10:00 A visit to Cishan Temple
Cishan Temple, located in Tiantai Mountain, is a rare large temple in Beijing that combines Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and folk customs. Hundreds of halls and houses have been built on the mountain and arranged according to the seven stars of the Big Dipper. The temple is also an important part of the ancient incense path, one of the three major ancient paths in west Beijing. Sanhuang Hall, a hall commemorating Chinese ancestors which is rare for Beijing, can be found in the temple. There are also six cliff inscriptions left by Feng Yuxiang, a patriotic general of the Republic of China, who once lived here in seclusion.
12:00 Explore the Jingxi Wulituo Folk Custom Exhibition Hall
On the way back from Tiantai Mountain, the Jingxi Wulituo Folk Custom Exhibition Hall is in the middle section of the ancient path in west Beijing. The area was originally used as a distribution center for camel-based coal transport but later developed into a village. The yard, formerly known as Wang's Courtyard, survived demolition and was later converted into a folk custom exhibition hall. The exhibits are generally old items donated by local residents and include such items as old gramophones, radios, and food stamps. Viewing the exhibits is like taking a trip into the past.
