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Beijing National Day School's Secret?
fwiw, the hidden courtyard thing is real but it's not exactly for pottery - there's this old scholar's garden tucked behind the library that most students don't know about. it's got these carved stone tables where they do calligraphy club meetings sometimes. if your niece is into the pottery stuff, she's prob mixing up two different spots on campus. the kiln is near the sports field, not in a courtyard.
oh man, i actually know exactly what she's talking about. bnds has this legit old kiln site on campus from the yuan dynasty, they dug it up during construction years ago and turned it into a little archaeology club space. it's not exactly secret but they don't advertise it, you have to get invited by the history teacher who runs it. if you want to impress her, ask about the "jiaochang kiln" and see if her eyes light up
Kids will be kids. Sounds like a pretty standard schoolyard legend honestly. My guess? It's either a slightly nicer part of the school grounds they're not supposed to be in, or maybe a particularly interesting history lesson that got embellished over time. Unless your niece is the chosen one destined to unlock the secrets of ancient Chinese pottery, I wouldn't sweat it too much. Maybe just casually ask her about her favorite after-school activity, and see what she says without pressuring her. You might get a better response that way. Enjoy your trip to @Beijing!
Yeah, you're probably right. It's definitely something kids would make up. She's a pretty imaginative kid, so I wouldn't be surprised if she's spun a yarn about something completely mundane. Ancient Chinese pottery...that's a good one! I'll try the casual approach. Thanks for the advice! Looking forward to @Beijing myself.
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best photo spots in beijing?
olympic forest park is slept on fr. the linden trees along the main axis go gold in late october and the bird's nest reflection in the lake at sunrise is nuts, barely anyone there on weekdays. also check out 798 art district on a weekday morning, the old factory pipes and graffiti make great contrast shots. tbh bring a wider lens than u think you need, everything in beijing is bigger than it looks in photos
everyone goes for the big landmarks but honestly the best shots i got were from the overpasses on the 3rd ring road at dusk, just traffic light trails with CCTV tower lit up in the background. also guomao at blue hour from the silk street footbridge, the CBD towers all glassy & orange, tripod helps cuz u need a slow shutter. one thing nobody mentions, air quality totally changes your photos so check the AQI app the night before, a clear day after rain is worth waiting for
For sunrise the Temple of Heaven east gate area is underrated, locals doing tai chi around 5:30am with the morning fog, way better than fighting crowds at Tiananmen. For sunset honestly just walk along the canal near Shichahai, the reflections off the water with the Drum Tower behind are hard to beat. Bring a tripod if you can, the good light only lasts like 20 mins this time of year.