China Spring has Sprung
By admin on 2014-12-17

    A Ming dynasty emperor once chose Beijing's picturesque Silver Mountain area as the location for his tomb, much to the ire of the locals. In an effort to prevent the tomb from being built, the residents renamed their villages with dark and scary names, such as Ghost and Blood, to scare the emperor away.

    Today, this large scenic spot, only about 30 km northeast of Changping district in Beijing, is attracting new interest from city folk.

    Aside from the obligatory trip to the Great Wall, visitors to Beijing rarely stray beyond the Second Ring Road, although the capital's municipality encompasses more than 10,000 sq km.

    But if one makes the effort, there are mountains to the north and west, with reservoirs, hot springs, sleepy villages and fascinating temples waiting for an able trekker.

    This area gets covered with silver-like snow in winter, and hence its name. The mountain used to house a famous Buddhist shrine in north China and the highest peak here is 727m. Some of the oldest temples in this area were built around the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) and the pagodas here were renovated during the Liao (AD 916-1125) and Jin (AD 1115-1234) dynasties, making them at least 900 years old.

    It is believed that there were once more than 70 temples scattered on the mountains. The largest one, Fahua Temple, was built in 1125 during the Jin Dynasty.

    Hikers can enjoy long walks here, passing quarries and a local shrine before exploring five pagodas built 300 years ago.

    Trek halfway up the mountain and you can ring a large bell hanging in a pavilion. Monks used to leave their laundry at this halfway point and ring the bell to alert nuns to come and fetch their laundry.

    The roundtrip may take you three hours.

    A city landmark, Chaoyang Park is Beijing's biggest green space around and has been a public favorite for 25 years. Its verdant expanse and big lake are perfect for weekend wanderers.

    If you feel in a watery mood, check out Tuanjiehu Park. It is Beijing's most hygiene-conscious water park. Go for a wonderful hike among the small hills, tall trees and quaint stone bridges. Weekend boating at 30-40 yuan per hour, with a deposit of 50-100 yuan.

    If you like to play with sounds, visit The Temple of Heaven, one of Beijing's best-preserved cultural relics. This is where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1364-1911) offered payers for a good harvest. A special feature of the temple is the round wall around the Imperial Vault of Heaven, called Echo Wall. If you put your ear close to the wall, you can hear even a mere whisper at any point close to the wall, that sounds as clear as talking on the phone.

    Also try the Triple-Sound Stone, in front of the Imperial Vault of Heaven. If you shout out loud while standing on the first stone, the sound will echo once, but if you stand on the second stone, you can hear your voice twice, and from the third stone, the sound will repeat three times.

    If you want to explore something in the western part of town head to Yuyuantan Park, located in Haidian district. This area used to be an imperial fishing spot. Don't miss the cherry blossom garden, a favorite with visitors as is evident from the admission fee that goes up from 2 yuan usually to 10 yuan at this time of the year. You can see thousands of visitors sitting at the pavilions by the water, chatting or listening to the singing of the birds, while sipping a cup of tea.

    For an older park experience, Ritan Park located near the Central Business District, makes a good choice. This was where the emperors offered sacrifices to the Sun. There are many restaurants and bars around Ritan Park. With the birds singing and flowers blooming, prepare to put a spring in your step with a walk in a park.