Chengde Brief Introduction Chengde, a small country town 250km northeast of Beijing, is surrounded by the Yunshan mountain range. The little town gained its prominence during the Qing Dynasty when the emperors built a palace where they spend their summer months when the heat in Beijing became unbearable.  Chengde Summer Resort, together with the temples around, was added to the World Heritage List by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) in 1994. So far, many scenic attractions in Chengde have already been rated as 4-A class, highest level in this field in China. Chengde has advantaged and abundant tourist resources. It has the world's largest royal hunting- the Mulan Paddock; the largest royal garden-the Summer Resort; the greatest royal temple group -the Eight Temples in the north of the Great Wall; the biggest wooden Buddha statue -the Kwan-yin Bodhisattva with a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, and the shortest river- the Hot River.   Local Culture Shopping and Food Entertainment Transportation Tourist Attractions   Local Culture Chengde, originally called Rehe was once the summer resort capital of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It holds rich culture related to this history as well as many historic relics dating as far back as the Neolithic Age in this city. Ethnic groups such as Xiongnu, Xianbei, Qidan, Nvzhen, and Mongolian once led a nomadic existence in this region from the Qin (221BC-206) to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Shopping and Food The city of Chengde, lies to the north of the Great Wall, and teems with a variety of local products due to its abundant natural resources. The special natural products to be found in Chengde are wild almonds, walnuts, Chinese chestnuts, hazelnuts, mushrooms, hawthorn and nasturtium, etc. Chengde has had an age to practice its culinary styles. It is the local produce that is the major factor on most menus and the cooking styles that this produce is subject to is even today of delicious standard. The most favoured of the locally caught produce is various game, including hare (Tu zi rou), deer (Lu rou), pheasant (Shan ji rou) and roe (Zhang rou), but it is Chengde's vegetarian products that are most plentiful, this being an area of high yield for the fairly infertile north. Entertainment After having a good time in the city during the day, you have a rich variety of leisure places in which to relax when the night lights are lit. Folk singing and dancing, bowling, karaoke all form part of the attractions, while strolling through the night market or just enjoying a coffee or maybe a bottle of wine in a quiet bar will add yet more pleasure and romance to your travels far from home. Most of the bars in Chengde are located in Shaanxi Ying; some are noisy while some have a quiet atmosphere. Transportation Only 230km from Beijing, Chengde is conveniently accessible. Most common travellers here reach the capital by rail and bus, because they are comfortable and convenient. By Air: There is an airport in the southeast of the city, although flights can only be chartered. To Beijing flights will take under 1hr. By train: There are three railway lines that meet at Chengde, connecting it daily with Beijing (4-6hrs depending on train), Jingzhou (10hrs), Shenyang (13hrs), Shijiazhuang (4hrs), Tianjin (7hrs) and more. Trains to and from Beijing to Chengde (4.5hrs) run about 4 to 5 times a day. You may now buy a return ticket in either city, that may be useful in peak season. The train station is located in the south east of the town, on Chezhan lu. By bus: There are over ten cities in northeastern China that can be reached from Chengde, including Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, although the Chengde-Beijing bus is by far the most frequently used. Buses to Beijing leave every half hour from the long distance bus station. Air-conditioned buses also leave from here, although there are only a few every day. Tourist Attractions Imperial Summer Resort Imperial Summer Resort , which is a key national cultural protection unit, was listed in the World Cultural Heritage Directory in 1994. It was built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and took about 90 years (1703-1792) to construct. Imperial Summer Resort , also called Rehe Temporary Palace, is situated north of Chengde and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from Beijing. Little Potala Palace Little Potala Palace was built in 1767 and it is the largest of the eight remaining outer temples in Chengde, with an area of 220,000 square meters. Despite much renovation, it is still possible to understand the awe that visiting dignitaries, mainly from the far western provinces and Mongolia, felt for the temple. Puning Temple This temple, like many in Chengde, is designed mainly in Tibetan and Han styles, with various halls including the Gate Hall, the Bell and Drum Towers, a Stele Pavilion, the Hall of Heavenly Kings and the Mahavira Hall. The temple was built in 1755 to commemorate the Qing Dynasty victory over a troublesome Mongolian force, and a stele, in front of the main gate commemorates this. Qingchuifeng Peak Qingchuifeng Peak is also called "Wooden Club Peak" because of its shape. From top of the peak you can have a bird's eye view of the small Chengde city. Pule Temple Pule Temple, about 500m/1500ft northeast of the Temple of Universal Charity, dates from 1766 and was constructed to mark the visit of representatives of Mongolian and other minorities from northwestern China. Of considerable historical interest is the Pavilion of the Sunrise (Xuguang Ge) or Round Pavilion. It stands on a square terrace with two steps leading up to it, and has a magnificently decorated ceiling.