Event Details
WHAT: Author Paul French will lead an RASBJ excursion to the evocative Bussiere's Garden in the hills of western Beijing (in-person).
WHEN: Sunday March 15. Bus leaves 10:15 AM from the Intercontinental Hotel Sanlitun, and is slated to return there at 4:30 PM. Bussiere's Garden is about an hour's drive from Beijing's CBD.
WHERE: The bus to Bussiere's Garden departs from and returns to the Intercontinental Hotel Sanlitun, also known as the Beijing Sanlitun Tongying Center Intercontinental Hotel ๅไบฌไธ้ๅฑฏ้็ไธญๅฟๆดฒ้ ้ ๅบ. #1 South Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Tel: 6530 8888. Bussiere's Garden is located in Haidian District, western Beijing). We will stop for a simple lunch in a village near Bussiere's Garden.
MORE ABOUT THE EVENT: The story of Bussiere's Garden โ and of the man who built it, Jean Jerome Augustin Bussiere (1872-1958) โ- cuts a wide arc through Chinese history. For more than three decades the hillside enclave was home to French doctor Bussiere, and today it remains an example of cultural heritage protection and distinctive architecture, of the legacy of wartime struggle, and of international connections. Paul will bring to life Bussiere's social circle, including the salons he held at the rural redoubt, attracting European poets and paleontologists, adventurers and archeologists. The compound was also Bussiere's base in the 1930's, when the Japanese occupation exacerbated a severe shortage of medical supplies. Usually riding a bicycle, Bussiere smuggled precious medicines โ- often many dozens of kilometers over treacherous terrain โ- to his retreat, where it was picked up by Chinese guerillas. After Bussiere and his Chinese wife Wu Sidan returned to France in 1954, Bussiere's Garden was left untended for half a century. Local authorities renovated it in 2013; portions were restored very recently. Displays include numerous photographs donated by Bussiere's French-born son Jean-Louise Bussiere, with whom Paul has been in touch.
NOTE: Please wear clothing appropriate for the weather and sturdy footwear; you may wish to bring a hat and/or sunscreen. Walking is on steps/walkways made of wood, stone or pavement. Those wishing to see all the buildings will have to walk a fair way uphill/downhill; the site is not conducive for visitors with challenged mobility; it is not wheelchair-accessible. Buildings are on two levels; the first has a modest exhibition with trilingual captions, a Tibetan-style watchtower which had been Bussiere's clinic, and restrooms; some may wish to stay on this level while others keep walking up. The higher, second level -- Bussiere's former living quarters -- is about 200 stair treads above the first level. Based on a pedometer, RASBJ's team walked a total of some 5,000 steps each on a site visit (depending on individual size/tread).
MORE ABOUT THE SPEAKER: British author Paul French produces articles, interviews and podcasts about a range of China-related subjects. He specialises in books about modern Chinese history and contemporary Chinese society, including "City of Devils: A Shanghai Noir", the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning "Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China", "Carl Crow: A Tough Old China Hand", and "Through the Looking Glass: China's Foreign Journalists from Opium Wars to Mao". His most recent book is "Her Lotus Year: The Roaring Twenties, China, and the Making of Wallis Simpson".
HOW MUCH: Cost is RMB 380 for members and RMB 480 for non-members. Seats are limited, and RASBJ members enjoy priority. The fee includes bus transport departing from and returning to the Intercontinental Hotel Sanlitun, entry tickets, bottled water and lunch at a simple rural restaurant offering pork and/or egg-and-veg jiaozi and -- if we're lucky -- beggar's chicken. Children are welcome, at full price if they take a seat on the bus. Payment by Alipay may be easier than by WeChat. Credit cards are also accepted. Interested in becoming an RASBJ member? Please sign up at https://rasbj.org/membership
HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT: No later than March 12, please click "Register" or "I Will Attend" and follow the instructions, which will include providing your WeChat ID so that you can receive last-minute information and important updates! After successful registration, you will receive a confirmation email. If you seem not to have received it, please check your spam folder. If any payments owed are not received by Mar 10, the affiliated registration will be suspended.
Ticket purchases are limited to one per person and will be allocated in order of receipt of payment. Early booking is advised. If the event becomes fully booked, and you nonetheless wish to attend if possible, please sign up for the waiting list and you'll be contacted if something opens up. Regrets in advance if not everyone can be accommodated; Paul's events are popular!
REFUND POLICY: AND LIAIBILITY DISCLAIMER If the event is cancelled or postponed by RASBJ, all registrants will receive refunds in full. Participants in RASBJ events are asked to please wear appropriate footwear and clothing during the event, and to adhere to safety instructions or other codes of conduct. Please also bear in mind the physical requirements of participating in the event; participation in events and excursions is at your own risk. RASBJ accepts no liability for loss or damage, including personal injury or damage to property.
