Festivals in China during April 2012

Yao Minority Festival in Longshen Apr. 17

This is one of the oldest festivals dating back to the Yuan Dynasty. It held every year either in Ziana, a small village, or at the foot of Longji Mountain. During the festival all the Yao people are dressed in their local costume and they bring their best local products, like rice wine. The festival is a place to meet future husbands and wives by singing or playing the Muye, a special musical instrument made with leaves, or dancing.  The main colour of the Festival is red and it’s sometimes referred to as the Red Cloth Festival.

Day Trips from Longshen: Take a romantic Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, visit West Street and attend an evening performance of the Impressions of the Liu San Jie show, set on the water against beautiful mountain peaks.

Longji Tea Festival Apr. 8 to May. 8

Tea is sacred commodity in China and there are various tea festivals and “best places” to enjoy tea in China. Due to the proximity of Shanghai the Longji Tea Festival is the most famous. It’s situated just outside Hangzhou where there are famous tea plantations producing the world famous golden tea. Villagers from Dragon Well Village celebrate their Tea Festival every year between 8^th April and 8^th May, and visitors can enjoy picking tea at nearby tea plantations, learning about Chinese tea ceremonies, drinking tea the Chinese way and walking in the countryside.

Day Trips from Longji: Visit Hangzhou and take a short cruise on the West Lake. Don’t miss the traditional ancient pharmacy and manor house of a Qing nobleman.

Kite Festival in Weifang 20^th -25^th April 

This annual festival attracts enthusiasts and spectators from all around the world when the sky over Weifeng is covered with colourful shapes – they say that Marco Polo introduced kites to China. Keifeng, the kite capital of the world, hosts the best school in China for kite-making. The whole production is still done by hand from carving the wood to the painting of each part. The highest point of the Festival is the opening ceremony when the first ones go into the sky.

Day trips around Weifeng: Drive an hour and half to Qufu, the birth place of China’s greatest philosopher, Confucius. Peek through his last residence and join the crowds paying their respects at his grave.

Peony Festival in Luoyang 15^th April – 15^th May 

Every year between the middle of April and the middle of May peonies are in full bloom, reaching their peak between the 15^th – 25^th April. The best place to enjoy the Peony Festival is in Luoyang, the capital city of Henan Province and where you can also find the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Longmen Grottoes.

The main venue of the annual Luoyang Peony Festival is the National Peony Garden in the town of Mongshan. Opposite the White Horse Temple there is Shenzhou Peony Garden which is a good place to see them in full bloom.

Day trips from Luoyang: Visit Shaolin Temple which is where Kung Fu was developed by the monks.

Xiang Festival Apr. 5 to May. 5

This festival is a folk Festival held in Wuzhen near Shanghai. Participants wear their distinctive folk costume and take part in various activities, such as the Silkworm Flower Festival and boat races.

Day Trips from Wuzhen: Visit Suzhou, the Garden of the East.

For more information about travelling in China please contact Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

The Best Place to See The Great Wall of China

Wrongly convinced that the Great Wall of China is visible from the Moon I was expecting it to be just here, in front of the car which dropped as at the base of the Wall. Overexcited and tired from the long flight, I was searching around looking for a glimpse of one of the top things to see before you die. It was hidden among the bushes another half mile up the hill. Luckily, we used the chairlift to take us to the top and even then we had to climb high, uneven steps to get on it. Once I stepped on the Great Wall I couldn’t hide my surprise at how wide it was. So wide that I could see Top Gear organizing racing on the Great Wall of China! The only problem would be the large number of watchtowers which I am sure Jeremy Clarkson would make disappear.

Once on the wall your mind starts wondering which way to go, left or right. My local guide, a very pleasant and knowledgeable Chinese specialist in hiking on the Great Wall convinced me to go to the right, towards Simatai.

It was December, one week before Christmas and luckily there was no snow in China yet. It was cold but not unbearable. The Great Wall of China was empty except for me, my guide and for one very stubborn hawker whose sales skills were developed under Mao’s strict regime where the word ‘no’ didn’t mean anything. She didn’t speak English and followed us all the way to Simatai. Occasionally, pushing one of the Great Wall of China books in front of me, usually when I sat down to relax. In the end, feeling sorry for her but also admiring her perseverance, I decided to buy a book from her. She took the money and before I could say good bye she was far behind me. Trotting in her high heels, her modern business suit and laptop bag bouncing to get back before it got dark.

I was wearing many layers, new trainers and had a new Sony camera. The weather was excellent for taking photos. The fact that I was on my own and didn’t have to wait for people to move out of shot was an added bonus!

At the beginning, the trek was easy but the further along we went from Jinshanling towards Simatai the Wall gradually diminished from wide to almost non-existent with very steep steps and with loose stones and bricks. At some point, my guide and I were discussing the possibility to leave the wall and walk alongside it until we reached Simatai. It was a good idea but the fact that you wouldn’t be able to get back up, made me instead get on my knees and hands and crawl up to the highest point of this part of the Wall – the Wangjinglou Tower. All my tiredness disappeared once we reached the Tower and saw beautiful views almost up to the outskirts of Beijing. According to my guide the main function of Wangjinglou Tower was to observe enemies in the far distance. If the enemy was on the move, the soldiers would light a fire to alert the next tower who would relay the message along.

Once you pass Wangjinglou Tower hiking gets easier. You are almost descending towards the Simatai section of the Great Wall of China and once you are there, you have the option to get a zip line over the river and get of of Simatai, or if you are wimp like I am then you can continue walking. The hiking route from Jinshanling to Simatai is about 10 km and it took me about 4 hours to complete. I didn’t have any training or any exercise before taking this hike. Bear in mind that I had lots of photo stops as the opportunity to be on your own up, there was too good to miss!

We passed 43 watchtowers and they are great places to relax and have a picnic or, as some people do, have a sleepover. If you are young at heart, I would always recommend you to stay an extra night in Beijing and do the hike on this portion of the Great Wall of China. Most tour operators take you to the Badaling section which is the closest to Beijing and the most commercialized! You don’t have a quiet moment on your own and most of your photos would be full of strangers jumping in front of the camera like flies! The second option would be the section at Mutiyunu which is very well-renovated and not as commercialized as Badaling.

For the ultimate experience, book yourself a private tour with guide and driver and do the hike from Jinshanling to Simatai - it’s closed for renovation until next year but if that fits in with your plans, all the better!

For more information regarding hiking on the Great Wall of China email expert Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com  or check our website.

High speed train Beijing – Shanghai

Fast Leap Forward 

 

After introducing the high speed train on short distances around Shanghai, the Chinese are now developing it on the longer routes between big cities, and it’s due to be introduced on the Shanghai – Beijing line from the 1st July 2011.
The maximum speed on this route could be as fast as 380km/h but bizarrely, there are new regulations requiring all high speed trains to run no faster than 300km/h, so the Shanghai-Beijing train would run at between 250 and 300 km/h. There will two classes and restaurant on board, prices start from RMB510. The 300km/h train will take 4hrs and 48 min from Beijing to Shanghai while the 250km/h will take 7 hours and 56 min. Considering that flight between those two cities takes around two hours and usually is delayed the train journey of mere 5 hours is a very good deal.
I can’t wait to ride on the high speed train when I go back to China in November!

 

The Perfect Sightseeing in China

 

 

When you book a group tour to China usually there is not much choice about what to see and when. Your day is packed from 8am to 7pm when you are taken to a restaurant where the menu is decided by the government. You are usually presented with a visit to the Great Wall of China without specifying which part of the Great Wall. To keep costs down most companies take you to the Badaling section which is close to Beijing and most of the time, very overcrowded. 

If you are on a group tour your not able to see any current exhibitions in any of the cities visited, because there’s just not time. In the evenings, you are booked to see a performance of Beijing Opera but without any explanation what is the significance of any of the colours or costumes or masks or dances, so you’ll sit there out of sheer politeness and stay till the bitter end like most tourists do.You’ll go to Shanghai but you won’t have time to catch a world-class performance in the magnificent Shanghai theatre (the seats are so cheap too!). Nor will you be able to ride the fastest train in China, the Maglev, as there is no time, nor will you be able to go to the charming Taikang Lu district as buses can’t park down the narrow streets. 

However, on your group tour you will be taken on factory visits, so-called friendship shops, again earmarked by the government for tourists, in order to increase guides’ commission. Most of the time clients are get annoyed that they weren’t told about these visits (sometimes 3 a day) which can take up a considerable proportion of your time – for example, instead of spending some quality time at the Great Wall of China you have to go to the pearl shop and even if none of the group members buy anything, the will still guide get commission. On your group tour there will be at least 20 other people, sometimes 30 or 40, and just one guide – how many questions are you going to be able to answer? Are you going to be able to get close enough to hear them even?
For a perfect holiday in China, book your own guide and driver and set your own pace on a series of private day trips in each city, special discounts are available for more than 3 tours when booked together.

This is what you can see and do in China in just a week with ReadyClickAndGo!

Day 1 Beijing

AM: If you early starter get to the Tiananmen Square for flag rising ceremony. Later in the morning visit the magnificent Tiananmen    Square bordered by Great Hall of the People and Mao’s Mausoleum. Later visit the impressive UNESCO site, the Forbidden City which was a home to a succession of Emperors for more than 500 years. Exit through the north gate of the Forbidden City and visit the Jingshan Park for panoramic views of the city.

PM: Visit another UNESCO site in Beijing, the beautiful Summer Palace, and the best preserved Imperial Garden in China.

EVENING: Spend the evening with the performers at the Beijing Opera learning about this uniquely Chinese art.

Day 2 Beijing

 

AM: Drive to the less-crowded section of the Great Wall of China at Mutiyunu for a gentle walk.

PM: In the afternoon visit another UNESCO site and the Ming dynasty masterpiece, the Temple of Heaven and try Tai Chi. Opposite the Temple of Heaven visit one of the biggest market of fake goods in China, the Hongqiao Market where you can try your haggling skills.

EVENING: In the evening enjoy a traditional Peking Duck Dinner.

Day 3 Beijing

AM: Start the day with a visit of the authentic Beijing hidden in the local Hutongs. Don’t miss the Lama and the Confucius Temple.

PM: Learn about modern Chinese art at the funky 798 street which was formerly a military industrial complex from the 50’s. What’s fascinating is that several of the factories within the complex are still operational.

EVENING: Spend the evening at the Hou Hai Lake among the modern bars and restaurants.

Day 4 Beijing, Xian

AM: Fly to the ancient city of Xian and transfer to the hotel for two nights.

PM: On the way to the hotel visit the excellent Provincial Museum of Shaanxi Province built on the site of a former Confucian temple.

EVENING: In the evening enjoy the Tang Era music and dance dinner performance.

Day 5 Xian

AM: Visit the greatest archaeological find of the 20th century – the Terracotta Warriors who were interred with the Emperor Qin Shu Huang, marvel at the 7000 individually crafted, life sized clay figures. Stroll around the Muslim Quarter and visit the magnificent Grand Mosque. 

PM: If you are travelling to Xian between April and October 2011 try to visit the magnificent International Horticultural EXPO whose landmark is Changhan Tower which has the characteristics of a traditional timber-structure pagodas of the Tang Dynasty: every layer of roof overhang has a layer of supporting pedestals with a patterned layer-by-layer structure.

EVENING: Visit the illuminated Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Day 6 Xian, Shanghai

AM: Fly to cosmopolitan city Shanghai for two nights and take the Maglev train from the airport to the city.  

PM: Along with the usual visits to the Jade Buddha Temple and the Yuyuan garden. I suggest you walk to the fast-disappearing Jewish quarter around the Astor Hotel. You can even ask at the hotel reception and try to visit the room in which Albert Einstein received a phone call about his Nobel Prize. It’s still the same. Continue along the Bund and watch Chinese people performing tai chi. If you are hungry you can either go to the 8th floor of the Peace Hotel for a sumptuous Chinese meal at the Phoenix restaurant with fascinating views over the Huangpu River. If you prefer something more western why not visit Cloud 8 on the 88th floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel on the other side of the river. The views are breathtaking…

EVENING: In the evening visit Taikang Art Street, full of art galleries, sculpture workshops, photography studios, pottery and woodcarving workshops, etc. Stroll through Xintiandi Concession area where bars, cafes and shops are housed in typical old Shanghai houses.

Day 7 Shanghai

AM: Visit the world class Shanghai Museum. Check what’s on at the Shanghai Theatre and continue through the People’s Park to watch the locals relaxing playing cards, performing tai chi…If you are hungry try the Barbarossa restaurant situated in the middle of the People’s Park.

PM: Continue through the famous Nanjing Road towards the Peace Hotel and listen to jazz there at the bar which has been playing there since 1923. Take the stairs to the famous Phoenix restaurant for panoramic views of the Huangpu River.

EVENING: Continue to the Bund and take an evening cruise on the Huangpu River.

For more information please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com

What and where to eat in China?

There is something about spices tasting different once they change their country of orgin but it’s the same with people. I don’t recognise most of my friends since I changed my country and I can’t expect my Dim Sum to have the same taste here as in China.
If you are travelling to China on a group tour most meals are included. Seating is different from the usual Western style where 2 maybe 4 people share a table. In China meal times are a time to socialize, to talk, to have a meeting, to do business and as result 8 or 10 people, sometimes even more, share a round table and food. Chinese people don’t just dine, they banquet, which in western countries is done only at weddings. The order of the dishes may come in different ways from how you are used to at home – soup could be served last and the whole banquet could be served without rice. In some places serving rice is regarded as a lower class thing, the rich would eat meat and preferably fish.
Some of the dishes are very tricky to eat with chopsticks such as nicely roasted nuts in unspecified spices, but if you risk huge embarrassment when all the nuts spill over the table you can always pick up a few with your spoon and put them on your plate from where you can pick them up by hand. Don’t serve yourself from the main dishes on the table with your hands or your own chopsticks or cutlery, it’s not hygienic!
Apart from the different seating system and order of food the biggest problem is to recognise the dishes served you. The safest way is to grab your local guide and keep him close to you until all the dishes have been put on the table. This way you can find out which are spicy, vegetarian, cold or hot. On numerous occasions I simply guessed and presumed food was not particularly spicy only to find myself spitting it out under the table.
The tourism industry is still young in China and the government still decides which restaurants can cater for foreigners and of   course which meals should be served. Hence after 14 days travelling on a group tour through China you will find Chinese food somewhat repetitive and often bland. The only solution is not to book an all-inclusive tour and give yourself a break by eating somewhere else – perhaps at the hotel you are staying at. This is of course only valid if the hotel if of a good standard as you may end up with an even worse choice than the restaurant chosen for your group tour. From my experience of travelling around China, I would suggest eating with your local guide: they are resourceful in finding cheap restaurants and home-made meals. I really enjoy dishes I haven’t seen or tasted before. In this type of restaurant of course all the menus are in Chinese and some of them don’t even have a menu: the restaurants are full of local people who decide what to eat on the spot by just shouting their order at the chef. These types of restaurants are basic: some chairs are broken, tables are not cleaned properly, service is non-existent but the food is excellent. If you are worried about ordering chicken feet check what other diners are eat and order by pointing at their plates. If you feel adventurous I would recommend eating with locals at their secret places.
If you are vegetarian these places could be your only solution to the greasy chips or courgette served in government-approved restaurants. China doesn’t cater for vegetarians and is losing a huge amount of people who refuse to come because of it. As I said at the beginning of this article: tourism is still young in China and they are improving and hopefully we, tourists, may soon be able to eat where we want and order what we want.
Etiquette during meals is closely observed especially if you are dining with a Chinese host who sets the seating plan by choosing the most important person to sit next to him at the top of the table (which is opposite the entrance). If he decides to give a speech you must reciprocate by giving a speech yourself too. Chinese people don’t drink alcohol and if they do it’s usually just one glass of rice wine or a glass of beer. If you are lifting glasses to toast, hold the bottom of the glass with your left hand while touching other people’s glasses. This way you show respect to your Chinese host.
If during the banquet the Chinese slurp their soup that means they are enjoying it very much and it’s a tradition to make a noise while eating. Just think of a Western person saying “The soup was delicious.”
After chopsticks the second most important meal prop on the table is the tooth pick. The Chinese love them and use them all the time. On my recent trip to China I actually collected toothpicks and counted 24 different ones from just one province – they are all with carvings on the head rather than just the uniform ones in the West.
Recently some Chinese restaurants have started to put salt and pepper on the table but that is only for the tourists. Most Chinese wouldn’t dare ask for salt and pepper as that would be insulting to the chef.

For Private Day Trips to China please email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

 

Chinese New Year in London

 

Chinese New Year with ReadyClickAndGo

 

We went through Christmas here, then New Year here and there with a time difference of one hour, then Christmas there, the one called Orthodox, and now to round the celebrations off we will finish it with Chinese New Year, here in the UK. If you can’t celebrate it in China the best place to experience Chinese New Year is in London and I do apologise to all people in Singapore, Toronto, Sydney who claim their celebration of Chinese New Year is the best. It is not! 

My friend, Jenny Chen, a girl from Beijing, is excited as she is flying home on Friday to spend the holidays with her elderly parents who she hasn’t seen for the last two years. She is in a shopping mood and austerity measures brought on by Mr Osborne don’t apply during Chinese New Year. And why should they? I never thought about spending less on my parents when I was getting them a present for Christmas. And with my background they get two presents for the two Christmasses as well! Jenny’s credit card is redder then the lantern in our office that she put up to mark her contribution to the celebration of the Chinese New Year in London. She is sorry that she is not going to be here but also happy at the prospect of seeing her parents. 

This year celebrations in London are the biggest since they began in London. Apart from celebrations at Trafalgar and Leicester Squares, where colorful Chinese dragons, lions and acrobats will dance followed by loud music, you can mark the Chinese New Year at different establishments around London.  

The Victoria and Albert Museum set the exhibition of Imperial Chinese Robes to coincide with Chinese New Year in London. Among the many garments on show are gowns designed for everyday life as well as rituals, banquets, travelling, hunting and official royal visits. The Imperial Chinese Robes exhibition takes place from 10am – 6pm, Tuesday 7th December 2010 – Sunday 27th February 2011 at Victoria and Albert Museum. Tickets are £5.00 or £3.00 concessions. For more information please click here.

You can celebrate Chinese New Year at the National Maritime Museum with a spectacular evening of stargazing which takes place from 5.25pm, on Saturday 12th February 2011. Tickets cost £16.00 per person. For more information and to book tickets, click on the link below. For more information please click here.

The Wallace Collection contributed to the celebration of the Chinese New Year by arranging a special silk painting workshop hosted by artist Caroline Dorset.

The silk painting workshop for Chinese New Year at the Wallace Collection runs from 11am – 4pm, Saturday 5th February 2011. Tickets cost £25.00. For more information and to book tickets, call the gallery on 0207 563 9500. Fo rmore information please click here.

Find out more about Chinese culture through arts and craft activities as part of the Chinese New Year at the Museum in Docklands celebrations which will take place on the 5th and 6th  February 2011.  For daily activities please click here.  The Grand finale to end the Chinese New Year London celebrations will take place at Leicester Square with a huge (and free!) fireworks display.

Gong Xi Fa Cai

恭禧發財

For Private Day Trips to China email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

How to get around Beijing

By Tube

The first time I used the tube in Beijing was in 2001 when I felt very adventurous and went to the ticket desk with a huge map and pointed at Tiananmen Square. The lady behind the counter couldn’t see anything as the letters on the map were too small for her to read, and I couldn’t pass the map to her as the glass partition had just a small hole, just big enough for coins. Someone from the queue which formed behind me, with good English and perfect Chinese stepped in and asked for return tickets to Tiananmen Square Station for me.

The last time I used the tube in Beijing was in 2009 and there were no embarrassing moments as there were ticket machines with clear instructions in English and Chinese, but there is usually a ticket desk too in case of problems.

The tube in Beijing was reborn for Beijing’s Olympic Games in 2008 and is very a efficient, fast, clean and cheap way to get around Beijing.

It costs a flat fare of RMB2 to use the tube, you can buy tickets with cash or buy a Yikatong IC card. means “one card pass” in Chinese. It is similar to the Oyster Card used by TfL in London and is like a credit card for travel that you ‘top up’ as you use it. In order to get a Yiktong card you need to pay a deposit of RMB20 plus RMB100 for the travel itself, and you can top this up at subway stations, railway stations, most post offices in Beijing. When you leave, you get your deposit back.

There are 7 subway lines in Beijing, Lines 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 13 and the Batong line. The longest one is line 1 which runs through the core of Beijing, and below you can find a list of tourist attractions on the line going from east to west, with the main ones between stations 14 and 16:

Station 1: Ping Guo Yuan – Apple Park
This is the starting point
Station 2: Guchenglu – Ancient City
Station 3: Bajiaoyouleyuan – Bajiao Amusement Park
Attractions nearby: Bajiao Amusement Park, Shijingshan Amusement Park, Songlin Park
Station 4: Babaoshan – Babao Mountain
Attractions nearby: Laoshan Cycling Velodrome
Station 5: Yuquanlu – Yuquan Road
Station 6: Wukesong
Station 7: Wanshoulu – Wanshou Road
Station 8: Gong Zhu Fen
Attractions nearby: Cui Wei Tower, Beijing Urban and Rural Trade Center
Station 9: Military Museum
Attractions nearby: Military Museum, CCTV, The China Millenium Monument
Station 10: Muxidi
Attractions nearby: Baiyun White Cloud Taoist Temple
Station 11: Nanlishilu – Nanlishi Road
Attractions nearby: The Ministry of Radio and Television
Station 12: Fuxingmen
This a big transfer station for Lines 1 and 2.
Attractions nearby: Commercial Street – banks and hotels
Station 13: Xidan
Attractions nearby: Xidan commercial street, Xidan Book Store, Beijing Capital Times Square
Station 14: Tiananmen Xi – Western Tiananmen
Attractions nearby: Great Hall of the People, Forbidden City
Station 15: Tiananmen Dong – Eastern Tiananmen
Attractions nearby: Great Hall of the People, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, China Museum,
Station 16: Wangfujing
Attractions nearby: Wangfujing Steet
Station 17: Dongdan
Attractions nearby: Dongdan Commercial Street
Station 18: Jianguomen
Transfer station for Lines 1 and 2.
Attractions nearby: Beijing Ancient Observatory
Station 19: Yonganli
Attractions nearby: Silk Market, Guiyou Mansion
Station 20: Guomao
Attractions nearby: Soho Jianguo,
Station 21: Danglu – Dawan Road
Station 22: Sihui
Transfer station for Line 1 and Batong Line (Tongzhou District).
Station 23: Sihuidong – Eastern Sihui
Transfer station for Line 1 and Batong Line (Tongzhou District)

Little secret tips:

- A ticket entitles an adult to take one child whose height is less than 1.1 meters (3,6 feet) free of charge. Children less than 1.1 meters (3,6 feet) in height are not allowed to take the tube alone.
- The first train is at 05:00, and the last is at about 23:00.
- Wear comfortable shoes when using the tube.
- Take a bottle of water with you
- Stay alert and watch out for pickpockets – as you would do at home. 

See Beijing by tube. Or email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com for more information. More Private Day Trips are available at our site www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

Explore Beijing on tube

How to get around Beijing

By Taxis

 

The most convenient way to get around Beijing is by taxi. Taxi drivers these days usually speak basic English, but if you are unlucky and your driver just smiles at you make sure you always have with you the name of your hotel written in Chinese  -  the receptionist will either write it down for you or give you a hotel name card for you to show the driver, or anybody you need directions from.  

As in every big city it’s very difficult to hail a taxi when it’s raining, but in Beijing some taxis will simply refuse to do longer journeys, especially to the airport ,and they also will refuse to go anywhere if it involves driving on the 3rd Ring Road which is completely jammed in the rain. Note that taxis cannot stop anywhere they want – usually if there is a white line and it’s a busy place with police around they are likely to ignore your hailing. Try a side street or look outside hotels. 

Little secret tips:  

• The starting price for a taxi ride is RMB10 which includes the first 3km, and after that the price per km is RMB2.  For a journey longer than 10 km or after 23:00hrs, the fare will increase 50%. 
• All bridge and road tolls are charged extra. 
• There are illegal taxis in Beijing, but it is possible to spot an unlicensed cab – all legal, licensed taxi number plates start with ‘Beijing B’. Try to use a licensed taxi as the drivers know their way around and will always give you a printed-out receipt if you ask for one.  
• Most people in China sit next to the driver who is separated from them by a plastic partition – but I wouldn’t recommend it. In my experience, the seat is small and driving in Beijing is based around the wheel and the horn, which means lots of overtaking and fast driving, with no indicators. Try to sit  diagonally behind the driver where you’ll have more legroom, as they usually push their seat well back to stretch their legs.

For Private Day Trips in Beijing email Tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com or check our website at www.ReadyClickAndGo.com

  

 

What is Beijing Opera?

 

Beijing Opera does have singing in it, yes, but it is much more like a pantomime with music, dance, mime, choreographed fights and acrobatics as well, and with dramatic, vivid costumes and make-up, exaggerated movements and gestures. It is theatrical and dramatic, and not supposed to be at all realistic but to deal with the timeless themes of human experience using symbolism. Stories are either romantic folk tales which are generally light-hearted and comic, or action epics based on military exploits from the rich history with lots of acrobatics and skilful fight scenes. They are moral and philosophical tales with universal themes and therefore they do not require much in the way of scenery or props and usually take place on bare stages. Walking in a large circle represents a long journey, an oar represents a boat, and a whip a horse for example. Usually there is just a table and chairs on the stage, and these can represent a mountain, a bridge, and so on.

Stories feature a handful of stock characters such as the clown, the wise old man, dashing young hero, innocent girl, spirited concubine, and so on. Older men wear fake beards, and the clown has white paint on his nose, so all the cast in Beijing Opera are specific types, their status and character represented by their costumes and make-up, and are instantly recognisable by the audience. Colours represent character, red for loyalty and righteousness, white for wickedness, brown for stubborness, yellow for ambition or cunning, black for goodness and valour, blue for heroism, green for rash violence, gold and silver for gods and spirits, and these are seen in the costume designs where the higher ranking characters wear symbolic colours such as purple or yellow or red and heavily embroidered robes. Lower ranking characters wear simpler costumes in duller colours, but all have the extra-long sleeves known as water sleeves that can be flicked about by the wrist to show emotion and create the circular rounded movements that are essential elements of a good performance. All movements on stage are sweeping and circular movements rather than straight lines – the actors even roll their eyes when looking at someone or something, rather than just simply looking across.

Songs are sung in a high pitch with a nasal tone and lots of vibrato, the lyrics are written in rhyming couplets in an old-fashioned Beijing slang. Music is provided by traditional Chinese instruments which are versions of fiddles, lutes, horns and pipes, as well as drums, cymbals, gongs and castanets – it’s noisy, and that’s perhaps why the singing is so piercing, to make itself heard!

Although Beijing Opera has a long history with hundreds of traditional plays in its repertoire that draw on episodes of Chinese history and literature, more and more is being written based on contemporary life, and also based on Western culture with many of Shakespeare’s plays being produced as Beijing Opera. Even the Communists produced the ideologically-sound Eight Model Plays about the Japanese occupation, the class struggles after the civil war and the foundation of the republic, but nowadays people prefer old-fashioned stories from the good old days.

If you would like a great evening out, to see a performance of Beijing Opera together with that other Beijing speciality, a Peking Duck dinner, contact Tara at ReadyClickAndGo by emailing tara@ReadyClickAndGo.com to arrange tickets, restaurant and pick-up from your hotel in Beijing. http://bit.ly/9nrO3b 

Tara can also arrange a behind-the-scenes visit to meet the actors whilst they prepare for a performance, along with a walking tour through Beijing’s hutongs and a demonstration of how to make dim sum, on a fascinating full-day excursion http://bit.ly/9EouML