Fun Stuff 朝阳区建国路93号万达广场B座三层; 3) 昌平区 立汤路186号龙德广场5层
Concert Hall & Theaters Beijing Exhibition Theater Opened in 1954, this Russian-style building has direct connection to the rail system at Xizhimen. The Cinema Hall’s 500 seats and production facilities are designed for motion picture showings, live stage productions and a range of general meetings and seminars. A 2,700seat bi-level amphitheater has up to date sound and lighting systems suitable for large musical productions. 135 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. (6835 4455) 北京展览馆剧 场, 西城区西直门外大街135号 Beijing Seven-Color Light Children’s Theater 14A, Ju’er Hutong, Jiaodaokou, Dongcheng District. (8402 2285) 北京七色光 儿童剧院, 东城区交道口菊儿胡同甲14号 Chang’an Grand Theater 7 Jianguomennei Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6510 1309/1310) www.changantheater.com 长安大戏院, 东城 区建国门内大街7号 Beijing Chaoyang Theater A troupe of two dozen dutiful tumbling automatons from Sichuan plow through the shtick every night – plate spinning, hoop jumping, yo-yo tossing – with the kind of choreography that would have done Liberace proud. The contortionist routine climaxes in a three-woman rotating centerpiece, replete with colored lights and an aria. Tickets are RMB 180, 280, 380, 580, 680. Tickets for children less than 1.1m tall are half-price. Shows daily 7.15pm (call for additional show times). 36 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District. (6507 2421/1818) www.bjcyjc.com 北京朝阳剧场, 朝阳区东三 环北路36号 China Puppet Theater The theater puts on Chinese language puppet shows every Saturday and Sunday. Times vary. RMB 50100/show. 1A Anhua Xili, Beisanhuan Lu, Chaoyang District. (6425 4847, 6424 3698) www.puppetchina.com 中国木偶剧院, 朝阳区 北三环路安华西里甲1号 Dayin Theater A theater located in The Place with different plays on. 5/F, C Tower, The Place, 9 Guanghualu, Chaoyang District. (6589 5559) http://www.dayinyuanxian.com/ 大隐剧院, 朝阳区光华路9号世贸天阶C座(时 尚大厦)5层 National Centre For The Performing Arts (NCPA) Adjacent to the monolithic Great Hall of the People, French architect Paul Andreu’s space-age conception attracted a fair amount of criticismfor its cost (RMB 490,000 a seat) and dust-gathering capabilities (maintenance of the glass dome and surrounding moat is said to run up to hundreds of thousands of RMB daily). Since its opening in December 2007 though, praise for the stunning design, particularly beautiful at sunset, and the superb in-house acoustics has drowned out these criticisms. Continuing the trend of giving monikers to new monuments, the NCPA has been dubbed the ‘Egg’. Entrance to the three performance venues housed under the dome is via a passageway running under the moat, and the vast central atrium features stones from every region in China. Presently, attracting a string of world-class performers appears to be less of a problem than finding the appreciative local audiences that this venue deserves. 2 Chang’an Jie, Xicheng District. (6655 0000) www.chncpa. org 国家大剧院, 西城区西长安街2号 Penghao Theatre This privately owned theater and cafe is a well-kept secret in Beijing. Hard to find in a remodeled hutong, the atmosphere makes up for what it lacks in accessibilty. Has a rooftop bar for a drink after the show. 35 Dongmianhua Hutong (south gate of the Central Academy of Drama, between Nanluogu Xiang and Jiaodaokou Nandajie), Dongcheng District. (6400 6452/72) 蓬蒿剧场, 东城区东棉花胡 同35号(中央戏剧学院南门, 南锣鼓巷和交道口 南大街之间)
Poly Theatre Holds music performances all year round. Poly Plaza, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District. (6500 1188 ext 5126/5127) www.polytheatre.com 保利剧院, 东城区东直门南大街14号保利大厦1层 Xindong’an Cinema Shows the newest flicks in town – both Chinese and foreign. RMB 25-50 (foreign films); RMB 15-25 (local films). All tickets half-price on Tuesdays. 5/F, 138 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6528 1988/1898) www.xindongan.blog.sohu. com, http://www.b-cinema.cn/ 新东安影城, 东城区王府井大街138号5层
Cooking Lessons and Schools Black Sesame Kitchen Food writer JenLin Liu’s cooking school is housed in a renovated courtyard with an open kitchen and dining room where students can “cook, socialize, dine and wine.” Offers weekly classs, wine tastings, as well as caters to corporate functions, birthday parties, book readings and other events. 3 Heizhima Hutong, Dongcheng District. (136 9147 4408, blacksesamekitchen@gmail.com) www. blacksesamekitchen.com 东城区黑芝麻胡同3号 Class by Stephanie A decent mid-range Western restaurant whose core audience is curious, outward-looking locals as much as the regular expat crowd. Try the spinach, bacon, and blue cheese salad (RMB 35) or the roast duck breast with port sauce and Tuscan beans (RMB 55). Daily 7.30am10pm. 1/F, Bldg D, Global Trade Center, 36 Beisanhuan Lu, Chaoyang District. (5825 6778, classbystephanie@gmail.com) 朝阳区北 三环路36号环球贸易中心D座1层
Excursions Goose ‘n’ Duck Ranch The “ranch” is unevenly maintained but hyperactively landscaped and is better suited for younger kids than teens. Activities include swimming, archery, horseback riding, fishing, soccer, basketball, badminton, softball and paintball. You can stay for a day or spend the entire weekend in one of the cabins. Shuttle buses depart from Goose ‘n’ Duck Pub. Single day packages (RMB 260, half price for kids 4-12) include food, beverages and round-trip transportation; two-day packages (RMB 600, half price for kids ages 4-12, free for kids under 4) include the above, plus accommodation. Reservations are required. Daily 24hrs. Huairou Beizhai, Huairou District. (6067 1097) www. gdclub.net.cn 鹅和鸭, 怀柔区北寨
Major Attractions Confucius Temple and Guozijian The Confucius Temple is located 400 meters to the southwest of Yonghegong Station. It was first built in 1302 and served as an altar where intellectuals from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties offered their respects to Confucius. Now it has become a museum exhibiting engraved stones, old Chinese doorbells and drums, bronze and jade utensils, paintings and calligraphic works, antique musical instruments and ancient Chinese currencies. Every September, a ritual celebrating Confucius’s birthday takes place here, in which a music and dance ceremony from the Qing dynasty is performed. Daily 8am-5pm (last ticket 4.30pm). RMB 10, RMB 5 (students). 13 Guozijian Jie (near the Lama Temple’s main gate), Dongcheng District. (8401 1977) 孔庙和 国子监, 东城区国子监街13号 Drum and Bell Towers Buildings similar to the Drum Tower have stood in this vicinity for over 700 years, but the current structure dates back to 1800, when hours of the day were beaten on 24 drums. Today, the tower houses 25 drums that are beaten for visitors everyhalf-hour between 9-11.30am and 2-5pm. Just north of the Drum Tower is the Bell Tower, named after the 500-year-old bronze beast with 10cm thick walls. Daily 9am-5pm. 9 Linzi(near Zhuyuan Hotel),
Zhonglouwan Hutong, Dongcheng District. (RMB 30 (through ticket to both Drum and Bell Towers)) 钟鼓楼, 东城区钟楼湾胡同临字9 号(竹园宾馆附近) Houhai The area commonly referred to as “Houhai” actually covers two lakes: Houhai and Qianhai. Popular with families, Houhai is worth visiting especially in winter, when the frozen lake looks like a scene by some modern-day Brueghel, with families and couples skating, playing ice hockey, and jubilantly riding on ice chairs and other fantasmagoric contraptions. There’s an old school amusement area with trampolines, electric cars and a dragon train on the southwest bank, near Kong Yiji. Dianmenwai Dajie (aka Ping’an Dadao), across from the north gate of Beihai Park, Xicheng District. 后海地区, 西城区地安门外大街（北海公园北 门对面） Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) Take a daytrip to the place once described as the “Versailles of the East.” Its grounds blend typical Chinese landscaping and Western architecture. Famous scenic spots include the Grand Waterworks, the Immense Ocean Observatory and the Labyrinth. RMB 10, plus RMB 15 (ruins and labyrinth), students halfprice. Free for kids under 1.2m. Daily 7am7pm (May-Aug); 7am-5.30pm (Nov-Mar); 7am-630.pm (Apr, Sep-Oct). 28 Qinghua Xilu, Haidian District. (6262 8501) www. yuanmingyuanpark.com 圆明园, 海淀区清华 西路28号 Yonghegong Lama Temple Daily 9am4.30pm. RMB 25, audio tour RMB 20. 12 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng District. (6404 4499, yonghegong@china.com.cn) www. yonghegong.cn 雍和宫, 东城区雍和宫大街 12号
Museums & Education 798 Space The namesake of the 798 area and a factory space that once produced weapons, now you can catch an occasional exhibit in between high couture product launches that draw crowds at night. Daily 11am-9pm. Dashanzi art district, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. (6438 4862, 6437 6248) www.798space.com 798 时 态空间, 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798大山子艺术区 Beijing Planetarium Thanks to a RMB 300 million facelift, the once retro planetarium now boasts state of the art facilities. The SGI Digital Universe Theater takes patrons on a tour of the cosmos with six Carl Zeiss laser projectors that simulate the movement of stars and constellations. You can also travel through time in the 4-D theater, where you strap on a pair of goggles and watch a multidimensional film about the creation of the solar system and evolution of life on earth, replete with snarling T-Rexes and saber-toothed tigers. Other draws include the 3D space shuttle simulator and a cool exhibit about the sun. The new exhibition hall: RMB 10 (RMB 7 for students); GI Digital Universe Theater: RMB 45, RMB 35 (students); 4-D Theater: RMB 30, RMB 20 (students); 3D Space Shuttle Simulator: RMB 30, RMB 20 (students). Wed-Fri 9.30am-3.30pm (last ticket 3pm), Sat-Sun 9.30am-4.30pm (last ticket 4pm). 138 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. (6835 2453, 6831 2517) www.bjp. org.cn 北京天文馆新馆, 西城区西直门外大 街138号 Capital Museum Two hundred meters east of Muxidi subway station lies the Capital Museum. This six-story building houses 11 exhibition halls displaying ancient Chinese art: bronze statues, jade utensils, ancient calligraphy and paintings, restored old Beijing city views and precious relics of old Beijing operas. Two temporary exhibition halls on the first floor and basement level display artistic and cultural exhibits from around the world. Free. Reservation is necessary. Temporary exhibitions are charged. Audio self-guided tours in Chinese and English available for rent at the entrance. Tue-Sun 9am-5pm. 16
Directories
Fuxingmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District. (6337 0491/2) www.capitalmuseum.org.cn 首都博物 馆, 西城区复兴门外大街 16号 China Science and Technology Museum Mammoth 48,000 sqm facility features five themed exhibition rooms (the Children’s Science Paradise, The Glory of China, Exploration and Discovery, Science, Technology and Life and Challenges and the Future) and an array of hands-on scientific exhibitions, a science playground and displays of Chinese exhibitions. Also boasts four state-of-the-art “4D” and 3D cinemas, and an array of dining options. Tue-Sun 9am4.30pm, extended hours for special events (ticket selling 8.30am- 3.30pm). 5 Beichen Donglu (ten minutes east of the south gate of the Olympic Forest Park), Chaoyang District. (5904 1188) www.cstm.org.cn 中国科技馆, 朝阳区朝阳区北辰东路5号 Chinese Military History Museum Tired of jungle gyms? Try tanks! Tykes can clamber over an array of sturdy metal military gear or take turns sitting on an anti-aircraft gun or in the pilot’s seat of a combat aircraft (RMB 2). To board the Chinese 024 Missile-Equipped Boat (RMB 5) you don’t even need to enter the museum – it’s docked in the front courtyard. Parents and older kids can marvel at the socialist realist artwork. All this only a step away from the Military Museum subway stop on Line 1. Free. Daily 8.30am-4.30pm. 9 Fuxing Lu, Haidian District. (6686 6244) www.pladaily.com.cn/item/jb, www.chinamil. com.cn 中国军事博物馆, 海淀区复兴路9号 Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) UCCA frequently holds kid-friendly exhibitions, classes, and workshops with local and international artists. Check the events listings and their website for details. RMB 10, free on Thursdays and for students, members, kids under 1.3m, disabled visitors, and seniors. Tue-Sun 10am-7pm. 798 Dashanzi Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. (5780 0200, visitor@ucca. org.cn) www.ucca.org.cn 尤伦斯当代艺术中 心, 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号大山子艺术区
Parks & Gardens Qingnianhu Park In addition to the rare Beijing sight of multiple, unoccupied benches, this small park contains a hard-top basketball court, a croquet area, electric boats, paddleboats and an amusement zone with a trampoline, cheesy rides and bumper cars. Your budding Tiger Woods might enjoy the split-level golf driving range. If you’re not deterred by the “Station for Red Eye Disease Testing” at the entrance to Water World, you’ll find a huge pool filled with families in floaties, with a couple of waterslides. Park entrance: RMB 1. Water World: RMB 15, RMB 10 (kids under 1.3m). Park: Daily 6am-10pm (summer), 6am-9pm (winter); Water World: Daily 9am-5pm (summer). Andingmenwai Dajie, Dongcheng District. (8411 6321; Beijing Youth Lake Intl. Golf Club: 8411 6911; Water World: 8411 6321 ext 8032) 青年湖公 园, 东城区安定门外大街 Beihai Park This park is a good example of a classic Yuan dynasty imperial garden and has the benefit of being good to visit in all seasons. Ticket: RMB 10 (April-Oct); RMB 5 (Nov-March). Half-price for students. Daily 6.30am-8pm (Nov-March); 6am-9pm (April, May, Sept, Oct); 6am-10pm (June-Aug). 1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng District. (6403 1102) www.beihaipark.com.cn 北海公园, 西城区 文津街1号 Chaoyang Park Kitschy but fun. Kids can kick or throw a ball on the big grass field near the entrance, and the concrete podiums beyond are tree-free kite flying zones. There’s lots of room to stroll, a range of boating options, a handsome merry-go-round and many rides including a roller coaster, flying dinosaurs, bumper cars, sky swings and several large inflatable castles. On top of all this, Sony ExploraScience is also located in the park. The outdoor pool is a great place to
July 2013
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