Drum Tower

Pick up from your hotel lobby at 9:00am. Transfer to Beihai Park. Enjoy a relax walk on the dykes of beihai park (with breathtaking scenery and lesser tourists)(1.5 hours), then walk to jingshan park (1 hour), climb to the top and have a panoramic view on Forbidden city.

Beihai park:

Baihai Park is situated in the Xicheng District and has a history of more than 1,000 years. This park was built up through five dynasties, the Liao (916-1125), the Jin(1115-1234), the Yuan (1271-1368), the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911). Though it was a royal garden, it remains grand with a hint of exquisite elegance as well. It covers an area of 69 hectares (171 acres), with over a half covered by water. The whole park can be divided into four scenic areas: Qionghua Islet (Jade Flower Islet), Circular City, the eastern bank area and the northern bank area.

Jingshan park:

The best view of Beijing is from the Pavilion of Everlasting Spring (Wanchun-ting) perched on top of the middle peak, which used to be the highest point in the city. Northwards, one can see the Drum and Bell Towers, a traditional feature of old Chinese cities. To the northwest, the two slabs of water of the Shichahai and Beihai Lake are intersected by Dianmen Dajie. To the south, the golden roofs of the Imperial Palace can be seen stretching into the distance.

Lunch at a characteristic restaurant(1.5 hours).

In the afternoon transfer to hutong area. Take rickshaw for sightseeing of inner hutong, visit a local family and learn D.I.Y Chinese dumplings,then visit to Drum tower and Drum beating performance. Return to your hotel.

Learn 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 next step is easy. Put the dumpling into boiling water, when it is well cooked, it is ready to be served. Before eating, you need to prepare some small dishes to contain the mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil or pepper oil to your own taste.

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 lobby at 8:00am.Transfer to Hutong area by car, walk to explore the most beautiful Hutong area in Beijing. Sightseeing of inner Hutong by rickshaw(40 minutes). Visit a local family and learn about Chinese calligraphy writing and painting(1hour) and lay your hands on D.I.Y Chinese dumplings(2hours), enjoy these with other Chinese dishes and this will be your lunch.

In the afternoon, climb to the top of Drum tower and watch the fantastic drum beating performance(1.5hours). Return to your hotel.

Chinese calligraphy writing:

Learning Chinese calligraphy can be started at any age if we know the right methods. Adults and kids can both make astonishing progress if we can apply the correct methods - it does not matter when we actually started. What matters more is how well we understand the basic principles and apply them carefully. Besides, we have lots of time in our life to learn over and over again. In fact, some masters of Chinese calligraphy and brush painting actually started later in their life.

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.

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  Mount on the Drum tower north of the Houhai lake and take a bird- eye view of the whole imperial city, then ride bike leisurely in the old alleyways around Shichahai area, pass along the bank of the beautiful houhai lake area in the heart of old Beijing.


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  we cycle into a hutong in the neighborhood to visit a family in traditional courtyard houses. Chat with the families about their life, learn how to make dumplings and share the meal with them.


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  After the meal, we take little wooden boat ride on the lake to tour the whole front and rare lake.