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Sunrise over Tiananmen Square

Tuesday, April 5th, 2022

Plan your Beijing tour? If you are interested in watching sunrise in Beijing, Tiananmen Square is a unique place worth your sunrise viewing experience.

Tiananmen Square is not the best place to view the sunrise in Beijing since Tiananmen Square is just flat and surrounded by the buildings nearly on its four sides without a high platform to have a spectacular panoramic view of the city. But Seeing the sunrise over Tiananmen Square has its own rewarding features attracting numerous travellers each day.

Tips for watching the sunrise on Tiananmen Square

1. Calculate the sunrise time in Beijing

The sunrise time changes daily in different seasons. You need to know the sunrise time on the morning you are going to jump up from your cozy bed and dash to the square. Check Flag Raising Time for your sunrise trip.

2. Locate a right spot for sunrise watching

Tiananmen Square is a large public square and it is important for you to find a good spot for sunrise viewing. Basically there are huge crowds of tourists flocking into the square. Normally, you should stand on the west side of the square for better views of the colorful eastern side.

3. First watch National Flag Raising Ceremony

Tiananmen Flag Raising Ceremony starts with the sunrise time on any particular day. You won’t miss the opportunity to watch the flag raising ceremony, a unique occasion for foreign tourists.

You should stand behind the cordoned area on the west side of the square, capturing a good view of the ascending flag and radiant colors over the nearby eastern buildings.

4. Watch sunrise over Chang’an Avenue

On Tiananmen Square, between the western building ( National Museum ) and the Gate of Heavenly Peace is the flat, wide and straight east-west Chang’an Avenue, where you can watching the dazzling rising sun high over the eastern end of Chang’an Avenue.

After seeing the flag ceremony, go through a tunnel on the northwest corner of the square and get to the north side of the Chang’an Avenue in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace.

5. Create photogenic opportunities

The red rising sunshines blanket the square and its surrounding area, creating many photogenic opportunities, the brilliant Gate of Heavenly Peace., the stately Great Hall of the People, the spectacular view of the two Qianmen Towers…

Virtual Tour of Viewing Sunrise over Tian’anmen Square

Follow me to experience the sunrise and flag raising ceremony on Tiananmen Square.

The square is circled by chest high fences for security purpose. Everybody has to go though a security check point before entering the fenced Tiananmen Square. People are gathering from all sides of Beijing from all parts of China, like many layers of walls!

Huge crowds of people are raising high their cameras, mobiles, waiting for the solemn moment!

Approaching the sunrise time, a group of soldiers of guard of honor coming through the Gate of Heavenly Peace, south of the Forbidden City.

The eastern side of the square is brightened by the rising sun.

The national flag with a backdrop of the rising sunlights. — The national flag with a backdrop of the rising sun lights.

Watch the rising sun over Chang'an Avenue — Watch the rising sun over Chang’an Avenue

The Gate of Heavenly Peace looks more beautitul under the rising sunlights. — The Gate of Heavenly Peace looks more beautiful under the rising sun lights.

The spectacular view of the twin Qianmen Towers

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing Autumn Tour
Great Wall Tour
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Tours
China City Tours
China Tour

Further Readings

Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Walking Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Gui Jie ( Ghost Street) Food Street

Any questions, just drop a line.

Tags: Sunrise on Tiananmen Square
Posted in Beijing Attractions, Beijing Pictures, Beijing Self-Service Tour, Beijing Travel | No Comments »

Morning Stroll around Ritan Park

Monday, April 4th, 2022

Ritan Park stands out from the numerous public parks in Beijing. “Ritan” literally means “Altar for the Sun” or “Temple of the Sun”, a place for ritual sacrifice to the Sun by the successive emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties. Besides “Temple of the Sun”, in Beijing we have Temple of Heaven, Temple of the Earth and Temple of the Moon.

The original altar was built in 1530 during the late Ming Dynasty. The altar faces west and it is a square base made from white stone with its surface glazed red symbolising the sun. In Qing Dynasty it was rebuilt in bricks with nines steps in its four directions – east, south, west and north, which was surrounded by a red-colored wall with glazed tiles.

The present altar was built in 1951 accordance with its original form in Qing Dynasty. For the same year, a public park was built with the Sun Altar in the center.

Ritan Park is located in the heart of the embassy area in Beijing. Now Ritan Park is a peaceful and serene respite from the bustle of Beijing. If you are planning your Beijing tour, spending one or two hours in the park is a pleasant escape from so called classic attractions in Beijing for an appealing opportunity to feel and touch the daily life for the common people in Beijing.

A morning stroll around Ritan Park will reward you with a chance to mix with the locals. Ritan Park is like a family park where men and women do all sorts of exercises – practicing Tai Chi, dancing and singing, playing music, playing badminton, jogging, walking, meditating…on and on. It is also a green park with many benches, an oasis in the city of Beijing. In a word, Ritan Park is a place where you just slow down and recharge.

Ritan Park has three major entrances, namely, south, north and west with its southern gate close to the Chang’an Avenue. Take subway line 1 and get off at the stationg of Yonganli, then walk for about 1.4km, you will reach the southern entrance to Ritan Park.

The park is free of charge and open 24 hours a day. Its address: 6 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyang District, Beijing ( tel: 85611389 ). This is the southern entrance to Ritan Park.

This is the southern entrance to Ritan Park.

Just follow me along the central axis towards the north entrance to the park. In the park here and you there you could see the wooden signboards pointing to the places in the park.

you could see the wooden signboards poining to the places in the park. — you could see the wooden signboards pointing to the places in the park.

There is a central road north of the southern gate where you will see plentiful people doing morning exercises, practicing Tai Chi and so on.

This is the mural on the ritual sacrifice to the Sun

Behind the mural or to the northeast of the mural is the circular mound altar. This is the north gate to the walled Sun Altar.

In an area to the east of the Sun Altar, the local Beijingers and foreigners as well do morning exercises, stretching their bodies…

Located in the east outside the north gate to the Sun Altar are the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen within a square courtyard.

There are three rooms used for Divine Warehouse facing west where memorial tablets of Ming Dynasty is placed while three rooms facing south used for Divine Kitchen where offerings are stored and processed.

the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen within a square courtyards

To the west of the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen is a garden with pretty wooden benches

This building with red wall and glazed tiles is the famous restaurant known as Xiao Wang’s Home Restaurant that offers unique Chinese food.

North of the Divine Warehouse and Divine Kitchen is a decent and clean toilet in the traditional style.

Outside the north gate to Ritan Park and most of the early risers are retired senior citizens.

An old man is practicing Chinese caligraphy by writing Chinese characters on the ground with a large brush using water instead of ink — An old man is practicing Chinese calligraphy by writing Chinese characters on the ground with a large brush using water instead of ink

The Dressing Hall is also under reconstruction at the time of my writing.

Playing badminton by the side of the Sun Altar Museum

he Heavenly West Gate where the emperors in Ming and Qing dynasties entered and exited

This is the Sacred Way where the emperors walked to the Sun Altar.

To the west of the Heavenly West Gate people are dancing for morning exercises

The sacred way between the Heavenly West Gate to the west gates of the Sun Altar is filled with people who are seeking Happiness through exercising.

Dancing to the music played from a music recorder

This is the Qinghui Pavilion, the high point in the park where you are able to have a good view of the surrounding

Below the pavilion is the waterscape in the park dotted with rockeries and water ponds

The Stone Boat Cafe where you can enjoy a cup of tea or drink beer and watch the world going by

The pond is filled with lotus leaves dotted with lotus flowers

To the northeast of the South gate to the park is the Children's plaground. — To the northeast of the South gate to the park is the Children’s playground.

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing Autumn Tour
Great Wall Tour
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Tours
China City Tours
China Tour

Further Readings

Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Walking Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Gui Jie ( Ghost Street) Food Street

Any questions, just drop a line.

Tags: Ritan Park Tips, Ritan Park Travel Tips, walk in the morning at Ritan Park
Posted in Beijing Attractions, Beijing Self-Service Tour, Beijing Travel | No Comments »

Taoranting Park in Beijing

Monday, April 4th, 2022

Plan your Beijing tour? Aside from so-called highlights in Beijing, it is advisable to add a common local park into your travel schedule to get a real feel of the local life. Taoranting Park is highly recommended. Taoranting Park (陶然亭公园）takes its name from a pavilion in the park known as “Taoran Pavilion” which is pronounced “Taoranting” in Chinese. “Taoran” literally means “Joyful” in Chinese.

Taoran Pavilion was originally built in Kangxi 34th year (1695), Qing Dynasty (1368 – 1644). The construction of the pavilion was overseen by Jiang Zao (江藻), who supervised a kiln workshop in the north of Today’s park. He had the pavilion built on the west side of the Cibei Nunnery, the oldest building in the park which was built in Yuan Dynasty ( 1271 – 1368 ). He named the pavilion “Taoran” from a line of words in a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi, “When the chrysanthemums are yellow and home-made wine is well done, I’ll drink with you and be joyful.”(更待菊黄家酿熟，与君一醉一陶然).

The modern Taoranting Park was revamped in 1952, the first modern park in Beijing. The park now takes a total area of 59 acres and the water area has 17 acres. Taoranting Park is centered on the Taoranting Pavilion on the Huxindao (Mid-Lake Isle) which is linked to the surrounding banks by three hump bridges.

The three arch bridges cut the lake into three parts – East Lake, West Lake and South Lake. Unlike Summer Palace, Beihai Park, Ditan Park, Taoranting Park has no luster of imperial elements and it is well known for its pristine and natural landscape – pavilions, ponds, lakes, hills, gardens and historical sites. In 2002, Taoranting Park was listed as an AAAA scenic area approved by China National Tourism Administration.

Taoranting Park is famous for its wide spectrum of Chinese style pavilions with a total of 36. Some of the pavilions are self-designed, some are moved here elsewhere and other are replicas from the famous gardens in other cities like Hangzhou, Suzhou Wuxi and etc in the southern China. The park has a strong characteristics of Chinese traditional gardening and modern arts. It is popular with residents and visitors for morning exercises, walking and boating for a family outing.

Taoranting Park Add:
19 Taiping Street, Xicheng District, Beijing
Just to the north of Beijing South Railway Station (across the second ring road and north of the city moat)
Tel: 010-63532385
Entrance fee (Park): RMB 2
Opening Hours: 06:00 – 9:00pm
Cibei Nunnery and Taoran Pavilion: RMB 4 ( 9:00am – 5:00pm)
Get to Taoranting Park by Subway
Take subway line 4 and get off at the station of Taoranting ( 陶然亭 ) and exit from Exit C and walk eastwards along Taoran Road for over 600m, you will see the north gate to Taoranting Park on your right side.

Follow me to have a glimpse of the pretty park. I pefer to walk around the park in the early morning to feel the atmosphere featuring the lively morning exercises. I enter the park by its east gate, the main entrance to Taoranting Park. It is a beautiful morning, blue sky and white clouds.

The East Gate, the main entracnce to Taoranting Park

After you enter the east gate, you will find a large signboard posted with the map of Taoranting Park. The map vividly shows you the location of the sites in the park. Basically, people would make a loop travel route around the banks in the park no matter from which gate you enter the park.

In some important places ( mostly the four corners in the park), there stand some direction signs telling people where you are and the locations of the nearby sights.

The early morning finds the park turned into a huge playground for seniors to do exercise, practicing Tai Chi, dancing, playing badminton…

A spectacular pailou, a Chinese traditional archway.

A spectacular pailou, a Chinese traditonal archway.

The Xiehu Bridge connects the Mid-Lake Isle with the bank. The Bridge cuts the lake into East Lake and West Lake.

In the northwest corner of the West Lake lie two yellow-eaved pavilions – Chenghuai Pavilion and Zhijin Pavilion.

Have a close look at the two two yellow-eaved pavilions – Chenghuai Pavilion and Zhijin Pavilion The pleasure boat dock in the west lake.

Taoranting Park boast green trees and beautiful gardening.

By the west gate to Taoran Park is the Chinese Rose Garden

This is the Immerse-in Moonbeam Pavilion

This is Cloud Painting Tower and Clear Sound Pavilion.

The Yunan Bridge connects the bank with the Mi-Lake Isle.

Taoranting Park has several areas for viewing the blooming lotus flowers.

The Taoran Pavilion and Cibei Nunnery are located in the southwest corner in the Mid-Lake Isle. The sight is open from 9：00am to 5:00pm.Entrance fee: RMB 4

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing Autumn Tour
Great Wall Tour
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Tours
China City Tours
China Tour

Archive for the ‘Beijing Self-Service Tour’ Category

Sunrise over Tiananmen Square

Tips for watching the sunrise on Tiananmen Square

1. Calculate the sunrise time in Beijing

2. Locate a right spot for sunrise watching

3. First watch National Flag Raising Ceremony

4. Watch sunrise over Chang’an Avenue

5. Create photogenic opportunities

Virtual Tour of Viewing Sunrise over Tian’anmen Square

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

Further Readings

Morning Stroll around Ritan Park

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

Further Readings

Taoranting Park in Beijing

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

Further Readings

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