It’s called Factory 798 because the grounds used to operate as a factory, but now hold dozens of contemporary art galleries. It’s an atmosphere unlike anything else in Beijing – a little gritty and a little European feeling (or, what I imagine parts of Europe might feel like) – with lots of little studios and coffee bars and cafes. Remnants of the factory still remain.

It’s an odd little place – which I loved. The art galleries were mostly contemporary. And the streets were lined with huge statues and the first instance of “graffiti” that I’ve seen in China. Although it really probably wasn’t graffiti – it all seemed pretty perfectly planned out. Photos of the district are on Flickr here.

Factory 798 is also the location of Swiss House, which I briefly visited. Sadly, the chocolatier was not available so they didn’t have any samples. They did have Swiss army knives though. Not exactly as fulfilling. You can listen to the sound of Switzerland – in Beijing – on Flickr here.

Driving down the lit-up Ghost Street in a haul-ass taxi.

Most of the galleries close at 7pm, so from there I met a volunteer couple for dinner. We went to a Chinese restaurant around Ghost Street – where the restaurants and streets all glow by lantern light and traditional Chinese decorations

We weren’t sure that we were in the right place – we exited our cab and the driver motioned for us to go down a dark alley. We went.

Sue almost didn’t, but we convinced her… Past a dry cleaners. Past a traditional hutong residence. Stopped at a single red lantern. Turned left. And found Dali Courtyard – the most darling little oasis in Beijing.

It looked like a stack of cinder blocks from the outside, but inside it was an open air dining room under a nearly full moon and white Christmas lights.

The menu was set, so there were no decisions to be made. And they just kept bringing us plates and plates of food – beans, tofu, vegetables, chicken, shrimp, fish, fruit, wine, and a few things that I cannot discern (and probably don’t want to). I wish I’d taken photos, but I really didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere.

We had an easy time finding a cab home – although we’d all forgotten our handy “cheat sheets” with our apartment address and directions written in Mandarin. After nearly a month in China, I was able to pronounce the nearest subway station – Dong Si Shi Tiaou – clearly enough that our driver understood. I was a little proud.

So, here we are… Another night in Beijing comes to a close. And only four more to go!

Hello Okatie Elementary - from Beijing, China!

I’ve received some comments and emails from Okatie Elementary School in South Carolina. Hello low country!

I want to share with the fifth grade class some of the things that I’ve learned about China since being here. Now, this is information that I’ve been told from locals or that I deduced for myself during this trip – so your first homework assignment after reading this post might be to check my facts for accuracy!

Here we go:

• China is located in the Eastern hemisphere and is about the same geographic size as the United States.
• China is in a different time zone than Okatie – the time in China is 12 hours ahead of the East Coast of the USA. So, when it’s Noon in South Carolina, the time is midnight in Beijing.
• China has 1.5 billion people and is the most heavily populated country in the world. About 20% of the world’s population lives in China.
• If you lived in China, you probably wouldn’t have any brothers or sisters. China has so many people that its government tries to limit the population growth. They do this by restricting parents to having one child per family. There are some exceptions, though. For example, if you live on a farm then you are able to have up to 3 kids – but only if the first two children are girls.

English Alphabet



Chinese Characters

• Mandarin Chinese is the official language in Beijing. Instead of using an alphabet like we use, the Chinese writing system is made up of characters. Each character corresponds to one spoken syllable. A majority of words are poly-syllabic, meaning that they are made up of more than one syllable, so they require two or more characters to write. For example, the Chinese equivalent of “hello” contains two syllables and takes two characters to write: 你好
• To be able to read a newspaper, you need to know about 4,000 Chinese characters.
• Kids attend public school for free until they are about 13 years old. Then, they find work or pay to go to a private school. When Chinese kids are old enough for college, they take an entrance exam that determines where they go to school and what they will study. In most cases, the Chinese don’t get to choose what they study in college – the government assigns them an area of study based on their test scores and strengths.

My first Chinese meal in China... I can't remember, but I think it's chicken. It also had mushrooms in it and broccoli.

Here are a few other things I’ve learned – or been corrected on – regarding the Chinese.

• Standing in line is optional. They have lines. And most people stand in them. But don’t be surprised – and certainly don’t get upset – if someone cuts in front of you. It’s to be expected.
• There are very few children in Beijing. And if you see a toddler-aged child, don’t be surprised to find him pantless. The Chinese haven’t really adopted the whole diaper thing. I haven’t seen how that plays out in certain situations. I’m hoping not to find out.
• The Chinese language is very animated. At first, it will seem like everyone is yelling at you. They’re not. (Or maybe they are. I don’t actually know what they’re saying.)
• When eating Chinese food, rice is supposed to come at the end of the meal after all of the meats and vegetables have been eaten. It’s considered a “filler” food, in case you’re still hungry.
• Don’t clean your plate. If you completely finish your food it’s considered an insult – it means the host did not prepare enough food. If you take a drink of your beverage, you’ll find your cup instantly refilled.
• Taxi cab drivers expect you to sit in the front seat with them – where that may be considered a “last resort” spot in most US cities.
• No tipping. The cab fare or meal price listed is exactly what you pay. And if you offer a tip, it will be returned or refused.
• Bring your own grocery bag to the store, or you’ll have to pay for one. Signs in English at the Western market say that Beijing adopted this policy in May 2008 in an effort to be more green.
• You can’t leave a message – the voice mail function doesn’t work on cell phones in China. This is partly why text messaging is so popular in China. It’s also cheaper. You buy phone minutes at newspaper stands for 100 RMB, and they last for varying call times depending on whether you call locally, internationally or if you text. Texting is the cheapest option.
• The Chinese don’t sweat. Okay, I don’t think that can be true but I overheard someone say it. And it makes sense to me because the men wear long pants and dress shirts regardless of the heat or time of day. You do see men walking around with their shirts rolled up to expose their bellies if they’re walking around (not working). I have to say, I get a little jealous – it is HOT here.
• There aren’t bicycles everywhere. By far, there are more commuting cyclists than we have in the US, but the preferred mode of transport is automobile.
• Pedestrians don’t have the right of way. Actually, I’m not sure who does. I don’t think they know either. It’s a case-by-case match of “chicken.”
• The cab drivers are very good, but very fast. How fast? Well… have you ever been on a bus in Mexico? And you know how they don’t have gas pedals or brakes – just a switch with two options: haul-ass-fast and grinding halt? It’s like that, but without the grinding halt. I’ll be completely astonished if I don’t witness or experience a collision.
• The Chinese DO love Mickey Mouse. I see him on T-shirts and accessories all the time.
• Occasionally they say “Hello” if you look Caucasian, and then they giggle. If they don’t speak English, they tend to laugh after any phrases they say to you (like “you’re welcome). Maybe there’s a funny translation there that I don’t get.
• “Yes” may mean “no.” You have to be careful because most Chinese won’t want to disrespect you or cause you to “lose face” by being told no. So that means that they will say “yes” and have no intention of doing something. Construction projects around USA House were sometimes delayed for cultural reasons.
• Western toilets are considered a luxury. And if you find one, it’s worth waiting for. But you have to remember that the sewer lines here can’t support paper waste. So, regardless of toilet style all paper must be disposed of separately. I’m guessing this is why I got a request to bring two-ply from the States.
• People joke that the Chinese eat dogs, but I’m thinking no… It’s become very popular to have pets in Beijing, especially dogs. Pet owners are restricted to having small animals (I can’t recall the height requirement), and you often see pups on the sidewalks walking with their owners. One day, CCTV ran a piece on how much the Chinese people are willing to spend on their pooches. Now, maybe that piece was for foreigners’ benefit – but I’m still thinking dogs aren’t on the menu.

Of course, these are just my casual observations and may be incorrect also. But it’s kind of fun figuring it all out.

I ran for about 40 minutes before I decided that I didn’t know where I was, so I shouldn’t hurry up and get there. I walked for a bit and then found the square.

I almost saw Chairman Mao’s embalmed body, but the security guards realized that I had my camera and didn’t let me through. Maybe I will try again when I don’t have the camera.

Instead I went to the Park of the People’s Culture and Zhongshan Park, which border the entrance to the Forbidden City. (Basically, I just got in place wherever I saw people forming a line. Probably not the best idea, but it turned out ok.)

I went through the gates of the Forbidden City, but decided to come back and tour the palace another time.

I took a long, long walk home – until I decided I couldn’t figure out the way. Then, hopped in a cab and arrived on my street within a few minutes.

During the earlier hours of my adventure, many of the Chinese people were also out exercising. I ran past sessions of tai chi, badminton games, dancing, the Chinese version of the hacky sack, and jump roping. Some video of Chinese exercise is below, and photos from Park of the People’s Culture and Zhongshan Park are here.

Videos are below. The clips are kind of long (I’ll learn!), but here are a few things you might see on the streets during the early morning, before it gets too hot.

Ah, one more thing! The woman in the front of the dancers is a total anomaly. We’ve seen lots of Chinese people dancing – even last night walking home from work there were several groups of line dancers on the sidewalks. None of them ever smile! They must enjoy it, but they keep a very straight face. This video includes the only Chinese person that I’ve seen smile while dancing.

They tend not to smile when taking photos either. They line up in front of tourists spots and pose to have their photos taken with completely straight faces. Ah, I take that back though… the younger Chinese LOVE to give the peace sign in their photos. And they seem a little happier. I’ll keep an eye out…

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Update: This post was delayed for technical reasons!