In the heart of old Beijing are the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Home to many dynasties over many centuries, the Forbidden City was one of the world's most refined and sophisticated cities, housing the Chinese Emperor, thousands of his consorts, and untold numbers of support staff.
Fanciful animals guard several buildings in the city. My favorite was the mother lion who was pinning her tiny armored cub beneath her left paw - I think representing an analogy to the heir to the Dynastic throne.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Chinese Yuan
History, Travel, and Money converge in China whenever you pull out your wallet. China is a very robust cash based economy where people will often carry around huge sums rather than use credit cards or bank instruments.
Don't count on telling the different denominations by the person on the bill - Mao, still held in great esteem throughout the country, is on every single bill. Travel spots and pretty landscapes adorn the opposite sides.
Don't count on telling the different denominations by the person on the bill - Mao, still held in great esteem throughout the country, is on every single bill. Travel spots and pretty landscapes adorn the opposite sides.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Forbidden City Nightfall, Beijing
Mao looms large over the Forbidden City in Beijing. He also makes a strong appearance on every denomination of Yuan bills. The people's feelings about Mao seemed more sentimental and gentle to me than fearful or worshipful, though I didn't have a chance to ask many people about this.
The Forbidden City is closed at night but this scene was a very popular place to "hang out" and after dark this part of the street, opposite Tiananmen Square, was alive with strolling visitors to the heart of Biejing.
The Forbidden City is closed at night but this scene was a very popular place to "hang out" and after dark this part of the street, opposite Tiananmen Square, was alive with strolling visitors to the heart of Biejing.
Forbidden City Guard, China
An armored Lioness plays with her cub and guards one of the buildings in the Forbidden City, Beijing's amazing historic palace grounds opposite Tiananmen Square. Many Dynasties lived, loved and died inside the massive walls of the city in the heart of Beijing. The last emperor lived here until he was deposed by the nationalists under Sun Yat Sen, the father of modern China. Fanciful bronze creatures like this lion with her mate on the opposite side of the stairway were common inside the palace grounds.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Temple of Heaven, Beijing
Beijing's Temple of Heaven is where many dynasties would go to pray, making their way a few miles from the Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing.
Several spectacular buildings and a burial mound are surrounded by park filled with trees and cement pavers, out of which sprouts plants and grass.
The park is still a lively gathering place for locals to come to play cards, talk, and pray.
Several spectacular buildings and a burial mound are surrounded by park filled with trees and cement pavers, out of which sprouts plants and grass.
The park is still a lively gathering place for locals to come to play cards, talk, and pray.
Water Urn, Forbidden City, Beijing
These massive urns would hold water which could be used to put out fires in the wooden structures that comprise most of the buildings in Beijing's Forbidden City, home to many of China's dynasties including the last emperor until his overthrow by Sun Yat Sen and the nationalists around 1911.
Some of these urns were covered with about 2.2 kilos of gold leaf and showed signs of scratches as ancient looters scraped off the gold.
Some of these urns were covered with about 2.2 kilos of gold leaf and showed signs of scratches as ancient looters scraped off the gold.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Olympic Village, Beijing
The entrance to the Olympic Village complex in Beijing. After the games these apartments will be sold as residential housing in an area of Beijing that will be home to upscale shopping and neighborhoods. I'm not sure on the pricing of these apartments though it will be considerably less than the approximately $5 million US needed for a luxury apartment at Pangu Plaza which is very near the Olympic Village complex.
I'm here with my friend Kevin Wu, a Medford Dentist who grew up in Beijing.
I'm here with my friend Kevin Wu, a Medford Dentist who grew up in Beijing.
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