Lonely Planet China
Page 26
This peaceful temple was built in 1776 for the visits of minority envoys from the west (Kazakhs and Uighurs among them). At the rear of the temple is the unusual Round Pavilion, modelled on the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at Běijīng’s Temple of Heaven Park. Inside is an enormous wooden mandala – a geometric representation of the Buddhist universe.
Admission also includes entry to Hammer Rock (磬锤峰; Qìngchuí Fēng) and Ānyuǎn Temple (安远庙; Ānyuǎn Miào MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pule Lu; 普乐路 ¥50; h8am-5pm Apr-Oct, 8.30am-4.30pm Nov-Mar). It’s a 60-minute walk to the club-shaped rock, which is visible for miles around and said to resemble a kind of musical hammer. It's a pleasant hike offering commanding views of the area. If you don't fancy walking, take the chairlift ( GOOGLE MAP ; 1 way/return ¥50/80; h7.30am-5.30pm) instead.
Bus 10 (¥1), from in front of Mountain Villa Hotel, will take you close to the chairlift for Hammer Rock, where you buy the entrance ticket for all three sites.
2Activities
Boat RentalBOATING
(出租小船, Chūzū Xiǎochuán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; boat hire per hour ¥60-90, deposit ¥300)
Offers boats for rent by the hour so you can explore the lake in the grounds of the imperial summer palace, Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng (避暑山庄; Imperial Villa).
Bus ToursBUS
(环山车, huánshān chē MAP GOOGLE MAP ; per person ¥50)
If you'd rather not walk through the vast grounds of the Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng (避暑山庄; Imperial Villa), one-hour bus tours of the gardens (with three short stops) are also available.
4Sleeping
Chéngdé does not offer great sleeping options. The hotels that accept foreigners mostly feel like relics from the state-run era, only with better service. Modern chains were off limits at the time of writing. Most hotels here include breakfast in their rates.
First Met HostelHOSTEL$
(初见客栈, Chūjiàn Kèzhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %186 3148 1357; 2nd fl, No 4 Bldg, Yùhuá Zònghé Market, Yuhua Lu, 裕华路裕华综合市场4号楼2楼 dm/s ¥55/77; W)
This makeshift hostel has a pleasant setting on the roof of a low building, sharing the space with a pergola, small garden and a few other apartments. The friendly owner speaks some English; rooms come with toast and a fried egg for breakfast. To find it, enter the 'market' courtyard, turn left at the exterior stairs and go up two flights.
Mountain Villa HotelHOTEL$$
(山庄宾馆, Shānzhuāng Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0314 209 5511; 11 Lizhengmen Dajie, 丽正门路11号 common/standard/deluxe r ¥280/380/480; aW)
This huge hotel offers pole position for a trip to Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng. The standard and deluxe rooms are comfortable enough, but like most of Chéngdé's hotels, they have begun to show some wear and tear. The cheapest rooms are in a building out the back, but are older and not great value. Some English is spoken here.
oQǐ Wàng LóuHOTEL$$$
(绮望楼 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0314 218 2288; www.qiwanglou.com; 1 Bifengmen Donglu, 碧峰门东路1号 r from ¥1280; nW)
Qǐ Wàng Lóu boasts a serene setting alongside the Imperial Villa's walls, accentuated by lovely courtyard gardens. This is far and away the most tasteful hotel in town, with museum-quality reproduced Chinese masterpieces hanging in all the rooms. Nicer rooms have balconies, but don't go for anything on the 1st floor, as it is partially underground.
Yìyuán BīnguǎnHOTEL$$$
(易园宾馆 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0314 589 1111; 7 Lizhengmen Dajie, 丽正门大街7号 r ¥780-880; aW)
Rooms here are modern and functional, although the cheapest ones are quite small and come without windows. The main draw is the excellent location in the centre of town; the reasonable prices – expect to pay around ¥228 – sweeten the deal. Buses 13 and 29 come here from the train and bus stations.
5Eating
Dà Qīng HuāDUMPLINGS$
(大清花 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Lizhengmen Dajie, 丽正门大街 mains from ¥20; h10.30am-9.30pm; v)
The finest dumpling house in Chéngdé, this excellent establishment has a big choice of juicy jiǎozi (boiled dumplings; ¥14 to ¥28 per serving) with some unusual fillings, including veg options; pan-fried dumplings also available. There's a huge range of other dishes too – even some 'emperor dishes' (such as venison).
There's another branch (大清花 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 241 Chezhan Lu; 车站路241号 mains from ¥20; h10.30am-9.30pm; v) by the train station.
Hànná Shān KǎoròuKOREAN$$
(汉拿山烤肉 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0314 761 1888; 2nd fl, 5 Liushui Gou, 流水沟5号2楼 grills ¥23-158, stone-bowl dishes ¥23-28; h11am-9pm)
Seek out this popular Korean restaurant for grill-your-own meats (¥15 fee for coals and sauce bar), kimchi, stone-bowl rice dishes, buckwheat noodles and other delicacies from the peninsula. It's up on the 2nd floor; the not-so-obvious entrance is on Zhongxing Lu. Picture menu.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 4 Dutongfu Dajie, 都统府大街4号 )
Also on Lizhengmen Dajie; has 24-hour ATMs.
Chāojí Internet CafeINTERNET
(超级网吧, Chāojí Wǎngbā GOOGLE MAP ; Chezhan Lu, 车站路 per hour ¥3; h24hr)
China PostPOST
(中国邮政, Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Lizhengmen Dajie & Dutongfu Dajie, 丽正门大街与都统府大街交叉口 h8am-6pm)
Industrial & Commercial BankBANK
(ICBC, 工商银行, Gōngshāng Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; Chezhan Lu, 车站路 )
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB, 公安局, Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0314 202 2352; 9 Wulie Lu, 武烈路9号 h8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri)
8Getting There & Away
Bus
Buses for Chéngdé leave Běijīng hourly from Liùlǐqiáo bus station (¥85, 3½ hours, 5.40am to 6.40pm). From Chéngdé, they leave every half-hour for Běijīng (¥85, 3½ hours, 6.20am to 6.40pm) from the train station square.
Services from Chéngdé’s east bus station (汽车东站; qìchē dōngzhàn), 8km south of town, include the following:
ABěijīng ¥85, 3½ hours, half-hourly (6am to 6pm)
ADàlián ¥219, 16 hours, 3pm (every other day)
AQínhuángdǎo (for Shānhǎiguān) ¥110, three hours, six daily (7.30am, 8.05am, 8.30am, 10am, 1pm and 4pm)
ATiānjīn ¥120, four hours, two daily (8.50am and 2pm)
Train
The two fastest trains from Běijīng train station (hard seat ¥35 to ¥40) take 4½ to five hours and leave at 7.56am and 12.20pm. Return services leave Chéngdé at 5.45am, 1.13pm (Běijīng East) and 7.15pm.
AShěnyáng Hard sleeper ¥166, 12½ hours, two daily (7.02am and 5.31pm)
AShíjiāzhuāng Hard sleeper ¥150, nine to 12½ hours, five daily
8Getting Around
A taxi from the train station to the Bìshǔ Shānzhuāng should cost around ¥10; from the bus station into town should cost around ¥20 to ¥25.
Buses 13, 24 and 29 link the east bus station with the train station; 13 and 29 carry on to Guāndì Temple.
Shānhǎiguān 山海关
%0335 / Pop 18,638
The drowsy walled town of Shānhǎiguān (山海关) is the fabled point where the Great Wall snakes out of the hills to meet the sea.
The area holds real interest for Wall enthusiasts: in addition to its claim as the eastern end of the Ming Wall, there's an excellent museum and plenty of opportunity to explore large stretches of wild, unrestored Wall, climbing up and over the rugged, scrubland hills.
Bear in mind, however, that the town itself feels a bit soulless. With few residents remaining and no economy in the old town apart from tourism, what's left is something that feels mostly like a theme park, but without the rides.
History
Guarding the narrow plain leading to northeastern China, the Ming garrison town of Shānhǎiguān and its wall were developed to seal off the country from the Manchu, whose troublesome ances
tors ruled northern China during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234). This strategy succeeded until 1644, when Chinese rebels seized Běijīng and General Wu Sangui opted to invite the Manchu army through the impregnable pass to help suppress the uprising. The plan worked so well that the Manchus proceeded to take over the entire country and establish the Qing dynasty.
Shānhǎiguān
1Sights
1First Pass Under HeavenC2
2Great Wall MuseumC2
3Zǒng Bīng FǔB2
4Sleeping
4Jǐngshān HotelB2
5Shānhǎi Holiday HotelA2
5Eating
6Lánzhōu Zhèngzōng Niúròu LāmiànB3
7Yǒu Gùshì De JiǎoziC4
1Sights
After full-scale demolition along the main streets, Shānhǎiguān has been busy re-creating new diversions in town, such as the imperial military compound, Zǒng Bīng Fǔ (总兵府 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Xi Dajie; 西大街 ¥80; h8am-5.30pm). These sights are all fairly half-baked, however – stick to the main attractions, all of which involve the Wall. Ticket prices for all sights drop considerably in the off season.
oJiǎo Shān Great WallWALLS
(角山 ¥40, with chairlift ¥50; h7am-sunset)
Although a heavily restored section of the Great Wall, Jiǎo Shān nevertheless offers an excellent opportunity to hike up the Wall’s first high peak – a telling vantage point over the narrow tongue of land below and one-time invasion route for northern armies. It’s a steep 30-minute clamber from the base, or else the old chairlift (索道; suǒdào) can haul you up.
To leave behind the crowds, continue beyond the cable-car station to Qīxián Monastery (栖贤寺; Qīxián Sì) or even further to Sweet Nectar Pavilion (甘露亭; Gānlù Tíng). Better yet, climb up onto the closed section (accessed from paths on the side) and you'll be able to follow the crumbling Wall all the way up past several peaks. Explorers won't be able to resist – but use caution and don't go it alone.
To get here you'll need to take a taxi (¥20 flat rate), but it's an easy 3km walk (or cycle) north of town. Just follow the road straight on from Shānhǎiguān's North Gate.
More fun than just following the road, though, is to approach Jiǎo Shān on an original, overgrown stretch of earthen Great Wall, which still creeps its way through farmland from Shānhǎiguān to Jiǎo Shān. Most of its Ming brickwork has long since been pillaged, but there's still a scattering of bricks, including a couple of collapsed watchtowers. To take this route, walk straight on from North Gate and then take the first right on the main road to the Wall (you can't miss it). Turn left up the pathway beside the iron bridge and clamber up. You can walk on this earthen Wall all the way Jiǎo Shān (you'll need to climb over onto a restored section across the highway); at the end, walk down to the ticket office to enter Jiǎo Shān.
Old Dragon HeadHISTORIC SITE
(老龙头, Lǎolóngtóu ¥50; h7.30am-6.30pm)
Famous across China (although a little overhyped if we're being honest), Old Dragon Head, 4km south of Shānhǎiguān, is where the Great Wall meets the sea. It's photogenic for sure, but bear in mind that what you see now was reconstructed in the late 1980s – the original wall crumbled away long ago. Bus 25 (¥1) goes here from Shānhǎiguān’s South Gate.
Great Wall MuseumMUSEUM
(长城博物馆, Chángchéng Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Diyiguan Lu, 第一关路 h9am-4pm Tue-Sun)F
This impressive museum provides a thorough chronological history of the Wall, going into architectural features and including interesting scale models of the walled town and surrounding Great Wall locations. Plenty of photos and artefacts, as well as English captions.
First Pass Under HeavenHISTORIC SITE
(天下第一关, Tiānxià Dìyī Guān MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Dong Dajie, 东大街 ¥40; h7am-5.30pm)
The Great Wall's main gate as it snaked down the mountains and to the sea, the First Pass served as Shānhǎiguān's east gate and principal watchtower. Two storeys tall, with double eaves and 68 arrow-slit windows, it's a towering 13.7m high, with an enceinte extending east.
4Sleeping
Shānhǎiguān sleeping options are extremely limited. There are few hotels to begin with, and only a handful of those accept foreigners. For international options, stay in Qínhuángdǎo (秦皇岛), 18km away.
Jǐngshān HotelHOTEL$$$
(景山宾馆, Jǐngshān Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0335 513 2188/46; 1 Dong Dajie, 东大街1号 tw/tr from ¥580/680; W)
Housed in a pleasant, reconstructed, two-storey courtyard complex, the Jǐngshān – the town's most agreeable hotel – is just steps from the First Pass Under Heaven. Rooms here are airy and comfortable, though don't expect anything too fancy – the hot-water pressure, for instance, ensures you won't be washing your hair here. Discounts can drop rates as low as ¥150. No English.
Shānhǎi Holiday HotelHOTEL$$$
(山海假日酒店, Shānhǎi Jiàrì Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0335 535 2888; www.shanhai-holiday.com; Bei Madao, 北马道 d & tw ¥880; W)
This traditional-style four-star hotel is housed in a large complex with several buildings, and is trying hard to impress, with staff dressed in traditional Manchu clothing. Unfortunately, the rooms we saw were in so-so condition – it's a bit of a let-down considering the exterior. Discounted rates hover around ¥268.
5Eating
Yǒu Gùshì De JiǎoziDUMPLINGS$
(有故事的饺子 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Lao Longtou Lu, 老龙头路 dumplings ¥9-26, dishes ¥8-48; h10am-9pm)
Come evening, venture outside the city walls to this popular, modern eatery, where a team of jiǎozi specialists make the goods by hand in the open kitchen. In addition to the dumplings, there's a good range of fried Chinese dishes on the picture menu.
Lánzhōu Zhèngzōng Niúròu LāmiànNOODLES$
(兰州正宗牛肉拉面 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Nan Dajie, 南大街 dishes ¥6-17; h7am-6pm)
Does a range of tasty noodle dishes, including pulled noodles with beef (牛肉拉面; niúròu lāmiàn – the restaurant speciality), with lamb (羊肉拉面; yángròu lāmiàn), with Chinese cabbage (青菜拉面; qīngcài lāmiàn) and with egg (鸡蛋拉面; jīdàn lāmiàn). Has photos of much of the menu plastered across two walls. No English.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; Lao Longtou Lu, 老龙头路 h8.30am-5.30pm)
Foreign-exchange facility.
China PostPOST
(中国邮政, Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; Lao Longtou Lu, 老龙头路 h8.30am-6pm)
Industrial & Commercial BankBANK
(ICBC, 工商银行, Gōngshāng Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; Nan Dajie, 南大街 )
Has ATM.
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB, 公安局, Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0335 505 1163; Diyiguan Lu, 第一关路 )
Opposite the entrance to First Pass Under Heaven, on the corner of a small alleyway.
8Getting There & Around
Air
Qínhuángdǎo’s small airport has flights to Dàlián, Shànghǎi, Qīngdǎo and Xī'ān.
Bus
To get to Shānhǎiguān from Qínhuángdǎo's bus or train station, take bus 8 (¥1) from outside the train station for one stop – you can also walk it if you can communicate in Chinese – then cross the road and take bus 33 (¥2, 30 minutes) going the opposite direction to Shānhǎiguān's South Gate (南门; Nán Mén).
There's no long-distance bus station in Shānhǎiguān. Qínhuángdǎo's bus station (秦皇岛汽车站; Qínhuángdǎo qìchēzhàn), where the nearest long-distance buses arrive, is diagonally opposite its train station.
Buses from Qínhuángdǎo's bus station include the following:
ABěijīng (Bāwángfén) ¥105, 3½ hours, three daily (8am, 10am and 3.30pm)
ABěijīng Capital Airport ¥140, four hours, hourly (5am to 5pm)
AChéngdé ¥110, three hours, six daily (8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm a
nd 5pm)
ADàlián ¥150, seven hours, 10.50am (every other day)
Taxis
Taxis in Shānhǎiguān are ¥5 flag fall. Motor-rickshaws shouldn't cost more than ¥5 for trips within town, though drivers will invariably try to charge you ¥10.
Train
There are over a dozen D-class bullet trains linking Běijīng Main Station and Shānhǎiguān (¥93, 2½ hours) throughout the day.
Alternatively, even more high-speed trains go from Běijīng to the nearby city of Qínhuángdǎo (秦皇岛; ¥88, 2½ hours), 18km from Shānhǎiguān.
Numerous trains also run to Qínhuángdǎo from Tiānjīn (¥120, 1¼ hours) and Shěnyáng (¥118, 2½ hours).
WORTH A TRIP
JIǔMéNKǒU GREAT WALL
Jiǔménkǒu Great WallWALLS
(九门口长城 ¥80)
In a mountain valley 15km north of Shānhǎiguān stretches the only section of the Great Wall ever built over water. Normally the Wall stopped at rivers, as they were considered natural defence barriers on their own. At Jiǔménkǒu Great Wall, however, a 100m span supported by nine arches crosses the Jiǔjiāng River, which we can only guess flowed at a much faster and deeper rate than it does today (or else the arches would function more like open gates).