The first foreign language library for children opened on the eve of Children’s Day in Haidian District, Beijing. The new library, which is located in Haidian Children’s Palace (海淀少年宫), occupies a floor space of over 80 square metres and contains over... Read More>>

Beijing's restaurant scene has exploded in recent years, with any number of regional Chinese restaurants and Western restaurants from around the world often making if difficult to choose a place to eat. Why not look to the past for inspiration for your next ... Read More>>

With spring well and truly on its way, many people will be thinking about coming out of hibernation, casting their DVD box-sets and take away pizza boxes aside and taking a weekend break. Echinacities brings you some of the best getaway locations around ... Read More>>

Beijing traffic may get hostile on the surface sometimes, but deep down there's a subway system that always loves us, and it's one of the cheapest and most convenient in the world. You can hardly toss a cat without hitting one of the 192 stations in ... Read More>>

As technology develops faster than ever, it can be hard to keep up with the latest and best mobile phone applications, or apps, in town. Without further ado, this is our updated list of Beijing’s most useful mobile phone applications. Read More>>

Jean Ellie Guillaume, 24, says that when he came to China from Haiti in 2009, he had it in his heart and prayers to find a place to worship, but when he arrived he was hesitant to ask people questions. He says he held back because he had learnt that China's ... Read More>>

If you are tired of the maddening hordes of tourists on the most popular stretches of the Great Wall like Badaling or Juyonguan, then maybe it is time to try out some less crowded alternatives. The mountains surrounding our fair city of Beijing contain a ... Read More>>

Beijing's live music scene has jumped leaps and bounds in the last few years, with a whole new generation of talented bands exploding onto the scene. While this article is in no way a ‘Top 5' of the best bands in Beijing, it is a rough guide to a few of ... Read More>>

Photo: the beijinger.com We take an in-depth look at Beijing’s club scene, mapping out some of the biggest DJs and music collectives in the city, followed by a brief discussion of nightlife and the broader music scene with Punk resident DJ Saul D. DJ ... Read More>>

Summer is synonymous with vacation and yet here we are, slogging away at work. For those of you who want to make the most of your weekends – who want to scream, sing, dance and drink – we've got you covered. Here are the hottest nightlife events hitting ... Read More>>

What’s the point of cold weather and dirty snow mounds piled up on the pavements when there’s absolutely nothing fun about it? Why do we even bother enduring the random snow showers that scare away taxi drivers and cripple public transport? Why do we even ... Read More>>

From April 26th onwards, Beijing’s restaurant, club and bar scene will get that little bit bigger – 1200 square metres bigger to be precise - with the grand opening of ROOMBeijing Restaurant, Bar and Lounge. ROOMBeijing is the much-anticipated brainchild ... Read More>>

Whether you're in the mood to treat the family to an afternoon of indulgence or looking for some hearty food to beat that hangover, brunch is the way to go. Here are five of the best brunch spots in Beijing. Bon Appetit! Read More>>

With air conditioning units now finding themselves switched on, the gents in shorts and ladies in those gravity defying skirts, and people taking to the streets in the evening again, it is safe to say that summer is finally here in Beijing. What better way ... Read More>>

One issue many foreigners face in Beijing, and even worse in other areas of China, is the lack of English language books. Many of us take refuge in books, and in the loud, crowded, manic, hustle and bustle that is China that need for the solace a book ... Read More>>

This year, get ready for Halloween the right way: by properly checking out all parties and club nights around. We have compiled eight great nights out that will make Halloween 2014 in Beijing the best one yet. Read More>>

Halloween is creeping upon us once again in Beijing, and there are plenty of events happening across the city. If you were planning on spending a quiet evening in watching an episode of Vampire Diaries or True Blood, think again! With so many hellish good ... Read More>>

Salsa , samba, tango and reggaeton are not only strong but positively thriving in the capital, thanks to the city’s large Latin ex-pat community hailing from North America and Europe, and, of course, South America. Indeed, Beijing boasts a scene which any ... Read More>>

There isn’t one single word that can sum up what’s hip and fashionable in the Imperial city of Beijing. However, one thing is for certain, from viewing what people are going for in the hutongs and courtyard houses it is very much Beijing’s old folk ... Read More>>

From missionaries to mosques, religion in Beijing has not been confined to Buddhism and Taoism. Today, there are many religious communities flourishing in Beijing, and Catholics and Christians, Jews and Muslims, Taoists and Buddhists all have ... Read More>>

A funny and somewhat snarky look at some of Beijing’s most unique restaurants... Diners choose restaurants according to tastes, environment and services; and in the current “service first” society, services become more and more important. However, are ... Read More>>

As we move through this brief period called spring and head full speed into summer, we all feel a sense of excitement that we can once again do all those things that we missed doing during winter. Here are a few options to consider for beautiful summer days: Read More>>

Things tend to move so quickly in Beijing that it can be really hard to keep up, so here’s a run through of the latest happenings in Beijing’s nightlife scene. Read More>>

While every visitor to Beijing, long term or short, has probably visited the big markets like Panjiayuan flea market and Xiushui, there are some hidden gems around Beijing. These are places where the locals go to find unexpected treasures, from 80s era ... Read More>>