Only 60 km away from China`s huge capital Beijing there is this lovely little village called Chuandixia. This village is known for its well preserved 689 Ming and Qing dynasty-style houses owned by 76 families.

These houses are built on the side of a hill. surrounded by mountains and forests. Steep stairs and lanes paved with rocks are simple and unadorned.

The village was rated as a village of great tourist value and has been placed under national level cultural relics protection. It is a great place to take photos. Almost every family at the village now receives tourists.

The village is also near spots like Shuanglong Gorge. with its rivers and falls. the Pearl Lake and the Longmenjian grand canyon.

To get there: take bus 929 from Pingguoyuan subway station to Chuandixia village.
Tel: 010-6981-9333

The stadium will host the main track and field competitions form the 2008 Summer Olympics,as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.The stadium can seat as many as 91,000 spectators during the Olympics.The capacity will then be reduced to 80,000 after the Games.It has replaced the original intended venue of the Guangdong Olympic Stadium.the stadium is 330 meters long by 220 meters wide,and is 69.2 meters tall.The stadium uses 258,000 square meters of space and has a usable area of 204,000 square meters.It was built with 36 km of unwrapped steel,with a combined weight of 45,000 tons.The stadium will cost up to 3.5 billion Yuan.

The National Stadium is dubbed the “Bird’s Nest” because ofits innovative grid formation.The twig-like structural elements and the bowl-shaped roof are the masterpiece of the project,yet they pose great challenges to technicians and workers who need to make the building stand on its own feet.The constructors have made decisive efforts to let the “Bird’s Nest” support its own weight without relying on any of the supporting structures.

The large steel skeleton of the project weights 42,000 tons,with the roof and the hanging parts around it accounting for 11,2000 tons.To bear such a heavy load,78 supporting structures were temporarily installed and distributed in different points under stress.Through accurate calculation and careful argumentation,experts came to understand that the unloading process of the supporting frameworks should be divided into seven steps and each step should abide by the sequence of outer circle,middle circle,inner circle,middle circle and innercircle.In other words,35 mini-steps are needed to complete the whole process.

To unload a supporting structure,or to load the insitu steel skeleton,a lifting jack is used.Jacking pads with a height of 100mm to 200mm are placed on the top of the supporting structures.When the lifting jack rises,it replaces the structure to bear the load of the steel skeleton,and a jacking pad is removed.Then the jack descends slowly to give the remaining load again to the column,thus repeating a total of 35 times until the steel skeleton is able to bear its own weight.

Accuracy is required during the process.The maximum descent of the outer circle is limited to  68-286mm,the middle circle 161-178mm and inner circle 208-286mm.If the descent of the steel structure,which relies on its own supporting capability,exceeds the extent,or cracks appear somewhere in the skeleton,then problems might exist in the design,manufacturing or construction stages in the past three years.In a word,the unloading process is a proof of “the Bird’s Nest” Quality.

The newly revitalised Fairmont Peace Hotel Shanghai will offer approximately 269 deluxe guestrooms and suites with a selection of eight restaurants and lounges. Included among these is the much-loved Jazz Bar, a Shanghai institution since the 1930s. In addition, a lobby lounge on the ground floor, a mezzanine-level sushi, wine and cigar bar as well as a heritage Chinese restaurant on the 8th floor and the Peace Grill Restaurants on the 9th floor will offer a new level of elegance and comfort befitting of today’s discerning travellers. The 9th floor will also host the famed Peace Hall, where the property’s iconic sprung-wooden dance floor still evokes memories of old Shanghai cabarets and gala parties.

Responsible for the entire renovation of the property formerly referred to as the ‘Premier Hotel of the Far East’ is the internationally acclaimed design firm, Hirsch Bedner Associates. Now in the final design stages, the Fairmont Peace Hotel is being brought back to life and transformed into an ultra-luxurious global icon for the 21st century.

A low-rise extension has been added to the rear of the hotel, housing guestrooms as well as a sky-lit swimming pool and spa. The famous ‘Nine Nations Suites’ will remain a feature of the new hotel; four of these (Indian, English, Chinese and American) will be preserved from the old Peace Hotel, while the French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and German suites will be redesigned in keeping with their original concepts. A presidential suite will occupy the 10th floor penthouse where the hotel’s flamboyant creator and former owner, Victor Sassoon, once lived.

In addition to the renovation of many elements of the building, which remain true to its historical integrity, the hotel will ensure a timeless reinterpretation of its glamorous 1920s and 1930s heyday, enabling it to sit alongside Fairmont’s impressive list of heritage hotels worldwide which include The Savoy, London and The Plaza, New York.

Please visit www.fairmont.com for further updates on the restoration.

Notes for editors:
A leader in the global hospitality industry, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is an extraordinary collection of luxury hotels, which includes iconic landmarks like Fairmont Le Ch?teau Frontenac in Québec City, Fairmont The Norfolk, Nairobi and London’s The Savoy, reopening in 2010. Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travellers can discover culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination. Situated in some of the most exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership programme.  Fairmont’s portfolio includes 56 distinctive hotels, with plans to develop over 25 new properties in the coming years in destinations as diverse as Shanghai, Morocco and Anguilla.

Fairmont is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with 91 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swiss?tel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.

For more information or reservations, please call 0845 071 0153 or visit www.fairmont.com. Images for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts are available on www.leonardo.com/fairmont. User name: Fairmont – password: media.

Address:
No.1 District 13 Heping Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Location:
To airport: 24km To railway station: 8km To downtown: 10km To exhibition: 3km Surrounding feature: Exhibition Center

Hotel Description:
COTO Modern Hotel is a perfect location for business, tourism, and leisure in Beijing. It takes only 20 minutes to the Beijing Airport. It is adjacent to CBD and many bus stations. Opened on Jan. 1st, 2006.

Check out at 12:00pm.
Unless upon request, the hotel will only keep the reservation till 18:00.
Price may be subject to surcharge during peak periods.
Above price includes service charge.

Facilities Hotel:
Business Center Laundry Beauty Salon Car Rental Parking Meeting Rooms Chess Room Massage (Foot/Traditional/etc.) Ticket Service

Hotel to Important Location :
To China International Exhibition Center about 2.78km,
To Beijing National Agricultural Exhibition Centre about 3.52km,
To The National Stadium(The Bird’s Nest) about 5.71km,
To Dongsi Road about 5.75km,
To Sanlitun Bar Street about 6.64km,
To The Forbidden City about 6.64km,
To National Aquatics Center(The Water Cube) about 6.71km,
To Beihai Park about 7.14km,
To Beijing Railway Station about 7.48km,
To Wangfujing Street about 7.66km,
To Beijing North Railway Station or Xizhimen Station about 8.07km,
To Dongyue Taoist Temple about 8.48km,
To The China World Trade Center about 8.66km,
To Beijing Exhibition Center about 9.55km,
To Tiananmen Square about 9.65km,
To Jianguomenwai Street about 9.9km,
To Xidan Business Street about 11.77km,
To Beijing West Station about 16.76km,
To Wukesong Indoor Stadium about 16.82km,
To Grand View Garden about 17.12km,
To Beijing South Railway Station about 17.42km,
To Beijing Capital International Airport about 20.43km,
To BeiJing NanYuan Airport about 26.77km,
To Badaling Great Wall about 52.05km,

Address:
No.25, North Taipingzhuang Road, Haidian District, Beijing(10 minutes to Zhongguancun)

Location:
Away from airport:25km
Away from Beijing train station:14km
Away from city center:12km
Away from Beijing exhibition center:5.5km

Hotel Description:
The hotel is located inside Zhongguancun science and technology zone. The transportation is convenient. The main building is consisted of a foreign-related 2 star hotel and office building. It covers an area of 14000square meters. The hotel has 3 type of rooms: standard rooms, suites, single rooms. The facilities of the hotel are complete: internet access, IDD phone, stalliate TV, central air-conditioner, air supply system, hot and cold water, elevator, central fire control system, therapeutic massage.

Check out at 12:00pm.
Unless upon request, the hotel will only keep the reservation till 18:00.
Price may be subject to surcharge during peak periods.
Above price includes service charge.
Extra bed :RMB50 per person.
breakfast : RMB5 per person.
The Room have net connector, gain access to the internrt is free of charge.

Facilities Hotel:

Hotel to Important Location :
To Beijing West Station about 4.59km,
To Beijing North Railway Station or Xizhimen Station about 4.59km,
To Beijing Exhibition Center about 6.14km,
To China International Exhibition Center about 6.87km,
To Beihai Park about 7.13km,
To The Forbidden City about 7.42km,
To The National Stadium(The Bird’s Nest) about 7.61km,
To Dongsi Road about 8.44km,
To Tiananmen Square about 9.02km,
To Xidan Business Street about 9.22km,
To Jianguomenwai Street about 9.22km,
To National Aquatics Center(The Water Cube) about 9.48km,
To Wangfujing Street about 9.5km,
To Beijing National Agricultural Exhibition Centre about 9.76km,
To Dongyue Taoist Temple about 12.48km,
To The China World Trade Center about 12.77km,
To Wukesong Indoor Stadium about 13.03km,
To Beijing West Station about 13.3km,
To Beijing Railway Station about 13.92km,
To Beijing South Railway Station about 14.19km,
To Grand View Garden about 14.26km,
To BeiJing NanYuan Airport about 23.97km,
To Beijing Capital International Airport about 27.89km,
To Badaling Great Wall about 54.89km,

The stadium will host the main track and field competitions form the 2008 Summer Olympics,as well as the opening and closing ceremonies.The stadium can seat as many as 91,000 spectators during the Olympics.The capacity will then be reduced to 80,000 after the Games.It has replaced the original intended venue of the Guangdong Olympic Stadium.the stadium is 330 meters long by 220 meters wide,and is 69.2 meters tall.The stadium uses 258,000 square meters of space and has a usable area of 204,000 square meters.It was built with 36 km of unwrapped steel,with a combined weight of 45,000 tons.The stadium will cost up to 3.5 billion Yuan.

The National Stadium is dubbed the “Bird’s Nest” because ofits innovative grid formation.The twig-like structural elements and the bowl-shaped roof are the masterpiece of the project,yet they pose great challenges to technicians and workers who need to make the building stand on its own feet.The constructors have made decisive efforts to let the “Bird’s Nest” support its own weight without relying on any of the supporting structures.

The large steel skeleton of the project weights 42,000 tons,with the roof and the hanging parts around it accounting for 11,2000 tons.To bear such a heavy load,78 supporting structures were temporarily installed and distributed in different points under stress.Through accurate calculation and careful argumentation,experts came to understand that the unloading process of the supporting frameworks should be divided into seven steps and each step should abide by the sequence of outer circle,middle circle,inner circle,middle circle and innercircle.In other words,35 mini-steps are needed to complete the whole process.

To unload a supporting structure,or to load the insitu steel skeleton,a lifting jack is used.Jacking pads with a height of 100mm to 200mm are placed on the top of the supporting structures.When the lifting jack rises,it replaces the structure to bear the load of the steel skeleton,and a jacking pad is removed.Then the jack descends slowly to give the remaining load again to the column,thus repeating a total of 35 times until the steel skeleton is able to bear its own weight.

Accuracy is required during the process.The maximum descent of the outer circle is limited to  68-286mm,the middle circle 161-178mm and inner circle 208-286mm.If the descent of the steel structure,which relies on its own supporting capability,exceeds the extent,or cracks appear somewhere in the skeleton,then problems might exist in the design,manufacturing or construction stages in the past three years.In a word,the unloading process is a proof of “the Bird’s Nest” Quality.