The Bashang Grasslands

The thundering hooves of a thousand horses led by Genghis Khan as he raided northern China; the soulful songs of opera performers as they entertained Qing Dynasty emperors; the quiet trudge of the Chinese army as they marched off to another battle; these are but a handful of the many scenes that the Bashang Grasslands have played witness to over hundreds of years. Nowadays the gentle rolling hills and wide open plains serve as a place for cattle and sheep to graze, punctuated only by the Mongolian yurts that stand out like small pearls on the jade-green grass. Resting just 280 kilometres (174 mi) north of Beijing, it comes as no surprise that these magnificent grasslands have become a popular tourist location for the capital’s locals.

They cover a large portion of northwest Hebei province and rest at the junction where the North China Plain and the Inner Grasslands of Mongolia meet, making them part of the Inner Mongolia Plateau. Located at the foot of the Yan Mountains, the area is home not only to grassland but to wetlands, dense forests, shimmering lakes, and powerful rivers. With over 300 plant species growing throughout its meadows, the Bashang Grasslands have become known as a rich treasure trove for many of the ingredients used in Chinese medicine. So if you’re hiking through the plains and happen to develop a nasty headache, there’s no need to reach for that ibuprofen. You’re already surrounded by natural painkillers, panaceas, and even a few aphrodisiacs!

Overall the grasslands cover an area of 350 square kilometres (135 sq. mi) and can be split into four parts: Fengning Bashang, Zhangbei Bashang, Weichang Bashang and Guyuan Bashang. These parts rest in four separate counties of Hebei respectively, with Fengning Bashang being the closest to the city of Beijing.

Since the average altitude of the grasslands is around 1,500 metres (4,900 ft.) above sea level, it’s technically higher than many of the mountains in the Beijing area. This means that the temperature is, on average, about 10°C cooler on the grasslands and this is perhaps why the area has been a popular summer resort since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). When you’re sweltering in the 30°C heat of Beijing’s summer and are trapped in an underground train full of sweaty passengers, a rural paradise made up of expansive grassy plains and cool fresh air must sound too good to be true!

Yet by far the greatest draw to the area is the nomadic Mongolian culture. Imagine horse-riding or cycling through the grasslands all day, watching a local wrestling competition, sampling the tantalising fresh roast lamb after watching it cook on an open fire, and then settling down to a night of sweet sleep in an authentic Mongolian yurt. With only the sound of the lowing cattle lulling you to sleep and with the bright stars of the clear night sky twinkling above you, you’ll wonder why anyone would want to live any other way.

Mulan Paddock

Stretching out over 2,300 square kilometres (888 sq. mi) of pure unadulterated grassland, Mulan Paddock represents the largest imperial hunting grounds in the world. It covers nearly twice the area of the city of London and takes up huge portions of both Hebei province and Inner Mongolia. Hunting in this huge expanse, it’s a small wonder that the Emperor ever caught anything! The hunting grounds are part of the Bashang Grasslands and belong to the portion known as Weichang Bashang. They rest about 450 kilometres (280 mi) away from Beijing and now make for a popular weekend retreat, albeit with a lot less hunting and a lot more hiking!

With Mongolian yurts dotted like small pearls across its expanse and with the vast blue sky above it, it looks like a scene from a watercolour painting. Its appearance is so idyllic that it’s hard to believe it was once a site of major political change and warfare. Mulan Paddock was originally established by the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) so that he could keep an eye on the northern borders and strengthen his control of the Mongolian region. Every year the Emperor would bring his ministers and royal army, along with his family and concubines, to hunt on these grounds and thus reassert his claim to the territory. In fact, it was these regular annual visits that eventually prompted him to build the magnificent Chengde Mountain Resort in the nearby town of Rehe (modern-day Chengde).

01Nowadays these jade-hued grasslands are a place to relax, enjoy the scenery, cycle, ride horses, and sample tantalising Mongolian delicacies such as whole roast lamb. The area has been sanctioned off into three core attractions known as Saihanba National Forest Park, Yudaokou Grassland, and Hongsongwa Natural Conservation Zone, although there’s more to these peaceful meadows than meets the eye.

Not far from Saihanba National Forest Park, Wulan Butong Grassland once played host to one of the most epic battles in Chinese history; the Battle of Ulan Butung. On September 3rd 1690, the Kangxi Emperor allied with an ethnic subgroup of Mongolian people known as the Khalka and successfully drove Galdan Boshugtu Khan, the leader of a rival kingdom called the Dzungar Khanate, out of the grasslands. Though no evidence of this battle remains on the site, the Hongshan Army Horse Farm is a small reminder of the military purposes that these grasslands once served.

The farm was first built in 1964 and was designed to breed and train horses that could be used in the border areas. Over a period of just 40 years, this farm supplied the Chinese army with over 15,000 trained horses. That’s over 350 horses per year! At an altitude of over 1,500 metres (4,900 ft.), it’s perched at the highest point of Wulan Butong and is thus at a military advantage. That being said, the only people who appear to be raiding the horse farm nowadays are curious tourists!

Eight Outlying Temples

The Eight Outlying Temples are part of the Chengde Mountain Resort but rest outside of its walls. They were designed by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) emperors to help keep the peace and appease people from the numerous resident ethnic minorities. In order to achieve this aim, the architects incorporated features from several styles, including those of the Han, Mongolian, Manchu, Man, and Tibetan ethnic groups. The name rather misleadingly suggests that there are only 8 temples, but there are in fact 12. The term “Eight Outlying Temples” comes from the fact that they were under eight different administrations. Many of them are over 200 years old and contain thousands of the most elaborate and stunning Buddhist statues in the country.

The most well-known is the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, which was built during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796) and was modelled after Potala Palace in Lhasa. Its Golden Pavilion, heavily inlaid with golden decorations, was where the emperor regularly worshipped. Xumi Fushou Temple was similarly inspired by Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet and was constructed to make the Panchen Lama[1] feel comfortable during his stay in 1780. You know you’re important when a whole temple is built just for your summer visit!

Pule Temple or Temple of Universal Joy was designed primarily by Tibetan advisors and bizarrely the rear of the temple is an almost exact copy of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the Temple of Heaven. Finally the Puning Temple or Temple of Universal Peace, which was built in 1755, contains the world’s largest wooden statue of the Buddhist goddess Guanyin, resplendent with her 42 outstretched arms and towering in at a height of 22 metres (73 ft.). The statue is so huge that you can even climb to the third-storey of the temple and look her straight in the eyes. Just don’t try to give her a high-five!

[1] The Panchen Lama: The highest ranking lama after the Dalai Lama according to Tibetan Buddhism.

Chengde

The city of Chengde boasts the largest royal hunting grounds, royal garden, royal temple group, and wooden Buddhist statue in the world. Not to mention it’s also home to the shortest river in the world that does not freeze in winter. Though that last one may seem a little tenuous, this long list of achievements means you’d be hard pushed to find a reason not to go to Chengde! This prefecture-level city, just north of Beijing, is home to large constituencies of the Mongol and Manchu ethnic minorities and has been a melting pot of nomadic cultures for centuries.

Historically the city was known as Rehe, which literally means “Hot River”. It was named after the local river which, in spite of the icy cold temperatures, never freezes during winter thanks to the many hot springs that feed into it. That being said, “not frozen” hardly counts as “hot”, so perhaps “Lukewarm River” would have been a more appropriate name!

The surrounding landscape is an idyllic mixture of plateau and mountainous regions, with numerous rivers flowing through the city. Amongst these verdant meadows, the Mulan Paddock is the most famous and represents the world’s largest imperial hunting grounds. Its jade hued grasslands appear to be boundless, stretching out over 2,300 square kilometres (888 sq. mi). With Mongolian yurts dotted like small pearls across its expanse and with the vast blue sky above it, it appears like a scene from a watercolour painting.

It was supposedly on a hunting trip through these charming grasslands that the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) took notice of Rehe. He decided that this should be the location for his summer resort and began construction of the complex in 1703. Yet it would be 89 long years before this sneaky summer getaway was finally finished. I can’t imagine the Kangxi Emperor’s summers here were too relaxing, considering it must have looked like a construction site 90% of the time!

When most of us think of a summer home, we think of somewhere balmy and warm, backing onto a silvery beach. Yet, as illogical as it may seem, the Kangxi Emperor chose Chengde because its climate was cooler than that of his home! The resort’s official name literally translates to mean “Mountain Estate for Escaping the Heat”, as Chengde’s summer was far more temperate than that of Beijing and so royals would flock to the resort in an attempt to escape the oppressive heat.

Since the seat of government always followed the emperor, Chengde became one of China’s political centres and people soon flocked to the city, meaning it began to grow exponentially. Mongol vassal princes would assemble at the resort every year for a great feast, and it soon became the place for the emperor to receive foreign envoys. Yet, by 1821, the resort had largely fallen out of favour and the practice of summering there was gradually discontinued. You know you’re too rich when you can afford to abandon a summer home that’s twice the size of most theme parks!

The complex covers a staggering area of 5.6 square kilometres (2.2 sq. mi) and is separated into four areas: the palace area, the lakes area, the plains area, and the hills area. Unsurprisingly, the palace area hosts the main palace and the lakes area consists of 8 lakes, while the plains area was once used by the emperor to host horse races and hunts. The hills area is arguably the most elaborate, as it is the site of hundreds of palaces and temples within the complex. The whole resort, including the Eight Outlying Temples, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The Eight Outlying Temples lie outside of the resort’s walls and were built by incorporating features of Tibetan, Manchu, Man, Han, and Mongolian architecture. The most well-known is the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, which was built during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796) and was modelled after Potala Palace in Lhasa. The nearby Puning Temple, which was built in 1755, contains the largest wooden statue of the Buddhist goddess Guanyin, resplendent with her 42 outstretched arms and towering in at a height of 22 metres (72 ft.).

Sledgehammer Peak is another popular attraction in Chengde and is made up of a large rock formation that greatly resembles an inverted sledgehammer. It sits among a variety of other mountains along the borders of the city that are just waiting to be explored!

Chengde Mountain Resort

The Chengde Mountain Resort is just north of Chengde and is about 230 kilometres (143 mi) from Beijing. Although it is also known as Rehe Temporary Palace, it has in fact stood tall for nearly 300 years. After all, in a country where some of the bridges are over 1,000 years old, 300 years may still count as temporary! This monumental imperial palace was built during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and was designed to mimic the layout of the country, making it a proverbial mini-China. With its rolling hills, verdant grasslands, shimmering lakes, and dense forests, it incorporates scenery from across the country. This magnificent remnant of China’s feudal pasts was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The History

According to local legend, the Kangxi Emperor was hunting in nearby Mulan Paddock when he first set eyes on the ancient town of Rehe (modern-day Chengde). He decided to make it the site of his summer resort and began construction in 1703. Eighty-nine years and three emperors later, the complex was finally completed!

The Emperor’s ancestors had been from the grasslands, so Rehe seemed like a natural choice for his summer resort. Not to mention, its Chinese name literally translates to mean “Mountain Estate for Escaping the Heat”, as Rehe’s summer was far more temperate than that of Beijing and so royals would flock to the resort in an attempt to escape the oppressive heat. Yet the motives for building here, though partially personal, were actually far more political.

Mulan Paddock had been established as a way for the Emperor to keep an eye on the northern borders and strengthen his control of the Mongolian region. Every year the Emperor would bring his ministers and royal army, along with his family and concubines, to hunt on these grounds and thus reassert his claim to the territory. This entourage could consist of thousands of people and thus, in an effort to accommodate them, 21 temporary palaces were built. This was the beginning of the Chengde Mountain Resort.

Since Chengde rests further north of Beijing and thus closer to the border between China and Mongolia, the summer resort predominantly functioned as a stronghold to reaffirm the Emperor’s dominance over the Mongolian people and to help him manage defence of the northern borders. Since the seat of government always followed the emperor, Chengde became one of China’s political centres and soon began to grow exponentially.

Throughout summer and autumn of every year, the Kangxi, Qianlong, and Jiaqing emperors would spend vast quantities of time at the resort handling military and government affairs, as well as receiving the leaders of ethnic minority groups and foreign envoys. In fact, they spent so much time at this summer retreat that the Jiaqing and Xianfeng emperors would both die here in 1820 and 1861 respectively. They died as they had lived; surrounded by beautiful architecture and even more beautiful women!

The Layout

Chengde Mountain Resort covers an area of 5.6 square kilometres (2.2 sq. mi), making it the largest surviving royal garden in the world. To put that into perspective, this makes it about five times the size of the original Disneyland! The resort is surrounded by a colossal wall that is 10,000 metres (32,800 ft.) long and the complex is separated into four areas: the palace area, the lakes area, the plains area, and the hills area.

The Palace Area takes up the southern part of the resort and was designed to resemble the Forbidden City in Beijing, in an effort to help the emperors feel at home. It is split into four parts: the Main Palace, where the emperor would receive officials, nobles, and foreign envoys; the Pine-Crane Hall, which was built by the emperor to house the empress dowager; the East Palace, which was tragically destroyed by a fire in 1945; and the Pine Soughing Valley, which was used by the emperor and his officials as a reading room. The main bed chambers, where the imperial family would stay, can be found in the rear and the main palace has now been converted into a museum, where articles used by the Qing Dynasty emperors are encased in wonderful displays.

The Lakes Area can be found in the south-east portion and is laid out according to traditional Chinese landscape gardening. The area consists of 8 islets and 8 lakes which have each been given a fanciful name to reflect their appearance, such as Mirror Lake, Silver Lake, and Half-Moon Lake. They are surrounded by groups of buildings in an effort to imitate the scenery south of the Yangtze River.

The Plains Area rests in the north of the resort and can be divided into two parts: the western grasslands and the eastern forests. The former was used for horse-racing while the latter was known as the Ten Thousand Tree Garden and served as a political centre where the emperor would receive visitors. The Wenjin Hall, one of the largest imperial libraries in China, sits in the western part of this forest, while other buildings can be found dotted throughout. Another outstanding feature of the plains area is a 70 metre-high (230 ft.) stone pagoda that was built in 1751 and is one of the tallest of its kind.

The Hills Area in the north-west is the largest section of the resort and consists of four huge ravines: Zhenzi, Songlin, Lishu, and Songyun. These fanciful names translate to mean Hazelnut, Pine, Pear, and Pine-cloud Valley respectively. The 40 groups of halls, pavilions, temples, and monasteries that once decorated this vast expanse have now tragically been lost and are evidenced only by their ruins.

Hebei

Hebei

Though the name Hebei may sound exotic, it literally means “North of the River”, thanks to the province’s location north of the Yellow River. With the Taihang Mountains in the south and the Yan Mountains in the north, Hebei is like a natural fortress nestled deep within the North China Plain. From east to west, the Great Wall winds its way through its northern reaches and terminates at the seacoast of Shanhaiguan in the northeast.

The province rests in the north of China and borders Liaoning to the northeast, Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi to the west, Henan to the south, and Shandong to the southeast. Its location means it feels all four seasons in their full grandeur, from cold and dry winters and windy, wet springs to hot, humid summers and warm, balmy autumns. Temperatures plummet to between −22 to −3 °C (3-27 °F) in January and soar to averages of 17 to 27 °C (68-81 °F) in July.

The municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin were both carved out of land that once belonged to Hebei, yet this isn’t the first time its territory has been reappropriated. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), it became a site of strategic significance, since it lay along the northern border, and defence of the region was paramount in order to prevent invasions from the Han people’s nemesis, the nomadic Xiongnu people.

From this point onwards, Hebei would unfortunately change hands more times than a tennis ball in a Wimbledon final! When the Han Dynasty collapsed, the region came under the control of several warlords until it was annexed by the Kingdom of Wei (220–265). It then enjoyed some stability before it was plunged into the chaos of the Sixteen Kingdoms Period (304-439) and the Northern and Southern Dynasties Period (420-589). In the ensuing panic, Hebei would be conquered by the Later Zhao, Former Yan, Former Qin, Later Yan, Northern Wei, and Northern Qi dynasties respectively. Imagine potentially waking up to a new ruler each day, and that’s how the Hebei locals felt!

It would only return to imperial rule when the Sui Dynasty (581-618) reunified China in 589. Yet even this would not last, as it was soon split up by several regimes during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960). It would be subsumed by the Liao (907-1125) and Jurchen Jin[1] (1115-1234) dynasties before finally being reincorporated into China proper during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). With such a disjointed history, it’s a small wonder the residents of Hebei aren’t constantly on edge!

Nowadays, one of its most popular tourist sites is Shanhaiguan or “Shanhai Pass”, the easternmost end of the Great Wall. It is informally known as the “First Pass of the World” and nearby, in Beidaihe, there is a popular beach resort where top governmental officials used to meet.

Yet, in a time when there were no fancy holiday destinations, it seemed the only logical solution was to build one for yourself! And that’s exactly what the Qing Dynasty emperors did when they erected the Chengde Mountain Resort; a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the province that is virtually unmatched in its grandeur. Another relic of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Western and Eastern Qing tombs, can be found in the southwest of Hebei and are also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They represent the resting place of 161 Qing emperors, as well as several other royal family members. So, in a place of constant upheaval, at least the dead can have some peace!

[1] Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1115-1234): Led by the Jurchen clan, who were of Manchu descent and controlled most of northern China but were ultimately defeated by the rising Mongol Empire. Not to be confused with the imperial Jin Dynasty (265-420).