2．传统文化荟萃地

2．传统文化荟萃地

北京不仅是中国的政治经济中心，还是传统文化的会聚地。这里有独具特色的京剧艺术，有以“全聚德”为代表的饮食文化，有以“同仁堂”为代表的中药文化，等等。

京剧是中国的国粹，至今已有200多年的历史了，是在全国流行的重要剧种之一。早在清朝乾隆年间，原来在南方演出的四个徽调班社，相继来到京城演出，后来同来自湖北的汉调艺人合作，在徽戏和汉戏的基础上，又吸收了昆曲、秦腔和一些民间戏曲的部分剧目、曲调和表演方法，逐渐演变发展成了今天的京剧。京剧自产生以来，曾有过乱弹、簧调、京簧、京二簧、二簧（二黄）、大戏、平剧、京戏等许多名称。京剧表演讲究唱、念、做、打并重，重视情景交融、声情并茂，而且京剧角色的行当划分也比较严格，大体上可以分为生、旦、净、丑四个行当，各个行当都有相对应的角色，角色形象鲜明、栩栩如生。京剧在200多年的发展过程中有上千个传统剧目，比较著名的曲目有《将相和》、《群英会》、《空城计》、《贵妃醉酒》、《拾玉镯》、《打渔杀家》等。另外，独具特色的京剧脸谱，也逐渐成为一种具有民族特色的、以人的面部为表现手段的图案艺术了。

“全聚德”是中华著名老字号，始建于清朝同治年间，已经有140多年的历史了，凭借其独具特色的饮食文化和餐饮品牌享誉海内外。

前门全聚德烤鸭店，是“全聚德”的起源店，有“天下第一楼”的美称。当年，位于老北京前门的“全聚德”聘请名厨，将宫廷御膳“挂炉烤鸭”这一佳肴引入民间。“全聚德”烤鸭经过不断发展完善，形成了“外形美观，颜色鲜艳，鲜香味美”的特点。另外，它的传统风味菜“全鸭席”、“鸭珍系列”及百余种特色菜也都深受人们的欢迎。

同仁堂创办于清朝康熙年间。他的创办人乐尊育几代人都以行医卖药为业，他立志提高中药的质量，治病救人，于是就在前门外开办了一家制药作坊，这就是最初的“同仁堂”。

同仁堂前边是店，后边是作坊，自制自卖。同仁堂一向注重药材的质量，有些药品制作虽然繁琐，但不省去任何一道工序；有些药材很贵，亦不减少应有的药量。因此，在社会上享有很高声誉。在清朝时同仁堂专门为清宫御药房提供中药，连皇帝、后妃吃的药也是同仁堂制作的。另外，同仁堂还经常向穷人施舍棉衣、发放药品，获得了社会的赞誉。

景泰蓝又叫珐琅，是一种瓷铜结合的美术工艺品，起源于元朝时的北京，在中国已有500多年的历史了。因为其釉料颜色以孔雀蓝和宝石蓝为主，所以称为景泰蓝。最初的景泰蓝大多是仿古的青铜器皿，现存最早的景泰蓝是元代的产品。景泰蓝的制作运用了青铜工艺和瓷器工艺，同时又引进了传统的绘画、雕刻技术。景泰蓝品种繁多，造型优美，色彩逼真，风格多样，是具有中国民族特色的传统工艺美术品。

景泰蓝产品既可以供收藏欣赏，又可以作为日常使用，大到大厅屏风和板凳桌椅，小到筷子、耳环、烟具等，既是人们喜欢的居室装饰工艺品，也是赠送国际友人、亲朋好友的民族旅游文化艺术品。

2. Cultural Relics

Beijing is not merely a national political and economic center but also a land of cultural treasures among which are the famous Peking opera, Quanjude roast duck and Tongrentang traditional Chinese medicine.

Peking opera, one of different types of dramas prevailing in today's China, has a history of more than two hundred years and is honored as the quintessence of the Chinese culture. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty, four drama performing troops from Anhui province came to Beijing and acted with performers from Hubei. When they performed, they incorporated some melodies and acts from other types of dramas such as Kunqu and Qinqiang, gradually giving shape to today's Peking opera which was once known for many different names such as Luantan, Huangdiao, Jinghuang, Jing Erhuang, Erhuang, the grand drama, Pingju, Jingxi. There are four main types of characters including Sheng (the main male role in Peking opera), Dan (any female role), Jing (a painted face male role), and Chou (a male clown role). In Peking opera, the performers employ the skills of singing, speaking, pantomiming and fight miming to present a lively story to the audience. After more than two hundred years of development, now there are more than one thousand traditional plays. Among the famous are The Compromise between the General and the Chancellor, A Gathering of Heroes, An Empty City, The Drunken Beauty, Picking up a Jade Bracelet, The Fisherman's Revenge, etc. Now the unique ways of painting the performers' faces have become one type of national art.

Quanjude is a time-honored food brand. Created during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi of the Qing dynasty and having stood the test of more than 140 years, now the brand enjoys a high reputation both in and out of China.

The Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant situated at Qianmen is where the brand was created and is honored as "the best restaurant". Back in the Qing dynasty, the restaurant hired cooks of fame and started to roast ducks by hanging them in a furnace as was done in the imperial kitchen. This brought the brand instant success and fame among ordinary people. After a hundred years of improvement, now Quanjude roast duck, tempting both in color and taste, arouses the appetite of gastronomes from all over the country. In addition, more than a hundred traditional dishes made from the different parts of ducks are spoken highly of as well.

Tongrentang traditional Chinese medicine is another brand created in the reign of Emperor Kangxi. Born into a family of doctors, the founder of the brand opened a medicine workshop at today's Qianmen in a bid to provide patients with high-quality medicine. Quality was always the number one priority in his workshop. No matter how complicated a medicine making process was, any tiny step wouldn't be omitted; no matter how expensive a raw medicinal material was, the amount required was precise. Thus, the brand soon established a high reputation and became a medicine provider for the Royal Drugstore in the Imperial Palace of the Qing dynasty. A even more creditable act is that the workshop constantly gave away cotton-padded clothes and medicine to help the ordinary people.

Jingtailan or Cloisonné, also known as enamel, is one type of artistic handicraft made of both porcelain and copper. Originated in the Yuan dynasty, Jingtailan making in Beijing has a history of more than five hundred years. The handicraft is named Jingtailan ("Lan" in Chinese literally means "blue") because the glaze used is mainly of the peacock blue and the sapphire blue. The process of producing a cloisonné is a combination of bronze ware making, porcelain making, painting and carving. Though most of the earliest cloisonné products are household utensils, currently there are a wide variety of products, ranging from screens to desks and chairs, from chopsticks to earrings, all gracefully designed and colorfully glazed.

Artistic handicraft of a strong Chinese flavor, Jingtailan products can be used for artistic appreciation or for daily use. They are also a good choice as gifts for friends and relatives.