Tourist Guide and Food Guide of Chengde Mountain Resort
Tourist Guide
Overview of the Resort
Historical Background
Chengde Mountain Resort was built in 1703 and took 89 years to complete through the reigns of three emperors: Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. It was a place where emperors of the Qing Dynasty spent their summers and handled government affairs, possessing extremely high historical and cultural value.
Scale and Layout
The overall area of the resort is 5.64 million square meters, making it the largest existing classical imperial garden in China. It is divided into four major parts: the palace area, the lake area, the plain area, and the mountain area, with numerous palace buildings, pavilions, towers, lakes, ponds, grasslands, and mountain forests and other landscapes.
Ticket and Opening Hours
Ticket Information
During the peak season (April 1 October 31), the ticket price is 130 yuan per person; during the off-season (November 1 March 31 of the following year), the ticket price is 90 yuan per person.
In addition, there are some combined tickets available, such as tickets that include some small scenic spots within the resort or tickets for surrounding temples, which can be purchased according to your own needs.
Opening Hours
Peak season (April 1 October 31): 07:00 18:00
Off-season (November 1 March 31 of the following year): 08:00 17:30
Recommended Tour Routes
One-day Essence Tour
Lizhengmen Neiwumen Danbojingcheng Hall Sizhi Study Yanbozhishuang Hall Yunshanshengdi Tower Cailingdu Ruyizhou Yanyulou Canglangyu Changhu Lake Wenjinge Rehe Spring Jinshan Pavilion Shuixinxie East Palace Ruins Dehuimen
This route covers the most important palace buildings and famous scenic spots in the resort, allowing tourists to experience the essence of Chengde Mountain Resort within a day.
Two-day In-depth Tour
First Day
Second Day
Transportation Guide
External Transportation
Airplane: Chengde Puning Airport has opened many domestic routes. After arriving at the airport, you can take the airport shuttle bus or a taxi to Chengde Mountain Resort.
Train: There are multiple train services arriving at Chengde Railway Station. After getting off the train, you can take a bus (such as No.1 bus, No.7 bus, etc.) or a taxi to get there. It is relatively close.
Internal Transportation
On Foot: The interior of the resort is large, but there are relatively complete pedestrian paths connecting the main scenic spots. Walking tour allows you to better enjoy the scenery along the way, but it is more physically demanding.
Sightseeing Car: If you don’t want to walk the whole way, you can take the sightseeing car in the resort. There are stops at the main scenic spots, which is convenient and fast.
Boat: In the lake area, you can also take a boat tour, which can not only enjoy the lake scenery but also easily reach some scenic spots in the lake, such as Ruyizhou.
Food Guide
Chengde Specialties
Chengde Liangfen (Cold Bean Jelly)
Introduction: Chengde Liangfen is a traditional local snack made from mung bean powder and is semi-transparent and crystal clear. When eating, you can add seasonings such as chili oil, vinegar, mashed garlic, soy sauce, mustard according to personal taste. It has a smooth texture and a spicy and sour appetizing taste.
Recommended Restaurant: Qiao’s Manchu Eight Bowls (Chengde Main Store). The Chengde Liangfen in this store has a proper combination of seasonings that can highlight the characteristics of the cold bean jelly.
Qiaomian Hele (Buckwheat Noodles)
Introduction: Made from buckwheat flour and pressed into shape through ahele machine, it can be thick or thin. The cooked buckwheat noodles can be paired with various sauces, such as lamb sauce, pickled cabbage sauce, etc., and can also be added with chili oil, vinegar and other seasonings. The noodles are chewy and the sauce is rich and fragrant.
Recommended Restaurant: Laosan Yangtang Qiaomian Hele. The buckwheat noodles in the store have an authentic taste and there are many types of sauces with mellow flavors.
Chengde Ludagun (Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour)
Introduction: Although similar to Ludagun in other places, Chengde’s also has its own unique features. It is made by wrapping glutinous rice flour with red bean paste and other fillings and sprinkling soybean flour on the outside. It is soft and melts in your mouth, with a sweet bean flavor and a unique taste.
Recommended Store: In some traditional pastry shops in Chengde city, such as Guifuzhai, you can buy relatively authentic Chengde Ludagun.
Manchu Eight Bowls
Introduction: It is the most common dish of Manchu people, mainly including eight dishes such as stir-fried small tofu with potherb mustard, stewed shrimp tofu eggs, braised pig trotters, boiled frogs, young chicken with mushrooms and vermicelli, new year pig stew, imperial court toon fish, and Ama Zun Meat. It combines various cooking methods such as braising, stewing, sauce making, roasting, boiling, stir-frying, steaming, and quick-frying. It includes both meat and vegetarian dishes, is rich in nutrition and has diverse tastes.
Recommended Restaurant: Qiao’s Manchu Eight Bowls (Chengde Main Store). The Manchu Eight Bowls in this restaurant are authentic and the environment also has Manchu characteristics.
Recommended Special Restaurants
Chengde Gongting Saiwai Restaurant
Feature: This restaurant mainly serves imperial court cuisine and Saiwai special cuisine. The environment is antique, allowing customers to experience a strong historical and cultural atmosphere while tasting delicious food. Signature dishes include Imperial Court Crispy Chicken, Saiwai Roast Lamb Leg, etc.
Daqinghua Dumpling Restaurant (Chengde Store)
Feature: It is famous for Manchu-style dumplings. There are various fillings of dumplings, such as three-delicacy filling, pickled cabbage filling, etc. The dumpling wrappers are thin and the fillings are generous, with a delicious taste. At the same time, it also offers other Manchu and Northeast special dishes.
