For those of you staying in Beijing over the holiday, you may be dreading the idea of holing up in your home with a catalog of DVDs and a trashcan full of delivery meal boxes. But fear not; there are still many things to see and do in the city. Just with fewer people about.
Remember to read tomorrow's Nibbles blog for our top picks for eating and drinking on Year o' the Sheep eve.
Tuesday: Chinese Dumpling Party @ The Hutong
The traditional food for CNY in northern China, dumplings are an important and simple dish that lie at the heart of Chinese food culture. As well as learning how to craft the best and most delicious jiaozi, eat as many as you like accompanied by beers and wintry mulled wine. The ingredients are provided by TooToo organic farm in Pinggu who have linked up with The Hutong to supply safe and fresh food.
> Feb 17, 6-9.30pm; RMB200 (150 for members); The Hutong
Wednesday + 7: Beijing's Temple Fairs @ Longtan Park, Dongyue Temple & Ditan Park
Leafy green outdoor spaces Longtan Park (Dragon Lake by Temple of Heaven) and Ditan Park (Temple of Earth by Yonghegong) will this CNY be holding temple fairs, along with Dongyue Temple (East Mountain in CBD by Full Link Plaza), from Wednesday to the following Wednesday where you can buy trinkets and play some fayre games. From experience at these things, the best part is either taking a walk around the park and temples, with a complementary spring in your step bolstered by the festive mood, or watching one of the attractions such as the man who threads a snake through his nose and mouth. Avoid the market stalls which are really just an outdoor version of the souvenir floor of Yashow. Or at least the Yashow that was.
> Feb 18-25; RMB10 entry
Longtan Park, 8 Longtan Lu; 8am-5pm
Ditan Park, A2, Andingmenwai Dajie; 10am-5pm
Dongyue Temple, 141 Chaowai Dajie; 9am-5pm
Thursday: Film Screening "Little Soldiers" & "Victoire Terminus" @ Crossroads Centre
Presenting two French-language documentary films on the plight of children and women in Africa. The first, Les Petit Soldats (The Little Soldiers) follows child soldiers in Liberia in the early 2000s after 14 years of civil war through interviews with those kids that survived. The second, Victoire Terminus, tells one part of a story of women's rights in Congo, at the boxing ring where many women have gone to gain some stability in their lives. The film takes place during the run up to the first free election in 2006 in Kinshasa. The first will be shown at 2pm, the second at 3.30pm and a discussion will follow at 5pm.
> Feb 19, 2-6pm; free; Crossroads Centre, No. 18, Dashiqiao Hutong, Jiu Gulou Dajie, Xicheng
Thursday + 5: Chaoyang Park Temple Fair @ Chaoyang Park
Starting a day later than the other fairs, this one has been organized with the international community in mind. Featuring a Spanish circus and European and Russian street artists, this will be a great day out for children and adults alike. Expect many promoters of China's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics to have their own attractions too.
> Feb 19-24, 7.30am-5pm; RMB10 entry; Chaoyang Park, 1 Nongzhan Nanlu
0 User Comments