Appreciate the full moon, an important part of the Mid-Autumn festival customs, symbolizes the reunion and harmony of Chinese people. In Beijing, there are many places where you can enjoy the best glorious full moon during the Mid-autumn Festival. Here is a list of places for that.
Shichahai Scenic Area
Shichahai is a historic scenic area consisting of three lakes with water rippling, and long and thin willows drooping on the banks. With mountains in dark green in the distance and scenery of enchanting beauty, the place is one of grand sights in Beijing. Shichahai enjoys a large number of typical Hutong and Siheyuan, such as the Big Jinsitao Hutong and the Lesser Jinsitao Hutong, the North Guanfang Hutong and the South Guanfang Hutong the Ya’er Hutong, Baimixiejie (Rice Diagonal Street) and Yandaixiejie (Pipe Diagonal Street).
Morning Moon over Lugou
The most famous of the Eight Great Sights of Yanjing is the Morning Moon over Lugou. Various small tradesmen are gathered in the Wangping Fortress, performing acrobatics in the street, beating drums while dancing and conducting xiaochehui (parade floats). The Lugou Bridge will be illuminated by 20,000 ancient lanterns.
Altar of the Moon
Located in west Beijing, the Altar of the Moon was where emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties worshipped the God of the Moon. As one of the five famous altars and eight temples in Beijing, the Altar of the Moon was built the Emperor Jiajing’s Reign of the Ming Dynasty. As a famous classical garden in the capital, the garden grows a good number of ornamental trees like pine and cypress, pomegranate trees and Osmanthus trees. The Bell Tower, the Sky Gate, the Dressing Hall, the Kitchen of God and the Storehouse of God have been restored and such new attraction as the Laurel Pavilion is added, focusing on the theme of “the Moon” and highlighting the artistic mood of “the Moon”.
Beihai Park
The Beihai Park is a good place to admire the full moon, and many emperors once admired the moon, chanted poems or painted pictures here, leaving wonderful couplets like “风月清华瀛四季，水天朗澈绕三洲” (meaning the clear and pleasant wind, moon and sea in four seasons, the bright sky and clean water surrounding three islets.). On Mid-Autumn Day, you can take a small boat to cruise the Taiye Lake, or land on the Tuancheng Isle and taste Fangshan Mooncake or enjoy the music of Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng. You will feel as if your heart was connected with the ancients.
Central Radio and TV Tower
The Central Radio and TV Tower is a comprehensive building integrating radio and television transmission, sightseeing, catering and entertainment. As an important symbol of the modernization of Beijing, the tower has 20 stories. The nightscape lighting of the tower is an amazing sight, once awarded the first prize for the nightscape lighting work in Beijing. At night, the tower looks like a big lantern hanging in the air.
Beijing Planetarium
You can see the vast universe from here! As the first Chinese planetarium and a national 3A level scenic area, the Beijing Planetarium is situated in Xizhimen Outer Street, adjacent to the zoo. It is the only large-scale professional planetarium integrating astronomy popularization, publicity and education.
Dajue Temple
You can hear the voiceless sound under the moon at the ancient Xishan Dajue Temple. The night is cooler and more refreshing in
the Western Hills when night breeze blows away cloud. The sky is decorated with a full moon and scattered stars. In the courtyard of the Dajue Temple, you can enjoy a cup of tea. Without the fragrance Magnolia, yet you can still admire the bright moon overhead. The temple is famous for its clear spring, ancient trees, Magnolia and tranquil environment.
