Today I Have a Dinner in Huguosi Snack Food Store

There is no better illustration of what Beijingers eat during the Spring Festival than food offered by traditional snack food (xiao chi: small eats) stores throughout Beijing. The Huguosi Snack Food Store is a great example of the

festive food shops.
The present location of the store was formerly the site of a famous temple fair in the western part of the city where the most famous "small eats" food brands flourished. In 1956 a state-owned traditional snack store was established.
Today the store is one of the few old brand-name state-owned businesses that still continue this tradition.
According to Li Qiuhua, manager of the store: nian gao (glutinous rice cake), dou bao (steamed buns with smashed red bean stuffing), xi zi bing (a cake with the Chinese character for 'happiness' on it) and mian yu'er (a cake shaped like a fish) are some of the most popular foods at the store during big holiday shopping.
Most of these foods carry auspicious meanings. For example, nian gao literally means: “better this year than last year”. The fish cake is considered auspicious because fish in Chinese (yu) means surplus. The Chinese hope they are prosperous and rich in each New Year.
Other foods available include many kinds of traditional Beijing 'small eats.' Some of the most famous treats are lu da gun (rolling donkey): a soft yellow rice and soybean cake, ai wo wo: a white glutinous rice cake with a variety of stuffing, wan dou huang: a smooth tasting yellow pea cake and jiao quan: deep-fried crispy flour ring.

National Art Museum of China

Located on Wusi Street, the National Art Museum of China was established in 1962 to exhibit outstanding works of modern Chinese artists. The gallery has 6,000 square metres of exhibition space, which is divided into 14 exhibition halls currently housing 10,000 pieces, not including folk art. The central part of the gallery, with four floors, has an ancient Chinese pavilion type roof. The

surrounding flat roofs have skylights to allow for natural lighting. The building is decorated with glazed tiles, a traditional Chinese construction material and many of the walls are paved with light yellow ceramic bricks. The designer wanted the building to reflect ceramic art. With the development of a commercial economy, traditional donations from fine artists are now being gradually replaced by sales. The gallery gathers works through a variety of channels which include buying them from national and local exhibitions and offering financial aid to some fine artists who sell their work to the gallery. The research staff at the gallery excels at the development of the study of fine art, and they have published dozens of articles and papers. From 1962 to 1995, the China Art Gallery organized over 1,000 exhibitions covering everything from photography and calligraphy to stamp collections. Some of the shows were co-coordinated with other galleries such as the China Folk Artistic Work Gallery. From 1962 to 1977, the total budget for the gallery was 2.25 million yuan. The average annual budget since 1978 has increased to 560,000 yuan. With profits from the exhibitions, it has the potential to become the nation's finest art gallery.

Top 5 Section of Great Wall in China

Walking to the Great Wall will be an incredible experience and an opportunity to seek on Chinese history, unbeatable ancient architecture and fabulous mountain scenery. Here 5 top sections of Great Wall that will be the highlights on China vacation. 

1.       Badaling Great Wall

Badaling is a first section of the Wall that opened to the public. It is also the closest Great Wall section from Beijing as well as the busiest one. Located in Yanqing County, 60 kilometers northwest of Beijing, visitors could reach Badaling only about one hour.

At past, Badaling was used as the important military defensive structure from the enemy and transmit military message to the emperor. Once, they got the message, the whole country will ready to war. Because that reason, in every 2 till 5 kilometres in Badaling was built a beacon tower to give the quick signal to the whole country.

The beauty of the Wall reflected greatness and powerful where located around the mountain. Have a bird eye view on Badaling, it will look likes a big dragon stretched along the mountains. 

2.       Mutianyu Great Wall

Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the favorite sections for the hikers. Some part of Mutianyu offer some steep high steps where hikers could exercise their skills. Has known become most favorite section among tourists, Mutianyu located 70 kilometres northeast of central Beijing in Huairou District. Surround by vegetation areas around, Mutianyu offer stunning beauty landscapes in every season.

A cable car and toboggan ride will facilitate visitors to explore to Wall more convenient and fun. Mutianyu Great Wall will be a challenging one!  

3.       Jinshanling Great Wall 

 Jinshanling has 10.5 kilometres long starts from the Wangjinglou Tower in the east and ends at Longyukou in the west. Become one of the dangerous and can be said an original one, Jinshanling offer challenging trek of hiking. Keep it original looks after over hundreds years ago, the steps are rather steep and rocky with loose stones at time.

Today, Jinshanling attract more hikers hoping to exercise. Arrive at Jinshanling, do not miss reach Simatai in few hours hiking. 

4.       Huanghuacheng Great Wall 

Huanghuacheng located in a village in Jiuduhe, Huairou District, about 65 kilometers (40.39 miles) from Beijing. This section is also become one and the only section of the Wall which located surround by the beautiful and unique view of lake and mountains.  

Lately, Huanghuacheng is popular for its hiking activities, it offer the steep paths and its original construction. Challenging hiking the Wall as well as enjoy the best view of the beauty of mountains and lake around the Wall.  

5.       Jiankou Great Wall (Arrow Nock)

Connected with Mutianyu Great Wall ten kilometers to the east and Huanghuacheng Great Wall to the west, Jiankou has its own unique features. The shape of the mountains where the Wall was built is like an arrow with the collapsed ridge opening as its arrow nock and because of that it got the name.

Due the lack repairs and built along the mountain ridges and huge cliffs, Jiankou Great Wall is an ideal example of Wild Great Wall. It became the popular hiking destination as well as a favorite photographic spots. 

A visit to the Great Wall will be one of the highlights of travel in China. That cannot be said a China trip without at least one trip to the Great Wall.