This week, Swedish actor Timothy – a National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts alum – traded stage lights for hutong lanterns in Beijing's White Dagoba Temple area. His 2026 citywalk reveals how ancient Chinese heritage and Scandinavian culture unexpectedly collide in the capital's backstreets.
Time Travel Through 8 Centuries
Timothy's route centered around the Yuan-dynasty stupa, where 13th-century Buddhist architecture meets 21st-century café culture. 'It's wild – one alley has mahjong-playing grandparents, next door there's matcha latte art,' he told us, snapping photos of persimmon-draped courtyard homes.
Surprising Nordic Connection
The biggest twist? Finding cardamom buns in a hutong bakery run by a Beijing-Swedish couple. 'Tasting lingonberry jam here felt like a hug from home,' laughed Timothy, who now stars in Mandarin-language operas. The walk concludes at a design shop fusing Chinese paper-cutting with IKEA-esque minimalism – proof that cultural mashups thrive in 2026's Beijing.
