Beijing sites to see

This item appears on page 39 of the January 2008 issue.

On a visit to Beijing, Sept. 6-Oct. 2, 2007, I was fortunate to learn ahead of time of three interesting areas often missed by tourists.

• The Daoist Bai Yun Guan, also known as the White Cloud Temple (6 Baiyuanguan Jie, Xibian Men Wai; phone [011] 86-10-6346-3531, www.thetao.info/tao/whitecloud1.htm), in the Haidian District, has a dynastic charm, and there were NO tourists when we were there.

Two blocks south of Fuxingmennei Dajie (the street that runs east and west in front of Tiananmen Square) and directly across from Baiyun Guan bus stop, this temple complex was very interesting and was filled with local people. With admission $1.25, it’s open 8:30-4:30.

• Two blocks north, at the corner of Fuxing Men Wai Dajie and Sanlihe Lu, is the Capital Museum (16 Fuxingmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District; www.capitalmuseum.org.cn/en) — very modern and well appointed, with very interesting exhibitions of China’s culture. It lies between subway Line 1 stations Nanishi Lu and Muxidi.

• Just to the east of Tiananmen Square and the Old Beijing Railway Station on the south side of the street is the Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition Hall (20 E. Qianmen Ave.; phone [011] 86-10-6702-4559; www.bjghzl.com.cn), in the Chongwen District.

The building is very modern and very interesting, with a massive scale model of Beijing. Again, only four other tourists were there. It’s open 9 to 4 (closed Monday).

• Additionally, if you get tired of the large restaurants and want a very cosmopolitan place to eat great food, find the Red Capital Club (No. 66 Dongsi Jiutiao, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100007, China; phone 86-10 8401 6152, fax 86-10 6402 7153, www.redcapitalclub.com.cn/ contact.html). Our meal cost about $80 for two, with drinks and wine — not a cheap place but classy and unique.

The restaurant is in a hutong (alley lined with homes) three blocks south of the Lama Temple (12 Yonghe Gong Dajie, Dongcheng), which is near the subway station Yonge Gong and is very large and interesting, itself.

Our hotel, the People’s Palace, was very near the Capital Museum and White Cloud Temple. We walked to these and took a cab to the Lama Temple, walking to the Red Capital Club from there.

JOSEPH WHITEHOUSE

Oakland, CA