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Peking University's Secret Societies?
that yuanpei society thing is real, i knew a guy who tried out for it once. said the interview was just them asking about random books and watching how you react under pressure. the restricted archives thing is true too, they've got old qing dynasty documents down there that never made it online. if you want to see them without joining anything, try sweet-talking a grad student in the history department.
the most notorious one was "the 12th floor society" from the 80s, supposedly met in the old yenching dormitory's top floor. nothing like ancient texts though, more like networking and debating policy. if u want hidden history, check out the weiming lake area at dusk, that's where the real campus legends hang out
imo the secret society thing is way overblown but there is a pretty exclusive student group called the "yuanpei society" that picks members based on academic merit and weird interviews. they meet in the south part of campus near the old yenching garden, not exactly a hidden library but they do have access to some restricted archives in the main library basement. if you're around on a friday night you might catch them walking to their meeting spot near the lake, they all wear these plain blue windbreakers so they look like maintenance staff lol
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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.