Time: February 10 - 13, 2016

National city: Beijing, China
Transportation: High-speed rail G2, G17
Hotel: Beijing International Hotel

Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square,

The soul of China with a long history.

Guijie Street Houhai Wangfujing,

The taste of the New Year in the capital is more mellow than the wine.

One owns the Xiaoling Mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty and the other owns the Ming Tombs; one is proud of the Forbidden City of the Ming Dynasty, the other is proud of the Forbidden City; one is famous for its cured duck, and the other is famous for its roast duck; both have proud city walls and are world-renowned ancient capitals, both have hosted the Olympic Games, and both have a long history and splendid culture... In my great country, there are two cities that are so similar but have their own characteristics-Nanjing and Beijing, which are also two cities in the country named after "Beijing".
During the Spring Festival of the Bingshen Year, in order to experience the pure Chinese tradition and strong folk customs, we started a journey from the old capital to the Imperial Capital.

The bullet train traveled from south to north across the vast land of the motherland for nearly four hours without stopping. We arrived at the Imperial Capital from the old capital. Walking out of the high-speed railway station, the scene in front of you has not changed much from 10 years ago. Of course, with the development of the times, Beijing Railway Station is no longer a place where tourists compete to take photos, but the overpass is still there, and the supermarkets I once visited have introduced countless new products.

Not far from Beijing Railway Station is the hotel we booked. After walking for about 5 minutes, we were already chick in at the front desk.

The last time I went to Nanluogu Lane was to Beijing for business six years ago. I took advantage of the intermission of the meeting and under the strong recommendation of my local colleagues, I took a stroll while I was busy. Visiting the old place again this time naturally gave me a sense of intimacy.

The unique shop options, exquisite products, delicious food, and crowded crowds reflect that this is a very popular place in Beijing. Walking leisurely, buying long queues of snacks, and stopping at the entrance of the souvenir shop. A short street is actually so delicious.

Unconsciously, the sky gradually darkened. After shopping for an afternoon, everyone was already hungry. The first meal in Beijing was of course copper stove hot pot, hotpot mutton and authentic Erguotou.

After gorging down the food, my body warmed up and became more energetic. Continue walking, and before walking far, you reach the famous bar street in the Imperial Capital-Houhai Bar Street located on Yandai Xie Street. Although it was a winter night and the outdoor temperature was very low, it still couldn't hide the bustling and noisy bar street. The lights were full of wine and excitement, and songs were heard from bars one after another, as if the entire Houhai was boiling.

The next day, the hotel's morning call rang on time. After a simple washing up, we hurried out. Since I paid special attention to the distance to Tiananmen Square when I booked the hotel, I found the bus stop after leaving the hotel gate. After three stops, I arrived at Chang 'an Street. There is still a long way from Tiananmen Square, and it is difficult for the crowd to move. The winter morning in the north is cold, but being crowded among so many people does not feel cold. Although it is not yet dawn, you will definitely not get lost if you follow the flow of people. Dozens of minutes later, we were moved to the security checkpoint, but after passing the security checkpoint, we suddenly opened up in front of us and a large open space appeared. By this time, we were very close to Tiananmen Square and the sky turned white. Around the square, there was a black crowd, and it was impossible to find a good location. Against the backdrop of cheers and "crackling" flashlights, a bright red five-star red flag was slowly rising on the flagpole in the distance, and the national anthem resounded throughout the square. When the red flag reached the top, there was another burst of cheers.

After watching the raising ceremony, we returned to the hotel and finished breakfast. We came to the Tiananmen Gate again on the same bus route, with the same crowd and the same security check. Due to making a reservation online in advance, we successfully entered the Forbidden City, a place called the Forbidden City in the Qing Dynasty. With its magnificent buildings, exquisite designs, stories that have been passed down for a century, and unparalleled treasures in the world, any description of the Forbidden City seems so superfluous.

Going to the Imperial Capital during the Spring Festival is to experience traditional Chinese culture, so the Ditan Temple Fair is the best choice. Various entertainment programs and folk handicrafts all set off a strong festive atmosphere.

Like Nanjing Xinjiekou, Beijing Wangfujing is also famous for its commercial street, with a dazzling array of goods showing the prosperity of the city. The long pedestrian street is the essence of the entire capital.

The Imperial Capital during the Spring Festival is no longer the "first blockbuster", but an empty city out and out. We also got up early on the third day. The road conditions were still smooth, and we quickly arrived at Changling, the head of the Ming Tombs. Under the introduction of the tour guide, we learned a lot more about Chinese culture and Feng Shui. "One life, two fortunes, three feng shui, four accumulation of Yin virtue and five reading", it seems that under the concept of materialism, destiny also has a certain truth.

It was a smooth journey from Changling in the Ming Dynasty, and we finally arrived at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall. Like the Forbidden City, the introduction of the Great Wall in any language is so superfluous. Riding the cable car is just to save time. Of course, you must rely on your own feet to climb the "Hero Slope" to achieve the feat of "not being a hero before reaching the Great Wall". When standing at the entrance of the Great Wall and looking at the undulating mountains from afar, the "Oriental Dragon" is indeed worthy of its reputation. It has found the best annotations for its majesty, grandeur, power, and majestic momentum. I can't help but sigh,"The Great Wall is thousands of miles long, protecting China and protecting our Xinjiang".

Returning to the city from the Great Wall, it rained heavily in the sky, and the imperial capital in winter finally revealed its original appearance. Braving the heavy rain and the cold wind, we came to Guijie Street, which is famous for eating. Although the last time I came to Guijie was ten years ago, I still pretended to be familiar with the situation and found a restaurant. In such a cold weather, it is still hotpot with mutton, copper stove, and a bottle of Erguotou. It feels so cool. No matter how heavy the rain or the cold the temperature is, it is no longer terrible.

On the last day, I went to Gong's Mansion as planned. But for some unknown reason, the place actually closed its doors to say goodbye, and could only take a few photos at the door as if they were "here to visit".

I will never forget this journey: although it was not the first time to visit the Imperial Capital, coming here during the Spring Festival to feel the strong festive atmosphere is still unique. The ancient capital has a traditional festive atmosphere. The Forbidden City and the Great Wall inherit the long history and splendid culture of the Chinese nation. If you want to travel from modern to ancient times without giving up the modern and convenient life, then come to the Imperial Capital!