Things to do in Gaobeidian

Taking advantage of the National Day holiday, I visited Kaishan Temple, a thousand-year-old temple in Gaobeidian City, finally completing my year-long tour of the eight major Liao Dynasty architectural complexes. Kaishan Temple is probably the most unassuming and understated of the eight. Located in a narrow, noisy alley in the town, the temple offers free admission by swiping your ID card. In 1996, Kaishan Temple was designated a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. The main hall of Kaishan Temple is a Liao Dynasty structure. This five-bay wide and three-bay deep hall is supported by only four golden pillars, considered an ultimate example of pillar-reduction construction. A Tang Dynasty white marble Thousand-Hand and Thousand-Eyed Guanyin statue in the main hall is the temple's most prized possession, predating the Liao hall itself by three hundred years and classified as a national first-class cultural relic. The main hall lacks a suspended ceiling; all the original Liao Dynasty mortise and tenon joints are exposed, allowing visitors to directly observe the construction standards of a thousand years ago. Kaisan Temple does not have a dedicated parking lot. The path in front of the temple can probably accommodate eight or nine cars, so parking is usually quite tight.

The scholar said that Guide Li took him to the National Museum of China and the Forbidden City! The explanations of the national treasures at the National Museum were clear and organized, and the architectural details and historical anecdotes of the Forbidden City were explained in detail. Guide Li has a wide range of knowledge, is humorous, and explains history from a child's perspective, making the entire experience fantastic and a truly unforgettable trip to Beijing!

This road trip to Hebei included a special trip for the children to the Xiong'an Impression Exhibition Hall, allowing them to immerse themselves in understanding this city of the future. The exhibition hall is divided into three main areas: symbiosis, co-construction, and sharing. Naked-eye 3D light and shadow, AR interaction, and a huge city model vividly present Xiong'an's past, present, and future. The light and shadow painting of Baiyangdian Lake helped the children understand the original water town atmosphere of this land; the giant 3D sand table intuitively displayed the three cities above ground, underground, and in the clouds, captivating the children's attention. There were also digital cycling and interactive installations, offering educational experiences beyond dry text explanations. The only downside is that the first-floor exhibition hall is not large; the entire experience takes about thirty minutes.

The Children's Day activities were very thoughtful for the kids. I expected a lot of good kids, so I decided to go to the Wild Animal Zone and the miniature train. We let them play and explore to their heart's content. We've been here many times since it's close by, so we didn't want to do too much. The kids had a great time playing on all the non-motorized rides all day.

We’re avid theme park goers and love to try out new parks all around the world. Having done Universal in Orlando, we had to try out the Beijing park whilst we were here and it did not disappoint. First of all, the price is great value, worked out around £50 per person which is really cheap compared to Orlando and the rides are almost identical. Now don’t get me wrong, we did all of the shows and rides and at times it was a bit confusing because we don’t speak Chinese but we still thoroughly enjoyed them as we’d seen most of them all before but in English so it was good to compare. The food was also a mixed bag in terms of it being very overpriced compared to if you were out for a meal or grabbing some food in the centre of Beijing but it’s a once in a lifetime trip for us so still worth the money!

Even though it gets very crowded, everything is convenient thanks to the QR code ticket from Trip.com, which allows you to enter directly without any hassle. A must-visit when in Beijing — you haven’t truly experienced Beijing if you miss this place!

张洋导游讲解的非常好！All visitors should book the national Museum of China trip. It is not easy to book on your own, book through Trip.com and have a guide to share the history with you..

Sanyi Palace is perfect for a Three Kingdoms fan like me, as there are many stories about the glorious deeds of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei in the courtyard; however, the courtyard is densely covered with greenery and has a large number of mosquitoes. If you visit in the summer, be sure to bring mosquito repellent spray and long-sleeved clothing for protection. I got bitten several times during my visit 😂😂😂.

Director Wang's explanation was indeed excellent; he explained the layout of Prince Gong's Mansion very clearly. After listening, seeing the courtyards became much easier. It wasn't just a perfunctory explanation; you could tell he put in the effort, and the money was well spent.

Before setting off, I watched a CCTV documentary, which gave me a general overview of the Northern Wei Dynasty's history, making the grottoes much more interesting. The scenic area was well-managed; a few grottoes were too crowded, which made the experience less enjoyable, but that's just how it is—Yungang is definitely worth seeing. I'd love to come back again if I have the chance.