From seedy to sensational, from almost free to insanely pricey, there is a bar for you in Beijing! Check our section on bars and nightclubs where we feature a wide selection of places to relax, unwind and socialize. To find choices to suit any taste and/or budget, we wandered and drank our way through most of the city. With new locations opening every day and others packing up and moving on, you may not always find what we've written about, but you will no doubt find a place where fun is on the menu and the drink flows free (even if not cheap). Most bars don't charge entrance fee unless there are special performance. Dance clubs and discos charge RMB 10-100 for entrance, depending on the time and events.

KTV

KTV is wildly popular in China, where it is most often enjoyed with a group of friends or business associates, not in a bar with all the other patrons as in the West, but in one's own private (sometimes very large) room. Many KTV places have a good selection of English songs available. Don't be at all surprised to find Chinese people who cannot speak English able to belt out a famous English song pretty well. Decent KTV locations include Melody and Party world (featuring buffet style lunches and dinners as a part of their room rental fee)

Traditional Cultural Shows

Peking Opera ：

The world-famous Peking Opera, China's national opera style has been an integral part of Chinese culture for over 200 years. Originating from humble beginnings in rural communities, it was brought to the capital by the Qing Emperor Qianlong who, during these periodic inspections of the southern regions, discovered and fell in love with the vibrancy and life in performances there. As an 80th birthday gift to himself, he ordered local companies to perform for him and had the Anhui and Hubei groups incorporated into the palace opera. Thus, Peking Opera was born.

Peking opera is not only the style performed in Beijing today (enthusiasts can also find Kunqu, Pingju and many other styles), but it remains the one that touches people's hearts, and a trip to the city would not be complete without taking in a show.
Peking Opera's diverse ingredients-song, dance, martial arts, exotic facial make-up and outlandish costumes-form an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color an movement. Faces are painted to portray a character's personality, temperament and age. The female roles are called dan, male roles are sheng, and clowns are chou. Each role, according to their sex, age and disposition, is characterized by particular make-up, for example jing representing a rough, frank character and hualian representing a cruel or sinister character.
The costumes, make-up and extravagant traditional headdresses are cultural treasures handed down from generation to generation. It is a living tradition so important in the history of Beijing- a real treat for the eyes, ears and mind to enjoy a performance first-hand.

China Kung-Fu

Chinese Martial Arts known as Chinese Kung-fu by most of the foreigners, it is a traditional Chinese physical activity with thousands of years of history. As a precious element of China's cultural heritage, Chinese Kung-fu has also won its name all around the world for its broad and deep meanings and its Oriental features, which cover it with a mysterious veil.

A part of the holistic Oriental Civilization, Chinese Kung-fu is effective both in battle and in building physical strength. In addition, it unites with the traditional medicine concepts of human's main and collateral channels, Qi and blood. To conclude, as a crystallization of the wisdom gathered in the ancient Chinese lands, it allows people of any age to build up their bodies.

In modern times, Chinese Kung-fu was firstly introduced abroad to the United States by Chinese-American Kung-fu master Bruce Lee, whose agile movements in a series of his great movies swept American audiences off their feet. Thanks to the giant influence of the American movie industry, it soon swept across the world. The entire globe was enchanted by the magic act, starting the upsurge of interest in Chinese Kung-fu. From then on, Chinese Kung-fu learners can be found everywhere. Now, Lee's followers, Jacky Chan (Cheng Long) and Jet Lee (Li Lianjie) carry the baton pushing themselves to novel heights.

Kung fu films have popularized traditional Chinese martial arts throughout the world. Films such as “crouching tiger, hidden dragon”, “kung fu hustle” “hero” and “house of flying draggers” have excited Hollywood, scored big at the international box office, and have made a splash at awards ceremonies and film festivals around the world. And from these movies, Chinese kung fu stars Bruce Lee, Jacky Chan and Jet Lee have been heros in people's mind..