Y-F Daniel Cheng

"This old temple is a rough diamond. The buildings are reasonably maintained. The masonry work, archeological. Do your own research before the visit. The staffs on site know little and care even less."

"The Star Gate (棂星门)."

"From the rooftop of the cafe, you will get the best view of the White Pagoda Temple next door. The seats are very hard to get on the weekends."

"Find Qingshiling (青石岭). The 8km gravel road along the river bank provides a challenging drive and the most rewarding view. Photo position: N40*37.841’ E116*42.478’"

"The locals see it as the northern tip of the longest man-made canal or the designated entrance for the old Mandarin exams. For the expat bookworms, it is the Fox Tower featured in Midnight in Peking."

"Around midnight, the towers and the hutongs time-travel back a century. It is a perfect area to get lost on purpose. Bring a navigation app if you decide to venture there on foot. Completely safe."