[by Teo Cheng Huat , Beijing]
Gubei Water Town Situated in Gubeikou Town
of Miyun County in Beijing, Gubei Water Town surrounds the beautiful Mandarin
Duck Lake Reservoir and leans against the Simatai Great Wall, the most
dangerous and majestic section of the entire Great Wall. Regarded as ‘Wuzhen in
Beijing’, Gubei Water Town boasts a combination of mountains, water and ancient
villages. Most buildings are reconstructed in the traditional courtyard style,
this water town has developed into a large-scale sightseeing and holiday
destination. Covering an area of 3.5 square miles (9 square kilometers), the
holiday resort includes two scenic districts, the Gubei Water Town and the
Simatai Great Wall.
This town possesses an old-fashioned
simplicity and elegance. Row upon row of houses, old quartzite streets and long
Hutongs show the style and features of the old town. River channels are
scattered between streets; houses near the river are bathed in sunlight.