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China National Post and Postage Stamp Museum

Located at No. 6, West Gongyuan Street inside Jianguomen Gate, China National Post and Postage Stamp Museum displays the origins of the country's postal service, development, and over 300,000 stamps from all over the world. The exhibition area is about 6,578 square yards (5,500 square meters) wit...

Located at No. 6, West Gongyuan Street inside Jianguomen Gate, China National Post and Postage Stamp Museum displays the origins of the country's postal service, development, and over 300,000 stamps from all over the world. The exhibition area is about 6,578 square yards (5,500 square meters) with a total of over 100,000,000 items on exhibit. The collection includes some really rare items, such as Penny Black and Large Dragon - the first stamp of the world and China respectively.

Stamp Hall

This hall contains three galleries: The Main Gallery has 104 frames, displaying stamps in five groups - collections from four historical periods in China, and representatives from foreign countries. Special Gallery exhibits original paintings for the stamps since 1949. There are 34 paintings made by nine famous painters on display in this gallery. On the fourth floor, the Treasure Gallery exhibits rare items issued beginning with the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911). Many of them are well known to the world, but rarely seen.

Postal Service Hall

The Postal Service Hall covers the third floor and part of the fourth floor of the museum. It depicts the development of the ancient postal service through characters, pictures, charts and models. The hall exhibits items related to the following themes: primitive communication; ancient postal service; establishment, development and decline of the national postal service in the Qing Dynasty; contributions of postal service during war times; establishment of the General Post Office; and the contemporary postal service.

Take bus 1, Te 2, 52, 99, 120, 126, 140, 637, or 666, and get off at Beijing Zhankou East Station.

Temple of Recumbent Buddha

Wofo Temple, literally the Temple of Recumbent Buddha, is located inside Beijing Botanical Garden, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the city center. It is one of the famous ancient Buddhist temples in Beijing.

Wofo Temple was built during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) and has a history of...

Wofo Temple, literally the Temple of Recumbent Buddha, is located inside Beijing Botanical Garden, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the city center. It is one of the famous ancient Buddhist temples in Beijing.

Wofo Temple was built during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) and has a history of more than 1,300 years. It received repairs during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. There is a bronze recumbent Buddha inside Wofo Temple, which is how it got the name.

The main buildings are: Four Heavenly King's Hall, Three Buddhas Hall and the Recumbent Buddha's Hall.

The Recumbent Buddha's Hall is the most important hall in Wofo Temple. The present hall is the one built in the Jin Dynasty (1115 - 1234). It underwent further construction during the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368). The recumbent Buddha inside the Hall is a statue of Sakyamuni made in 1321, 5.3 meters (17.4 feet) in length and 54 tons in weight. Sakyamuni's left hand touches his leg and his right hand supports his head. It was said that this pose is that of Sakyamuni when he got nirvana. 'Nirvana' means the ineffable ultimate in which one has attained disinterested wisdom and compassion in Buddhism. This bronze recumbent Buddha is the biggest bronze recumbent Buddha in present China. Around this Buddha are twelve other figures of Buddhas. This group of statues of Buddhas reflects the scene that Sakyamuni tells his disciples what to do after his nirvana. All twelve Buddhas appear to be grieving. The recumbent Buddha is perfectly kept and reflects the high iron-melting techniques in the Yuan Dynasty.

Sacrifices have been offered to three Buddhas inside the Three Buddhas Hall: Burning Lamp Buddha, Sakyamuni and Maitreya. On both sides of the three Buddhas are 18 colored clay-made Arhats. One of them is very special because he wears his clothes just like the human beings who live on earth. However, he is a false Arhat. Real Arhats who live in God's place wear special dresses. A legend said that this false Arhat is Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911).

Take bus 331, 505, 563, or Yuntong 112 stops at Wofo Si Station.

Take bus 318, 360, 630, or 698 stops at Zhiwuyuan (Botanical Garden) Station.

Western Hills National Forest Park

Close to both the Summer Palace and Botanical Gardens is the National Forest Park amongst the Beijing Western Hills, only 17 km away from Beijing City. It extends across the Haidian, Shijingshan and Mentougou Districts. Located in a temperate zone there is an abundance of wildlife with many speci...

Close to both the Summer Palace and Botanical Gardens is the National Forest Park amongst the Beijing Western Hills, only 17 km away from Beijing City. It extends across the Haidian, Shijingshan and Mentougou Districts. Located in a temperate zone there is an abundance of wildlife with many species of plants, birds, and animals. Situated in the Western Hills are many ancient temples, such as Fuhui Temple and Jingfu Temple. During the Ming Dynasty the hillside was used as a royal burial site that include the tombs of Emperor Jing Tai and Wan Li. 

During each season the Forest Park shows of its various faces of its natural beauty. I was fortunate enough to see the peach and apricot blossoms of spring, but in the autumn there are the red leaves of the trees, and the snow-covered hills in the winter.

In my opinion, apart from the setting amongst the hills, the most striking thing to see at the park is its huge man made waterfall. It is a truly breath taking site and there are indeed many opportunities to capture some wonderful pictures. In front of the waterfall is a large pond which is the home to several black swans. Climb the side of the rock face and get a closer look at the waterfall and smell the fresh air; it almost feels like you are close to the ocean.

Beyond the waterfall you can make your way up the hill and visit the Green Culture Tablet Forest. It contains over 1,000 stone tablets inscribed by celebrities commemorating the achievement of re-foresting. It is a moment for reflection on the hard work that has been taken to create such a beautiful place.

A short distance from the North Gate of the Western Hills Park is the Azure Clouds Diamond Throne Pagoda. It has a raised platform with a central pagoda and stupas that surround it. First built in 1366 and later expanded in the 18th century to include the Hall of Arhats (500 statues representing disciples of Buddha).

It is truly a beautiful tourist destination that combines unique cultural sights with natural scenic beauty. Gaze at its spectacular waterfalls, venture through the winding pathways along the rolling hills, rest at its famous pagoda while taking pictures of its natural beauty; this is not to be missed.

China Numismatic Museum

The China Numismatic Museum is located in Xijiaomin Lane, west of Tiananmen Square, in the center of Beijing. It is a national museum under the direction of the Head Office of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), dedicated to collecting and displaying coins and notes. There are more than 300,000 it...

The China Numismatic Museum is located in Xijiaomin Lane, west of Tiananmen Square, in the center of Beijing. It is a national museum under the direction of the Head Office of the People's Bank of China (PBOC), dedicated to collecting and displaying coins and notes. There are more than 300,000 items in their collection, including old coins, gold and silver coins, paper money, coins used by ethnic groups, foreign coins, coin models, and other items relevant to coins. The special exhibits in the museum include: Currency in China's Past Dynasties, Coin-minting Techniques in Ancient China, and The History of PBOC.

The Numismatic Museum contains a central hall and four exhibition galleries. The central hall highlights the origin of currency, and the features and fusion of the monetary systems in the East and the West. The exhibition galleries display the rare collection of paper money and coins.

Take bus Tourism Line 1, BRT Line 1, Tourism Line 2, Te 4, 5, Te 7, 8, Te 11, 17, 20, 22, 48, 59, 66, 67, 69, 71, 82, 93, 120, 126, 622, 623, stops at Qianmen Station.

Take bus Te 2, 9, 44, 332, 337, 673, or Express Line 901, stops at Qianmen West Station.

Take subway line 2, and get off at Qianmen Station. Leave through Exit C and walk north

Beijing Aeronautical Model Museum

The Beijing Aviation Museum Affiliated to China Aviation Association, located inside the campus of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is the first aviation museum in China. It used to be an airplane show room for teaching practice and reference for aircraft structure design.

...

The Beijing Aviation Museum Affiliated to China Aviation Association, located inside the campus of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is the first aviation museum in China. It used to be an airplane show room for teaching practice and reference for aircraft structure design.

In March 1985, the show room was turned into an aviation museum. On October 25, 1986, it was opened to the public. The task of the museum is to support the teaching and popularize the scientific and technical knowledge of aviation.

The museum, divided into the indoor and outdoor exhibition areas, occupies a space of 9,700 square meters. The indoor exhibition area consists of two halls, the east and the west, with a total area of 600 square meters, while the outdoor exhibition area occupies a space of 8,500 square meters.

On display in the East Hall are mainly various kinds of aircraft models and photos and the models of jet engines, a Thunderbolt No. 2 air-to-air guided missile and a model of Chinese experimental communication satellite launched in 1984.

Also on display are the photos showing the brief history of the development of the Chinese aviation industry and the actual models of different types of planes manufactured in China. In addition, available in the East Hall is a projection room for playing the videotapes related to scientific and technical knowledge of aviation.

On display in the West Hall are super-light aircrafts, such as one model each of the Bee No. 2, Bee No. 3 and Umbrella Wing No. 5, a model of L-60 light aircraft for multiple uses made in Czech and a Model 6 high-altitude target drone.

For saving space, all these aircrafts are displayed at a higher position or hung in the air for easy watching. Also on display are different models of piston aviation engines, such as the American Model Liter R-1830 and Model Lacomine, different models of jet planes, such as the British Lynn, a kind of centrifugal jet plane, and the Chinese Turbo Jet 6, a kind of axial-flow jet plane. For the audience to have a better understanding of the interior structure, these engines are displayed in cross section. Among the piston engines on display there is a cylinder rotation engine that is rarely seen now.

Also on display in the West Hall is the aerodynamic part, including the smoke wind tunnel and other equipment to demonstrate the flying principles and the flow of the streamline as well as other exhibits such as the plane meters and high-altitude compensation costume.

Princess Hejing’s Mansion

Princess Hejing’s Mansion, located at (Iron Lion Hutong) No. 7, Zhangzizhong Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, was the mansion of the third daughter of Emperor Qianlong when she got married and was granted to her by her father. The princess was married to a Mongolian official in the 12th year of...

Princess Hejing’s Mansion, located at (Iron Lion Hutong) No. 7, Zhangzizhong Road, Dongcheng District, Beijing, was the mansion of the third daughter of Emperor Qianlong when she got married and was granted to her by her father. The princess was married to a Mongolian official in the 12th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign. The original mansion was a prince’s mansion which had the main gate, main hall, back sleeping hall, back building, east and west rooms and other attached buildings.

The tomb of the princess was constructed in Dongba City of Chaoyang District. The princess’s son was once given the title of Beizi (a high official rank in the Qing Dynasty) by the emperor and so this mansion was also named Dabeizi Mansion. In the Republic of China, the mansion turned into the Northern Warlords’ government’s ground force headquarters. Now it is called Hejing Hotel. The main hall of it still remains intact and is among the important cultural relics of Beijing.

Later, the owner of the mansion was degraded and lost the status of being a prince, and so the rooms and buildings were reduced to meet its status. However, the scale and outlay of the mansion have not changed yet.

Take Bus no. 13、42、113、115、118、701、823  stops at zhangzizhong station.

Take Subway Line 5 to Zhangzizhong Road (Exit A) and walk 370 meters to the site.

Former Residence of Lao She

Located on the north side of West Dengshikou Street, the Former Residence of Lao She (renowned modern novelist and playwright) is a traditional quadrangle home with two central courtyards. Lao She bought the house in 1949 upon his return from the United States and spent most of his last 13...

Located on the north side of West Dengshikou Street, the Former Residence of Lao She (renowned modern novelist and playwright) is a traditional quadrangle home with two central courtyards. Lao She bought the house in 1949 upon his return from the United States and spent most of his last 13 years at this house. It was here he wrote 23 works including a famous drama Fang Zhenzhu. Lao She's wife moved out of the house and donated it to the state together with great amounts of his manuscripts. Soon, the house was turned into a museum and listed as one of the historical and culture sites under the state protection. 

Lao She (1899-1966), a native of Beijing, was a novelist and playwright. He went to America to teach and write after the Chinese people won the War of Resistance Against Japan in 1945, but was called back in 1949. His works are strongly influenced by his life in Beijing, and their language is familiar to Beijing. 

Lao She was a member of cultural and education committee of the Government Administration Council and deputy to the National People' s Congress, and served as vice-chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, vice-chairman of the Chinese Writers' Association and chairman of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles. 

His wife remembers how each time Lao She completed a play; he asked the director and actors over to listen to his new work. Discussion followed, in which everyone was invited to express his or her views. Many wonderful nights were spent in this way until the beloved playwright was tormented by Red Guards in the "cultural revolution." His body was found on the shore of Taiping Lake and his unfinished autobiographical novelette was still in his desk drawer in his home. 

Bus No.s. 103, 104, 108, and 111 stops at the Dengshikou bus stop;