Beijing Local Custom Tips by Sharrie

To immerse ourselves in the traditional culture, we chose to visit a Cloisonne manufacturing factory & showroom. This was where we had a fantastic chance to observe the process of the making of this handicraft. It took many steps & many artists were involved in the making of just a single vase!

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People in Beijing like to decorate their homes with cloisonne articles. Their blue beauty & glittering thin copper strips are especially beautiful with spotlights shining on them.

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Cloisonne: Beijing is where cloisonne making originated. The earliest was made in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The best was made during the Xuan De period (1426-1456) of the Ming Dynasty. During the Jing Tai period of the same dynasty, handicraftsmen found a dark-blue enamel which gave cloisonne a gorgeous, solemn look & is still used today.

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This vase is about 2-m high!

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We were just stopping over at this store on our way to the Great Wall. Thought some of the souvenir items were pretty interesting.

The real treasure of China are housed in the huge number of museums & galleries. Do visit some of them if you've the time.

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES:
Imperial Palace Museum: Forbidden City, 4 Jingshan Qianjie.
Museum of Chinese History: Tiananmen Square.
Capital Museum: Anding Mennei, Kongmiao, Dongcheng District.
Nationalities Cultural Palace: Fuxing Mennei Dajie, Xicheng District.
Beijing Lu Xun Museum: Fucheng Mennei Dajie.
Xu Bei Hong Memorial Hall: 53 Xinjiekou Beidajie, Xicheng District.
China Art Gallery: Wusi Dajie, Wang Fu Jing.

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The largest of the galleries in Beijing is the palatial CHINA ART GALLERY which features regular shows of works by accomplished contemporary artists.

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To admire the rare paintings in the collections in the past imperial courts, it's best to visit the gallery in the Palace Museum.

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LIU LI CHANG Street: A 200 meters long street lined exclusively with ancient-style shops with brightly painted doors & eaves & gracefully curved black-tiled roofs. All the shops here deal in antiques, works of Chinese calligraphy (bought a few myself) & traditional Chinese paintings, old wood block-print books, ink stones & slabs, Chinese ink brushes & paper for traditional painting & calligraphy known as the 4 treasures of the study.

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Perhaps learn a few simple phrases of Pu Tong Hua (Mandarin)?

Yes Shi
No Bu shi
Thank you Xie xie
Please Qing
Sorry Dui bu qi
Excuse Me Qing wen
I don't understand Wo bu dong
Do you speak English? Ning hui shuo ying yu ma?
How are you? Ni hao ma?
Good morning Zao an
Good afternoon Wu an
Good night Wan an
Good bye Zai Jian


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