We have been finding that more and more of our travelers have been to China and Beijing before. Some travelers also have a specific interest in the Manchu Emperors of the Qing Dynasty. For both groups Chengde is an ideal city to visit. Only a few hours by train or car, Chengde is an easy side-trip from Beijing.
It had been a few years since I had been there. A group visiting from the Philippines had shown interest in going, so I accompanied them. I was interesting in seeing if Chengde should be considered as a tour offering for other travelers. After viewing it through the eyes of the group, I would say definitely that Chengde is well worth a visit.
Chengde is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Manchu Emperors, beginning with Emperor Kangxi came here to escape the summer heat of Beijing. Set in a mountain valley. Chengde is still a great place to enjoy the mountains and the countryside, while visiting a wonderful historical site.
The imperial retreat of the emperors, Bishu Shanzhuang, is set in a beautiful pine woods. Twice the size of the Summer Palace in Beijing, the simple elegance of the architecture, the quiet walking paths, tree-shaded lakes, and gorgeous gardens will definitely make Bishu Shanzhuang a place to remember. The emperors originally used the grounds for hunting, so do not be surprised when you turn a corner and see a deer looking at you.
Besides the Bishu Shanzhuang, the Emperors built several outstanding temples. Eight of them remain. We visited four of them. Putuozongcheng Zhi Miao is the largest, and often called the Little Potala Palace because of its resemblance to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. We also visited Puning Si, the highlight of which is an absolutely magnificent, 75 foot tall, statue of Guanyin.
We have just added two more web pages to our website. Both are about Chengde. We decided to add a five day tour that includes three days in Beijing and two days in Chengde, but for those people only interested in Chengde, we can easily offer them a two or three day trip to Chengde. It is also possible to visit Chengde in one long day, but we believe that travelers would really prefer to experience all that Chengde has to offer with a longer tour.
We have also added an additional information page with more photographs. My tour group's suggestion to visit Chengde has proved to be an excellent one. I loved their enthusiasm for what we saw, and I must say, I felt the same way they did. I do hope other travelers will take the opportunity to see a place near Beijing, but off-the beaten path.
