26 excellent things to do in Beijing this February
Your guide to Beijing's best events this February
Usher in the Year of the Pig with these fantastic events around town. Whether it's watching a groundbreaking Chinese film, seeing a bit of Ireland brought to the stage or hearing one of your favourite musicians right here in Beijing, make the most of our city and get out and about this month.
As well as these highlights, there are many more things to do in Beijing this week: explore, enjoy and don't forget to Instagram us your snaps with #timeoutbeijing.
Chinese New Year
6 stunning Spring Festival temple fairs to visit in Beijing
What's open this Chinese New Year, from restaurants to museums
The top 8 most auspicious foods for Chinese New Year
8 classic Chinese New Year movies
Forbidden City Tour: From Dynasty to Republic
Forbidden City. Sat 9. 350RMB.
Join Beijing Postcards on a tour of the Forbidden City to learn more about how the last emperor of China was ousted from his residence in the Imperial Palace. The young emperor, Puyi, had lived most of his life inside the palace, confined to an area smaller than one square kilometre. Puyi’s departure marked the end of the strange 13 years where both Dynasty and Republic co-existed within the confines of the Imperial compound. The dismissal of the young bespectacled 'boy' emperor was an event of truly epic proportions: the most important institution of Imperial China had now been dissolved.
Found out the whole story on a walk with Beijing Postcards. For more information and to get tickets, click here.
Sewing 101
The SLab. Sat 9-Sun 10; Wed 13 Feb-Wed 13 Mar. 1,800RMB.
Learn the fundamentals of sewing by identifying and preparing materials, learning how to use a sewing machine and learning all the necessary stitches to start and finish your sewing projects. Join the two or four session programs and complete the course with a drawstring bag and any additional accessories, from a personalised tote bag to an apron. For more information, visit their website (www.theslab.space).
Two Session Program: Feb 9-10 (Saturday & Sunday); 10am-3pm.
Four Session Program: Feb 13-Mar 6 (Wednesdays); 7-9pm.
Lantern Festival Celebration With Cultural Keys
Cultural Keys. Sun 17. 488RMB (per person); 888RMB (two people).
Join Cultural Keys at the CK Culture Centre for an afternoon of fun and friendship to celebrate the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the Spring Festival. Learn more about Lantern Festival customs and language, paint paper lanterns, solve riddles, make tangyuan (sweet dumplings) and enjoy a meal together. Transportation from Sanlitun, all materials, snacks, tea and dinner, and English-speaking hosts are all included. For more information, click here.
Book Launch Party
The Bookworm. Wed 20. 60RMB.
Lina Getachew Ayenew has spent the past five years documenting China's emergence as a key player in Africa's economic development, distilling mega-themes from the work of leading researchers. Whether you are a student, journalist, diplomat, or business executive, The Complete Beginner's Guide to China-Africa Relations will provide the tools you need to understand the link between China and Africa, which together represent more than 1/3 of the world's population. Head to the Bookworm for the launch party to hear Ayenew discuss her work.
Skiing at the Olympic Forest Park
Olympic Forest Park. Until Mar 3. 241RMB.
Get skiing without having to hit the slopes out of town. Head to the JF-Dry Ski Resort at the Olympic Park to see their 16,000 square metres of trail that include 19 different trails catering to various skill levels. Although the slopes are, obviously, not covered in real snow, the synthetic environment allows you to pretend your out in the mountains without having to get there (or dress accordingly).
The slopes are open for three sessions a day until the end of Feb: morning sessions (8.30am-12.30pm); afternoon sessions (1.30-5.30pm); and evening sessions (6.30-10.30pm).
Slow Boat Brewery Beer Tour
Slow Boat Brewery. Sat 16. 150RMB.
Like Slow Boat beer? Want to know more about how it's made? Join the brewery tour at 2pm on February 16 for the tour, Q&A session, one-hour free flow beer and more.
Glades
Andy Hart
Zhao Dai. Fri 15. Tickets TBC.
Andy's taken his slick songs from Melbourne to Berlin, and now heads to Beijing to play Zhao Dai. His music spans the countries he's travelled, bringing history and culture into his deep and thoughtful clubhouse beats. Expect a sound that questions reality while bringing you back to it.
Kodaline
Tango. Mon 18. 520RMB; 450RMB (presale).
Kodaline's distinct alternative folk sound has brought them awards and fame around the world. With platinum albums and top hits, including 'All I Want' and 'High Hopes', gracing the background of many films and TV shows, their success has continued to soar. They head to Beijing in support of their latest album Politics of Living – which hit number 1 in Ireland, perhaps to no one's surprise. Catch the infectious beats and charismatic foursome this Feb.
Nathan East
Blue Note. Thu 21-Fri 22. 220-420RMB.
A founding member of the chart-topping contemporary jazz group Fourplay, East was 16-years-old when he got his first break and found himself on the road with Barry White. The next time the phone rang, Quincy Jones was on the line. The calls kept coming and for the last forty years, East has been churning out hit songs with artists as legendary as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Barbra Streisand and Stevie Wonder.
Pezzner
Aurora. Sat 23. 100RMB; 50RMB (presale); 30RMB (early bird).
David Brian Pezzner was born in California, and the American DJ and producer might look about as normal and Dad-like as they come. But when he's not looking after his daughter and wife, he writes music for nightclubs, teaches electronic music and DJs around the world with his techno sounds.
Craig David
Beijing Exhibition Center. Sun 24. 480-880RMB.
The one, the only, the man of a generation's dreams. Or some people at least. Craig David heads to Beijing in February to play a DJ set under his TS5 guise, dropping R&B classics alongside hip-hop, house, dub, reggae and hopefully some of the classic noughties hits he made his name with. David burst onto the UK garage scene after releasing the banger that is 'Re-Rewind', and followed it up with softer R&B hits 'Fill Me In', '7 Days' and 'Walking Away' on his 2001 debut Born To Do It. He's now based out of Miami, where he spins at some of the city's most exclusive pre-parties – for one night only, maybe he can bring that vibe to the grand, Communist-aesthetic setting of the Beijing Exhibition Center.
Sid
Tango. Sun 24. 580RMB; 980RMB (VIP).
Sid (シド), a four-piece rock band from Japan, consists of vocalist Mao, bassist Aki, guitarist Shinji and drummer Yuuya. They've received numerous accolades on their home turf, including Top Pop Artist and hits at the top of the charts again and again. Catch them in Beijing this February as they come in hot off the release of their latest album Nomad.
Chris Botti
Century Theatre. Thu 28. 380-980RMB.
For over two decades, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter and composer Chris Botti has amassed a variety of honours, including multiple Gold and Platinum albums, as well as a spot on People's coveted 50 Most Beautiful People (of 2004). He's played with some of the best names in music – we're talking Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Yo-Yo Ma, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Andrea Bocelli – blending pop and jazz into his unique take on modern instrumental music.
The Wandering Earth
On general release from Tue 5.
Adapted from a short story by renowned sci-fi writer Liu Cixin, director Frant Gwo's much-anticipated The Wandering Earth is being hailed as China's biggest sci-fi movie to date and is set for release on Chinese New Year's Day. The premise? As the sun is about to die out, humanity sets a plan in motion to launch planet Earth out of orbit and to find a new home in space. Original language: Mandarin.
Alita: Battle Angel
On general release from Fri 22.
James Cameron (Avatar) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) create a groundbreaking new heroine in Alita: Battle Angel, an action-packed story of hope, love and empowerment. Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita (Rosa Salazar) is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. Everything is new to Alita, every experience a first. Determined to uncover the truth behind her origins, Alita sets out on a journey that will lead her to take on the injustices of this dark, corrupt world, and discover that one young woman can change the world in which she lives.
Green Book
On general release from Fri 1 Mar.
'Tony Lip' Vallelonga (a pizza-chomping Viggo Mortensen) is a brutal NYC club bouncer prone to howyadoins. On the hunt for work, he gets an unlikely gig at the invitation of Don Shirley (cryptic Mahershala Ali, superb), a finicky black jazz pianist who requires a tough driver to escort him on a tour of the Deep South. Tony’s no bleeding heart, but for the right price, he’s willing to swallow his pride.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
On general release from Fri 1 Mar.
The Hidden World is a utopia to which Hiccup must lead his clan when an infamous dragon hunter called Grimmel (F Murray Abraham) appears on the scene. Their journey is complicated when Toothless falls for Light Fury, a mysterious female dragon with cloaking powers. Hiccup becomes part love guru, part third wheel in a dynamic that lends the movie its best and most charming moments.
Rhythm of the Dance
NCPA. Wed 6-Sun 10. 180-1,080RMB.
Continuing the legacy of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, Rhythm of the Dance is bringing Irish entertainment into a new era. The National Dance Company of Ireland's stunning production combines traditional Celtic rhythms with Latin tunes to tell the story of the Irish Celts throughout history.
Ning Feng & the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra
NCPA. Sat 16. 100-580RMB.
Since its first concert in 1954, the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, as known as Osesp, has undergone major changes and has now released more than 80 CDs, becoming an integral part of the culture of São Paulo and Brazil as a whole, fostering deep-rooted cultural and social transformations. This February, Osesp comes to Beijing with Marin Alsop, the chief conductor of the Orchestra since 2012, and Ning Feng, a violinist from Chengdu who has become an international star, especially after being the first student at the Royal Academy of Music in London to receive full marks for his final recital.
Murray Perahia
NCPA. Feb 27. 80-580RMB.
In the more than 40 years he has been performing on the concert stage, American pianist Murray Perahia has become one of the most sought-after and cherished pianists of our time, performing in almost every major international music hall and alongside countless orchestras.
Celebrating the Spring Festival in the Forbidden City
Forbidden City. Until Sun 7 Apr. 40RMB.
The Palace Museum, and the Forbidden City in general, will celebrate the Year of the Pig with a special showcase of art, historical relics and traditional decorations. Learn more about the history and significance of the Spring Festival.
Beauty in Landscape
NAMOC. Until Sun Feb 24. Free.
Head to NAMOC this Spring Festival and discover over 300 works from around the country. Using 'Beauty in Landscape' as the main theme, the exhibition showcases the beautiful natural and spiritual scenery of China.
Photo Exhibition: The Last Ladies with Bound Feet
Café Zarah. Until Wed 13 Mar. Free.
During the nineteenth century, it was estimated that around half of all Chinese women had bound feet, but the practice was outlawed after the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1912. Despite this, it continued for a while, not only in remote areas but also in big cities like Beijing, though has largely disappeared in the last century. But you can still find older ladies who suffered tremendously in the pursuit of the 'perfect' little foot. This exhibition shares some of the stories of the very last ladies left with bound feet, as told to Cameron Hack, the photographer behind Humans of China.
Qiu Zhijie: Mappa Mundi
UCCA. Until Sun 5 May. 60RMB.
With a background in calligraphy, Chinese artist Qiu Zhijie makes stunning ink maps, taking elements of traditional topographical and spatial maps and using them to explore connections between different ideas, individuals and incidents, weaving them together, and offering a possibility for understanding them in relation to each other.
For more great things to do in Beijing this month, hit 'Read more' below.
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