I am often asked, “Do the Chinese celebrate Christmas”? The simple answer is no. The complicated answer is ‘kind of’. The influence of the west and its celebrations is present in China, even halloween has wheedled its way into the calendar. Where there is a hospitality western presence Christmas is present, where there are christian Chinese, Christmas is present where there are commercial concerns it seems Christmas is present. There is no holiday and it is a day like any other, but there are children who do get presents. and trees with lights twinkle and suggest there are Happy Holiday moments.
The relative inertia I experienced pre Christmas evaporated into a whirlwind of activity over the Christmas week. Beginning on Monday 23rd December when we were lunching at the Vegan restaurant ‘Godly’. Before eating though there was some shopping Peng needed to do for sportswear and the nearest branch of Decathlon was at Xizhemen, which meant a subway ride and a cycle. I spotted a winter hat for the sub zero temperatures I was expecting but this was cheaper on line and it was ordered rather than bought. The wind made it seem colder than it actually was and the brilliant blue skies belied the actual temperature. In the cold wind cycling to the subway, to get to the next destination, was an invigorating experience.
Godly at Qianmen is a time honoured restaurant that has been serving vegan food for over 100 years and going there always reminds me of my arrival in Beijing in 2020, in the midst of the then Corona Virus lockdown, and being shooed out of the establishment when I tried to I enter. It operates on very strict Buddhist principles and they are renowned for the verisimilitude of their dishes. We ate their Sweet and Sour Mandarin Squirrel fish, The King Kong fire square, lamb kebabs with Cumin and Gong Fu winter Veg Bao. made without the 5 spices yet taste similar to their original Chinese. After this delicious meal we went for a coffee in the nearby newly re-developed Shitiao Hutong which is also home to the most expensive Oriental Mandarin hotel in Beijing. Despite being full of the festive spirit, we somehow managed to get ourselves involved in a row with a lady at the next table who was streaming her social network at full volume.
Christmas Eve meant more shopping and we took the opportunity of the journey to Fengtai for a last minute visit to Ikea and Sam’s by dropping off an exercise bike and other items to Peng’s parents. I felt a little like Santa but as they don’t celebrate Christmas my benevolence was redundant. LIVAT mall is next to Sam’s and for the first time I actually left the confines of the mall on foot rather than by train and car and it was interesting to see this mall from the exterior. Unusually busy roads meant a long journey home but the rigours of the day were blown away in the evening when we sat down and watched the 1947 original ‘The Bishops Wife’. The Christmas movie with Cary Grant, David Niven, Loretta Young, Monty Woolley and a heavenly choir. never fails to move me despite its obvious cinematic tricks and 2024 was no different. I was happy to see that Peng too found it as touching as I.
The countdown was over on the 25th and after an exchange of presents, one each under the tree and a breakfast of jiaozi we set off to Beijing’s north and Olympic Park, home of the Heritage Museum where an Exhibition celebrating the history of the Spring festival and Chinese New Year had just opened. UNESCO recently acknowledged this important festival as an intangible Heritage in its catalogue of important customs to be preserved. It was a fascinating insight into the traditions of the festival which, we will be recording and honouring as the new year approaches. There was something quite delightful about celebrating the biggest festival of the western world by learning about China’s most significant celebration. The museum is situated in Olympic Park ands we made use of its proximity by walking through its landscape before going back home for Christmas Diner. I had purchased a vegan Christmas meal from a British online marketplace in Shanghai and it was simply a matter of heating and serving. It was a nut roast with a multitude of accompaniments and we ate, ate some more and then ate. Finishing with a Vegan Christmas pudding. We ate so much we couldn’t make it through a whole film and instead watched the latest episode of Silo. I had Christmas face time with Harvey, Cole and sister Kate.
Boxing Day is even less of an event in China than Christmas, though it is a notable date as it is Chairman Mao’s birthday. While Peng got on with his work I started on the splendid Jigsaw puzzle I was given for Christmas and then headed off to Maliandao Road (famous for tea) and the Jackie Chan Cinema to see a tremendous courtroom drama from Hong Kong, ‘The Prosecutor’. Being in the area reminded me that there is a tea museum here that I must go to.
A major highlight of the week came on Friday with a visit to the impressive ancient Zhengyangmen Archery Tower which sits on the central axis of Beijing and dominates the view to Tian’anmen square from the south and Qianmen. It opened to the public for the first time on the 26th and entrance, for those lucky enough to get tickets for its opening week, was free. We were those lucky people and it was exiting to be amongst the first to soak in this new access to Beijings history. The central axis of Beijing is the latest World heritage site that UNESCO has added to China’s incredibly long list of protected sites. In recognition of this accolade, several of the ancient buildings that sit on the Axis have one by one been given new cultural life and are opening. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/ It was thrilling to see views of Beijing that have not been experienced for decades. It was another beautiful blue sky of a day but the winds on the tower were lacerating.. Inside the Zhengyangmen Archery Tower, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), an exhibition highlights the traditional urban management practices of ancient China. The tower itself was part of a group of gate structures that served both defensive and ceremonial purposes After our visit we took advantage of the sun and walked back home through the Hutongs stopping to enjoy a coffee.
Saturday, after finishing the jigsaw, bought with it another highlight and possibly the closest to a Christmas experience I was going to get when I travelled the long distance to Tongzhou and Universal Studios Beijing to see my friend Mandi in the annual Christmas show. I was given a free pass by Kaz which had been a struggle to redeem online but a struggle I was very grateful for. The sun kept on shining and I was in high spirits when arrived at the resort but when I got to the gate my high hopes were almost dashed when I was asked for my passport! “Passport, I didn’t bring my passport”! My fear of a wasted journey was calmed when he said I could go to Guest Services and they would provide me with a physical ticket. This all took time though and I was aware that ex colleagues Stuart and Kaz were waiting for me to appear through the gate. I got my pass but I felt the experience was all too typical of my relationship with Universal. The show was pure Christmas razzle dazzle cheese but Mandi as Mrs Claus was a show stopping powerhouse, a glorious presence amongst the chaos. We walked around the park, visited the Wizarding world of Harry Potter where I happily came into contact with some of my ex Chinese colleagues and then we queued for 50 minutes for a 2 minute ride in the Jurassic Park entertainment.
We paid a visit to the Red dragon bar where I enjoyed drinks and snacks kindly provided by my friends and I got a chance to see Mandi and congratulate on her performance. It was getting late and I was encouraged to get a taxi home rather than the 60 minute journey on the subway. The fare for the 35 mile drive was the equivalent of seven pounds ninety pence. When I last took a taxi in England I travelled 2 miles for approximately a tenner.
Naturally, after the action packed week I took the opportunity on Sunday to do nothing.
