Old Capital, New City - Discover the Beijing You Thought You Knew

Old Capital, New City - Discover the Beijing You Thought You Knew
Did you know that when Marco Polo first saw China's current capital, it was a city under construction by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan? Called Daidu, the Beijing of 1264 was such an incredible maze of architecture it led the famed explorer to comment, “the multitude of inhabitants, and the number of houses in the city…is greater than the mind can comprehend.” During his reign, Kublai Khan constructed Beijing's famous hutongs, the small, interconnected alleyways that are the veins through which the city's lifeblood flows. The only Mongolian word to remain in the Chinese language after the empire disintegrated in 1368, hutongs are like a physical encyclopedia of Beijing's culture and history. You only need to read the names of hutongs such as 仓粮胡同 (cangliang hutong, or “granary” hutong) to picture the story behind the street.

Though it may be hard to imagine Beijing as anything but a modern metropolis, in ancient times it was a walled city, accessible only through gates, or 门 (men). While the walls surrounding Beijing have come down, many of the 15 original gates still remain as historic landmarks. As with the hutongs, the names of the gates are a clue as to what they were used for, such as 宣武门 (xuan wu men, or “military gate”). The ancient city's layout was so meticulously planned that the Forbidden City sat in the very middle of the capital, with the Emperor's Inner Court in the heart of the complex–literally the center of ancient Beijing. The Inner Court is filled with fascinating fun facts and secret details. The Emperor's throne in the Hall of Celestial Purity is surrounded by long, red candles and mirrors, which were believed to ward off evil spirits as he attended to affairs of state. The imperial bed he slept in is long and narrow, symbolizing wishes for the Emperor's longevity, while the coverlet of the Empress's bed is decorated in delicately stitched dragons symbolizing the wish for fertility and good fortune.

It is in the Inner Court that the Emperor dined on 宫廷菜 (gongtingcai, or Imperial Cuisine). Ancient chefs took such care in preparing dishes for the Emperor that only rice harvested from Jade Spring Hill and Tang Spring in the west of Beijing, mutton raised by the Qingfeng Department (Department of Celebrating Good Harvests) and specialty ingredients culled and delivered by officials throughout the land would pass the Emperor's lips. Imperial chefs often focused on perfecting one dish throughout their careers. The crowning achievement of Imperial Cuisine was the Manchu Han Imperial Feast, a combination of Manchu and Han cuisine that was intended only for the Emperor and his guests. Comprised of a minimum of 134 hot dishes, and 48 cold dishes, the feast was so massive that it was served over the course of three days in six separate banquets. Today, only two restaurants in Beijing serve Imperial Cuisine, one is located in the Summer Palace, and the other in Behai Park, an extraordinary imperial garden that sits just northwest of the Forbidden City. While they may create delicious replications of Imperial Cuisine of years past, accurately recreating the intricately prepared delicacies laid before the royal court is an impossible task.

The capital's ancient buildings house any number of incredible secrets. Inside the gorgeous Temple of Heaven compound lies the Echo Wall, which surrounds the Celestial Warehouse. Like its name suggests, the Echo Wall is a wonder of acoustic architecture. When one person stands by the wall behind the East Annex Hall, and another by the West Annex Hall, a whisper spoken from one facing north carries through to the other, making it sound as if that person is just inches away. The Temple of Heaven is also the site of one of Beijing's best temple fairs, held during the Chinese New Year. These fairs are one of the city's best-kept secrets, with throngs of people turning up at temples throughout the city to celebrate with food, games and performances of all kinds. Fireworks displays are a particularly exciting part of these fairs, with friends and families gathering together to watch the sky light up with colorful explosions. More than just pretty patterns and noise, fireworks are a traditional way of scaring off the nian, a monster bearing bad luck believed to swoop down on the unsuspecting during the Spring Festival celebrations.

But it's not only ancient architecture that defines Beijing. More modern structures, such as the Great Hall of the People, are equally as impressive and have fantastic historical tidbits for the intrepid traveler to discover. Standing on the west side of Tiananmen Square, this incredible space was built in just 10 months by a team of volunteers in honor of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Today it serves as the seat of government, the meeting place for the National People's Congress. The doors of the Great Hall of the People open onto Tiananmen Square, whose broad confines are filled with crowds of tourists and locals chatting, flying kites and taking in the sights. It was from these masses that one of the country's definitive performance art forms, Peking Opera, arose. Originally performed in raucous teahouses throughout the capital, in the early 20th century Peking Opera superstar Mei Lanfang was the first to bring this distinctive performance art to audiences in foreign countries. Because of his contributions to the art of Peking Opera, the Chinese Peking Opera performance system is named after him and remains one of the most highly regarded in Asia.

Even more modern elements of Beijing have fascinating histories. Now an urban playground of high-end boutiques and swish restaurants, Sanlitun Bar Street was once a rough and rowdy row of pubs and bars that attracted expats and locals looking for a good time. Lying just south of the Embassy District, in the 1970s and 80s Sanlitun Bar Street was the only area in the city where bars were allowed to set up shop. The district takes its name from its distance from the Dongzhimen gate–tun means area or locality, and san li means three li, a means of measuring distance. One li is roughly one half of a kilometer long. Just a few li to the east lies the 7.9.8. Art District. During the 1990s artists and musicians began moving into the district, converting the old Bauhaus factories into lofts and studios. Today, the district is now home to a host of high-end galleries, art shops and restaurants, and serves as the beating heart of the Chinese contemporary art scene.

Beijing is a place full of history, secrets and amazing, fun facts. Let Four Seasons be your knowledgeable guide to this fascinating city. We specialize in knowing every nook and cranny of the capital, and can't wait to share its wonders with our discerning guests. Simply consult with our concierge to create a specialized Beijing tour that will uncover the capital's many mysteries, one at a time.

For more information, www.fourseasons.com/beijing