10 | Wednesday, October 7, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY TRAVEL

Professional skiers and coaches train at a ski resort in Chongli district, Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. LI XIAONING / FOR CHINA DAILY Hebei tourist sites up and running for 2022

A constant relay of visitors is exceeding running enthusiasts and has been Tourists from neighboring cities, for the 2022 Winter Olympics, held four times since 2017 in Zhang­ like Beijing, Tianjin and other cities Chongli has gradually improved its previous years by some distance jiakou. in Hebei, usually choose to take lei­ skiing facilities and tourism infra­ “It’s the charm of the race — to surely road trips along Caoyuan structure, such as hotels and trans­ By ZHANG YU in Shijiazhuang races nationwide, including mara­ encounter unforeseen challenges, Tianlu (grassy road to paradise), a portation. [email protected] thons and cross­country races. “This overcome them and become more scenic road linking prairies that run Zheng Yongyong, a ski enthusiast is the first time I’ve run such a long capable distance runners — that’s across several counties in Zhangji­ who lives in Beijing’s Haidian dis­ Deftly collecting the baton from distance in cooperation with team what attracts me,” Zhao says. The akou. Stretching over 300 km, it has trict, goes to Chongli for skiing at his teammate, Zhao Haiqing rapidly members and a car,” he says. endurance enthusiast believes that attracted many sightseers in recent least twice a month in winter. A one­ began running from Horse Village, a The route is all open air and cov­ he has improved his strength and years. way car journey would take him local hotel and an exchange point ers 141.6 km over natural terrain, stamina due to the race. Part of Zhang’s running route about four hours to get from his along a race route in Zhangbei coun­ crossing Zhangbei county, Chongli What’s more, there’s another rea­ took place along Caoyuan Tianlu. “I home in Beijing to Chongli’s ski ty, Zhangjiakou, Hebei province. He district and Shangyi county in son why he still wants to come think it’s the major reason why a resorts. was keen to waste no time because Zhangjiakou. again. “It’s all natural. The scenery long­distance running race is host­ However, since the end of last there was still more than 140 kilo­ Located about 150 km northwest along the route is beautiful and the ed here,” Zhao posits. year, when a high­speed railway meters for his team to complete. of Beijing, Zhangjiakou borders weather is comfortable, ” he says. As well as the race, various other linking the capital with the district This was the scene on Aug 29 dur­ Inner Mongolia autonomous region Zhao spent his down time in the outdoor activities, including moun­ began operating, he has changed his ing a grueling relay race with over a and features vast areas of grassland car feasting his eyes on the view tain biking, hiking, go­karting and transportation method. “It’s more dozen sections, each traversed by a and rolling hills. The city covers along the route. music festivals, are also popular convenient because the journey runner from each team as their 36,800 square kilometers, more Zhao Haiqing runs a relay race “The temperature is very cool and with summer travelers in Zhangji­ only takes about an hour,” he says. teammates traveled by car, took a than twice the area of the capital. on Aug 29 in Zhangjiakou. suitable for running, ” Zhao says, akou. The train journey starts from Bei­ rest and prepared to take on the “I anticipated that the course PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY adding that there was no need to The Midi Music Festival was jing North Railway Station in Bei­ next section. would have some roads with a steep worry about sunstroke when out on staged in Chongli district in August. jing’s Xicheng district and runs Wearing a sunglasses and a sun incline, but it still surprised me and the course. “The air is also very It was the first large­scale live music directly to Taizicheng Railway Sta­ hat, the 39­year­old set off at speed gave me a hard time,” Zhao says. er challenges awaiting them. The clean, making you want to go out event held in the country since the tion in Chongli, erected in the dis­ with the aim of finishing the 8.2 km “Running the steep sections in altitude at some areas along the and start running!” COVID­19 outbreak. trict to serve the upcoming Games. leg, which ended at the Xitan village Zhangjiakou was too hard, making route is around 1,400 meters, much Zhangjiakou is a well­known Chongli district was chosen to It is skiers like Zheng that are the exchange point, as soon as possible. me tired at the very beginning,” he higher than that of the plains. “It place to escape summer heat, espe­ hold the outdoor festival not only major tourists to the city during After taking the baton — not a says. Among the three legs he was made my heart rate speed up and cially Zhangbei county, where the due to its cool weather and clean air, winter. During the snow season short stick but a running arm band scheduled to run, which totaled 23.9 get much faster while running,” summer temperatures rarely exceed but also because it will play host to from November 2018 to April 2019, containing a GPS device and a tim­ km, there was one steep section that Zhao says. 28 C. most of the snow events during the Chongli district received nearly ing chip — Zhao promptly strapped lasted more than 2 km. “We should They finished the whole course in The city boasted the best air quali­ 2022 Winter Olympic Games with three million visits, lifting its tour­ it to his left arm as his teammate at have slowed down on those roads to about 11 hours after starting off at ty in Hebei with an average concen­ Zhangjiakou being a co­host city. ism income by 8 percent year­on­ the handover point receded into the keep our energy for the long run 7:50 am on Aug 29. tration of PM 2.5 — a major air As for tourism, Chongli, once a year to 2 billion yuan ($29 million), distance. ahead.” Even though there were challen­ pollutant that contributes to poor county under the administration of according to the district’s tourism “I was all prepared and at full He regulated his breathing and ges and unexpected difficulties dur­ air quality — of 25 micrograms per Zhangjiakou, has topped the list of bureau. strength for my first section,” he slowed down immediately after he ing the race, Zhao says he will cubic meter last year, which is com­ destinations in the city thanks to its “When you go to a local restau­ says, adding that he was so excited found himself tired and gasping for definitely register for the race next mon for Zhangjiakou, according to starring role in the upcoming rant, you will find only two out of for the special relay race. breath on the steep incline. year. Hebei Province Ecology and Envi­ Games. ten tables are local residents, and Starting in 2015, Zhao has partici­ Zhao’s team, which had five mem­ The race, the Hood to Coast China ronment Department and the city’s Since 2015, when Beijing and the rest are all tourists from out­ pated in many different running bers including one woman, had oth­ Relay, is a major annual draw for corresponding bureau. Zhangjiakou succeeded in their bid side,” Zheng says. Olympics see Rings of fiber: local dish district dig on the menu in Chongli into ancient By ZHANG YU in Shijiazhuang

One of the dishes served up for local culture visitors to Chongli district, Zhangji­ akou, Hebei province, when they By ZHANG YU in Shijiazhuang come for the 2022 Winter Olympics will have a distinctly local flavor. It might only be one fifth the size As a co­host with Beijing, Zhang­ of the Forbidden City in Beijing, but jiakou will hold most of the Games’ A Chongli dish made of naked Taizicheng, or Prince City, in snow events in 2022. oats resembles the Olympic Chongli district, Zhangjiakou, “Youmian (or naked oats powder) rings. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Hebei province, is set to share the is a food that we locals eat almost spotlight as the 2022 Winter Olym­ every day,” said Hu Zhengde, a sen­ of Commerce, an official Chongli pics draw ever nearer. The 800­ ior master chef in Chongli. menu consisting of 360 dishes, pas­ year­old royal palace has become In 2018, he led a team in a compe­ tries and snacks has been created one of the city’s focal points since it tition to select dishes to be served at via selection competitions. was named as co­host of the the Winter Olympics. As well as local food in Zhangjiak­ Games. Cultural Heritage Administration. who was once deputy head of the One of the 10 dishes from his ou, the menu also includes food Taizicheng is an ancient xing­ “The site and its relics are mean­ district. team that were chosen is the “Olym­ from other places around the coun­ gong, or imperial palace where the ingful for studying the hierarchy of As well as the ancient palace, pic Rings Youmian” — five wooden try. emperor would stay on trips away royal buildings, construction fea­ Chongli also boasts abundant steamers containing steamed Visitors to Chongli can taste the from the capital. It was built during tures of ancient palaces and uten­ remains of the Great Wall that were naked oats resembling the Olympic dishes at their hotels when the the Jin Dynasty (1115­1234), accord­ sils used by royal families,” Huang built during different periods, rings. Olympic Games are held in 2022. ing to Huang Xin, an archaeologist says. including the Qin Dynasty (221­206 “I want to combine the food with The 57­year­old Hu is very glad with the Hebei Institute of Cultural A park being built around the BC) and Ming Dynasty (1368­1644), elements of the Olympics,” he says. that local youmian has been chosen Relics. site will showcase the site’s archae­ Yang says. To make the different colors, Hu for the official menu. “It will be Since May 2017, when the insti­ ological discoveries and offer a The district, which covers 2,334 uses the juices of spinach, carrot, known by more people, it’s our cul­ tute and other related government Top: A watchtower on a section glimpse into palace culture, he square kilometers, is surrounded pitaya, green pepper and red cab­ ture,” he says, adding that it is also a departments started excavating of the Great Wall in Chongli. says. by sections of the Great Wall, a bage. Mixed with boiled water and very healthy food. the site to protect it amid the build­ Above: A bird’s­eye view of the The name Taizicheng was also unique feature compared with oth­ the juices, the youmian is kneaded According to Hu, the nutritional ing of nearby infrastructure to sup­ excavation of the Taizicheng, selected for the new high­speed er places where the wall is found, into a dough. value of naked oats is very high. port the Games, the veil on its an ancient imperial palace. railway station in Chongli, which he notes. Along the sections, there From the dough, many dough­ “Among nine major grains that history has gradually been lifted. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY was built for the Games and went are more than 150 well­preserved nut­like youmian rings are shaped Chinese people eat, naked oats The palace is rectangular, 400 into use at the end of last year, cut­ watchtowers. by hand and put into steamers. It ranks first in terms of its protein, meters from north to south and 350 ting travel time between the dis­ “The unique landscape and pro­ will be steamed for about eight min­ fat, vitamin, mineral and cellulose meters from east to west. There are had unearthed nearly 600 relics, trict and Beijing to about an hour. found historical and cultural heri­ utes, after which it can be eaten content.” moats outside its walls on the east, including pottery, porcelain, iron­ “Chongli is a place rich in Chi­ tage can provide more fun for together with a sauce made of The calcium content in naked west and south sides. ware and stoneware. There are still nese culture, but it was not well tourists who come to Chongli for mushroom and meat. oats is twice that of wheat, 5.5 times By the end of 2018, a team of more relics yet to be unearthed from known by the public before,” says sport or to escape summer heat,” “It’s very delicious,” Hu says. that of rice, 2.3 times that of millet archaeologists headed by Huang the site, according to the National Yang Cheng, a 70 year­old resident, Yang adds. According to Hebei Department and 1.5 times that of corn, he adds.