Bejing
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall, symbolizing China's ancient civilization, is one of the world's most
renowned projects. It is a distance of 75 kilometers northwest of Beijing. Its highest
point at Badaling is some 800 meters above sea level. Now, nature has taken over most
of the Great Wall. The Great Wall runs 629 kilometers in the Beijing area. More than
100 kilometers are well preserved and two other sections at Badaling and Mutianyu
have already been renovated for tourists both at home and abroad.
Buddhism
Buddhism is one of China's most celebrated religions. Founded by Siddhartha Gautama,
it says that people should seek out the truth in their lives to reach the ultimate state of
mind and soul: Nirvana.
Like most religions, there is a story to how it came about. Siddhartha Gautama was born as a
prince to a wealthy Brahmin King. He had all that he wanted right before his fingertips. His
family and his father's follower's knew that he would become the future King, seeing as to how
he was perfect in every aspect of his mind, body, and soul. His father went to a priest to see
what he saw in the future of his son Siddhartha. The priest saw two things: Siddhartha would
either become the greatest king to ever live, or he would become a teacher.
After many years of practicing asceticism, Siddhartha realized that this was not working. His
followers did not like his decision and they left him. Siddhartha realized that the answer lied in
the middle. He resolved to stay in the same place until he realizes the answer; the Truth. He
sees that the earth is the way it is and it cannot be changed. The world is also completely
dependent on each of its characteristics; cause and effect. Now his is Buddha; the Enlightened
One.
Buddha taught his beliefs for many years before his death.
To reach Nirvana one must realize the 4 Noble Truths and following the Eigthfold Path.
Mandarin
Mandarin is the most widely spoken of all Chinese languages/dialects and is used by
upwards of 720 million people in China, or 70 percent of the population of China. It is
spoken in a huge area of the mainland running diagonally from the extreme southwest to
Manchuria and also along the entire East Coast north of Shanghai. To generalize, most
of China, with the exception of the southeastern provinces from Vietnam in the
southwest to Shanghai in the northeast is Mandarin speaking. Other exceptional areas
are in the Far West. There are also non-Chinese speaking minorities in many areas of
China.
Substantial numbers of speakers are in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, the
USA, Mongolia, Vietnam, Brunei, South Africa, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Hong
Kong. The total number of speakers in approximately 885 million.
Food
Chinese delicacies have four branches: Sichan Dish, Guangdong Dish, Shandong
Dish and Huaiyang Dish, each of which can be divided into dozens of
subbranches. All subbranches still contain numerous delicious dishes with
various flavors in different methods. Chinese food is thus famous in the world
for its special charm as well as its magnificence.
Thanks to being the capital city, Beijing has the advantage of seeing the assembly
of all the delicious dishes nationwide. There is no Chinese delicacy you cannot
find in Beijing. What is more, many western delicacies have rushed into the
capital city such as the French Dish, Russian Dish, Italian Food and American
Fast Food. They have become the frequent enjoyment for the natives of
Beijing. Since you have come to Beijing over a long distance, you should first
of all taste the typical Beijing Dish.
The capital today is indeed the best place to enjoy all the delicacies around the
country and even around the world. People can find every Chinese dish with
the best flavor here. So, for all the visitors to Beijing, it is really a precious
chance for them to savor all the delicious food there.
The Beijing roast duck enjoys the title of "The Best Flavor of the World" and is typical of
Beijing-flavored foods. The best resort to try roast ducks is the Quanjude Roast Duck
Restaurant and its subdivisions, located in Quanmanwai Street, Hepingman Street, and
Wangfujing Street. This Restaurant was set up 130 years ago, and even 30 years earlier if we
take into account when Mr. Yang Renquan, the forefather of this Restaurant, sponsored the
duck business. The royal dish, as a major pillar supporting the series of Beijing dishes,
embodies the historical features of Beijing being a capital for 800 years. It has a completely
noble pedigree, common people even couldn't have a look at their beautiful appearance in the
past. Although they have strictly retained their royal styles, now royal dishes have become
popular among the common people. Since it is cold in winter in Beijing, hot pot has always
been the favor of the Beijingers. Another great feature of Beijing is various snacks. Since
Beijing incorporates snacks from all other nationalities in China and has a rich variety of
categories. There are many snacks stores in the street as well as in the night market and free
market. In spring, the snack stands in the temple fair and flower fair are always the attractive
places for their various snacks, including fried pie, soybean milk, rice cake, fried cake, bean
curd, tea soup, toasted sweet potato, ravioli soup, baked sesame-seed cake, etc.
Mongolian Hot
Pot
Peking Duck
Skewered Mutton
Tea Culture
The fragrance of tea has penetrated through the entire history of Chinese civilization
of over 5000 years. Drinking tea in China can be dated back to very ancient
times, when, it was said, "God of Agriculture had used tea to detoxify the
poisonous grass he ate while he was trying all the grass." After several thousand
years' development, drinking tea has become a particular culture of the Chinese
people. Chinese tea culture witnesses a long history. With the popularity of tea
drinks, it has served to cultivate people's minds unceasingly. Advancing with the
history, Chinese tea culture has widely spread from near to far, from home to
abroad, over the vast land of China to the overseas.
Nowadays, tea has grown one of the three most popular beverages on earth. It is
preferred by people from all over the world. In Britain, tea is considered as the
beauty drink. When tea was no longer the exclusive drink for imperial family but
was also enjoyed by all the ordinary people, the fork custom of drinking morning
and afternoon tea came into existence. A knowledgeable clergyman had claimed
that tea was "a healthful drink for both body and spirit". In the eyes of the French,
tea is "the most gentle, romantic and poetic drink." In Japan, tea is regarded as
the "remedy for all diseases" and the "drink of atomic times". What's more, during
the long practice of drinking tea, tea has been exalted by the Japanese from the
everyday necessity to an elegant art ----- "tea moral".