As the capital of China, Beijing has a long history, splendid culture and deep heritage; meanwhile, it has beautiful mountains and countless sceneries, and is beautiful in all seasons! What to do when traveling to Beijing? This is probably the question most first-time visitors to Beijing want to ask. In order to make it more convenient for tourists to play in Beijing, the following is a one-day tour of Beijing play guide.

1. Watch the flag-raising

Tian'anmen Square, located in the center of Beijing, is 880 meters long from north to south and 500 meters wide from east to west, covering an area of 440,000 square meters, and can accommodate 1 million people for grand gatherings, making it the largest city square in the world.

The national flag of Tian'anmen Square is the symbol of the People's Republic of China. The national flag is 5 meters long and 3.3 meters wide, and the height of the flagpole is 30 meters. The base of the flagpole is made of white marble. A solemn ceremony to raise and lower the national flag is held every day in Tian'anmen Square. In 1997, the National flag of Tian'anmen Square was selected as one of the first 100 patriotic education demonstration bases by the Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee.

Tian'anmen Square flag lifting moments are the moment when you see the sun rise and set in Tian'anmen Square respectively, symbolizing the great motherland shining alongside the sun and thriving in prosperity.

Transportation routes:

Flag-raising viewing transportation routes: Take Night Bus No. 1 (from Sihui Public Transport Hub to Laoshan Bus Station, first departure at 23:20, last departure at 04:50) to "Tian'anmen East" or "Tian'anmen West" station; take Night Bus No.2 (from Wanyuan Lu (Rd) to Qijiahuazi Station, first departure at 23:20, last departure at 04:50) to "Tian'anmen Dong" or "Tian'anmen Square Dong" station; or take Night Bus No. 17 (from Beijing South Railway Station to Beijing Railway Station Dong, first departure at 23:20, last departure at 04:50) to "Tian'anmen Dong" or "Tian'anmen Square Xi" station, then walk to the viewing area.

Flag-lowering viewing transportation routes: Take Bus No.1, 2, 52, 82, 120, or Sightseeing Line 2 to "Tian'anmen Dong" or "Tian'anmen Xi" station; or take Subway Line 1 to "Tian'anmen Dong" or "Tian'anmen Xi" station, then walk to the viewing area.

2. Climb the Tian'anmen Rostrum

The splendid Tian'anmen Rostrum was built in the 15th year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1417), originally called "Chengtianmen", and then reconstructed in the 8th year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1654) and called "Tian'anmen" to the present day. As the main gate of the imperial city during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tian'anmen has become the symbol of the new China.

Tiananmen consists of a city platform and a gate tower, with a base made of white marble. The tower features 60 bright red columns, and the ground is paved with golden bricks, perfectly smooth. The tall and vividly colored wall platform has a double-eaved roof covered with yellow glazed tiles. The building is divided into nine rooms on the east and west sides and five rooms on the north and south sides, symbolizing "the imperial authority of nine and five" representing the emperor's highest status in Chinese culture.

The main hall of the gate tower features a double-eaved mountain roof with a central ridge. At both ends of the ridge are a pair of ornate dragon-shaped glazed decorations known as "dragon kisses." There are also eight hanging ridges, each topped with a dragon kiss, leading to the saying "nine ridges with ten dragons." The dragon kiss, also known as "chiwen", has a shape resembling a crescent moon, somewhat like a fish tail and somewhat like a bird. It was traditionally placed on rooftops to symbolize the intention of "fire prevention" and disaster warding. The gate tower features large, intricately carved windows that reach the ground. The craftsmanship is exquisite, with golden outlines and dots set against a crimson background, giving it a majestic and luxurious appearance. 

How do I purchase tickets?

Search for and follow the "Changyou Gongyuan" WeChat official account. In the electronic ticket section for the Tian'anmen Rostrum, visitors wishing to tour the gate must make a reservation one day in advance. Reservations can be made daily from 4:00 AM to 11:20 PM. After successfully making a reservation, visitors must go to the ticket exchange at the south gate of Zhongshan Park on the date of their reservation, presenting a QR code on their mobile phone. Then, they should bring a valid ID and the exchanged ticket to enter and visit the Tian'anmen Rostrum. The ticket price is 15 yuan for adults and 5 yuan for discounted tickets. (Note: The Tian'anmen Rostrum has been closed since January 24, 2020, with the reopening date to be announced; Tian'anmen Square remains open. For more details, please check the official website of The People's Government of Beiiing Municipality-Tiananmen Management Committee.)

Phone: 86-10-63095630

Transportation: Accessible via Subway Line 1 to either Tian'anmen East Station or Tian'anmen West Station.

3. Tour the Forbidden City

The Forbidden City, located in the center of Beijing, is the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was built in the eighteenth year of Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty(1420), so far six hundred years, through 24 emperors. It covers an area of more than 720,000 square meters, more than 9,000 halls and 150,000 square meters of floor space. The Forbidden City is the largest and best-preserved wooden palace complex in the world. It is the pride of the Chinese nation and the precious cultural heritage of all mankind. Today, the former Palace forbidden land that covers an area of 1.12 million square meters of heavy palace, both the collection of Ming and Qing dynasty imperial treasures of the huge treasure house, but also recorded the history of the Ming and Qing dynasty court of the living archives.

The Palace Museum, is a special museum. Founded in 1925, the Palace Museum was built on the foundation of the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. After six hundred years of rise and fall, the doors of the imperial palace finally opened to the public.

The lifeline of the Palace Museum is attached to the Forbidden City Palace, and grows and extends along its cultural veins. Walk into the Palace Museum along the central axis, you can feel the grandeur of the imperial dynasty from the ups and downs of the architectural styles; you can see court life through exquisite furnishings of Six Western Palaces and Six Eastern Palaces and the inner court's elegant pattern of the garden; You can trace back the historical hardships faced by the Chinese nation a hundred years ago through the yellow silk curtains rolled up in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The Palace Museum houses a total of 1,862,690 artifacts, with unique collections that are truly one-of-a-kind. Over its nearly hundred-year history, the museum has not only meticulously preserved the royal palaces and treasures from the Ming and Qing dynasties but has also significantly enriched its collections of cultural relics through national allocations, social solicitations, and private donations. This has resulted in a precious collection of over 1.86 million items across various fields, including ancient books and paintings, ancient artifacts, court relics, and archival materials. Strolling through the museum's permanent exhibitions or enjoying the frequently held thematic exhibitions allows you to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the great achievements of Chinese craftsmanship and art.

The Forbidden City Library features a collection centered on the transmitted old collections from the Qing Dynasty court. In the audiovisual hall, you can see a real Forbidden City and listen to its beautiful sounds. The gaming area invites you to explore the mysteries of the Forbidden City, while the cultural and creative shop allows you to bring Forbidden City culture back home by purchasing.

Since the beginning of the new century, the Palace Museum has undertaken the largest historical restoration project for ancient buildings, revitalizing the ancient Imperial Palace while vividly showcasing the invaluable traditional architectural craftsmanship. Currently, the museum's researchers are conducting more in-depth studies on ancient architecture, the museum's collections, the historical and cultural relics of the imperial court, Ming and Qing archives, Qing palace texts, and nearly a century of the museum's history. They aim to establish a comprehensive "Forbidden City Studies" system to reveal the profound wisdom and cultural spirit of the Chinese nation embedded in the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City Museum, the largest ancient cultural and art museum in China, is increasingly inviting you to step into this once-mysterious realm and into the temple of traditional Chinese culture.

Warm Reminder:

The Forbidden City operates a one-way visiting route from south to north: the Meridian Gate (south entrance) is only for entry, and all visitors must enter from there; the Shenwu Gate (north exit) is only for exiting, and visitors can leave the Forbidden City via either the Shenwu Gate or the Donghua Gate (east gate) after their visit. The Forbidden City is closed all day on Mondays, except during statutory holidays.

Ticket Prices:

From April 1 to October 31 (peak season): 60 RMB/person

From November 1 to March 31 of the following year (off-peak season): 40 RMB/person

Admission to the Treasure Hall (which includes the Ningshou Palace area, as well as the Opera Hall and Stone Drum Hall): 10 yuan/person

Admission to the Clock Museum (located in the Fengxian Palace area): 10 RMB/person

Ticket Purchase:

All tickets must be purchased online. 

Address:

4 Jingshanqianjie(St), Dongcheng, Beijing

Transportation:

Public transportation stations around the Meridian Gate:

Vehicles stopping at Tian'anmen East Station: Bus routes No.1, 120, 2, 52, 59, 82, 99, Night Bus 1, Night Bus 2, Night Bus 17, Sightseeing Bus 1, and Sightseeing Bus 2, as well as Subway Line 1.

Vehicles stopping at Tian'anmen West Station: Bus routes No.1, 5, 52, 99, Night Bus 1, Sightseeing Bus 1, Sightseeing Bus 2, and Subway Line 1.

Consultation Phone Numbers:

65132255, 85007938, 85007421

4. Stroll Down Qianmen Dajie (St)

After a day of sightseeing, if you still have energy, you can explore Qianmen Dajie (St) or Wangfujing. You can only choose one of these places to visit in the evening.

Qianmen Dajie (St)

Qianmen Dajie (St) was established in 1436 and is located outside the Zhengyang Gate, the main gate of ancient Beijing. It was the essential route for emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship at the Temple of Heaven and perform agricultural rituals at the Temple of Agriculture (used by Ming and Qing emperors to perform sacrifices to Xiannong, the mythical Emperor). The Qianlong Emperor wrote, "In the warm sun and gentle breeze, the jade melodies resonate, and colorful banners and floral ornaments shine upon the heavenly street," hence Qianmen Dajie (St) is also known as the Imperial Way Heavenly Street. With a history of 600 years, Qianmen Dajie (St)  has become a historic area rich in Beijing's architectural culture, commercial culture, association culture, Peking opera culture, and folk culture.

In the mid-Ming Dynasty, due to the development of commerce, markets and streets such as Xianyukou, Zhushikou, Meishikou, and Liangshidian emerged on both sides of Qianmen Dajie (St), transforming it into a commercial street. The long history of Qianmen Dajie (St) has given rise to many time-honored Chinese brands, such as Dabeizhao Photo Studio, Lao Zhengxing Restaurant, Shengxifu Hat Store, Liubiju Sauce Shop, Tongrentang Pharmacy, Ruifuxiang Silk Shop, Changchuntang Pharmacy, Neiliansheng Shoe Store, Zhangyiyuan Tea Shop, as well as the sauce meat shop of Yueshengzhai and the shao mai shop of Duyi Chuan, which are located on both sides of Qianmen Dajie (St).

Since 2005, Qianmen Dajie (St) has undergone repairs and renovations. The restored Qianmen Dajie (St) reflects the architectural style of the 1920s and 1930s, recreating the simple elegance of traditional Beijing architecture. Seventy-six percent of the buildings on both sides were reconstructed to their original state, while 24% underwent organic updates. The street is 840 meters long, restoring the iconic Wu Pai Lou and Baishiyulu(Rd), with the traditional Dangdang Car(Beijing's term for the tram) also making a comeback. Beijing elements have been incorporated into urban furniture, lighting, and small decorative designs, such as birdcage-style and rattle-drum-style streetlights, and stone drum-shaped and taiping jar-shaped flower pots, harmonizing with the historical buildings on both sides, creating a beautiful landscape of "Cultural Beijing".

On September 28, 2009, just before the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Qianmen Dajie (St) fully opened for business, with 103 merchants starting operations, of which 79% were Chinese national brands and 21% were internationally known brands, including 21 time-honored merchants. Qianmen Street achieved the goal of "revitalizing the ancient capital's appearance" and gradually entered a new period of prosperity.

In 2008, Dangdang Car returned to Qianmen Dajie (St). This tram was a historical memory of the ancient capital's landscape. The tram emitted a "ding ding" sound due to a copper bell installed on it, leading people to call it Dangdang Car. This tram appeared in 1921 and disappeared in 1956.

The original tram was a large carriage with a brown lower half and a yellow upper half. How did it operate? It relied on two parallel tracks on the road, which were recessed and embedded in the ground, allowing the wheels beneath the tram to slide along these tracks. It also depended on an overhead power supply from a pole on the tram roof, which connected to overhead wires. Since the pole resembled a little girl's braid, people referred to it as "the braid on top." When the tram started moving, it was relatively smooth but occasionally swayed. When encountering pedestrians or vehicles, the driver would step on a pedal, causing the bell to ring "ding ding."

Today's Dangdang Car has restored the structural form of the old tram, capable of running 16 kilometers on a single charge with no load, and can undergo over 50,000 charge and discharge cycles. It has also eliminated the long "braid" on top, now featuring two short decorative "braids".

The two new Dangdang Cars are named "Qianmen No. 1" and "Qianmen No. 2". They travel the 840-meter-long track in less than 10 minutes one way. After starting, there are stops at the Wupailou and Zhushikou, with two "8"-shaped tracks turning east and west at Moon Bay, which are maintenance tracks using resin fixation technology.

The operation hours for the Dangdang Car are from 9 AM to 10 PM, with a ticket price of 50 yuan for a one-way trip.

Transportation: Subway Line 2 to Qian'men Station.