Shichahai area is a great mixture of historical sites. Shichahai’s attraction lies not only in its natural beauty, but also in its historical value of its architecture. Some well-preserved Beijing traditional courtyards, hutongs and residences of celebrities in the past can be found here.
The Silver Ingot Bridge(银锭桥）
The Silver Ingot Bridge, which is also called Yinding Bridge, is located between the Front Sea(Qianhai) and the Back/Rear Sea(Houhai), and it is the most famous bridge in this area. In the past, seeing the western hills here was known as one of the eight old Beijing wonders (eight scenic spots of Yanjing). Yinding Guanshan means enjoying beautiful views of remote mountains on Silver Ingot Bridge.
Written records have shown that the Silver Ingot Bridge was a wooden bridge when it was first built. It got its name from its shape looking like a silver ingot upside down. In last years, it underwent several renovations and was finally transformed into a stone bridge with a white marble arch.
The wide waters meet under the Silver Ingot Bridge from two directions. Now people can take a boat or go across the bridge from the Front Sea (Qianhai) Lake to the Back/Rear Sea(Houhai) Lake or vice versa. It is the hub of Shichahai bar area where lots of bars surround the bridge. There are also some restaurants which provide local food nearby. The most famous restaurant Kaorou Ji is to the northwest of the charming Silver Ingot Bridge, In the evening by standing on the Yinding Bridge, the best view of Shichahai Lake is before you.
Lotus Lane(荷花路）
Lotus Lane used to be the place where ordinary people once gathered to enjoy the natural beauty of the lakes traditional snacks, entertainment and street shopping. From the once flourishing lotuses in the lakes, Lotus Market got its name as well as this newly constructed tourist highlight–Lotus Lane. During summer months the Lotus Lane is a favorite resort for people to come to take in fresh air and to linger away day time in numerous tea-houses along its banks, listening to story-tellers, ballad singers. etc. The famous Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant and Starbucks both set up branches here, together with numerous bars and restaurants, which people may find either fascinating or pretentious.
Yandai Xiejie（烟袋斜街）
Yandai Xiejie(Tobacco Pipe Lean Street), which looks like a long-stemmed pipe, is a quaint 800-year-old hutong located directly north of the Silver Ingot Bridge between the Front Sea (Qianhai) and the Back/Rear Sea(houhai) in Shichahai area and south of the Drum Tower. It used to be a famous street selling long-stemmed pipes. hence it got the name. Now it is a treet lined with numerous antique stores and trendy bars and it is one of the places that tourists would like to go and have a visit.
The drum Tower and Bell Tower（鼓楼&钟楼）
The Drum Tower was first built in 1272 during the reign of Kublai Khan (the first emperor of the Yuan dynasty), and reconstructed in 1420when the Ming dynasty established its capital in Beijing. Then it was restored in 1800. It rises from a brick podium with a tower pierced by six gates and topped by a roof of soaring eaves.
To the north is the Bell Tower which was first constructed in 1420. But it was destroyed in a fire and rebuilt in 1747 during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The original iron bell was replaced by a great bronze bell, which was rung at seven o’clock in the evening until 1924. As the names imply, the two towers contain drums and a bell. It is common to have drum and bell towers in temples, but what was their purpose in a city?
When the towers were built in 1420, during the Ming Dynasty, there were no modern clocks at all, and the drum and bell were used to tell the time for the offical administration and for common people. Time was kept with a water clock. The drum was struck every two hours beginning at 7pm to start the night hours and the closing of the city gates and ending at 5am when officials knelt down in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City to start a day’s administrative work. The bell was struck every two hours starting at 7am to begin a day. When the large bronze bell in the Bell Tower was struck, so it was said, the sound could be heard 20 kilometers away. The bell disappeared and instead an iron bell is now on display. The drums and bell are no l onger used nowadays but are still on display to the public. The structures of the Drum and Bell Towers are very much alike, which can be seen in the typical traditional Chinese architectures, such as imperial gardens and imperial tombs. The climb-up steps to both towers are steep but the views from the Drum Tower down the central axis of the city are recommended.
Author: AmoyTrip.com--Main Sites in Shichahai Area
Free Inquiry: ryan@amoytrip.com
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