From Wikitravel

Beijing (北京) is the capital of the most populous country in the world, the People's Republic of China. It was also the seat of the Qing dynasty emperor until the formation of a republic in 1911, so it has rich historical sites, and important government institutions.

The city is well known for its flatness and regular construction. There is only one hill to be found in the city limits (in Jingshan Park to the north of the famous Forbidden City). Like the configuration of the Forbidden City, Beijing has concentric "ring roads", which are actually rectangular, that go around the metropolis.

The International Olympic Committee has decided that Beijing will serve as the host city for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, the Summer Olympic Games of 2008.

Contents 1 Administrative Divisions 1.1 Districts 1.2 Counties 2 Understand 2.1 History 3 Get in 3.1 By plane 3.2 By train 3.3 By car 3.4 By bus 4 Get around 4.1 By train / subway 4.2 By bus 4.3 By minibus 4.4 By taxi 4.5 By car 5 See 6 Do 7 Learn 8 Work 9 Buy 9.1 Antiques and Specialty Items 10 Eat 10.1 Splurge 11 Drink 12 Sleep 12.1 Budget 12.2 Mid-range 12.3 Splurge 13 Contact 14 Stay safe 15 Cope 16 Get out

Administrative Divisions

Beijing has a total of 16 districts and 2 counties.

Districts

8 districts are close to the city centre:

• Dongcheng District (东城区)
• Xicheng District (西城区)
• Chongwen District (崇文区)
• Xuanwu District (宣武区)
• Chaoyang District (朝阳区)
• Haidian District (海淀区)Where the China Silicon Valley(Zhong Guan Cun) is!
• Fengtai District (丰台区)
• Shijingshan District (石景山区)

The other 8 districts are further afield:

• Mentougou District (门头沟区)
• Fangshan District (房山区)
• Tongzhou District (通州区)
• Shunyi District (顺义区)
• Changping District (昌平区)
• Daxing District (大兴区)
• Pinggu District (平谷区)
• Huairou District (怀柔区)

Except for Mentougou, all of these eight districts switched from being counties to districts from 1988 to 2001.

Counties

The two counties lie very far from central Beijing:

• (延庆县)
• Miyun County (密云县)

张家口

Understand

History

Beijing literally means "northern capital", a role it has played many times in China's long history. While various small towns and warlord capitals have been traced back as far as the 1st millennium BCE, Beijing first served as the capital of a (more or less) united China in 1264 when Kublai Khan's victorious Mongol forces set up the city of Dadu (大都, "Great Capital") to rule their new empire, from a northern location closer to the Mongol homelands.

After the fall of the Mongol Yuan dynasty in 1368, the capital was moved back to Nanjing ("southern capital"), but in 1403, the 3rd Ming emperor Zhu Di moved it to Beijing again and also gave the city its present name. This was Beijing's golden era: the Forbidden Palace, the Temple of Heaven and many other Beijing landmarks were built at this time. Beijing remained the capital into the Qing era and into the revolutionary ferment of the early 1900s, but in the chaos following the abdication of the last Emperor, Beijing was beset by fighting warlords. The Kuomintang thus moved the capital to Nanjing again in 1928, renaming Beijing as Beiping (北平, "Northern Peace") to emphasize that it was no longer a capital. However, the Kuomintang was eventually defeated by the Communists, who in 1949 proclaimed the People's Republic of China with its capital at Beijing.

Get in

By plane

Scams at the airport Arrival: Take your taxis from the stand outside, not the touts or desks inside, and insist on the meter. Be aware of another scam where imposters who pretend to work for the taxi company pose at the official-looking stands outside offering rides to the city (especially in the non-regular hours where there are not many people about). You will be led into a "taxi" with a fake meter (which could be hidden) which runs very quickly (Y200 - Y300 to the city). Read the section on taxis for details on how to identify a legitimate (and fake) taxi. Departure: Ignore any people walking around offering to sell you an exit fee ticket/receipt. There used to be an airport construction (or exit) fee of Y90, but now it is included in the plane ticket.

Beijing Capital International Airport (北京首都国际机场, PEK) is located to the northeast of the central districts, 26 km from the city centre. Terminal 2 opened in 1999, the terminal is still new and shiny, with contemporary abstract architecture, and the airport is being expanded at a furious pace to be ready in time for the 2008 Olympics, including the renovation of Terminal 1 in 2002-2005. Facilities on arrival include ATMs and money changers.

On departure, porters want Y10 to wheel your bags 50m to check-in; beware that most eating options are rather outrageously priced. Before you cross through security, if you want a bite to eat in the newly renovated Terminal 1, there is a KFC which has lowered the prices a little, and in Terminal 2, there are 2 KFC's, and the eateries in the basement have relatively low prices compared to what's above. However, a bite would still be 20 RMB at KFC or at the eateries.

Most people use taxicabs to reach town from the airport. Get your travel agent to get you the Chinese name of your hotel so that you can let your taxi driver read where you want to go. A taxi from the airport should cost between 70 - 120 RMB. You will have to pay the fee shown on the meter (make sure the driver uses it) plus 10 RMB toll for the airport expressway.

A bus also runs from the airport to the city centre, stopping in such places as the central train stations. The cost of the bus is RMBY 16, much more moderate than that of taxis.

There are also many shuttle buses to youth hostels, and luxury hotels. You could get on for free if you say that you will stay at that hotel.

Nanyuan Airport (南苑机场, NAY) is a former military airfield 18 km to the south of Beijing, currently used only by army-linked low-cost operator China United. China United currently fields daily flights to Harbin, Wuxi and Dalian, and a shuttle bus connects to/from all flights to China United's ticket office at the Xidan Aviation Hall (西单民航大厦).

By train

There is a major train station in the heart of Beijing (Beijing Railway Station, 北京站), but it has fierce competition from an even larger railway station to the west (Beijing West Railway Station, 北京西站). If you arrive in Beijing by train, odds are, you will land in one of the two large stations. There is also a northern station (Beijing North Railway Station, 北京北站), but it's very small compared to the other two - you might end up here if you are coming in from Inner Mongolia. The southern station (Beijing South Railway Station, 北京南站) is also very small, and stopped service on May 9, 2006, to prepare rebuild, the new south railway station will be the starting station of high-speed trains to Tianjin and Shanghai; trains heading to regions around Beijing or Hebei province often go through here, as well as several long distance trains from outer regions such as Inner Mongolia.

By car

The Jingcheng, Jingtong/Jingha, Jingshen, Jingjintang, Jingkai, Jingshi and Badaling (Jingzhang) Expressways (高速公路), as well as 11 China National Highways (国道), link into Beijing. However, you probably can't drive a car in China unless if you are a Chinese resident. There used to be a Hertz at the airport, but it is closed now.

By bus

Long-distance buses from areas as far as Shanghai and the Mongolian border connect to Beijing. You can reach areas as far as Harbin or Xian on a single bus ride. A sleeper bus, with bunk beds in rows, is about 100 RMB per trip, but many go REALLY slow up hills, they avoid expressways, stop at every city or town, some to give "meals" which you have to pay extra for, they take the potholed National Highways to save money, and a bus ride can take up to 24 hours. The average speed is only 40 km/hr on the moderately fast sleeper buses, and the range could be from 25 to 60 km/hr. It is a good authentic experience of how the lower class travels. Fortunately, there are deluxe buses to many of the same places as the sleeper buses. They take the expressways, cost from 200-600 RMB per trip, have comfy seats, and most rides don't take more then 6 hours.

Get around

Though many residents of Beijing know conversational English, one should not count on easily finding a taxi driver who knows English well. Neither should a foreigner with minimal experience with the Chinese language put undue faith in his or her ability to pronounce the names of locations so that a local can understand clearly. Before embarking on a trip around the city, print out the names of places you want to visit (in Chinese characters). You can find several places on the net with this information, a very good page is the Beijing travel Tips page. Once printed out, show the text to the taxi driver, or just ask for help on the street. You have more chance to get some help in English if you address the younger people, as many schools in China have recently begun a big push to see their students master the English language.

By train / subway

Beijing now has four subway lines:

• Line 1 (一号线) runs from the industrial Pingguoyuan (苹果园) area in west Beijing to Sihui East (四惠东) in eastern Beijing. It has 21 stops.

• Line 2 (二号线) is the loop line running under the interior 2nd Ring Road (二环路).

• Line 13 (十三号线) does an extended northern semi-loop from Dongzhimen (东直门) via Huilongguan (回龙观) through to Xizhimen (西直门).

• The Batong Line (八通线) extends from Sihui (四惠) through to Tuqiao (土桥) in eastern suburban Beijing.

More are under construction in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.

The subway station entrances are identified by a large blue stylized letter B wrapped around a smaller letter D.

The subway is an excellent way to quickly get around the city and a traveller can easily figure it out through the station maps and English signs and language. The subway fare is now 3 yuan and you have to buy the ticket at a window. Just push the equivalent of 3 yuan (or a 5 yuan bill) through, and hold up your index finger, signaling that you want just one ticket. Then take it to the ticket tearer opposite the booth, and go downstairs to your platform. Note that if you want two tickets, do not show your thumb and index finger, the Chinese way to signify numbers is different from the west, thumb and index finger mean eight not two. For more information see Wikipedia article Chinese number gestures.

Extension or transfer tickets are available for Line 13 and the Batong Line. The newest Beijing light rail line, the Line 1 Extension or the Ba Tong Line, is the simplest of the two. The Line 1 Ext. ticket can be bought as a single entity (pictured right) for 2 RMB from any station on the Line 1 Ext., or can be bought from any station on line 1 as a combination transfer ticket.

The transfer ticket for the Batong Line costs 4 yuan, and is used in a similar way except that on the first use the ticket checker will tear off one of the colored ends. Each end represents a different line. The blue end will be collected when you enter the Line 1 or 2 platform, the red end will be collected when you enter the Line 1 Extension (Ba Tong) platform.

Line 13 in the north is a little more complicated. Beijing, in preparation for the future Olympics in 2008 is modernizing many of its infrastructure systems. To this end, new magnetic tickets and automatic barriers are being tested out on the 13 line. The 13 line can also be utilized using a single use ticket (3 yuan) or transfer ticket from Lines 1 and 2 (5 yuan). The single use ticket can be bought from any station on the 13 line. The transfer ticket can be bought from any station on lines 1, 2 or 13.

You use the transfer ticket in the same way as described above, except for the fact that when you have the orange end to the ticket collector, they will exchange this for a single use magnetic ticket. You need this in order to pass through the automatic barriers. When you transfer from lines 1 or 2 you will be first met by people who will exchange your ticket, and then you proceed through the barriers.

By bus

The bus system is one of the hidden treasures of Beijing. It is cheap, convenient and covers the entire side — but is, alas, difficult to use if you don't understand Chinese. The staff often understand no English. The buses range from beautiful tourist buses with a wonderful wooden interior from which you can view the lake to overpacked buses with broken seats and bad suspension. However, the situation of bus has been improved a lot in recent years. Many bus lines have installed air conditioning and the new models of bus have been introduced. With only 1-2RMB bus fare, it is a good option for travellers.

Bus lines are numbered from 1-1000. Most Beijing buses have routes between the two red points that have the bus number written in a small box, and you can often see them going in both directions. The buses will take you almost anywhere if you can master their complexity. Unless you are a native speaker, or have a good ability to remember the Chinese letters, you will find yourself often frustrated not being able to quickly write down or remember the names in Chinese. Even if you do so, you might sometimes find stop signs damaged or pasted over with advertising material.

Full maps of the system are available only in Chinese. The site Beijing Public Transport Co. [1] has limited information in English on their site, but the Chinese section provides a routing service, that lets you can find bus routes and navigate in an interactive map of Beijing.

City public buses run from 5:30 till 23:00 daily, and can get very crowded during rush hours (6:30-9:00 and 17:00-19:00). Normal buses charge starting from only 1 yuan, but those equipped with air-conditioning or running on express lines are charged according to the distance. Air-con buses at the airport will charge around 16 yuan.

Be aware of a scam offering bus rides to the Great Wall masquerading as the real bus service. Instead of directly driving to the Great Wall, you will instead be led to a series of tours to dilapidated theme parks, tourist shops, museums, etc before finally reaching the Great Wall near the end of the day.

By minibus

Minibuses are very common in outside the core city, they are private drivers and cost often only 1-10 RMB longer distances. Often you will get picked up on the highway bus stops for 1 RMB.

By taxi

Taxis are the preferred choice for moving around, and are fairly inexpensive. From June 2006, all taxis charge a uniform 10 yuan starting fee, with 2 yuan per kilometer after the first 3 km. Vehicles used as taxis include Hyundai Sonata or Elantra, Volkswagen Santanas or Jetta (the old model, designed in the 1980s), and China-made Citroen. These taxis are dark red, or yellow top with dark blue bottom, or painted with new colors (see picture). Luxurious black executive cars (usually Audi) can also be found, usually waiting outside hotels. The color of such taxis are usually black.

You may still run into cheap and tiny taxis that cost Y1.20/km. These are generally functional cars, but many seem like they will break down any time and they are also quite dirty sometimes. Most drivers don't wear seatbelts. While taxis may have seatbelts in the front seats, the back seats never have seatbelts. These taxis are scheduled to disappear from Beijing's streets by the end of 2006.

If you want a tour around Beijing and its vicinities, you can ask your hotel to hire a cab for one day or several days. It usurally cost RMB 400 to 600 per day, determined by where you go, and how much you can bargy, but of course it will be more expensive if you want to visit Qing tombs and other places in Hebei province, than a tour to the Great Wall or Ming tombs.

If the taxi driver "forgets" to switch the taximeter on, remind him by politely saying "qǐng dǎ biǎo" 请打表 (pronunciation: qǐng slightly like "ching", da like "Dalai Lama", biao= b(b in "blue") -i(y in "yen") -ao(au in "Austria") (means "Run the meter, please"). Get your receipt (in case you want to make a complaint later or for business reimbursement purposes) by saying "fā piào" or gesturing at the meter and making a writing motion.

Taxis are also relatively cheap, but communicating with the drivers can be a problem, since most do not speak English. You can ask that your hotel write your destination on a card for you to give to the driver. Make sure also to take a card from the hotel (and a map) which lists the hotel's address in Chinese. This can be a 'get out of jail free' card if you get lost in the city and need to get back to the hotel via taxi.

Taximeters keep running when the speed is slower than 12km/h or waiting for green lights, 5 minutes waiting equal to 1 km running. To take a taxi is seldom to be charged for more than RMB 150 to 200 yuan, if the departure place and destination were both inside the Third Ring Road, unless during the rush hour.

In some places, like the Summer Palace or Great Wall, there are some fake taxis which have meters too. It's easy to identify them: real taxis have license plates started with a letter "B", like "京B - XXXXX", and the fake ones' start with other letters, usually "C", "E", "F", "G" or "J".

Fake taxis might charge you a high amount of extra money, and sometimes they drop foreign tourists in wrong places. In some extreme cases, the driver even take them to the countryside and rob them. If you find you hired a fake taxi and are overcharged, don't argue if you are alone, pay the driver and remember the car's license plate number, then call police later.

To avoid being taken advantage of, it is a good idea to know the rough direction, cost, and distance of your destination. You can easily find this out from asking locals before calling a cab. Verify these values with the taxicab driver to show them that you are in the know, and are probably too much trouble to cheat. Keep track of the direction of travel with a compass and/or the sun. If the cab goes in the wrong direction for a long distance, verify the location with the taxi driver. For scamming drivers, that is usually enough for them to go back on the right track (without ever acknowledging that they were trying to cheat you). For honest drivers, they will explain why they are going that way.

Keep in mind that central Beijing can be off limits at certain times, forcing cabs to reroute. And some roads forbid left turn (with big road signs), so the driver might make a detour.

By car

Renting a car normally is not recommended for the ordinary visitor. Besides being extremely expensive, driving in Beijing can be quite complicated, language difficulties included. Many hotels, however, rent cars that come with drivers, for those who can afford it, up to 1000 yuan per day.

• BCNC Car Rental. Toll-free in China 010800/810-9001 (thompsonwest@mindspring.com). Based at the Capital Airport, this agency is appointed as an option by several guides. An air ticket is required, as well as an international driving license. Mind you that deposits can be huge, and there are extra charges for permission to venture beyond the city limits.

See also Driving in China.

See

• Many tourist areas in Beijing are under renovation for the 2008 Olympics. The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace all had sections under renovation as of the middle of March 2006. Sources say some of the renovations have been completed and moved onto other sections. As a plus ticket prices were reduced for these exhibits because of the closed off sections. Just be aware before the Olympics there may be continued renovations.

• Forbidden City (故宫 gugong) (also known as the Palace Museum) get there when the gates open (around 8.30am) if you want to walk through the vast and spectacular courtyards in relative peace. This is truly the spot to appreciate the might and grandeur of the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power in Ming and Qing dynasties. Despite the transformation of the city around it, the Forbidden City remains mercifully relatively untouched. A few years ago there was a lot of local fuss when a Starbucks coffee shop opened in the Forbidden City, some interpreting this as a return to the bad old days of colonial domination. Despite the fuss it is still there, on an inconspicuous corner, and still serving coffee. Only 2/5 area of the palace is opened, but some places are under restorations and will be opened before 2008.

• Tiananmen Square (天安门 Tiānān mén) (largest square in the world!) Built by Mao to impress; his riposte to the Forbidden City, the square is surrounded by Soviet-style monuments and government buildings, and houses Mao's mausoleum at the end opposite the entrance to the Forbidden City. It remains an astounding place and a spot to linger and see visitors from all over China, many visiting their capital for the first time. There is a flag raising and lowering ceremony at dawn and dusk. There are 4 marble lions in front of the Tiananmen gate, the northwest one has a bullet hole on its stomach.

• Summer Palace (颐和园 Yíhé yuán) extensive gardens and the ruins of palaces constructed by the Qing emperors. Most visitors gathered in the front hill, but if you prefer quiet places, the west bank and back hill are good choices, there are some quiet and secret ruins, caves, ruined docks in the back hill area.

• Temple of Heaven (天坛 Tiāntán), south east of Qianmen and the Tiananmen Square. Not only a fine sight, but also surrounded by a lively public park, filled with local residents practicing tai chi, dancing and so on in the mornings and at weekends. A must-see in Beijing.

• Great Wall (长城 Chángchéng) (about a 1.5 hour bus ride from the city, recommended (but be aware of bus scams!) Two or more sections near the city have been restored and are available for tourists to walk upon. One section even has a ski lift up and a toboggan (or ski lift) down. The Wall is on top of mountain chains. You may want to bring a jacket against the wind or cold. The Badaling section is the most famous, but also the most over-restored and crowded. Jin Shan Ling, Huang Shan and Si Ma Tai are more distant (several hours drive) but offer a better view of the wall in a less restored state with fewer crowds. Crowds are a definite issue with the great wall. At popular sections at popular times, it is not the Great Wall of China, but rather the Great Wall of Tourists. It is possible to rent a taxi for a day to take you to these sites. Renting a taxi should cost 400~450 yuan. For this price the driver takes you whereever you want, and will wait for your return.

• Zoo (北京动物园) (they do have Pandas, but displays are not great, your best bet is to go to the Panda breeding centre in Chengdu, Sichuan province). Some think the Zoo is one of the worst you will ever see (partly because of the way they treat animals), BUT the aquarium is one of the biggest in the world, and very impressive. The Zoo was built on the sites of some ancient gardens, has lakes, pounds, pavilions and other beautiful old buildings. The Soviet revival Beijing Exhibition Hall located nearby, which has a Russian restaurant, "Moscow Restaurant".

• North Sea (北海 Běihǎi) - Beihai is a good place to take a glance at Zhongnanhai (中南海 Zhōngnánhǎi), heart of communist China. There's a big island and white pagoda which was built in the 17th century. The giant buildings westward outside are PRC's Ministry of Defence and General Staff, they ruined the scene of the west bank. On the north bank, you can visit some small but beautiful gardens.

• Lama Temple - This is an interesting spot, built by Chinese emperors who harbored a deep fascination for the Tibetan (Tantric) version of Buddhism. Over the years many Tibetan and Mongolian monks lived and taught here, and there are still monks in residence today. Also famous for its progessively bigger buddha statues. Very cool.

• Prince Gong's Mansion - The garden is fulled with Chinese tourists, and the mansion will be opened as a museum before 2008, which displays life of princes of Qing Dynasty

• Legation quarter - east to Tiananmen square, once famous in the Boxer Rebellion, the legation quarter now are occupied by government and army. Tourists could see those legation buildings from outside. There's a gorgeous baker store calld "Sapporo" near the legation quarter, famous for its breads and cheesecakes.

• Beijing Botanical Garden and Fragrant Hill - good place for weekend outing and picnic. The Fragrant Hill was a Qing imperial garden and was burnt in 1860, famous for the mountain climbs and the Fragrant Hill Hotel, designed by I.M.Pei, designer of Louvre Pyramid. Beijing Botanic Garden is steps away from the east gate of Fragrant Hill, has a silent and beautiful retreat called Cherry Glen. Sir Johnston, last emperor Puyi's teacher, had a villa in Cherry Glen and it still stands there.

• The Hutong Villages of Beijing most represent the traditional housing of Chinese locals. Some of the streets in the Qianmen Hutong (前门胡同) have a history around 500 years, with unchanged streets layout. The Hutongs are the perfect place to get a glimps of Chinese daily life. The majority of Hutongs has been destructed to make place for modern buildings. For these reasons, the Hutongs are considered very valuable and are a popular tourist attraction. Rickshaws carrying tourists weave in and out of the narrow streets of the hutong village to give individuals an up-close look at these homes.

• China Aviation Museum is a must see for all aviation fans. It is located about 50 km outside Beijing in Changping District and is probably better known by name Datangshan. Best way to get there is to arrange a taxi from your hotel. Other more adventurous way is to take bus 912 from Andingmen bus station, just remember that not all of these go via museum. Museum hosts over 200 exhibits, many of them very rare. Entrance fee is RMB 45.

Do

• Rent a bicycle and traverse some of the remaining hutongs.
• Visit Tiantan Park early in the morning to see thousands of Beijingers starting the day with tai chi.
• See a Beijing opera at the Laoshe Tea House (老舍茶馆) near Qianmen station. There always are short displays in the afternoon (about 40 min). They are free of admission, but your should buy a cup of tea. Long displays are in the evening. You should book a seat in advance, since the place is always crowded.
• 2008 Summer Olympics. http://en.beijing2008.com/
• Tibet Travel (西藏旅游大学)http://www.tibettravel.cn/

Learn

• Tsinghua University (清华大学) http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn
• Peking University (北京大学)http://www.pku.edu.cn/
• People's University of China (中国人民大学)http://www.ruc.edu.cn/
• Beijing Normal University (北京师范大学)http://www.bnu.edu.cn/
• China Media University (中国传媒大学)http://www.cuc.edu.cn/
• University of International Business and Economics (对外经济贸易大学)http://www.uibe.edu.cn/
• Beijing Language and Culture University（北京语言文化大学)http://www.blcu.edu.cn/yzf.asp
• Beijing University of Technology（北京工业大学)http://www.bjut.edu.cn
• Frontiers School (private school, cheaper than studying Chinese at any of the above, nice staff) http://frontiers.com.cn/
• Easyou private school, you can study for as little as a week, or for many months. Staff are friendly and helpful.
• That's Mandarin one on one lessons. I did not study with this person myself, but I spoke to an Australian who was at Easyou for a few days before switching to this place. He much prefered the individual attention and said the teacher was very skillful.

Work

Most of the commercial areas are in the following areas:

• Guomao (国贸)
• Dawang (大望)
• Eastern 3rd Ring Road (东三环)
• Chao yangmen (朝阳门）
• Hai dian(海淀)

Wherever you see the acronym CBD, it means it is located near the China Business District. It can be both residential or commercial area.

Like all of China, finding a job teaching English in Beijing is relatively easy for native speakers. In fact, if you are of European descent some employers may assume that you are already qualified enough to teach English to Chinese students. However, more prestigious employers (especially universities and language schools) will generally require an English teaching qualification or a Bachelor's degree (normally in any discipline, although sometimes specifically in English/linguistics).

Check out www.eslcafe.com for jobs and teaching materials for almost anywhere. Caution: there has been something of an "explosion" in English teaching in recent years, but this has brought some attendant problems with unregulated schools who fail to deliver on their contracts with teaching staff. You are advised to check with existing teachers before signing a teaching contract with an unknown school.

For job postings, check out www.thatsbj.com, a local English language publication.

See also: Teaching English

Buy

• Throughout nearly all markets in Beijing, bargaining is essential. Especially when browsing through large, "touristy" shopping areas for common items, do not put it beneath your dignity to start bargaining at 5% to 10% of the vendor's initial asking price. After spending some time haggling, never hesitate to threaten walking away, as this is often the quickest way to see a vendor lower his or her prices to a reasonable level.
• The true clothing market where the Chinese buy, is located in Xizhi Men, next to the Zoo. directions: in front of the Zoo there is a new huge building, which is just another big market, BUT behind it, there is the wholesale market, with the best prices, almost no need to bargain, and a lot of genuine goods (clothing).
• The Malls at Oriental Plaza (东方新天地) - East of Tian'anmen Square, next to Wangfujing Street. Shopping area (expensive) but provides you with a lot of buying opportunities from diamonds, to real (affordable) DVD's, (international) Music CD's and food.
• Wangfujing (王府井大街)- where most of the higher end shops are located
• Xidan - West of Tiananmen square. Several large malls near a substation, and look for the market, it's quite good - bargaining is a must (sellers even enjoy it)!
• Golden Resources Shopping Mall near Yuanda Bridge / Yuanda Road -- Located by West Fourth Ring Road (Xisihuan) in Haidian District, Beijing, the mall covers 680.000 square meters, the largest in Asia. Multiple stories, snaking alleys, infinite shopping opportunities... you get the gist.
• China World Trade Center (Guomao) -- here you will find a lot of expensive stores and some international convenience stores.
• Silk Street (秀水街) -- 8 East Xiushui Street Jianguo Men Wai Dajie. This building is located east of Tian an men square. It was reopened in March 2005 as a 5 story air conditioned building selling entirely for foreign visitors with 'export' quality goods. You can find luggage, leather bags, clothing and Chinese artwork. This location caters entirely to foreign customers. The place stocks higher 'export' quality merchandise and out-of-season clothing.
• SanLiTun YaShou Clothing Market -- Located at 58 Gongti Beilu, this is very similar to Silk Street (see above) with slightly better prices.
• For the more technologically-oriented tourist, Zhong Guan Cun (中关村）is a must. Located a couple miles from Tsinghua University, this area is dubbed "Silicon Valley of China." Sells everything from speakers to computer parts at an astonishingly low price. There are many salesmen who will try to make you go take a look at their shop, it is best to avoid them. If one looks around at the small shops inside the large malls, they may find a box filled with pirated CDs and DVDs, usually selling at 5 to 10 Yuan. Don't have too high an expectation of the quality, though, many of them are 'gun versions' filmed in the cinema with a camcorder. If you really want to buy it, look for '英文' (yingwen) which means English language.

Antiques and Specialty Items

• Pan Jia Yuan(潘家园) - also called the "dirt market" or the "weekend market" this is China's largest and possibly its most entertaining flea market. It operates from Sunday to Saturday, but most people visit there at Saturdays and Sundays, and it is located near Pan Jia Yuan bridge, on the eastern third ring road. It begins early, around 7am in summer and 8am in winter (4:00 am in weekend). The fleamarket includes antiques (plenty of both genuine and fake varieties) and large sections selling modern porcelain, jade, carved stone and wood, paintings, furnitures, and other decorative items, used books, maps, Cultural Revolution relatives (some are copies made in recent years). There are also sections selling Tibetan goods (mostly of low quality, especially the paintings). Ethnic textiles from Yunnan and Guizhou provinces are amongst the more interesting buys at the moment. Well worth a visit, unless you are allergic to crowds. Remember to haggle, try offer 1/3 to 1/10 of the original price, and don't expect too much to find some genuine antiques there (even they got such stuffs, they will prefer sell them to their familiar customers). It also,provides shipping service for large items to main ports arond the world.

• Liulichang (琉璃厂, stove of coloured glaze) - there are no stoves any more, but all antique stores, sell Chinese painting, handicrafts, used books and other stuffs. This place was the most popular and fantastic place in old Peking, but was closed in the 1960s. Though it was re-opend in thr mid 1980s, the original fantastic stores are state-owned, no longer attactive for local people. But people could still find interesting things there. In Chinese new year, there's a 15-day folk fair there. Liulichang is not far from subway's Heping Men Station.

• Gu Wan Cheng (Curio City) - on the 3rd ring road, just beyond Pan Jia Yuan, this 4 storey white building houses the more upmarket variety of Chinese antiques, with prices to match. The management have been making determined efforts to stamp out fakes and low quality items in recent years, and to some extent they have succeeded, but the rule that applies to all antique shopping in China still remains in force: let the buyer beware.

• Hong Qiao - this is not far from the Temple of Heaven, and worth visiting for the state-run silk market, but more especially for the pearl market in the building opposite. The top two floors of this market are filled with jewelry, and this may be the best place in China to buy pearls, coral, turquoise, amber and other semi-precious stones. The presence of a large number of stalls keeps the prices fairly keen, but shop around, keep a smile on your face and bargain hard.

• Hotel shops and Department stores - not the most characterful shopping in China, but worth a look and generally less likely (but not immune from) selling complete duds. The old style of Chinese retailing is gradually being transformed by shops with better design sense and souvenir items are getting better each year. Silk items (clothing, table settings and so on) such as those sold by Emperor (Kempinski Hotel and other spots around town) are worth a look, as are porcelain, specialty tea and other traditional items.

• Carpet stores: the carpet business is strong in Beijing and you will find all manner of stores selling silk carpets and other varieties. For Tibetan carpets try Torana Gallery at the Kempinski Hotel, one of the few places selling carpets that are actually made in Tibet.

Eat

The best way to eat good & cheap in Beijing is to enter one of the ubiquitous Chinese restaurants where the locals are eating, and pick a few different dishes from the menu. Truth be told, anyone familiar with Western currency and food prices at home will find Beijing a very inexpensive city for food, especially considering that the Chinese do not tip.

Beijing Roast Duck is the speciality in Beijing. There are numerous cheap Chinese restaurants serving duck 500-800m south of the Hepingmen subway stop. Some offer relaxing classical Chinese live music, but most are crowded and bustling. Expect to pay ¥40/duck at budget-range establishment, and ¥160-¥190 at high-end restaurants such as Quanjude [[2]] and Bianyifang[[3]].

The other culinary specialty of Beijing is hotpot. Unlike the Southern Chinese and Thai variants of this dish, you cook the meat yourself in a spicy boiling broth. Raw meat is purchased by the plate, as with any vegetables or noodles you would like to add. A thick sesame dipping sauce is usually also served. While "raw" sounds dangerous, boiling the meat yourself is the best way to ensure that more risky meats like pork are fully cooked and free of germs. In the city center, hotpot can run as much as ¥40-¥50 per person, but on the outskirts it can be found for as little as ¥10-¥25.

McDonald's has over 100 restaurants in Beijing, followed closely by KFC. As a rule of thumb, whenever there is a McDonalds, a KFC is no further than 100m away. There are also a fair number of Pizza Huts in Beijing. However, visitors to Pizza Hut should be prepared to take a number and wait in line if they dine around 12:00-13:00 and again from 18:30-19:30 (peak hours), as the restaurant is very popular with young Chinese. You will pay on average ¥60-¥120.

Origus has numerous locations throughout Beijing, and offers an all-you-can-eat pizza/pasta buffet for ¥39, including soft drinks and dessert bar.

If you're homesick, head for the John Bull Pub near the Jianguomen subway station. They'll happily provide you with your favourite English food and drink. Tony Roma's also has a location in Beijing.

Lamb kabobs (Yangrouchuan) and other kababs are sold on streets all over Beijing, from the late afternoon to the early morning all around Beijing. Often, the worst looking grills offer the best taste, so be brave and try them all. Wangfujing has a "snack street" selling such mundane fair as lamb, chicken, and beef kabobs, but the very brave can sample silkworm, scorpion, and various organs all on sticks and grilled to order.

Indeed, Beijing provides an ideal opportunity to sample food from all over the Country. Sichuan, Hunan, Cantonese, Tibetan, Yunnanese minority cuisine, and many other region-specific cuisines are found in Beijing. Many, such as Makye Ame (11A Xiushui Nanjie Jianguomenwai Beijing Tel: +86 (10) 6506 9616) and Dai Nationality Restaurant feature live dancing and performance, and are not to be missed.

Korean restaurants are also very common in Beijing. A frequent meal is the grill-it-yourself barbeque, including beef, chicken, and seafood items as well as some vegetables including greens and potatoes.

Splurge

All luxury hotels have a restaurant, it is any cuisine they have. There are French, Italian, American, and Chinese restaurants in the hotels. Of course, abalone/sharkfin restaurants are the most expensive restaurants in the city. Expect to pay upwards of ¥800 for a "cheap" meal, much more if splurging.

Drink

Tea, tea, and more tea! They have a different ceremony for every type of tea. You should go to a good tea house. Some are in malls, but first ask the price before ordering or else brace yourself for the most expensive egg-sized cup of tea in the world. Very, very relaxing. The tea masters's movements are hypnotic.

Chinese beer can be quite good. The most preferred beer in China is Qingdao beer (normally 10 yuan) which can also be found in the States. It has a distinctive taste due to its mineral water content. Try Yanjing beer (normally 2 yuan), which is main beer brand of Beijing. It comes in very large bottles and has 4% alcohol content. (Yanjing is an antiquated name for Beijing.). Both Yanjing and Qingdao now come in "standard" and various "deluxe" varieties, some of which are significantly better tasting than the regular stuff.

Great Wall is one type of Chinese wine (there are several others). Chinese wines are just acceptable, and it is still not common to drink wine. Giving wine as a gift is not a common custom in most places in China and most people will not be accustomed to wine etiquette or appreciation. Foreign red wines are usually of a much better quality, such as those from California and Oregon, France, Australia, and Chile.

The most common hard liquor to get drunk from is Bai jiu (white liquor). It comes in a large variety everywhere for very cheap prices and should be avoided if you want to have a clear mind for your travels on the next day. Mao Tai is a Chinese hard liquor made from sorghum. A large selection of imported liquor can be found at all bars ranging from tequila to whiskey.

• Hou Hai - 后海, a hangout with trendy restaurants and bars in the central part of Beijing. essentially snaking around a man made lake. A great place for a beer, and also to watch local Beijingers (of all ages) enjoying themselves.

• Sanlitun - 三里屯, this is the center of nightlife in Beijing, located beside the embassy area in Chaoyang district, it comprises a main "bar street" divided into north and south sections, a side street with more casual (and cheaper) bars, and several large clubs/discotheque at the north gate of the worker's stadium near by. Sanlitun has near legendary status amongst travelers, but you are just as likely to be irritated by pushy bar-owners or DVD sellers as you are to be charmed by its bars.

• Da Shan Zi 大山子, Beijing's new trendy art zone, out North of the Lido hotel, this old warehouse and factory district has been taken over by art galleries, art shops and bars. Well worth the trip to experience the cutting edge of the Beijing art scene. Also known as Factory 798.

• Nu Ren Jie 女人街 (literally "lady's street") and the streets around. This area is situated off Liang Ma Qiao Lu 亮马桥路, a short distance north of the Kempinski Hotel and embassies of Israel, Japan, ROK and USA. By day it has some fashion shops, as its name suggests, but it is also home to some interesting new bars, restaurants and clubs

Sleep

Foreign visitors often are "restricted" to staying in hotels, that restriction being less and less obvious as a great majority of accommodation now takes place in the form of hotels. Zhaodaisuos (招待所) are more difficult, and may be fully inaccessible altogether to the foreign community.

Budget

• Qiao Yuan Fandian: Located not far west from Beijing South trainstation. About 20 yuan from Beijing Zhan (Beijing Train station) by taxi, or take buses 744 or 20; best from Qianmin near Tiananmen Square. There's a whopping 200 ya jin (key deposit) but 4 bed dorms with a/c are reasonabley priced at 31 yuan or 260/360 for standard suites, the more expensive option in the building in the back (newer). Level 6 has a laundry, kitchen, and travel agency. Internet access located towards the train station (look for the fish net character on the signs, or ask for 'wung ba') or a few blocks away to the west near KFC, McDonalds and a supermarket. Plenty of eating is nearby, and also don't miss the Art Deco interior of a hotel/restaurant when its lit up at night (head towards KFC).
• International Youth Hostel: Located directly across from Beijing Zhan (Beijing train station). Dorms 60 yuan (4-8 beds).
• Beijing Saga International Youth Hostel, No. 9 Shijia Hutong, Dongcheng District. Tel. 86-10-65272773, 65249098, sagayangguang@yahoo.com. This place is about a 15 minute walk from the Beijing West Railway Station. From the station, follow the road past the Beijing International Hotel. After about a ten minute walk look for the hostel sign with an arrow pointing down one of the hutongs on the left side. The hostel is very popular with backpackers. They charge 180 Yuan for a triple room, 160 Yuan for a double room and 40-50 Yuan for a bed in a dormitory (the price depends on how many beds are in the room). There's a restaurant on the top floor. The staff speaks some English.
• Beijing Far East Youth Hostel [4], 90 Tie Shu Xie Jie, Xuan Wu District. Tel. 86-10-51958811. info@fareastyh.com. It's in a traditional Chinese courtyard, about 10 minutes walking from Tiananmen Square. The Far East Youth Hostel has become very famous after having been added to major travel guides. During summer time you should book one week in advance.
• Leo's Hostel[5] is a good alternative to the Far East and is just around the corner. Leo's Hostel has two locations named Guangjuyuan (广聚元宾馆) and Shanxixiang (陕西巷饭店). Former is in the same road as the Far East, has a Playstation, Internet, Pool etc. The later is more quiet and off the main road. Both locations have beautiful courtyards, but most of the rooms have only windows on these courtyards, so they are relatively dark and smell a little bit musty. Tel: (10) 63031595 or (10) 63033318.
• Changgong Hotel (长宫饭店）is one of the cheapest places in the Qianmen Hutong. It has an traditional arichitecture and is just next door from Far East and Leo's. Don't try to find any of the narrow roads on the map. Navigation is only possible by asking or in a riksha. Dormbeds are 35元, a tripple room is 210元. Tel: (10) 63015088 or (10) 63032665.

Mid-range

A number of mid-range hotels are located east of the 东直门 Dongzhimen subway station. From the subway stop, walk around 800m eastwards to the next big intersection. On the northern side of the street, half a dozen large hotels can be found. A double costs 150 to 250 Yuan a night depending on the season. Its worth to haggle and compare with the other hotels around before you book. Although its already placed at the outer ring road, the subway provides for a convenient and quick access to the inner city. Right next to the subway station there is a McDonalds, and - more interestingly - a large shopping center with a food court hidden in the lowest floor.

• Kaifeng hotel (凯风饭店, Kai3feng1 Fan4dian4), telephone 64651177, ranging between 180-320 Yuan per day per double.

• Xinxing Hotel: Moderately priced. About $50 per night. Free Internet access, but you need to ask for a room with it (you should also ask in advance too). The staff are friendly, but their English is just acceptable. Mostly Chinese internal tourists and businessmen stay here. Chinese breakfast is served on Floor 2 in the morning until 9 a.m. There is a swimming pool in a separate building. Staff will clean your room twice per day. Hotel is a several block walk from the Gongzhufen subway station (Line 1) which is on the West side of town. Mind the traffic when crossing the street. Address: No.17 the 3rd Ring Road Middle West, Beijing. Telephone: 86-10-68166688

• Zhu Yuan Hotel (Bamboo Garden Hotel), a stone's throw from the lake district, it is one of the most interesting hotels in Beijing. It located in a large complex of courtyards, was residence of Sheng Xuanhuai, a Qing Mandarin, later residence of Kang Sheng, head of secret police of communist China.

Splurge

Some 'expensive' hotels are in the city centre and on the eastern 3rd Ring Road, however by western standards these hotels are very cheap. These include:

• Grand Hyatt Beijing Privately-owned, exquisite, and expensive. This is a 5 star hotel. Rooms can go for $150 per night. There is an enormous swimming pool in the basement that is decorated in very tropical manner, but the deepest part is only 1.5 meters. The jacuzzi and wet sauna are excellent, but the steam room is hot enough to cook a lobster. Great hotel and great location, if you can afford it.
• Beijing Hotel State-owned (and thus presumably less expensive). Located near the Forbidden City, there is a view of Tiananmen Square from the hotel.
• Great Wall Sheraton Hotel Less expensive, comfortable, with rotating restaurants. Located on the eastern 3rd Ring Road, it is only 45 minutes from the Beijing Capital Airport by taxi. Hard Rock Cafe Beijing is located between the Sheraton and the Kempinski hotels.
• Kempinski Hotel is near the Great Wall Sheraton. German-run and efficient, and a good choice for business travelers. The lobby and adjacent Friendship store contain some good shopping opportunities. There is a also supermarket in the basement with a variety of local and imported food, beverages and sundies.
• Swissotel Beijing "Budget-level" for a "splurge" hotel, yet very comfortable, provides Web access in every room, and very friendly staff. Located near eastern 2nd Ring Road.

Contact

Stay safe

Beijing is a very safe city. However, tourists are often preyed upon by cheats and touts. Be especially cautious in the inner city, around Tiananmen Square, and on the tourist-crowded routes to the Great Wall.

• Do not follow any "art students". At best you end up in a shabby "art store" and get pressured to buy art.

• For tours to the Great Wall, be wary: the driver might just stop and set you off before your destination. Only pay afterwards if you are absolutely sure you are at the destination. Do not go for organized tours to the Great Wall in the 100-150 Yuan range that are advertised by people handing out flyers around the Forbidden City (or in the latest scam, masquerading as the real bus service to the Great Wall which only costs 20 Yuan, but is guaranteed to waste your entire day). Conveniently you are picked up from your hotel (so they know where to get back at you, in case you will not pay), you end up on a shopping tour through many many Chinese art, China, Chinese medicine, etc. shops and afterwards you have to pay upfront to get back to the city. Of course, there are exceptions, and people showing letters of recommendation from their previous travels and pictures are usually ok, as are people offering trips to the wilder parts of the Great Wall (ie. not Badaling or Juyong).

• Take care about meeting "students" who direct you to tea sampling shops. It is free to sample tea for locals, but for tourists...you should ask. In one incident, after sampling 5 types of tea with two "students", a group of tourists were confronted with a bill for 1260Yuan (126Euro). They even produced an English Menu with the extortionate prices for sampling.

• Similarly, young attractive English speaking female "students" will randomly talk to any Caucasian man walking by himself and attempt to coerce the man into going to a tea house, shop, restaurant, or night club with her. It's best to have an excuse premade to get yourself out of such a situation as the prices of such places can be extremely high for basically nothing.

• Take care when offered a ride in a rickshaw. Make sure you know where you are going to be taken in advance, and agree a price in writing. you may well end up dropped off in a deserted alleyway and extorted for a large amount - 600 Yuan or more.

Be wary of fake money. You may observe Chinese people inspecting their money carefully, and with a reason: there are a lot of counterfeit bills in circulation. The most common are 100's and 50's. A few tips for identifying counterfeit bills:

• Be very careful if someone wants to give back the largest currency bill (50 and 100 Yuan) by the excuse of "no change". In an attempt to pass you a counterfeit bill they may tell you that they have lowered the price in your benefit. Or, they may ask you to contribute an additional sum in order to pass you the 100 Yuan.

• If they give you back all the change money plus the coins on top (though coins are rare in Beijing) take your time to check each bill carefully.

• To check any 50 and 100 Yuan bill you get, do this: most importantly, check the paper. If its torn, thin or very slippery, ask for a different bill. Next, check the watermark, it should blur out softly. If there are hard visible corners in the watermark, reject the bill. Last, check the green "100" imprint on the lower left corner. It should be clearly painted on the bill so you can both feel and see a relief. If its missing or not feelable, reject the bill also. Rejecting bills is not considered impolite. If the colouring of a banknote is faded, it does not necessarily mean it is fake.

Driving is crazy in Beijing, and reckless driving is the norm. Be prepared for drivers to violate traffic laws even to the extent of going in reverse on highways to back up to a missed exit. Also expect occasional road debris (a piece of wood or torn out tire) to be laying in the roadway. Pedestrians should be very careful crossing the street — drivers will not stop for you and will anticipate the traffic light before it turns green. Be very careful when crossing any street. Take an overpass or underpass if possible. Otherwise, keep an eye on the locals and cross with them — there is strength in numbers.

Free emergency telephone numbers:

• Police: 110
• Fire alarm: 119
• Medical care: 120

Remember these three telephone numbers, and they are valid in almost entire mainland China.

Cope

Air pollution is a BIG problem. Car exhaust, coal burning, and dust storms from the Gobi desert combine to make some of the worst city air on the planet. You may want to bring extra Vitamin C and other antioxidants (grape seed extract, etc.). A white surgical face mask may help with the occasional dust storms...the dust is very fine. Don't be surprised if your throat and nose ache soon after arriving.

Drinking lots of the local green tea (hot) will help you resist sickness from the bad air. Green tea has antioxidants, some vitamin C, and the hot water helps to moisturize your throat. Winter is the worst time...cold air creates an inversion layer and traps the pollution in the city.

Diet tips. Bring fiber supplements (such as Metamucil). Beijing food can be constipating due to high meat/low vegetable content. Chinese don't usually eat salads, but boil their vegetables for sanitary and cultural reasons. Also, an Acidophilus (yogurt bacteria) supplemental capsule taken daily can prevent G.I. distress from the local bacteria. Bring the type that don't have to be refrigerated, or drink the local yogurt beverages (which must be drunk on the spot as you have to return the glass jars immediately afterwards). The local bacteria can cause vomiting or diarrhea (or both) if you don't take precautions beforehand. Remember the 3 P's for food: Peeled, par-boiled, or piping-hot. The good news is that the Chinese preference for fresh food, cooked in a wok at searing hot temperatures means that stomach problems are rare. If you are eating "local" you tip the odds in your favor if you stick to traditional, local food, since the chances are that the chef will know what he/she is doing with this type of food, which is not necessarily the case with (eg) a western-style salad.

Bring a pack of your own tissues (or toilet paper) and small bar soap. Many public bathrooms do not have wiping paper, especially if you venture out to the countryside. Alternately, you may wish to purchase an alcohol-based hand santizer for quick clean-ups. Also, pre-packaged wet hand wipes are indispensable.

Try to use the bathroom before you leave for your destinations. Some establishments (even large grocery/department stores) will not have Western style toilets, and many a lady has been shocked and dismayed to find she doesn't know how to use non-elevated (sunken) toilets.

If you do have to use a squat toilet, you may want to remove your trousers or dress first to avoid accidentally defecating on your clothing. Wipe with tissues that you have brought with you and put them in the bin; do not flush the paper because it can clog the toilet. Some toilets are pay toilets.

In dryer months (especially winter), be sure to bring or purchase a heavy moisturizer. Although most hotels will offer some generic brand, the quality varies greatly and you would do well to supply your own. It is advisable to purchase and drink several bottles of purified water a day.

Most Internet news is not censored, but BBC News usually is. The New York Times is sometimes blocked too, Wikipedia is but not Wikitravel. Reuters.com is usually not blocked. Searching a news source for 'verboten' terms ("Free Tibet," "Falun Gong," etc.) generally results in no results and may block further searches of that news source for a short time. To access blocked website, use an anonymization tool like anonymouse.org to access.

Email access through an Internet based email service is very helpful to have. Examples (free) include Yahoo, Google, Hotmail, etc.

Postcard postage costs 4.5 yuan (as of May 7th, 2005).

Bring a corkscrew for opening your wine. Swiss Army knives are a big help too (but remember to put it in your checked luggage).

Get out

• Hong Kong: Trains depart on alternate days from Beijing West Station to Hung Hom Station in Kowloon, Hong Kong.
• Shanghai/Suzhou: Train depart everyday from Beijing Railway Station, night train, "Z" title direct train.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!