Continuing my adventures in Beijing, I spent the 3rd day of my trip visiting the Summer Palace as well as some of the hutongs (actually only 2) in the capital.
The Summer Palace is breathtakingly beautiful especially when standing at the highest point of the attraction. Of course, those who are familiar with Chinese history will know that the original Summer Palace was pretty much destroyed by fire when the Europeans came in in early 18th/19th century. What we see now were restored under the orders of Empress Dowager Cixi who loved this place tremendously. It was at the Summer Palace that she attracted the attention of her husband, the Emperor and eventually rose to power.
My guide was ingenious enough to start the tour from the back entrance of the Palace where we managed to avoid the hoards of tourists.
This part of the Summer Palace was so picturesque that I wished I had canvas, palette and paint with me!
It was a nice morning walk up to the temple, a sacred place for the imperial family. Like the Forbidden City, there is meaning and reason for every building, sculpture, names etc. found in the Summer Palace.
And it was at the Summer Palace that I caught sight of these mignon birds. These are actually magpies, xi que in Mandarin. In the Chinese culture, they are a sign of good luck and happiness. Indeed, I have had clear blue skies and nice temperature throughout my entire trip!
The very poetic and romantic view from the highest point of the Summer Palace.
After the Summer Palace, we visited some of the fast disappearing hutongs in China. As China modernises, many of these old buildings that has stood the test of time and history are destroyed to make way for skyscrapers all in the name of economic development. Even though China has in recent years, come a long way in terms of prosperity and modernisation, you will be surprised that many local homes in the hutong still lacked modern amenities such as heater and toilets! They are still burning coals to keep themselves warm in the harsh winter of Beijing!
What used to be a large private estate of military generals and rich aristocrats are now homes for 40 to 50 families. As a result, one will not be able to witness nor imagine the grandeur and space that a traditional si he yuan.
Entrance to the home of a former military general.
Wall murals from the communist era. A rare sight of Beijing today. These murals depict exemplary behaviours expected of the people in communist times.
While many hutongs face the inevitable fate of eventual destruction, there are also hutongs that are 'preserved'. Many of the houses in the prime district are now owned by the rich and famous. It is easy to spot flashy sports cars parked along the road and pavement. Some of these hutong areas are also converted into hip tourist spots where many rickshaw riders will offer a ride round the hutongs at exorbitant prices. These alleys at Nanluoguxiang are also popular with the city's younger generation as the mushrooming of cafes, pubs and bars in the area provided a cool place for them to chill and hang out.
With my lucky stars shining, I am blessed that my guide happened to know someone who lives in one of these houses in this posh area. The owner is a 80-year-old lady who only managed to get back their property from the central government in 2004. She was generous enough to let us look around her courtyard and living quarters.
View of a traditional si he yuan of a large chinese house. Very rare view in today's Beijing.
And how can I miss such a unique photo opportunity :) Hehe.
The visit to the Summer Palace and the hutongs have been educational and was an eye-opening experience for me. To me, these places are uniquely Chinese and not to be missed when coming on a trip to Beijing.
Next up, the Great Wall of China to conclude this mini whirlwind adventure of mine!
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