Drum Tower

Pick up from your hotel lobby at 9:00am. Transfer to hutong area by car, explore the most beautiful Hutong area in Beijing by walking. Sightseeing of inner Hutong by rickshaw(1 hour). Visit a local family(1 hour).

Hutong:

Hutong has become a general name for all the lanes and streets in Beijing. Recent record shows that there are over 6,000 hutongs. The ancient hutong area takes up most of the urban district where one third of the people living in the urban area reside. The residents there retain their old way of life and deem hutongs as an indispensable part of Beijing culture.

Lunch at a special characteristic restaurant(1.5 hours).

After lunch then climb to the top of drum tower(1hour) and watch the fantastic drum beating performance, return to your hotel.

Drum tower:

Located 100 meters (109 yards) south to the bell tower, it was placed on a 4-meter-high (13 feet) stone and brick base. It is 46.7 meters (153 feet) high, a little bit lower than the bell tower that is 47.9 meters high (157 feet). It is also a two-storey building; the first floor contains the China Committee for the Promotion of the Minority Art. The second floor contains the exhibition area. Originally, there was one big drum and 24 smaller ones, but only the big remains. The method of beating it is to beat it quickly for 18 times and then slowly for 18 times. Altogether there are three rounds and 108 tollings. People knock the bell and the drum 108 times, because 108 times represent one year in ancient times.

Pick up from your hotel at 9:00am.Transfer to Tiananmen square by car for sightseeing(40minutes) ,then enjoy a slow walk to Nanchangjie avenue along the moat side of Forbidden city(1hour),Then walk to Jingshan Park(40minutes) and climb to the top and have a panoramic view on forbidden city.

Forbidden city:

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.

Jingshan Park:

Jingshan Park was a part of the Forbidden City until the early 1900's when the walls were pulled down and a road cut through it destroying several gates and buildings between the park and the rear entrance of the palace. The hill in Jingshan Park was made with the earth removed to create the palace moat. It is well worth the climb on a clear day for spectacular views of the Forbidden City and Beijing.

Lunch at local characteristic restaurant.

In the afternoon transfer to Drum tower to watch the drum beating performance(1hour). Afterwards a slow walk to Shichahai hutong area(40minutes).Take rickshaw for sightseeing of inner hutong(30minutes), visit a local family and learn D.I.Y Chinese dumplings(1hour).Return to your hotel.

D.I.Y Chinese dumplings:

To make Chinese dumplings, first of all, chop the meat into pieces and mash them, then add salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, Chinese cabbage and MSG if you like. Mix thoroughly the ingredients; add two spoonful of water if necessary.In a big bowl, add water to flour gradually. Mix and knead by hand to form soft dough, then cover it with towel and put it aside for about an hour. Then scatter some dry flour on the board, knead and roll it into a sausage---like dough about 5 centimeters in diameter, then chop it into small pieces. Press each piece with your hand and get a pancake. Finally, to hold the pancake with your palm and put the filling in the center and wrap into half-moon shaped and seal the edges.

The land where Tianjin is located today was created in prehistoric times by sedimentation of various rivers entering the sea at Bohai Gulf, including the Yellow River, which entered the sea in this area at one point.

As for the origin of the name of "Tianjin", there are diverse viewpoints in history. The Origin from Literature: Tianjin as a word initially appeared in poems of Qu Yuan, a famous patriotic poet of Chu State in Warring States Period. In his masterpiece named Li Sao(离骚, The Outlet of Sorrow and Dissatisfaction), there is a verse ”朝发轫于天津兮”(At dawn, departing from the Port of the Heaven).

The Origin from Astronomy: Tianjin also used to be a name of the star official in Chinese traditional astronomical system. It was recorded in Astronomy Record in Book of Sui. The Origin from a River Named Tianjin-It was recorded in River Record in History of Jin. The Origin from Emperor’s Name-giving-This perhaps is the most reliable point of view. Tianjin means literally The Ferry Site of Emperor (The Son of Heaven). It was said that Emperor Chengzu, who was one of sons of Emperor Taizu of Ming Dynasty, before his enthronement, for getting the crown of Emperor, launched a war against the successor of Emperor Taizu, Zhu Yunwen, the grandson of Emperor Taizhu, in Nanjing. He departed from Gu River of Tianjin. After his success in enthronement, he presented his departure site a name – Tianjin.

The opening of the Grand Canal of China during the Sui Dynasty prompted the development of Tianjin into a trading center. Until 1404, Tianjin was called "Zhigu" (直沽), or "Straight Port". In that year, the Yongle Emperor renamed the city Tianjin, meaning "the Heavenly Ford", to indicate that the Emperor (Son of Heaven) forded the river at that point. This is because he had indeed forded the river in Tianjin when in contention for the throne with his nephew. Later, a fort was established in Tianjin, known as "Tianjin Wei" (天津卫), the Fort of Tianjin.