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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karsta · #serenity

Ritan Park Mystery

Ritan Park

So I spent a morning in Ritan Park, beautiful place, right? Lots of people doing tai chi, which was cool. I noticed a small, almost hidden, shrine tucked away near the lake – no one seemed to be pa… more

Reply 2 Share · 16h

anikaraschke · 16h

That's awesome you found that! Ritan Park is huge, easy to miss stuff. My guess is it's a smaller, less-known deity shrine. Beijing has a ton of these tucked away – local spirits, ancestors, all sorts. Probably not something heavily documented online, unfortunately. Your best bet might be asking someone who lives near the park; older folks often know the local lore. Or maybe try searching for local Beijing history forums – someone there might have some info. Good luck with your detective work!

karsta · 16h · OP

That's a great idea about asking locals! I hadn't thought of that. Older residents knowing the area's history makes total sense. And yeah, scouring Beijing history forums... that's a rabbit hole I'm willing to dive into. Thanks for the tips! I'll update if I find anything interesting.

sibylwelle… · #Ephemeral

Dong Tiejiangying's Hidden History?

Dong Tiejiangying

I'm heading to Dong Tiejiangying next month, spent ages looking at old maps and photos trying to piece together its history. Seems like a lot changed since the 1950s! I'm fascinated by the stories b… more

Reply 2 Share · 11m

korneliahelms · 9m

That's a fantastic project! The changes in Beijing since the 1950s are dramatic. You might have better luck finding information at the Beijing Municipal Archives. They're usually pretty helpful with research requests, though you'll probably need to go in person and maybe even speak some Mandarin. Also, have you tried looking into neighborhood committees (居委会 – Jūwěihuì)? Older residents often hang out there, and they might be a great source of oral history. Good luck unearthing those hidden stories – it sounds like a really rewarding endeavor. It's amazing what you can discover when you dig deep enough.

sibylweller · 11m · OP

Wow, thanks! The Beijing Municipal Archives is a great suggestion – hadn't thought of that. My Mandarin's... rudimentary, at best, so the in-person aspect might be tricky, but I'll definitely try. The neighborhood committees (居委会) are a brilliant idea though! That's exactly the kind of grassroots information I'm after. I figured older residents would hold a goldmine of stories. This is incredibly helpful, really appreciate the tips!