Fancy Yourself a Concubine or Wizard? Beijing Snows Bring Scenery to Suit Any Taste
The magic of snowfall returns to the capital, and everywhere is bathed in.a blanket of white.
Snow in Beijing isn't as gentle as most would imagine, though. These hexagonal little snowflakes can pierce even the warmest down coat with the help of a howling gale. That being said, even a blizzard of daggers can't stop tough Beijingers from heading out into the wild to take the first candid shots of winter. Here, we've collected a few top-tier yet approachable locations to visit when the next snow arrives.
The Forbidden City*
I know, I know, this national treasure appears on every single ranking for best sightseeing location in the city. Yet, we have to admit that no matter how the seasons change, anytime is a prime time to tour around this ancient palace where generations of royal families and their entourages used to reside.
The crimson walls surrounding the palace which danced with golden ginkgo leaves not long ago were recently covered under white snow. If you're visiting the Forbidden City after the snow, fetch a long coat tailored in the Han style and get some traditional hairpins for your dew, and you'll be the star of your very own costume drama.
*Pro tip: Since it's such a popular place for snowy weather photos, tickets to the Forbidden City can sell out when it gets frosty (as is the case this weekend). If tickets sell out before you can get some, consider heading to the Workers' Cultural Palace right next door for some photo ops.
The Great Wall
Another classic destination for a one-day or weekend tour for city dwellers. Though you may think it is touristy and overdone, only in winter does the Great Wall reveal its true stateliness as the spine of northern China and gatekeeper of the capital. All colors which used to tinge the mountains will be faded, leaving only the white snow and grayish-brown winding walls in your line of sight.
For a moment, you may understand where those traditional landscape painters drew their inspiration from, and even hear the echoes of battle cries that have long lingered within these northern valleys.
Summer Palace
Despite the original function suggested by its name, the advent of winter does not hamper the grace of Summer Palace one bit. Actually, in my opinion, I think the “Winter Palace” radiates a more dazzling and charming vibe since you don’t get to see this rare combination of sophisticated wooden architecture usually found around the lower stretches of the Yangtze covered in snow. And the bridges with their white marble glimmering in the sunlight make them look like they were cast from snow, resonating with the powder laying on top of the nearby towers. If “Frozen” was filmed in Beijing, the Summer Palace would most certainly be Elsa's palace.
Daguanyuan
Compared to the aforementioned locations, this place has a less storied history and isn't as well known, but it is still worth a visit if you are a fan of the classic Chinese novel 《红楼梦》 Dream of the Red Chamber. Designed by historians and scholars specializing in the tome, this location served as a major filming location for the TV series based on the book. Daguanyuan has witnessed many filming crews come and go and you may have heard of or even seen some of the series filmed her, including 还珠格格 My Fair Princess and 后宫甄嬛传 Empress in the Palace. Whether you are a bookworm or a C-Drama junkie, the winter scenery of this beautifully designed garden is not something you should miss out on.
Dongjiaominxiang
Tired of the white snow on red walls, or simply feeling nostalgic for the chimney sticking out the snow and churches getting ready for a white Christmas? Beijing has that covered too! Head towards Dongjiaominxiang, which served as the capital's old embassy district until 1959. Due to the special historic background it holds, the area has been through a lot of changes since its inception. Luckily, its since been recognized as an important cultural heritage site, and is now protected by the municipal government. Wandering along this street, you can still sense the remaining glory from these historic legacies that survived through the erosion of time and war.
Church of the Saviour
Not far from Beihai Park, the Church of the Savior sits silently in a neighborhood close to Xisi East Street. As the largest and most famous Catholic Church remaining in Beijing, it is a go-to place for your winter city tour no matter your spiritual inclinations. Despite the church itself being of the classic Gothic style, the stone lions sitting in front of it and the wooden pavilion next to them serve as reminders that you'll only see a place like this here in China.
Beijing Universal Resorts
Controversies have surrounded this world-class amusement park since even before it opened, and the good people of Shanghai even seized on the opportunity to mock Universal Studio's choice of China location. But the first snow covering the pointy pinnacles of Hogwarts Castle and the roofs of Hogsmede left the country in awe, and even the pickiest person had to admit, Beijing's Hogsmede may be the most convincing wintery spot of all.
If you are a brave wizard that’s not afraid of the cold, then hesitate no more, put on your cloak, take out your wand, and start your winter adventure in this snow-coated magical world!
Read: Weekend Walk: Zig Zag Through the Dongcheng Hutongs with This Artsy Stroll
Images: Sina, Sohu, NetEase, Vogue, 故宫博物院, 视觉中国, Bilibili
