The completion of the National Center for performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing marked not only a major architectural achievement , but was also a reflection of China ‘s enhanced strength in the cultural field.
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Beijing
t’s a misty morning in Beijing when I head to the Peninsula Hotel lobby to meet my guide , Annie to the Great Wall. Adivised to wear shoes with traction , dress warmly and bring waterproofs and plenty of water, I am rather unprepared, I am nevertheless excited to be making my second visit to this world heritage site that I have visited 32 years ago in a country where Coke and Internet were never heard about. ( The first few pictures in the post are from 30 years ago, hard to tell the difference between them and the next ones.
If you consider coming to the Aman at Summer Palace in the middle of the Winter, you will get got yourself the best deal as most people believe that Summer is the high season. What they don’t know is they have the opportunity to experience a 25 meters lap underground pool at the spa day and night just for themselves surrounded with the most experienced staff ready to satisfy any of your desires.
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.
The times of the Empress Dowager Tz’u-Hsi are long finished.
She was a powerful and charismatic woman who unofficially but effectively controlled the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years, from 1861 to her death in 1908.
A masterly Peking Duck, a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the imperial era, now considered one of China’s national foods and a Giant Grouper, the largest bony fish, known as ” the King go Groupers”, a wealthy men distraction by it’s fresh succulent flesh.
The shape, size, stretch and type of hair in the brush, the color and density of the ink, as well as the absorptive speed and surface texture of the paper are the main physical parameters influencing the final result. The calligrapher also influences the result by the quantity of ink/water he lets the brush take up, then by the pressure, inclination, and direction he gives to the brush, producing thinner or bolder strokes, and smooth or toothed borders. Eventually, the speed, acceleration and deceleration of the writer’s moves, turns, and crochets, and the stroke order give the “spirit” to the characters by influencing greatly their final shape.
Originally built in 1750 by the emperor Qianlong to celebrate his mother’s birthday, The Summer Palace was used at the time as a pleasure garden for emperors and empresses.
Appraised as the most perfectly preserved imperial garden with the richest man-made scenery and the most concentrated architecture in the world. It was inscribed on the World Heritage List by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization in 1988 and has become a park of high culture value for tourists and a treasure of human civilization.
Many ancient monuments stand in pristine condition, and one such historic site is the Summer Palace. Just outside this 260-year-old World Heritage site resides Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing. Amanresorts’ new city-based resort is a peaceful retreat from which to explore the many exciting faces of China’s capital.
In traditional Chinese philosophy , CHI or Qi, is the universal force that governs well-being and personal vitality. For people to maintain good health, it is believed that CHI must flow freely within the body and when blocked ” dis-ease’ and illness follow. Movement is, therefore . a key element in releasing blockages. Body massage, exercise,stretching, hydrotherapy and movement of the mind through relaxation and meditation combine to assist the body’s natural renewal and form the basis of the CHI philosophy.
Once the residence of a noble Beijing family, this 200-year old property has been lovingly redesigned by Jehanne and Liu and brought to life in order to satisfy a thirst for the real Beijing experience. From the entrance door blue, red and the hammered bronze door handle we enter into the small Hotel based on the experience of at home in Beijing style.
China World Summit Wing, Beijing launched its spring and summer menu collection at the Grill 79, the highest restaurant in Beijing, which opened last August and has become one of the city’s leading dining destinations.
To launch the event, the China World Summit Wing, Beijing has invited 100 guests including government officials, senior managers from various corporations, and travel professionals and members of the media to attend this ceremony.
A handsome and tall man, with a green khaki cap receives us warmly. For a few minutes , impressed by the unexpected artistic oasis in the heart of a hutong, we are unable to sit. The beautiful South American woman, brings a tray with Jasmin tea and getting our hands warm we walk around the room among art pieces and contemporary design furniture in red and black lacquer finish.
Hutongs are a type of narrow streets or alleys, most commonly associated with Beijing, China. In Beijing, hutongs are alleys formed by lines of siheyuan, traditional courtyard residences.
Many neighbourhoods were formed by joining one siheyuan to another to form a hutong, and then joining one hutong to another. The word hutong is also used to refer to such neighbourhoods.
Since the mid-20th century, the number of Beijing hutongs has dropped dramatically as they are demolished to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, most hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history.
Can someone explain to me why we always need to ” get away” to far -away lands and when we reach those lands we still have the need to feel “at home” ?
If we need that escape, why we feel so great when we found the perfect place , with the perfect bed and sheets, the most incredible music playlist , attentive housekeeper sand unpaired bathtub that makes us feel we have been home forever and ever and never want to leave ? Like in an excellent movie that you don’t want to end.