| Located
in Yanqing County, which skirts the famous Badaling Great
Wall, Penyao Village lies at the base of Dushan Mountain.
Zhu Di, the Ming emperor Yongle (1403-24), is credited with
establishing this village as a result of a visit in 1422,
when the emperor became entranced by the moonlight-drenched
visions of mystic beauty he saw there.
During the Ming
Penyao Village was known for its pottery, an industry that
has endured to this day. Visits to Penyao's kilns
dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties are open to the
public. You can learn about local firing techniques
and how local artisans now combine old and new processes
to make ceramics.
Best of all,
any interested visitor can take a turn at the potter's wheel
and create a souvenir piece to take home.
The relics of
a Ming temple also remain; offering in summers a highly
romantic viewing in the best Eichendorff style. Yanqing's
Ice Lantern Festival at Longqing Gorge is an event to catch
if visiting in winter.
Costs: three
people could easily split the approximately RMB500.- (USD61.-)
cab fare for an entire day. The very adventurous can catch
bus no 919 at Deshengmen to Yanqing; transfer to bus no
920 or take a mini-bus towards Jiuxian. Overnight
lodgings are cheap at RMB15.-/night; or about USD2.00 a
person, including breakfast. Don't expect the Hyatt Regency,
however. Telephone ++86-10- 6115-2984 in Beijing for details.
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