Peking duck, also known as Peking Roasted Duck or Beijing Kaoya, is a dish of great antiquity from Beijing that can trace back to the imperial era. Nowadays, Peking Duck had become one of the specialties of the capital and a national symbol of China, favored by tourists and diplomats alike. For instance, Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State of the United States, came to savor this cate, during his two visits to China in 1971 and in 1976. It has also been a favorite delicacy for various political leaders ranging from Cuban Fidel Castro to former German chancellor Helmut Kohl.

The delicacy is characterized by its crisp skin shining date-red in color and tender texture, with authentic versions serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. The hot Peking Roast Duck will be brought to the dining table by the chef where he will slice it into more than 100 thin flakes, each having its piece of crispy skin. The meat is often eaten with spring onion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce with pancake rolled around the fillings. Sometimes pickled radish is also inside, and other sauces can be used. The remaining duck with meat and bones can be cooked in three ways. The traditional way is to be cooked into a broth. The meat together with bones can also be stir-fried with sweet bean sauce, or rapidly sautéed and served with salt and Sichuan pepper.

Besides the traditional one, many restaurants offer an All Duck Banquet - various dishes cooked with the offal and juices of the duck, surrounding the main dish. It will be sure to give you satisfaction and enjoyment when dining.

Duck has been roasted in China since the Southern and Northern Dynasties(386-589). Up until the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), ducks were roasted in the area around Jinling (ancient name for Nanjing). A variation of roast duck was prepared for the Emperor of China in the Yuan dynasty(1271-1368). The Peking Roast Duck that came to be associated with the term was fully developed during the later Ming dynasty when the rulers moved their capital city to Beijing from Jinling and by then, Peking Duck was one of the main dishes on imperial court menus and was highly regarded by emperors and other members of the ruling classes. By the Qianlong Period (1736–1796) of the Qing dynasty, the popularity of Peking Duck spread to the upper classes. The first restaurant specializing in Peking Duck, Bianyifang, was established in the Xianyukou, close to Qianmen of Beijing in 1416.

Preparation

Raising the duck

Newborn ducks are raised specially in a free range environment for the first 45 days of their lives, and force fed 4 times a day for the next 15–20 days, resulting in ducks that weigh 5–7 kg. The force-feeding of the ducks led to an alternate name for the animal, Peking Stuffed Duck. 

Seasoning the duck

A suitable fattened White Beijing Ducks are slaughtered, plucked, eviscerated and rinsed thoroughly with water. Air is pumped under the skin through the neck cavity to separate the skin from the fat. The duck is then plunged in boiling water for 1 to 5 minutes, then hung to dry. This will tighten the skin and help the duck to achieve its traditional crispy texture. The duck is then glazed with a layer of potentially spiced and flavored maltose syrup. A marinade of traditional flavorings, including soy sauce and five-spice powder, and more maltose, is then applied inside the body cavity. This will flavor the duck during the next step. The duck is then left to dry for between 24 hours and several days in a cool, dry place, which allows the skin to crisp while roasting.

Roasting the duck

Hitherto, there are two traditional schools of cuisine for the duck cooking, namely closed oven and hung oven.

Closed-oven style

Peking duck is originally roasted in a conventional closed oven, allowing the meat to be slowly cooked through the convection of heat within the oven. Controlling the fuel and the temperature is the main skill. In closed-oven style, duck meat is combined well with the fat under the skin, and therefore is juicy and tender.

Hung-oven style

The hung oven, also known as open oven, was developed in the imperial kitchens during the Qing Dynasty. It is designed to roast up to 20 ducks at the same time with an open fire fueled by fruit hardwood from peach or pear trees. The ducks are hung on hooks above the fire and roasted at a temperature of 270 °C (525 °F) for 30–40 minutes. While the ducks are roasting, the chef may use a pole to dangle each duck closer to the fire for 30-second intervals. By the means of hung oven, the fat is usually melted during the cooking process, so the skin is more crispy.

The initial technique has been perpetuated by very few restaurants among which the household name Bianyi Fang is the representative. The second method is relatively well-known and used with great success by the notable Quan Ju De Restaurant, first established in 1864, which won the China Renowned Trademark as well.

　　Hot pot, and the less common Chinese fondue, refer to several East Asian varieties of stew, is ke consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot .is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. In many areas, hot pot meals are often eaten inn the winter.

       The Chinese hot pot boasts a history of more than 1,000 years.While often called "Mongolian hot pot", it is unclear if the dish actuall originated in Mongolia. Mongol warriors had been known to cook with their helmets, which they used to boil food, but due to the complexity and specialization of the utensils and the method of eating, hot pot cooking is much better suited to a sedentary culture. A nomadic household will avoid such highly specialized tools to save volume and weight during migration. Both the preparation method and the required equipment are unknown in the cuisine of Mongolia of today.
　　Hot pot cooking seems to have spread to northern China during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-906). In time, regional variations developed with different ingredients such as seafood. By Qing Dynasty, hot pot had become popular throughout most of China. Today in many modern homes, particularly in big cities, the traditional coal-heated hot pot has been replaced by electric,gas or electromagnetic cooker versions.
　　Because hot pot styles change so much from region to region, many different ingredients are used.

　　Beijing opera or peking opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music,vocal performance,mime,dance and acrobatics.It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century.This form of theatre was extremely popular in the Qing dynasty court and has been regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China.Many performance groupes are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north,and Shanghai in the south. The form of art is also seen in Taiwan,where it is known as guoju, and it has also spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan.

　　Beijing opera features four main types of performers,Performing groupes often have several of each or combined. Performers are the only focal points on the stage.They utilize the skills of speech,song,dance,and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive,rather than realistic. Performers also adhere to a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production.

　　Channel CCTV-11 in Mainland China is currently dedicated to broadcasting classic Chinese opera productions,including Beijing opera.

Inclusions

1:Show tickets

2:Hotel transfer

3:If select VIP seat with fresh tea and snacks 

Exclusions

Gratuities (optional)

Meal

The Legend of Kungfu is a Live performance presented by China Heaven Creation International Performing Arts Co., Ltd. (CHC) -- China's leading performance art production company, every night at Red Theatre. A group of the best Kung Fu practitioners of China are collected and the best directors and designers of the country are invited by CHC.

The show is about storytelling that a little boy from a very poor family whose mother was unable to provide for him and decided to send her son to a temple to be a monk and learn kungfu. The diligent student monk was initiated into the temple, learning Buddhism and Kungfu. The theme of the story is full of trials and tribulation of being a monk and the worldly temptations through his monkhood. He had a hard time getting used to the strict discipline of the temple and could not restrain his natural desire to chase a young beauty, so he suffered great regret and losing his way to self-cultivation. He punished himself severely and finally came back full circle to be the temple, attaining enlightenment. He became interested in the unbelievable power of Kung Fu, in which he must face many obstacles both from this world and his own mind to overcome his fears.

The fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional martial arts makes this performance unique and spectacular, presenting stunning Kung Fu skills, exquisite ballet, splendid acrobatics and wonderful music, along with brilliant stage scenery, acoustic and light effect. With no speaking of the actors, there is an electronic screen displaying the show's subtitles in English above the stage to keep you informed of the storyline. After the show, the audience can also take photos with the main actors.

The show made its first appearance on the Beijing stage in July 15th, 2004. Ever since it has received numerous awards and become a world-class spectacle known around the world. If you are an enthusiast of Chinese Kung Fu, who would like to explore the real Chinese martial arts and culture, you definitely should not miss this excellent show of the prestigious Chinese Kung Fu.

China has one of the longest histories of continuously recorded martial arts tradition in the world. The Chinese Kung Fu is popular terms with Chinese martial arts, tracing its origins back some 4000 years ago to self-defense needs, hunting activities and military training in ancient China. In the long course of development, the Kung fu's purpose from self-defense to health maintenance and finally as method of self-cultivation. Kung Fu requires of the practitioner a strict code of physical and mental discipline. A common saying concerning basic training in Chinese martial arts is as follows: Train both Internal and External. External training includes the hands, the eyes, the body and stances. Internal training includes the heart, the spirit, the mind, breathing and strength. In addition, philosophy, ethics and even medical practice are highly regarded by most Chinese martial arts, which provides insight into Chinese attitudes and culture.

　　An original Chinese play, "The Golden Mask Dynasty," was held August 16 at OCT Theater in Beijing Happy Valley. This play was sponsored by Overseas Chinese Town, OCT, which invested 200 million yuan into building the OCT Theater for the play.

　　Set in the Golden Mask Dynasty, a legendary age in China, the story tells how a queen, who wears a golden mask, creates a splendid dynasty. The play has eight chapters and includes more than 200 actors from China and abroad. Produced by Chinese playwrights, directors and designers, the play features Chinese dances, acrobatics, costumes, and lighting and acoustics.

　　The Golden Mask Dynasty is a mythical age, and the play tells a fairy-tale like story of war, royal banquets, and romance. The play has 20 different dance scenes, ranging from war scenes to romance. The director invited composers Liu Gangbao and Li Cangsang to compose the music jointly. Composer Zhang Qianyi, who wrote the "Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," composed the theme song "The Words of Love" for the Golden Mask Dynasty, and vocalist Tang Jing sang the song. The play's wardrobe designers were inspired by the Sanxing Mound relics. They used blue and gold as the play's main colors, representing yin and yang, men and women, and heaven and earth. They created more than 500 costumes.

Inclusions

1:Show tickets

2:Hotel pick up at 4pm, drop off at hotel at 8:30pm

Exclusions

1:Gratuities (optional)

2:Meal

　　Chinese Acrobatics is one of the oldest performing arts. Its history can be traced back to Neolithic times. It is believed that acrobatics grew out of labor and self-defense skills, which people practiced and demonstrated during their leisure time. The early performance is "walking on three-meter-high stilts while juggling seven gaggers". Then it developed into an entire art formTogether with the developing economy, acrobatics is also evolving into a kind of performing art. It became well known worldwide while performances are presented along the Silk Road. In Europe and North America, Chinese acrobatic performances always attract large audiences.

　　Many acrobatic shows come from the art performance of living skills and labor skills. Acrobatic show has a history of over 2000 years in China. It is named as “Baixi” in Han dynasty, “sanle” in Sui and Tang Dynasty, named as Acrobatic after Tang and Song dynasty in order to differentiate from acts in other forms.

　　There are nine specialties in acrobatic.

　　Acrobatic pays lot of attentions on leg and waist training. Since ancient, Chinese acrobat focus on the position “top”. There are many “Stand on one’s head”, and “somersault” depicted in ancient fresco and earthenwares. For Chinese acrobatic, including actor of ancient show, he should has very deep Kung Fu foundation.

　　“Stable” out of “steep” while “move” is out of “stable” are both for showing a very quiet and accurate hard skill. Such as walking on the steel rod which require all actions for stable. The moving bench and ladder, one after another, but needs the man on the top find the stable from the move and it require a stable head, super skill, and hard training . It shows fully the super skill of our mankind conquering danger and difficulties.

　　“Unique” is out of the “usual”. From none to everything, it fully shows our mankind creating the world. Different from western magic, which focus on colorful stage property, Chinese magic only needs very simple property. From cuisine to fish and bird alive, a simple long sleeve gown can turn out everything. Or one somersault can turn into a firing bronze basin or another one for a fish bowl with water and fish.

　　Hard and soft Kung Fu combines. Kicking is mostly acted by women. The actor lies and kick thing including wine jar, colorful bowl, clock, tables, ladder, wooden pole, wooden plate, drum and bell,  from weightless umbrella to heavy living persons. Things kicked is rotating quickly, jumping back and forth. From the smooth vase to heavy wooden desk, everything is kicked so quickly only for image, not for picture.

　　Super power and Nimble dexterous somersault combines. According to history record, the seat for human pyramid is quite amazing. Previously history record, 18 men seats on one man while 6 men seats on one man both appeared. Over a thousand jin including eight men seats on one man fully show the program well. The traditional “ Pulling the bow” and “playing with knife” are both heavy-loaded hard Kung Fu.

　　There are a great amount of living utensils and labor instruments used in the acrobatic show including bowl, plate, altar, handleless cup, rod, whip, fork, pole, ladder, desk, chair, umbrella and cap. Those normal things is changeable in the hands of acrobatic, fully exhibited a close tie between labor life with Chinese acrobatic show.

　　Simple arts and body arts combine. “playing fun with altar”, “rotating plate” combine both Porcelain painting with traditional Chinese acrobatic. In the kicking show, the colorful umbrella and colorful peddle the same offer feeling of ancient aesthetics.

　　Chinese acrobatic is quite accommodated in different style and various places. From market, theatre, lane, room with place of hundreds of people to only one, Chinese acrobatic is fit for any places with thousands years of history.

　　Chinese acrobatic has an intimate heritage tradition. One generation after another generation, regional, blood-related and sister arts,  previous acrobats are always inherited and passed around.

     The Ming Tombs  are located in Changping district, about 50 kilometers to the northwest of  Beijing city.

　　During the Ming Dynasty, there  were 14 emperors from the Yongle Reign of Zhudi to the Chongzhen Reign of  Zhuyoujian. 13 emperors had their tombs built there except Zhuqiyu (the Jingtai  Reign) who was buried at the Golden Mountain in the western suburbs of Beijing,  hence the name of the Tombs of 13 Ming Emperors (The Ming Tombs). 

　　Encompassing an area of 10  hectares, Changling, the tomb for Emperor Zhudi and his wife lies at the foot of  Tianshoushan (the Mountain of Heavenly Longevity). It comprises three courtyards  with Changling Hall, or the Lingsi Hall on par with Taihe Hall (Hall of Supreme  Harmony) of the Palace Museum, Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple in Qufu of  Shangdong Province and Tiankuang Hall of Dai Temple at the foot of Taishan. The  Changling Hall covers an area of 1956.44 square meters, that surpassing that of  the Taihe Hall (Hall of Supreme Harmony). It is supported by 60 precious  columns, each made of a whole trunk of nanmu and remaining intact without any  protection after 500 years.

Dingling, the  mausoleum of Emperor Zhuyijun of the Ming Dynasty and his two empresses Xiaoduan  and Xiaojing is located at the foot of Dayu Mountain. Lying 27 meters below the  surface and covering an area of 1195 square meters, the Underground Palace is  composed of 5 Chambers: the Front, the Middle, and the Rear Chambers, Left and  Right Annex Chambers. The Rear Chamber, 9.5 meters high, 30.1 meters long and  9.1 meters wide is the largest. In the Chamber, the coffin of Emperor Zhuyijun  is placed on the middle of the stone couch, with his two wives' coffins on each side. Over 3000 pieces of historical relics were unearthed from the Underground  Palace. Among them, the Gold Crown and the Phoenix Crown are the unique  treasures.