Culture Yard
Dongcheng, Beijing
A candle-lit hutong school near the Lama Temple running cooking, kung fu, calligraphy, and tea workshops for foreigners.
Culture Yard is a restored courtyard school tucked beside the Lama Temple, and it has become Beijing's most loved home for expat and traveler workshops: dumpling masterclasses, tai chi at dawn in the temple grounds, brush painting, and tea tastings.
What sets it apart is intimacy - classes cap at a handful of people, teachers work one-on-one, and the courtyard itself is the classroom. Sessions run year-round, in English, and book out weeks ahead for the festival specials like mooncake-making at Mid-Autumn.
Best for: Small hutong workshops with teachers who remember your name.
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