The City That Disappeared: A Guide To A City Half Awake
Photo credits to Jens Schott Knudsen
Tom had just written the ultimate guide book on Beijing, but then the city he knew ceased to exist…
When our friend Tom O'Malley was hired by Lonely Planet to write a guide book on Beijing, he knew he could do a good job. After more than 10 years working inside the travel industry of the city, this was a dream job to him. He had everything : background knowledge, friends in the industry and a host of other connections he could utilize. He payed the utmost attention to the smallest details, and when he handed in the script, he could not wait to flip his fingers through the book with his name on it, but then something happened, Beijing was placed under a state of lockdown, you could say that the city, he had used almost used a year to describe in vivid detail, seized to exist over night, and the whole market for tourism was literally at least for months to come extinguished in the process. Tom's book had become history even before it hit the shelves. That said Toms book is by far the most informative and updated guide book that has been written on Beijing in recent years and even though both the paper and digital versions are not available yet. You can find all of his writing on the Lonely Planet website and some of his recommendations below.
But it can not be ignored that guide books are peculiar kind of literature. Often people don't respect the writing because it is so positive and focused on entertainment, but guidebooks are a surprisingly potent historical document. Other books wont in the same way pay attention to small practicalities like toilet paper and how to behave in traffic, but details like these actually says a lot about a society in a designated moment.
Tom's book is not the first to struggle with the ever changing cityscape of Beijing. In 1935 Arlington and Lewison wrote in "In Search Of Old Peking" that: "Nothing can be more painful than to be the unwilling witness of the slow, but sure death, of a place one has learned to love for its quiet beauty and for the wonderful tradition that it holds”, luckily we don't have to stay "unwilling witnesses”, because we have asked Tom to find some recommendations that can help you keep on exploring Beijing even though it is only half awake after lockdown:
Excursion to the Fragrant Hills
Seeing as we are all trapped within the city at the moment, at least by travelling to the outskirts it can feel like taking a mini holiday. Fragrant Hills is a personal favourite (take the chairlift up and walk down). Make sure to visit the wonderful Azure Clouds Temple and its Hall of Arhats, and a side trip to I M Pei’s Fragrant Hill Hotel to admire the architecture.
You can take the subway all the way there via a new above-ground light rail that also stops at the Botanical Gardens and west gate of Summer Palace. It’s quite a nice ride through the fields and parks.
Eating
Yufunan: This modern Hunan restaurant is great for spice fans and a good excuse to head to Xisi which is my favourite neighbourhood for strolling.
Royal Palace Crisp Beef Pies: My favourite street food snack in Beijing and walking distance from Yufunan.
Furongji: Dim-sum in the hutongs (finally re-opened but call ahead)
Ichipangai: Authentic little Japanese food court – Tokyo in Beijing
Yi Ge Niurou Mian: Tasty Beijing-style beef or lamb noodles near the Art Museum; friendly owner
Moscow Restaurant: I reinstated this old place mostly due to the fabulous interior
Old Ma’s Shaomai: I happen to live right beside this Inner Mongolian joint, which might have influenced its inclusion, but the ‘superior goat shaomai’ are delicious washed down with brick tea. Grassland vibes
Drinking
Nuoyan Wine Bar: Serving traditional mijiu taster flights, very cool experience
Bear Brew: Love this hutong place for the view of the White Dagoba temple in Xisi from its rooftop, plus great coffee and a warm welcome
MO Bar: Bit of a posh one, this, but the Mandarin Oriental bar has terrace views of the Forbidden City and cocktails designed by Hope and Sesame in Guangzhou (one of Asia’s Top 50 bars)