China highlights: the culture of Beijing
Since I came to Beijing for my university, I have been in Beijing for three years. This is an international metropolis, attracting a number of people home and abroad here every year, as the capital of china, it’s the centre of the politic, economy, transportation and culture of the whole nation. Every year a lot of my friends comes to Beijing and acquired me as their guide, because they described me as a girl in fond of pastimes in high quality but in low price, that means I am an expert on economical travel in their eyes. Just like last week, I took one of my friends to three highlights in Beijing, after the tour, he said：I love Beijing, I will struggle hard so I can live here someday! What on earth makes him so fascinated in Beijing Tours or Travel to Beijing? The key is the unique two cultures, living and eating!
Beijing Hutong
A lot of friends take great interest in Beijing Hutong, because in their eyes, Beijing Hutong is different from the western architectures. It looks not so magnificent and grand as the western, however, Beijing Hutong is artful and practical, what’s more, full of the vicissitudes of history.
Why call it Hutong?
Hutong is original of the Mongolian WELL, at that time, people lived around the well. Later the villages were separated into several parts and divided by some roads. As time passed by, those roads have been called Hutong widespread today.
Through Hutong, you will know a lot about Chinese history, because many names of Hutong are named by the prominent figures , some famous events and some places of interest. All in all, walk through the Beijing Hutong, you need a guide with you, or you really don’t know why they are called so strangely.
Hutong we see today maybe somehow not that long, but if connected all Hutongs in Beijing, its length is as long as the Great Wall. For example, the shortest Hutong in Beijing is only 40 centimeters but many short Hutongs have maybe 20 bends inside. Aamazing?
Beijing Roast Duck
Beijing roast duck is a famous Beijing dish, which enjoys the world reputation. It is roasted by fruit charcoal fire with ruddy color, fat but not greasy taste. Beijing roast duck factions are divided into two categories and represented separately by the most famous roast duck restaurants in Beijing. Beijing roast duck has the character of bright red color, delicate duck, mellow smell, fat but not greasy taste, it is spread as “Best Flavor in the World”
Many gourmets have concluded four stresses on the Beijing roast duck, they are:
- Stress on seasons
Gourmet advice is to eat roast duck in winter, spring and fall. In summer, it has less flesh and fat because of the hot and wet weather, the duck skin is not so crispy after roasted.
- Stress on cut
One way is to peel the duck skin when it’s hot and then cut the flesh, it is crispy and delicious. The other way is to peel the duck with flesh and skin, it is thin but not smashed. One duck is always cut into 100 slices or about. It is special.
- Stress on ingredients
Usually, Chinese people put some sweet sauce firstly on the Chinese flatbread, then some slices of roast duck and strips of green onion, cucumber or turnip, finally roll up the bread. The way is common and popular.
- Stress on condiments
Condiments are mainly the flatbread. It is common staple food on banquet because of its slight yellow color and light flavor.
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