Beijing is a city undergoing tremendous change; every minute of every hour of every day it is modernising. New buildings by international award winning architects squeeze into spaces next to temples and ‘hutongs’. Beijing is a city of contrasts where the modern and the traditional tentatively coexist creating an intriguing dynamic. Beijing Summer Arts School believes this environment creates a diverse and inspiring city in which to explore, respond and create work.
For some time Beijing has been attracting the international interest of artists, fashion designers, architects and designers all eager to explore the cultural aspects of one of world’s fastest growing economies.
Whether it be The Forbidden City, the 798 Area or the simple pleasures of Dim Sum, there is something in Beijing to inspire everyone.
Museums
National Museum of Arts (NAMOC) is the huge national museum ‘dedicated to the collection, research and exhibition of modern and contemporary artistic works in China’. http://www.namoc.org/en/
Temples
Confucius Temple was built to honour Confucius, one of China’s greatest philosophers, and educationalist. There is a courtyard of 198 stone tablets/steles carved with the names of approx 51,000 scholars who passed the imperial exam during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.
798 Art District – aka Dashazi Art District
Now the pedestrian streets are full of galleries, artists’ studios, art centres, design companies, restaurants and bars. 798 has an industrial, urban “Soho-esque” vibe with high ceiling warehouse galleries and semi-pedestrianized streets with cafes.
You can spend days wandering around 798 peeking into studio of artists and designers at work or visiting one of the larger spaces to look at the work of internationally established artists.
Central Beijing
the Qing Dynasty.
A world heritage site the Forbidden City consists of 980 buildings and covers 720,000 square metres. Yes you can see the Great Wall of China from space and you can visit it on a day trip from Beijing too!
