Travel through time in the heart of Beijing

Explore the Temple of Heaven after dark. Illuminated at night, the altars are enhanced by an almost otherworldly beauty. Using a handheld projector we will display the history of the Temple, charting its path from a closed off Imperial altar ground to the beating heart of the city that it is today.

Through this talk you will get a clear understanding of how Beijing became the city it is today. Using our own collection of original maps of Beijing, Beijing Postcards has created a visual presentation of the development of the Northern capital, from a maze of hutong alleyways to a megacity with over 20 million inhabitants.

During this talk we will explore how the Tiananmen became what it is today. Through Beijing Postcards collection of historical photographs, we will show how Tiananmen detached itself from the imperial complex and went from being a mere gate to a Communist shrine.

“A Crash Course to the Forbidden City” is a humble attempt to unlock the meaning behind the chambers of the Palace. In a condensed and hopefully entertaining way, we wish to give you a comprehensive history of the palace from when it was built 600 years ago until when the last boy-emperor finally left in 1924.

When you arrive in Beijing you soon get the idea that the narrow Hutong alleyways contain the very soul of China’s capital. But who built these charming maze-like neighbourhoods?

Hear the incredible story of the summer of 1900, when 4,000 foreigners and Chinese lived under siege from radical mystic rebels for 55 days. Follow us into the old Legation Quarter to hear stories about the bombing of the French embassy, the wavering Qing Court and how 200,000 bullets flew into the sky without finding a single target.

Setting out we will pass pieces of architecture all belonging to one 12 different visions of the city that has existed over the last hundred years. Walking only a couple of kilometers in to the narrow Hutong alleyways we will be able to find traces of the Early Republic, the Cultural Revolution, the Great Leap Forward and much, much more.

“Layers of Beijing” creates a portrait of the time from 1949 to the present day, with an emphasis on the dramatic changes of the 1950s. Based upon interviews and archival research we have made a portrait of Beijing from the perspective of those who have lived through the immense changes.

During this walk we will track down the life of Beijing’s most famous prostitute - Saijinhua, and create a portrait of Dashilar, the more than 600 year old commercial district of Beijing, and Ba Da Hutong - the old red light district. The Walk ends with an exhibition of related pictures from Beijing Postcards collection.

The story of commerce in the capital told through the products that shaped its people and their lives

“Drama Kings” traces the history of Beijing Opera and explains how performers at the bottom of society during the dynasties became kings of entertainment during the republic, just to abruptly lose their status during the 1960s.

Make a journey to the west and see the Summer Palace through the eyes of the Monkey King. We tell stories about the Monkey King along the long corridor, and use the rest of the enormous complex to explore the ideas behind Chinese thinking.

During this walk we will explore how the Tiananmen became what it is today. Through Beijing Postcards collection of historical photographs, we will show how Tiananmen detached itself from the imperial complex and went from being a mere gate to a Communist shrine.

In the late 1970s the world known architect I.M Pei climbed the stairs of the Coal Hill together with a delegation of colleagues. Standing on top of the hill the future designer of the glass pyramids at louvre felt deeply moved.

We urge you to join and accept this Imperial challenge. The future and unity of the empire is at stake. Be prepared for an avalanche of questions. Inside the enormous Imperial Palace you can find the answers, but you will have to be quick- only a select few will make it.

The Scavenger Hunt takes place in the historical shopping district of Dashilar, and you will have to find your answers in the neighborhood's narrow hutong lanes. Your quest will bring you to traditional brush-makers and pharmacies as well as silk, tea, and knife shops.

On January 8 1937 the body of a young foreign girl was found brutally mutilated at the foot of Beijing’s city wall. In this talk we will revisit what was arguably Old Beijing’s most infamous murder, examine the new evidence and attempt to decide who really killed Pamela Werner.

"The Central Axis of Beijing" tells the story of this commanding stretch from when it was first laid out during the Mongol Yuan dynasty, to when it was disturbed after the communist takeover, right up until the 2008 Olympics where the axis enjoyed a big comeback.

“Beijing on the Move” is the story of how development caught up with the old capital, how the city gradually broke down the walls of its confinement and replaced it with ring road upon ring road. Because the way you move also determines the way you think.