Old Beijing Tour by Rickshaw: Drum Tower, Calligraphy & Optional Dumpling Class

Visit: Bell and Drum Towers, Di'anmen Wai Main Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006 China

Meet your English-speaking guide at 14:00 (2:00 PM) at the ticket office of the Drum Tower, located at the Drum and Bell tower Square in Beijing city centre. You will first ascend the Drum Tower to visit this ancient building built in 1272, used to mark the time in the past. Then you will take a rickshaw to travel around the hutongs and reach a hidden hutong house where you will visit a “Beijinger” family.

While having a cup of tea, you will take a calligraphy class in a hutong family. Chinese calligraphy is an art form that Chinese educated elites practiced for the past 2200 years. It is a interesting art class which will help you to discover some secrets behind Chinese characters. Finally, you will have a short walk around Shichahai area with your English-speaking guide to return to the Drum and Bell towers square.

There is an optional extra 1-hour activity you can join at the hutong family which is a dumplings cooking class. You will learn the whole process of dumpling-making from flour kneading into dough, rolling dough into patches, filling it with meat/vegetables and cooking. There is an option for vegetarian dumplings too. After preparing everything, you will see how to cook them and finish the activity eating your own creations.