Beijing: The Red Walls of the Forbidden City and the morning light of the hutongs

Beijing is the thousand-year-old imperial capital, and also the vibrant hutongs of ALIVE. Four days and three nights, between the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and the hutongs, you can understand the depth of a city.

Walking along the central axis of the Forbidden City, from the Meridian Gate to the Shenwu Gate, the grandeur of the three main halls and the profound depths of the six palaces east and west, with red walls and golden tiles reflecting the fate of six hundred years of dynasties. At dawn, when the gates open, there are the fewest people and the light and shadow are at their best.

Hutongs are the fabric of Beijing. Renting a bike and entering the side alleys beside Nanluogu Lane, the gray-brick siheyuan, gateposts, and old locust trees occasionally waft the aroma of zhajiang noodles. The oarboats of Shichahai carry the slow pace of old Beijing.

Kunming Lake and Longevity Mountain in the Summer Palace are the pinnacle of imperial gardens. The colorful paintings of the long corridors, the silence of the stone boats, and the sunset of the Seventeen-Arch Bridge have brought the delicacy of Jiangnan to the north.

Badaling Great Wall or Mutianyu is a must-visit ritual. The steps of Hero's Slope are steep and narrow; looking back from the summit, the mountains stretch like dragons, and you will understand the weight of 'one who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true hero.'

Beijing's depth blends imperial aura with everyday life. When you chew candied hawthorn at the entrance of an alley, with the Forbidden City's corner tower behind you, you suddenly feel that the entire history of China is contained within this city.