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第28章 Beijing folk culture(7)

The Tianle Opera House was first founded in 1933. Tea garden was the venue for old Beijing residents to admire Peking Opera. The Tianqiaole Tea Garden is modeled upon old-style tea garden and opera house to stage folk operas, folk art performances and martial arts. Tianqiao used to be a boisterous place where people could find all sorts of recreation. The tea garden seeks to bring back the glorious past on stage.

Zhengyici Opera House

The 300-year-old wooden architecture is located near the Tian"anmen Square at No 220, Xiheyan of Qianmen. Covering 1,000 sq m of floor space, it allows audience to sit on three sides of the stage. The front side has tables for some 200 audience to sip tea and enjoy the show. There are two layers of boxes fanning the stage.

Amusement parks

Old Beijing Miniature Garden

The garden at Hongnigou of Nankou Town in Changping District captures typical scenes of Beijing in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Forbidden City, hutong lanes and siheyuan courtyards are rebuilt on a mini-scale but with meticulous details.

Shijingshan Amusement Park

The amusement park at Bajiao Village of Shijingshan District features Western castles with statues from fairy tales such as Cinderella, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. There are more than 20 facilities in the park such as merry-go-round, rollercoaster, race car and fairytale train.

Beijing Amusement Park

Built at the middle lake of Longtanhu Park in southern Chongwen District, the park was the first of its kind in Beijing. The island has a sightseeing lift that can raise the visitor to 60 m into the air. There are also a giant wheel and gliding rails.

Beijing Film Tourism City

Built inside Beijing Film Studio at Beitaipingzhuang, the recreational site has a street that displays Ming and Qing dynasties" social customs, the residences of Rong and Ning families constructed for the shooting of A Dream of the Red Chamber , a gallery of movie arts and a studio showing thriller productions. The site brings visitors a fresh understanding of the film industry.

Beijing Fuguo Undersea World

At the southern gate of Worker"s Stadium, the aquarium has the longest underwater channel in Asia. Visitors can watch some 6,000 awesome marine creatures swimming around. The staff will demonstrate feeding sharks and the dance of mermaids.

China North International Shooting Range

To the north of Mafang Village, Nankou Town of Changping District, one can find China"s first recreational shooting range. Here one can try a hand at pistol, rifle, machine-gun and even rocket- launcher. The exhibition hall displays advanced light weapons in the world.

Wax Sculpture Museum of Ming Dynasty

Built close to the Ming Dynasty imperial tombs, the museum has 374 wax sculptures grouped in 26 scenes that relate the history of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). From Zhu Yuanzhang who founded Ming Dynasty to the last Ming emperor Chongzhen who hanged himself, the sculptures capture all the important events in the dynasty.

Miyun International Amusement Park

This is the biggest modern amusement park in Beijing installed with the ferric wheel, single-railed train and a horse race ground.

Primitive Tribes Park

Hidden in deep mountains about 12 km away from Huairou District, the park provides performances of the ancient shaman religion. At the earthen huts of primitive tribes, visitors can find frescoes, relief sculptures, wood carvings and stone piles.

Seasons of blossoms

Peach blossom in Pinggu

April 15 is the Peach Blossom Festival in Pinggu District.

Pear blossom in Daxing

Panggezhuang of Daxing has some 20 sq km of pear farms. There are many kinds of pear flowers that

burst into blossom in spring.

Flowers at Jiufeng