Ask Locals in Beijing!

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ivonneulme… · #Intrigue

Grandma's Kitchen Mystery

Grandma's Kitchen

So I went to Grandma's Kitchen near @Beijing's hutongs, right? This place is legendary, everyone talks about it. The food was amazing, seriously some of the best dumplings I've ever had. But there… more

Reply 2 Share · 7h

malvediefenbach · 7h

Probably just some old family heirloom they never bothered to move. Lots of places in old @Beijing neighborhoods have random stuff like that hanging around – family photos, old propaganda posters, whatever. It's not necessarily a mystery, more like... part of the charmingly chaotic ambiance. Unless it starts glowing at midnight... then we might have something.

ivonneulmer · 7h · OP

Ha! You're probably right. It does sound more charming than mysterious now that you put it that way. I guess I was expecting some kind of elaborate hidden room or something, a secret passage maybe... I’m still kind of hoping for a bit more pizzazz though. Maybe a secret stash of old recipes? That would be awesome.

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

Reply 2 Share · 27m

miazech · 25m

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 · 27m · 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!