Hot Clocking: Experience Meditation and Space Exploration

Joey Knotts, Contributing Editor | Mar 7, 2021 11:30 am | Add a comment | 275 reads

Have you clocked in yet? No, we're not talking about your 9-5. The phenomenon of 打卡 dǎkǎ clocking in is how netizens refer to hitting the must-see spots. But just where are Beijing's latest gotta-get-there, totally selfie-worthy sites? We've got the round-up in our newest column, Hot Clocking.

James Turrell's Skyspace

As a Massachusetts art museum unveils a sprawling exhibition of James Turrell's lengthy carreer, enthusiasts of art and architecture around the world lament that travel is largely off the table. Fortunately for Beijingers, the only Turrell Skyspace in all of China can be found right here in the capital. It's called Gathered Sky.

Beijing foodies will surely be familiar with Temple Hotel, if for no other reason than that it hosts TRB Hutong. But the sights of the hotel's courtyard have become an attraction in and of itself, and since the Skyspace opened in 2017, visitors who snag tickets to the exhibit will more often than not say that it's the best part of their visit.

If you're not familiair with Turell Skyspaces, it's essentially a meditative space where visitors are encouraged to lie on pillows on the floor and ponder on the sunrise-like colors and lights that surround them. What could be a better activity as we pass through this hectic hour in human history?

Tickets (RMB 150) are available through the Temple WeChat account (ID: Temple东景缘 [dongjingyuan]). In their account, tap Services > Gathered Sky, then tap 'Read More' at the bottom of that article.

Shougang Industrial Park

Now that the weather is warming up a bit, people are willing to travel further afield to spend some time outdoors. But rather than just-another-park, many are heading for the Shougang Industrial Park, not just because it’s a classic spot to go gawking at old-timey industry bits and bobs, but because it’s within peeking distance of the soon-to-be-iconic Ski Jumping platform for the 2022 Olympics.

That's past and present covered, but these days you just might get a glimpse of the future on the streets of Shougang, as it's also a major testing area for driverless vehicles. Neat!

Beijing Planetarium

Moon and mars on the mind? With NASA's latest landing on the red planet and China bringing back a few stones from the big cheese in the sky (now on display at the National Museum), we can't blame you. That's why so many netizens are clocking in at the Beijing Planetarium.

Sure, it's fun for the kiddos, but everyone loves space and adults are sure to have a blast too checking out the exhibits that help explain the various phenomena in our universe – as well as some historical and modern models of China's lunar landers, space stations, and rockets...if you're into that sort of thing.