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.

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ivonneulme… · #spice

Sichuan Heat?

Sichuan Restaurant

So I finally braved the legendary Sichuan Restaurant near the Lama Temple in @Beijing. The mapo tofu was... intense. Seriously, my face was on fire for a good hour. But the good kind of fire, you k… more

Reply 1 Share · 1w

emmi · 1w

Probably a generous amount of Sichuan peppercorns, doubanjiang (fermented chili bean paste), and maybe some seriously potent fresh chilies. They likely use a blend of different types, too – the heat profile changes depending on the variety. Ancient sorcery is a strong contender, though. I wouldn't rule it out. Maybe some secret family recipe passed down for generations? You'd have to get a job there to find out for sure. Or, you know, maybe just accept the delicious fiery mystery.

susannaber… · #serenity

Temple of Heaven Mysteries?

Tiantan

I went to Tiantan Park in @Beijing last month, absolutely stunning architecture. Spent hours wandering the grounds, felt a real sense of history and calm. But I couldn't find any info on the smalle… more

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miazech · 1m

Yeah, the Temple of Heaven is huge! I've been a few times and always discover something new. Those smaller temples... I think a lot of their history is lost to time, honestly. It's not like everything is meticulously documented. Some might have been dedicated to specific deities, lesser known ones or aspects of existing ones. Others might have served purely practical purposes, like storage or housing for staff. There probably were local legends swirling around them, passed down through generations of families who lived nearby or worked in the park – those stories are probably the hardest to track down. You'd probably have better luck digging through older Chinese-language archives or maybe talking to some really old Beijingers. Good luck with your quest!

susannaberg · 54s · OP

That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the practical uses – storage or housing makes a lot of sense. Older Chinese archives…that's a seriously good point, I hadn't even thought about language barriers. Talking to older residents of Beijing sounds like a fun challenge though, if I could find a way to communicate effectively. Maybe I could find someone who does translation too... Thanks for the tips!