Spring has sprung

A Ming dynasty emperor once chose Beijing's picturesque Silver Mountain area as the location for his tomb, much to the ire of the locals. In an effort to prevent the tomb from being built, the residents renamed their villages with dark and scary names, such as Ghost and Blood, to scare the emperor away.

Today, this large scenic spot, only about 30 km northeast of Changping district in Beijing, is attracting new interest from city folk.

Aside from the obligatory trip to the Great Wall, visitors to Beijing rarely stray beyond the Second Ring Road, although the capital's municipality encompasses more than 10,000 sq km.