobatics Tour

Cangzhou is known as "home of martial arts." In the past it was of strategic significance as it guarded the route to Beijing and Tianjin. This military status nurtured the martial spirit of its locals. Cangzhou has also been a place of exile for military miscreants, which further strengthened its martial spirit. As the Cangzhou people had a reputation for being just and respectful to warriors and those versed in martial arts, many kungfu masters and knight-errants that fell out of favor found shelter in Cangzhou, where they passed on their skills. Today 52 types of martial arts are practiced in Cangzhou. The Baji Boxing of Meng Village and Cangzhou Pigua Boxing are among China's ten representative boxing schools, and are included in standard exercises for international martial arts competitions. Cangzhou has more than 100 martial arts schools and clubs.
Wuqiao in southern Cangzhou is known as the "home of acrobatics." It is said that almost every local person is an acrobat in some form or other. The Wuqiao Acrobatics World has eight sections, including street acrobatics culture, the acrobatic spectacular hall, and the magic palace. To its north is the Wuqiao Acrobatic Folklore Park. At these sites visitors can see acrobatic demonstrations, try their hand at programs designed for visitor participation, and enjoy various entertainment programs.
Cangzhou's Iron Lion is also a famous cultural relic, cast over 1,000 years ago.

NB: In addition to the Wuqiao Acrobatics World, the Cangzhou Martial Arts Training Center under the State Sports General Administration, and local martial arts clubs, Cangzhou's schools and households are also well worth a visit. This can be arranged through local travel services.
September when local delicacies of golden-thread dates and juicy pears are in season, is the best month to visit Cangzhou.