Haige Beijing Hotel is not far one of Beijing’s oldest monasteries – the Fa Yuan Si or Temple of the Origin of Dharma.

The temple houses a large variety of rare-to-see treasures. The main hall features a stone tablet from the Tang Dynasty in the 7^th century. The script-chanting hall is home to a 10 meter-long wood carving of the Buddha on his laying posture. The carving is the largest of its kind in Beijing.

The biggest highlight of the temple, though, is the famous Lilac Admiring Festival held every April. At the time the locals from across Beijing would flock to the temple to admire the flower bursting all around the place.

Haige Beijing Hotel is also close to one of Beijing’s most famous Catholic Church – the Xuanwumen Grand Church.

The church was built in 1605 by Matteo Ricci, one of earliest Jesuit priests who had come to China on missionary duty. Matteo Ricci offered a world map to the Chinese emperor, and from that, the Chinese ideology about the world began to change.

Today, the church is still open to its followers. And hundreds of visitors come to see it every day.

Haige Beijing Hotel sits right next to the famous Liuliuchang Street, one of the oldest antique streets in Beijing.

The street received its name over 500 years ago when the area became the site for making the glassy tiles for the Forbidden City. Of the 200 millions tiles used in the Forbidden City construction, most came here.

Later, it became a popular area where scholars from across China for the imperial exams found their lodging. Soon, shops selling books, inks, brush pens, and papers began to emerge.

Today, the street remains popular, with century-old shops offering all kinds of Chinese handicrafts.

During the Spring Festival, folk dances are performed to celebrate the arriving of a brand new year.