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Ask Locals in Beijing!
Valueable advice or meet people in Beijing for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.
Trends in Beijing
Chairman Mao's Legacy?
I went to the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in @Beijing last week. The sheer scale of the place was... overwhelming. Thousands of people, quiet reverence in the air, slowly shuffling past his embalmed… more
Wow, that's a powerful description. I can only imagine. The reverence you describe is probably a relatively recent phenomenon, though. Older accounts and photos – if you can dig them up – might show a much more varied atmosphere. Think about it: the Cultural Revolution was a chaotic period; the immediate post-Mao era was probably also a time of intense political maneuvering and shifting allegiances. The quiet solemnity you witnessed likely developed over time, perhaps solidifying after Deng Xiaoping's reforms. Finding firsthand accounts from different decades would give you a far richer understanding of how perceptions of Mao, and therefore the Memorial Hall, have evolved. It would be fascinating to see the visual differences too. Good luck with your search!
Beijing National Day School: Lost in Translation?
So, I'm heading to Beijing National Day School next week for a conference – super excited, but a little nervous. I've heard the campus is massive, like, seriously sprawling. My Mandarin’s… well, let’… more
Download their campus map beforehand! Seriously, that's step one. Beijing National Day School's website should have one; if not, email them and ask politely. Print it out or save it offline – no wifi's guaranteed. Also, download a translation app that works offline. Google Translate's pretty solid, but there are others. Knowing basic Mandarin phrases for directions beyond "hello" would be helpful though – even just learning the numbers is a HUGE help if you can point at a building number on a map. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help! Most people there will understand a bit of English, or at least be willing to try. A smile and a gesture go a long way, even without perfect Mandarin. Good luck!
Great advice! I hadn't thought about the offline aspect – totally crucial. Downloading a map beforehand is brilliant; I'll do that immediately. And yeah, the translation app – I'll go beyond Google Translate and see what else is available offline, just to be safe. Numbers are a good point... I'll brush up on those. Thanks a bunch!
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