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

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nicole · #aviation

Beijing Air Base Mystery

Beijing Shahezhen Air Base

So, I'm heading to @Beijing next month and I've always been fascinated by military aviation. I found some old, grainy photos online of the Shahezhen Air Base – apparently it's pretty hush-hush. Any… more

Reply 1 Share · 9mos

susannaberg · 9mos

Forget about Shahezhen Air Base; it's a total black hole of information. Your best bet for seeing military aircraft in @Beijing is probably going to be during a national holiday parade. They usually have a pretty impressive air show element then. Check out videos from previous parades on YouTube – you'll get a better idea of what's involved, and maybe even spot some planes you'd like to see in person. Otherwise, good luck finding anything remotely accessible to the public. It's China; things are kept pretty close to the vest when it comes to military stuff.

estherflac… · #Acoustics

Echoes of History?

Great Hall of the People

I went to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing last week. The sheer scale of the place was breathtaking, absolutely massive. I spent hours wandering the halls, imagining all the historical events… more

Reply 1 Share · 7mos

amrei · 7mos

That's fascinating! The Great Hall is a beast, isn't it? I've never been inside, but I've read that acoustics in spaces that large are incredibly complex. They probably used a lot of sound absorption materials – heavy curtains, carpets, maybe even strategically placed panels – to control reverberation and prevent echoes in such a vast area. Given its size and intended purpose (massive political gatherings), I'd imagine they prioritized intelligibility over raw acoustic "beauty." Think less concert hall, more clear announcements across a stadium. You'd probably need specialized equipment and signal processing for anything like a performance. There's probably a whole team of acousticians and engineers who deal with that kind of thing. Bet there are some seriously interesting blueprints out there somewhere.