My Graced Journey: Beijing & The Great Wall of China

Friday, 15 July 2005

Beijing & The Great Wall of China

One week in Beijing

July 2005

I just recovered from injuring my ankle in an accident where I nearly severed it whilst attempting to cross a flooded underpass near Dongguan, in order to reach my student for her tutoring session on time. I spent 3 days in a hospital in Houjie, and then a week or so at home, and my employer graciously suggested that I take a needed break and do something fun. I booked a local one-week tour to Beijing, the only downfall was that it would be in Chinese and that I would be the only foreigner on this tour. Our tour party boarded a plane in Guangzhou and flew to Beijing for a one week tour of Beijing and its surroundings, including the Great Wall of China. I was treated like a celebrity by my fellow Chinese tour group and had a great time with them discovering the sites and sounds of the capital.

About Bejing

Being the capital of the People's Republic of China, Beijing is the nation's political, economic, and cultural center. Located in north China, close to the port city of Tianjin and partially surrounded by Hebei Province, it also serves as the most important transportation hub and port of entry.

As one of the six ancient cities in China, Beijing has been the heart and soul of politics throughout its long history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore the city's ancient past and exciting modern development. Now it has become one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, with about 140 million Chinese tourists and 4.4 million international visitors in a year.

More about Beijing

View of the Forbidden City from Jingshan Park

Jingshan Park

Jingshan Park is a public park covering 23 hectares (57 acres) immediately north of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. The focal point is the artificial hill Jingshan, literally "Prospect Hill".[3] Formerly a private imperial garden attached to the grounds of the Forbidden City, the grounds were opened to the public in 1928. The park was formally established in 1949. It is listed as a Key State Park and is administratively part of both Xicheng and the Dongcheng districts in downtown Beijing.

Jingshan Park

Exploring Jingshan Park

The view of the forbidden city from Jingshan Park

Beihai Park

Beihai Park is a public park and former imperial garden located in the north-western part of the Imperial City of Beijing. It was first built in the 11th century, and is among the largest of all Chinese gardens. It contains numerous historically important structures, palaces, and temples. Since 1925, the place has been open to the public as a park. The park covers an area of more than 69 hectares, with a lake that covers more than half of the entire park. Beihai literally means "Northern Sea". (Wikipedia)

At Beihai Park

Forbidden city

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty—from 1420 to 1912. It is located in the center of Beijing and now houses the Palace Museum. It served as the home of emperors and their households as well as the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for almost 500 years (Wikipedia). The emperor was the only male allowed. The rest of the population were women or eunuchs.

Palace museum

Forbidden City - Chu Xiu Gong (Palace of Gathering excellence)

Forbidden City

Forbidden City

At the Emperor's palace - Forbidden city

Emperor's palace - Forbidden city

Palace museum

Soldiers changing guard - Forbidden city

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen ("Gate of Heavenly Peace") located to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. The square contains the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China in the square on October 1, 1949 (Wikipedia).

Guard on duty right outside the Forbidden city gate,
that gives access to Tiananmen square

View of the Forbidden City from Tiananmen square

View of the Forbidden City from Tiananmen square

The Chinese tour group I traveled with from Guangdong province,
(where I was teaching English) & the Forbidden City in the background

At one of the gates of the Forbidden City

Tiananmen square - The mausoleum where Mao Tse Dong's body lies entombed

The Great Hall of the People

The Great Hall of the People (Rénmín Dàhuìtáng) is located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square, Beijing. It is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China. It functions as the meeting place of the National People's Congress, the Chinese parliament.

Tiananmen square - Great hall of the People

The Shanghai room - Great hall of the People interior

Many of the ancillary rooms are named after regions of China and decorated in the local style.

The Beijing room - Great hall of the People interior

The ceiling of the main auditorium of the Great Hall of the People

Tiananmen square - The countdown clock for the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Beijing alleys

Old parts of Beijing - for the poorer classes

Old Beijing

Beijing bicycle

Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)

Situated in the Haidian District northwest of Beijing. It is the largest and most well-preserved royal park in China, and greatly influences Chinese horticulture and landscape with its famous natural views and cultural interests. It has long been recognized as 'The Museum of Royal Gardens'. The construction started in 1750 as a luxurious royal garden for royal families to rest and entertain. It later became the main residence of royal members in the end of the Qing Dynasty (Travelchinaguide: online).

Summer Palace - Beijing

Summer Palace, Beijing

The bridge that spans across Kunming lake - Summer Palace, Beijing

Buildings next to Kunming Lake

The Marble boat at the Summer Palace -
The Empress Dowager paid for its extravagant construction with funds,
which was actually meant for the modernization of the Imperial Navy.
The main structure of the boat is made of wood and painted white to look like marble.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. It winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains, and plateaus, stretching approximately 21,196 kilometers from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2,000 years, some of the Great Wall sections are now in ruins or have disappeared. However, the Great Wall of China is still one of the most appealing attractions all around the world owing to its architectural grandeur and historical significance (Travelchinaguide: online).