Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
where it originated.
Step back in time by walking along the sole remaining stretch of the old
City Walls
(
CLICK HERE
).
Join the locals in one of their favourite pastimes on the restored shopping street of
Qi-
Explore: Temple of Heaven Park & Dōngchéng
South
Ranging south and southeast of the Forbidden City, and encompassing the now defunct
district of Chóngwén, this neighbourhood is one of the most compact in the capital. Far
less fashionable than the rest of Dōngchéng - it's something of a nightlife desert - it has
always been home to the
lǎobǎixìng
(common people).
Start the day at Temple of Heaven Park. Amble through the park to the west gate and
then head north to the Qiánmén area, or hit the Hóngqiáo Market, a few hundred metres
north of the east gate, where five floors of pearls, jewellery, jade and more await you. Re-
member to ascend to the roof terrace for splendid views across the Temple of Heaven
Park.
The last remaining stretch of the city walls that once enclosed Běijīng are a brief sub-
way ride north of the Temple of Heaven. From there, wander west through the surviving
hútòng
(narrow alleyways) of the neighbourhood towards Qiánmén, where museums and
the highly popular pedestrian shopping street of Qianmen Dajie await you. Nearby are
some of the oldest and most traditional Peking duck restaurants of all, as well as an in-
creasing number of Western fine dining options. Even if you don't eat there, make sure to
walk through the gates of 23 Qianmen Dongdajie for a peek at some of the imposing,
European-style buildings that once housed former foreign embassies.
