Ancient city gate: Yongdingmen in Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China. It is not only a political and economic center, but also one of the birthplaces of culture. In this ancient city, history and modernity are intertwined, and tradition and innovation coexist. Yongdingmen, as one of Beijing's landmarks, is the southern gate of Beijing's ancient city wall. It was also one of the entrances to the ancient city and carries a rich history and culture. I recently had the opportunity to take a one-day trip to Yongdingmen and was deeply impressed by the charm of this historical site. 1. Historical background of Yongdingmen Yongdingmen is one of the four gates of Beijing City. It is located at the southern end of Beijing City and is one of the ancient city gates in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The name of Yongdingmen comes from the two words "Yongding", which means "eternal stability". It is an important part of the ancient Beijing city wall, the southern gate to the capital in the past, and the main gateway for external traffic. The history of Yongdingmen can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. It is not only a part of Beijing’s ancient fortifications, but also one of the essences of ancient Chinese architecture and urban planning. However, with the changes of history, Yongdingmen was destroyed in the late 19th century. It was not until 2005 that the Beijing Municipal Government rebuilt it and restored the original grandeur of Yongdingmen. Today, Yongdingmen has become an important attraction showcasing Beijing's history and culture. 2. The process of visiting Yongdingmen I decided to start my Yongdingmen tour in the morning and took the subway to Yongdingmen Station. The subway station is close to the Yongdingmen scenic area and can be reached in a few minutes on foot. Standing in front of Yongdingmen, I was shocked by its magnificent architecture. The rebuilt Yongdingmen is majestic. The combination of the majestic city wall and the ancient city gate makes me feel as if I have returned to ancient Beijing hundreds of years ago. The architectural style of the gate tower has typical ancient architectural features of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with flying eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, revealing a strong historical atmosphere. Standing at the city gate and looking up, you can almost imagine how the ancients passed through here to enter the capital. Especially standing on the tower of Yongdingmen, you can overlook the scenery of southern Beijing. The view is broad and you can feel the heaviness of the ancient city as well as the prosperity of the modern city. 3. Surrounding attractions and cultural experiences Yongdingmen is not just a single historical site, the area where it is located has many places worth visiting. Near Yongdingmen, there are many traditional alleys and old streets. Walking through these streets, I felt like I was walking into a time tunnel and was able to experience the customs and culture of Beijing's old city. I was deeply impressed by the ancient courtyards, traditional shops, and old Beijing snacks along the street. In addition, there are many cultural attractions and museums around Yongdingmen. For example, the Beijing World Park not far away is a park that houses models of famous buildings from all over the world, where visitors can appreciate the scenery from all over the world. There are also many cultural landscapes that allow me to have a deeper understanding of Beijing’s history and culture. 4. The cultural significance of Yongdingmen The cultural significance of Yongdingmen lies not only in its historical status, but also in the fact that it symbolizes the profound heritage of Beijing as an ancient capital. As the ancient capital of six dynasties, Beijing was once the capital of successive Chinese emperors and has experienced hundreds of years of ups and downs. Yongdingmen, as an important part of it, carries the memory of this ancient city. From its construction, destruction to its current reconstruction, Yongdingmen has witnessed Beijing's historical changes and cultural heritage. During the visit, I couldn't help but sigh that modern Beijing has become very prosperous, but these ancient buildings and ruins still remind us that the roots of ancient culture have not disappeared, but have continued in modern society in various ways. The continuation of this culture is not only reflected in architecture, but also in people’s daily lives, such as the celebration of traditional festivals and the inheritance of traditional art. 5. Food experience at Yongdingmen If you come to Yongdingmen, you might as well try the authentic food around it. There are many old Beijing snack shops near Yongdingmen, especially some restaurants in the alleys, which provide authentic old Beijing snacks. For example, traditional noodles with soybean paste, donkey rolls, soy milk and fried dough sticks are all classic Beijing delicacies. I tasted noodles with soybean paste in a snack bar near Yongdingmen. The noodles were chewy, the soybean paste was rich, and it tasted very good when paired with sauerkraut and bean sprouts. The clerk also introduced me to the production process of soy milk. Although the taste of soy milk is slightly unique, it is an indispensable part of Beijingers' daily diet. I felt the local food culture. 6. Summary Through this one-day tour of Yongdingmen, I not only felt the history and culture of Beijing, the ancient capital, but also experienced the perfect fusion of modernity and tradition. As a witness to Beijing's history, Yongdingmen is not only a tourist attraction, but also a symbol of Beijing's long history and culture. Here, I can not only appreciate the ancient buildings and city walls, but also taste Beijing's traditional food and feel the city's profound cultural heritage. If you have the opportunity to come to Beijing, you might as well take some time to visit Yongdingmen and feel the unique charm of this ancient city.