Beijing News You Might Have Missed this Week – Oct 24

Joey Knotts, Contributing Editor | Oct 24, 2020 4:30 pm | Add a comment | 620 reads

Beijing is a happening city! Don't miss a thing with our weekend roundup of the latest news.

Zoo gets a new gate, old gate is still great: If you’ve ever been to the Beijing Zoo, you would have entered through the historic, dragon-engraved stone gate. Did you know that the gate was over 100 years old? Indeed, the gate predates the zoo itself, having been built as the entrance of the Agricultural Experimentation Area that occupied the land where Beijing’s captive wildlife currently dwells. Now, however, visitors will enter through a new “smart” gate – whatever that means. Not to worry, architectural conservationists, the old gate isn’t going anywhere – you just won’t be walking through it any longer.

Shuncheng Mansion opens to the public: The 400-year-old Shuncheng Mansion, former residence of a prince by the same name, has opened to the public as a luxury tea house after having been purchased by Kuntai Royal Hotel. Booking a visit may not be easy, however, and it certainly won’t be cheap – seating is currently capped at 30 guests and the tea house will set you back a good RMB 398.

No driver, no fee: Baidu’s driverless taxis have finally become a reality, and you too can hitch a ride – for free – as long as you’re looking to travel from one designated station to another within Shunyi and Haidian districts. Don’t be alarmed if there’s someone sitting in the cockpit, they’re only there as a safety precaution to take control in case of an emergency. To try out this future-magic for yourself, download the Apollo GO app from Baidu.

Video streaming hits the trains: Save your cellular data on those trips between Beijing and Shanghai. That route now offers video streaming services that can be accessed through the train’s WiFi, including films and TV shows, according to Shanghai news outlet, Shine. It’s not clear if whether any English language content is available, but maybe don’t hold your breath on that one.

Beijing Kicks: Nike is on a roll with new shoe releases targeted at Beijingers. The footwear giant recently released its “Dynasties,” an RMB 1,499 pair of Forbidden City-inspired basketball shoes as a tribute to the palace’s 600th anniversary. Soon, the company will also release just 600 exclusive “Beijing Packs” with both the Nike LeBron “Gym Red” and the Lebron 18, both of which feature special Chinese characteristics. Meanwhile, the yellow Kobie IV "Live Strong" editions have sold 376 pairs in Beijing, with one pair going for a whopping RMB 320,000 at auction.

Peak leaf-viewing season: The colors in the trees, they are a-changin’, and everyone wants to sneak a peek. As such, Fragrant Hills, that beautiful autumn wonderland, is likely to become an absolute nightmare as the hoards pack in. The park predicts that Oct 24, 25, 31, as well as Nov 1, 7, and 8 are likely to be the most packed days, so consider making your visit on an alternate date.

Fresh fashion: Zara has opened its largest outlet in Asia in Wangfujing. With four stories and 3,500 square meters, it’s sure to become a must-visit for Beijing-based fashionistas. Up in Sanlitun, affordable dress shop Self-Portrait opened their first flagship store in Taikoo Li as well as another location in SKP mall.

Make way for Michelin: This week, the 2021 Michelin Guide for Shanghai was released, awarding 43 restaurants with Michelin stars. Last year’s Shanghai guide release was quickly followed by a Beijing guide, and we’re expecting the same to happen this year.

Fast Food News: After premiering their vegetarian menu, KFC China has made another surprising addition – luosifen or river snail noodles, a type of noodle dish from Guangxi province known for its pungency. Down in Kunming, meanwhile, news of the first Panda Express in China was met with mixed reactions on the web, only for it to later be revealed that Kunming's Panda Express is, in fact, a fake Panda Express. Sorry Americans, guess you're going to be stuck with actual Chinese food for a while longer.