(From left) Host and hostess of the courtyard Jing Jichang and his wife Wang Zhixi with Berlin visitors Simone Teuber and her boyfriend Peter Voigt on Wednesday. SD-Agencies
WITH the Olympics looming, a large number of international visitors have already arrived to get a taste of traditional folk culture in Beijing. Instead of staying in humdrum star-rated hotels, they have chosen to live with local residents.
Through an “Olympic Family Hotel” program sponsored by the Beijing Municipal Government, overseas guests can take a closer look at the day-to-day life of ordinary Beijing families.
Berlin visitors Peter Voigt and Simone Teuber have just arrived in Beijing and checked into a siheyuan, a traditional courtyard home, in the city’s Shichahai area Tuesday.
They are among the first group of foreign visitors to stay in one of the designated Olympic family hotels since the program began earlier this month.
Voigt said he and his girlfriend chose to stay in the hutong-style home because they were interested in its profound culture.
“We decided to stay in a hutong, not in a big quarter, because we want to be next to the Chinese history. We want to spend our holidays in a quiet and nice place like this. You can see the traditional Chinese architecture here.”
Besides the special atmosphere, he also felt a strong sense of hospitality from the hosts of the siheyuan. He said he had no problems communicating with them, despite the language barrier.
During their stay in Beijing, the couple plans to visit some of the city’s popular historical sites.
“Today, we are going to the Forbidden City. Tomorrow, we will go to the Great Wall.”
The host of the house, Jing Jichang, has lived in his courtyard home for over 50 years. Since retiring, he has found a new profession, as a tour guide for visitors to his home. Jing says his family has lived in the hutong for four generations. Their home is one of the best-preserved estates in the area.
Jing says his family has made extensive preparations. He had refurnished parts of the house and the family also brushed up their English skills.
“To better serve expat guests, we have added Western toilets in our bathroom and replaced our electric water heater with a bigger one. We bought toasters and computers, and got Internet access.”
Jing’s wife, Wang Zhixi, says she is excited to have guests from afar.
“I’m willing to serve as their guide to the best part of traditional Beijing,” she said.
Having expat guests living in her household before, she said she was proud to be part of the Olympic family hotel scheme, a platform for cultural exchange.
“I hope more foreigners will come to stay with us in the future, and I will try my best to make them feel at home.”
The homestay program was launched in April this year.
According to the Beijing Tourism Bureau, 598 families have been selected from 1,000 applicants to host overseas Olympic guests in August. A total of 726 rooms can accommodate more than 1,000 guests, who will pay between 400 and 650 yuan (US$58-95) per night to stay with local families.
Thirty-three of the families in the program live in courtyard homes in the Shichahai area.
Shichahai, located northwest of the Forbidden City in central Beijing, is one of the most popular scenic spots of the city, known for its well-preserved hutong and numerous bars and restaurants.
With the Olympics just around the corner, homestays like Jing’s courtyard are very popular.
Travel agencies from Japan, the United States, Canada, Chile and Singapore have expressed interest in renting rooms from these families during the Games.
(SD-Agencies)