While Cultural Keys can be considered your go-to for a variety of traditional Chinese culture activities, there are of course plenty of other fun and interesting cultural events happening around the capital every month!
Here’s our round-up of activities connected with Chinese culture and history for June in Beijing!
Please note: Cultural Keys is in no way affiliated with any of the events or organisations listed in this article, unless explicitly stated. We offer no guarantee about the quality of any third party events, and strongly suggest interested participants contact the relevant organizers to clarify event details before attending.
Exhibition: Gandhara Heritage along the Silk Road
犍陀罗艺术展
Date: March 16th – June 15th 2023
Location: The National Palace Museum | 4 Jingshan Qianjie, Dongcheng District 北京故宫 | 北京市东城区景山前街4号
Time: April 1st – October 31st 8:30 AM- 17:00 PM Last Entry:16:10
November 1st – March 31st 8:30 AM – 16:30 PM Last Entry:15:40
Price: 80/120/280/380/480 RMB per person
Payment: Reservation required via online platform:
https://ticket.dpm.org.cn/
Language: Chinese and English
Gandhara was an ancient civilization centered in what is now north-west Pakistan and parts of south-east Afghanistan. It was a central location for the spread of Buddhism into China. Curators selected 203 artifacts for this exhibition, of which 173 come from seven museums in Pakistan and thirty from the Palace Museum. The exhibits demonstrate the artistic charm and development of Gandhara culture, and its far-reaching influence on China and East Asia.
Historian-led walk and discussion at the Old Summer Palace 历史学家带你在圆明园散步和讨论
Date: June 3rd 2023
Location: Old Summer Palace | 28 Qinghua Xilu Haidian District 圆明园 | 海淀区清华西路28号
Time: 15:00 PM- 18:00 PM
Price: 300 RMB (260 RMB for members of The Hutong), including all admission costs, guide fees and tips.
Payment: Reservation required via online platform: https://www.thebeijinger.com/events/2023/may/historian-led-walk-and-discussion-old-summer-palace
Language: English
The Old Summer Palace was the original site of three imperial gardens, including the Yuanmingyuan. These gardens were part of a chain of palaces, landscapes, lakes, and villas that stretched for miles nestled in the foothills northwest of Beijing. In 1860, the gardens were destroyed as part of the Second Opium War. Today the shattered pillars, crumbling marble foundations, and abandoned archways are a vivid reminder to visitors of the “Century of Humiliation” and the tragedy of imperialism in 19th-century China. The events of that era continue to shape how China views the world today.
We will discuss the background to the Opium Wars, the sacking of the imperial gardens, and how memories of those events are kept alive in China’s contemporary political culture. Along the way, we will wander the ruins and explore one of Beijing’s most beautiful and haunting historical parks.
Historian-led Walk and Discussion at the Summer Palace 历史学家带你在颐和园散步和讨论
Date: June 4th 2023
Location: Summer Palace | Yiheyuan Lu Haidian District 颐和园 | 海淀区颐和园路
Time: 10:00 AM- 13:00 PM
Price: 300 RMB (260 RMB for members of The Hutong), including all admission costs, guide fees and tips.
Payment: Reservation required via online platform:https://www.thebeijinger.com/events/2023/may/dowager-and-dynasty-walk-and-discussion-summer-palace-0
Language: English
The Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) is one of the most notorious figures in Modern Chinese history. For nearly a half-century, she used her cunning and connections to rule China from behind the throne. Even today, many historians in China blame her for spending too much money building an elaborate pleasure garden at a time when the empire faced grave threats from without and within. But the real story of the Empress Dowager Cixi — and the Summer Palace she built — is more complicated.
As we stroll along the lakeshores and hillsides of her magnificent creation, we will discuss the life and legacy of this fascinating historical figure. We’ll consider the reasons behind her scandalous reputation as we look at the final years of the Qing Dynasty, the last empire to rule China.
English Guided Tour of the Ancient China Exhibit in the National Museum of China 中国国家博物馆古代中国展览的英语导览
Date: June 6th 2023
Location: The National Museum of China | East side of Tian’anmen Square Dongcheng District 中国国家博物馆 | 东城区天安门广场东侧
Time: 13:00 PM – 16:00 PM
Price: free
Reservation required via email (Jennifer.pan@chinamuseumtours.com) or Wechat ID (13910285665 ).
Language: English
Maximum group size: 10 people.
We invite you to a free English-guided tour of the National Museum of China- Ancient China exhibition. Sponsored by Chinamuseumtours.com, this tour is three hours, chronologically covering 30 objects from Paleolithic time to China’s last dynasty. Each participant will get a wireless Bluetooth earpiece to enjoy the tour.
Walking Tour: A Crash Course to the Forbidden City 徒步之旅：紫禁城速成班
Date: June 11th 2023
Location: Donghuamen, Outside of TRB Forbidden City 紫禁城东华门外
Time: 13:00 PM – 16:30 PM
Price: 420 RMB per person; 210 RMB per child (for 7-12 years old)
Payment: Reservation required via online platform:https://www.beijing-postcards.com/public-events/a-crash-course-to-the-forbidden-city-jun-11
Language: English
During the dynasties the Imperial Palace existed only as an idea to most people. It was the root of power. A mysterious presence that balanced heaven and earth. Present yet concealed right in the middle of the Capital. Stories of the castrated eunuch servants, the beautiful concubines and not least the vast amount of treasure in the palace were told all around the empire, but surrounded by a more than 10 meter high wall. No commoner could freely take a glance at the Imperial residence, in fact people did not even know what the emperor looked like. This was what earned the palace the name the Forbidden City. Today we can freely enter, hordes of people are everyday moving through the most sacred halls of Imperial China, but what is kept away from us, what we cannot readily access is the mindset, the ideas so deeply rooted in the imperial architecture.
“A Crash Course to the Forbidden City” is a humble attempt to unlock the meaning behind the chambers of the Palace. In a condensed and hopefully entertaining way, we wish to give you a comprehensive history of the palace from when it was built 600 years ago until when the last boy-emperor finally left in 1924.
Workshop: Dragon Boat Festival Celebration
Date: June 17th 2023
Time: 2-5pm
Location: CK Culture Centre, Songzhuang, Tongzhou District
Places: Maximum 10 people
Payment: Prepayment via WeChat, AliPay, PayPal (no PayPal account required) or bank transfer. Fapiao available on request.
Price: Adults 388RMB; children 348RMB.
Language: English
Join Cultural Keys on June 17th to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival! At this festival celebration, you’ll learn about the history and customs of the festival. Then you’ll make zongzi (steamed sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) and while the zongzi steam you’ll paint dragons under the guidance of an expert painter. There will also be other festival-themed craft activities for the kids. We’ll finish up by enjoying our steamed zongzi together!
Performance: Peking Opera – Yang Silang Visits His Mother 北京京剧院端午节系列演出《四郎探母》
Date: June 21st 2023
Location: National Grand Theater | No. 2, West Chang’an Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 国家大剧院 | 北京市西城区西长安街2号
Time: 19:30 PM
Price: 120/180/240 RMB per person
Payment: Reservation required via online platform: http://ticket.chncpa.org/product-1096696.html#2023-06-21
Language: Chinese
Yang Silang Visits His Mother is a historical drama telling of the irreconcilable hatred between countries through a family and the relationship between parents and children, revealing the suffering caused by war and giving the opera a human touch.
Camping: Jinshanling Great Wall and Gubeikou Great Wall 露营：金山岭长城和古北口长城
Date: June 23rd-24th 2023
Location: Jinshanling Great Wall and Gubeikou Great Wall | 金山岭长城和古北口长城
Time: 9:30 AM (departure)
Price: 1,720 RMB / 1,550 RMB for members
Payment: Reservation required via online platform: https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1717/camping-jinshanling-great-wall-and-gubeikou-great-wall/
Language: English
On this two day Great Wall adventure you’ll hike picturesque stretches of the wild Great Wall and camp in a Great Wall tower at Gubeikou. We’ll supply a tent, sleeping bag, and ground pad for you, as well as food for a basic dinner and breakfast. All you’ll need is lunch and snacks for the first day, plus a day pack to carry your essentials while hiking, leaving you free to enjoy the scenery, sunset, stars, and sunrise as we hike along the Jinshanling and Gubeikou sections of the Great Wall. Maximum group size of 10–12 hikers; book early to make sure you get a spot!
Walking Tour: Saijinhua & the Brothels of Dashilar 徒步之旅：赛金花和大栅栏青楼
Date: June 24th 2023
Location: Beijing Postcards Gallery | Yang Mei Zhu Xie Jie Xicheng Qu, Beijing 北京邮政博物馆 | 杨梅竹斜街97号
Time: 18:00 PM – 20:30 PM
Price: 300 RMB per person
Payment: Reservation required via online platform: https://www.beijing-postcards.com/public-events/saijinhua-amp-the-brothels-of-dashilar-jun-24
Language: English
“The life and legend of Beijing’s most famous prostitute: Sai Jin Hua, a walk in Beijing’s old red light district” – the story of a very unlikely hero with tiny Lily feet.
A hundred years ago, in a country on the verge of collapse, a woman from the shadows stood up and defended her Chinese countrymen. Abandoned by the imperial government, and occupied by western forces looking for revenge, the fate of Beijing was placed on the narrow shoulders of a common courtesan. But who was this saint-like figure? A plain prostitute or a Maria of the East? The lover of a German general? A Brothel Madam? An opium addict? Or a liar and a cheat?
Follow us, in the small footsteps of a very unlikely hero with tiny lily feet, through old opium dens and brothels still standing, when we look for answers. During this walk we will track down the life of Beijing’s most famous prostitute – Saijinhua, and create a portrait of Dashilar, the more than 600 year old commercial district of Beijing, and Ba Da Hutong – the old red light district. The Walk ends with an exhibition of related pictures from the Beijing Postcards collection.
Hiking: Gubeikou Great Wall 徒步：古北口长城
Date: June 28th 2023
Location: Gubeikou Great Wall | 古北口长城
Time: 8:15 AM (departure)
Price: 460 RMB / 415 RMB for members / 180 RMB for kids
Payment: Reservation required via online platform: https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1741/gubeikou-great-wall/
Language: English
A slightly different way to do the Gubeikou Great Wall hike, starting with a climb up to the 24-Eyes Tower and finishing with a look at some of the Great Wall towers on the other side of the North Gate. This hike adds some extra trails at either end of our regular Gubeikou Great Wall hike, and we’ll take you for a look at some of the towers on the other side of Gubeikou’s North Gate.
Mahjong Night 麻将夜
Date: June 30th, 2023
Location: That’s Mandarin Beijing Campus | Xinzhong Street 12, Bldg 4, 3F 思道睿北京校区 | 新中街12号4号楼3楼
Time: 19:00-21:00PM
Price: 50 RMB/person; 30 RMB/person (if you bring a friend)
Payment: Reservation required via online platform: https://www.thatsmandarin.com/20230630-mahjong/
Language: English and Chinese
Are you in Beijing or Shanghai on Friday, June 30, 2023? Come and learn how to play Mahjong at our Mahjong Night! Learn all about Mahjong and play mahjong with students and teachers. Enjoy drinks & snacks — and make new friends!
Did we miss anything? What events are you planning to go to in June? Let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear your thoughts and insights on traditional Chinese culture!
Photo Credits
– The organisers
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About Cultural Keys Chinese Culture Company
Cultural Keys helps you access, understand and enjoy life in China through traditional Chinese culture. Click here to read more about Cultural Keys and what we can do for you, your school, company or group to help you get more out of your time in China!