Yanqing's tourist homestay kicks off Chinese New Year celebration

By Guo Xiaohong: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, January 3, 2020

An American tourist joins locals in boiling congee for the Laba Festival in Shixia village in northwestern Beijing's Yanqing district on Jan. 2. [photo by Guo Xiaohong / China.org.cn]

A colorful Chinese New Year celebration kicked off on Jan. 2 at the famous Stone Light Great Wall Boutique Homestay, which gained its popularity through the Internet. The homestay is in Shixia village, a time-honored place boasting historic attractions that is nestled at the foot of the Great Wall in northwestern Beijing's Yanqing district.

The celebration, lasting from Jan. 2 to Feb. 8, features a rich array of tourist-related activities, cultural experiences and local cuisine. It's here that tourists can appreciate the broken fragments and watchtowers of the Great Wall at the section of the Shixia Pass dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). They can also try their hands at DIY cultural heritage handicrafts such as papercutting, making hairy monkey artifacts, dough figurines, gourd pyrography handicrafts and cloth art, while enjoying a rustic banquet cooked on stone.

"My Chinese friend recommended this place to me," said Victoria Blunt, an American tourist who came to the village to spend the Laba Festival on Jan. 2, the 8th day of the 12th lunar month in 2020, which marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year celebration. People have the tradition of eating congee made from rice, various kinds of beans, dried nuts and red dates during the Laba Festival.

"The outskirts of Beijing are really nice and totally worth visiting. I can not only go sightseeing but also meet local people and experience their culture, customs and daily life," said Blunt who also joined locals in boiling Laba congee and making traditional handicrafts.

Shixia village has been known for its tourism homestays that combine hotel-standard modern comforts with rustic charms. It is a welcome getaway from the urban hustle and a chance to commune with nature. The village became even more known after Yanqing was named one of the venues for the 2019 International Horticultural Expo and the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Shiguang Great Wall Homestay, the highly acclaimed homestay in the village, has over 20 living compounds decorated in a rural garden style and furnished with modern amenities. Together with other guesthouses in the village, the homestay is ready to embrace visitors who choose this place to spend the traditional Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, the most important family-reunion holiday in China.

Travel tip: How do I get to Shixia village?

It is a one hour drive from downtown Beijing, but you can also take public transportation: Take Bus 919 at Beijing's Deshengmen Stop and get off at Yanqing Nancaiyuan then transfer to Bus Y04 and get off at Shixia village.