Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
twin-roofed structure with yellow tiles surrounded by a moat and topped with a gold knob,
its stupendous interior housing a vermillion and gold lectern.
BARBECUE SKEWERS
The red neon signs that you see hanging outside restaurants come evening, are actually shaped as the Chinese
character for
chuàn
(skewers) and signify that the restaurant serves barbecue skewers. They are often, but not
always, Muslim-food restaurants, and sometimes they are simply a hole-in-the-wall outfit, which only serves
skewers. Either way, they're a favourite snack spot for locals; pull up a stool, order a bottle of local beer (
píjiǔ
;
¥3 to ¥5) and join them for a barbecue pit-stop.
Chances are the staff won't speak a word of English, so to help you order, here's a list of the most common
skewers and their usual prices:
»
lamb skewers
,
yángròu chuàn,
¥1
»
steamed buns
,
mántou piàn,
¥1
»
chicken wings
,
jī chì,
¥4
»
lamb tendon
,
ròu jīn,
¥1
»
roasted garlic
,
dà suàn,
¥1
DÌTÁN PARK
( Dìtán Gōngyuán; park admission ¥2, altar ¥5; 6am-9pm; Yonghegong-Lama Temple)
Directly north of
the Lama Temple, but cosmologically juxtaposed with the
Temple of Heaven
(Tiāntán),
the
Altar of the Moon
(Yuètán), the
Altar of the Sun
(Rìtán) and the
Altar to the God
of the Land and the God of Grain
(Shèjìtán), Dìtán is the Temple of the Earth. The park,
site of imperial sacrifices to the Earth God, lacks the splendour of Temple of Heaven Park
but is certainly worth a stroll if you've just been to nearby Lama Temple. During Chinese
New Year a huge temple fair is held here. The park's large
altar
(fāngzé tán)
is square in
shape, symbolising the earth.
|PARK
