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Forbidden City
The Forbidden City situated exactly in the heart of the municipality was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The construction of the grand palace started in the fourth year of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1406) and ended in 1420. In the ancient time, the emperor claimed to be the son of the heaven and therefore their supreme power was conferred upon them from the heaven. Their residence on the earth was built as a replica of the Purple Palace where the God lived in the Heaven. Such divine place was certain forbidden for the ordinary people and it is why the Forbidden City is so called.
The museum is a real treasures house of Chinese cultural and historical relics, recognized as one of the most important five palaces in the world (the other four are the Palace of Versailles in France, the Buckingham Palace in the UK, the White House in the US and the Kremlin in Russia). The splendid architecture of the Forbidden City represents the essence and culmination of the traditional Chinese architectural accomplishment.
China Highlights provides a range of tours to explore China's capital city and Forbidden City. Follow the link for the most popular tour packages.
In 1961 the Palace Museum was listed as one of the important historical monuments under the special preservation by the Chinese central government and in 1987, it was nominated as the world cultural heritage by the UNESCO.
The Forbidden City is the best preserved imperial palace in China and the largest ancient palatial structure in the world.
The Forbidden City covers an area of about 72 hectares with a total floor space of approximately 150, 000 square meters. It consists of 90 palaces and courtyards, 980 buildings and 8,704 rooms. To represent the supreme power of the emperor from the God and the place where the he lived being the center of the world, all the gates, palace and other structures of the Forbidden City were arranged on both sides of the south-north central axis.
Forbidden City Travel Guide
Any tour of Berijing would be incomplete without a vist to the Forbidden City. See the range of tours offered at China Highlights.
Most travelers enter the Forbidden City from the Tian'anmen Gate. Through the gate, across a expansive brick - paved square, you will reach the main entrance to the palace, the Meridian Gate (Wumen in Chinese). The Meridian gate was the place where the Emperor announced the new lunar calendar on the winter solstice. Enter the Meridian Gate, and go across the Golden Stream Bridge you will arrive at the outer court. The Forbidden City falls into two parts: the outer court and the inner palaces.
The outer court is made up of three main buildings, the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian), the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian). These halls were where the emperors attended the grand ceremonies and conducted state affairs. The first hall waiting for you is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the most important and largest structure in the Forbidden City. The emperors' Dragon Throne (Longyi) is in this hall. Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian), the resting place of the emperor before presiding over grand events held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Emperors would rehearse their speeches and presentations here before departing to the Temple of Heaven for the sacrifice rites. The last hall is the Hall of the Preserving Harmony used for banquets and later for imperial examinations.
Out from the Hall of the Preserving Harmony, you will notice a huge block of marble carved with cloud and dragon designs. Go straight, and you will see another gate, called Gate of Heavenly Peace (Qianqingmen). This is the main gateway to the inner living court.
The inner court is composed of the three main structures at the rear of the Forbidden City, namely the Palace of Heavenly Peace (Qianqinggong), the Palace of Union and Peace (Jiaotaidian) and the Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility (Kunninggong). Besides the three main buildings there are the six eastern palaces and six western palaces, where the emperor used to handle every day affairs and was the living quarters for the emperor, expresses and concubines. Those palaces have been converted into exhibition halls, where a spectacular set of imperial collections is displayed.
The first structure inside the inner court is the Palace of Heavenly Peace, the emperors' sleeping quarters. Behind it is the Palace of Union and Peace, where the imperial seals were stored. The third hall is the Hall of Terrestrial Tranquility, the emperors' wedding room. Exiting and going further north, travelers will find the Imperial Garden. The garden offers an aesthetic change from the crimson and gray building complex to a colorful and luxuriant atmosphere. On the left side of the inner court, travelers will find the Mental Cultivation Hall (Yangxindian), the most important building except for the Hall of Supreme Harmony. From the time of the third emperor, Yongzhen, all the Qing emperors, 8 in total resided in this hall. The palaces on the eastern and western sides, the former residences of the concubines have been converted into exhibition halls.
The main exit gate of the Forbidden City is the Gate of Divine Might, behind the Imperial Garden.
For security the Forbidden City is enclosed by a 10 meter high city wall, which has a circumference of 3, 430 meters. At each corner of the Forbidden City, there stands a magnificent watchtower, which was heavily guarded in the past. Around the city there is a moat as the first line of defense.
Meridian Gate(Wu Men)
The Meridian Gate is the main entrance to the Forbidden City. It was called Meridian Gate because the emperor believed that the Meridian line went right through the Forbidden City and his imperial residence was the center of the cosmos. In addition, according to the ancient Chinese compass, the Meridian indicates the south, so the Gate also serves as the southern gate to the Forbidden City.
The Meridian gate was the place where the Emperor announced the new lunar calendar on the Winter Solstice (the first day of the 19th lunar month) each year. When ageneral returned from a battle, his captives would be "offered" to the emperor in a ceremony here, which was known as a victorious ceremony of "Accepting War Captives." Before this ceremony the Emperor would pay sacrifice to altars such as the Altar of Earth and Grain (in today's Zhongshan Park)and the Altar of Imperial Ancestry (today's Cultural Palace of the Working People), which are close to the Meridian Gate.
It is said that the capital punishment was carried out outside the Meridian gate but the there are no accurate records to verify this. Nonetheless the famous "Ting Zhang" or Court Beating (a penalty to punish those offending officials by beating them with heavy sticks on their hips) did take place in the courtyard in front of the gate.
It is recorded that in 1519, more than 130 officials tried to dissuade Emperor Zhu Hongzhao of the Ming Dynasty from going out to the south to select beautiful girls. The official's discouragement offended the Emperor and these officials were beaten and 11 of whom were even beaten to death on the spot. Fortunately, this cruel punishment was abolished in the following Qing Dynasty.
Through the Meridian Gate, across the Golden Stream Bridge is the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It was the highest and most important building throughout the nation during the Ming and Qing times.
Hall of Supreme Harmony(Taihe Hall)
Hall of Supreme Harmony is heart of the immense Forbidden City palace complex. It is the grandest and the most important building in the nation.
Hall of Supreme Harmony is translated to mean the Hall of Supreme Harmony and is also know as the "Hall of Gold Throne". The 35.5 meters high hall has a double-layered roof which represents the highest construction rank in the whole empire and thus is exclusively for the emperor. Covering a floor area of 2,377 square meters, the grand hall is the largest wooden structure in the world. No building in Beijing was allowed to be higher than it during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, because of its symbol of imperial power.
The Hall was used for grand ceremonies such as the Emperor's enthronement ceremony, the Emperor's wedding and the ceremony for conferring the Empress. During these occasions the Emperor came to the hall to receive congratulations from the civil and military officials. In addition, the Emperor met high-ranking officials and dispatched generals to the battles from this place.
The hall has a variety of furnishings for the exclusive use of the Emperor. The Emperor's throne was placed on a two-meter high white jade dais in the center which was adorned with gilt and engraved with patterns of clouds and nine dragons. The grand throne was surrounded by the six huge golden pillars, engraved with dragons representing the supreme dignities and power of the Emperor. Behind the throne was a carved gilt screen and on either side there are incense burners in the shape of the mythical unicorn signifying the obedience of all other kingdoms. In front of the dais, there stand several bronze vessels, turtle cranes and cloisonné incense burners which combined to carry the message of eternity of the empire. The gilded caisson ceiling high above the throne has a magnificent sculpture of a twisting dragon playing with a huge pearl called Xuanyuan Jing. This represented the orthodox succession of the emperor's divine power and was believed to be able to ward off evils for the emperor. The hall was built on a three-layered white jade platform. Below the balusters of the platform there are many marble dragon heads with open mouths. These beautiful sculptures also have practical usage: water discharge. In front of the hall is a huge white marble sculpture with a picture called Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl. The pearl is a symbol of good luck, while the two dragons represent the God in the Heaven and the Emperor himself. This picture tells everybody that the Emperor receives his divine power from God.
Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the Hall of Central Harmony.
Hall of Central Harmony(Zhonghe Hall)
Hall of Central Harmony is between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. It served as the resting place for the emperor before presenting the grand occasions held in the Taihe Hall. Emperors would rehearse their speeches and presentations here before their departures to the Temple of Heaven for the sacrifice rites.
This Hall was first constructed in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty however the original hall was devastated by fire and the one visitors see today was reconstructed during the Qing Dynasty.The Hall derived its name from the essence of the Confucianism after the renovations. The exterior of the hall takes the shape of a square. Inside the hall, on each side of the golden throne, stand two unicorns, symbolizing the emperors' talent and wisdom.
Go to visit the last one of the three main hall: Hall of Preserving Harmony.
The last one of the three main halls in the outer court, this is where the Emperor rested and changed clothes before departing for such important rites as selecting the Empress or Crown Prince. After the time of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Palace Exams were also held in this hall every three years. The palace exam was presided
over by the emperor himself and was the highest examination nationwide in feudal China. During the Qing Dynasty the Emperors held grand banquets to entertain the nobles from minority ethnic groups such as the Mongolians on the first and fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar year.
When exploring the three main halls in the Forbidden City, travelers may notice a number of large marble blocks or rocks on the road. The most impressive one is the huge marble ramp behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which was carved with cloud and dragons design. It is 16. 07 meters long, 3.07 meters in width and 1.7 meters in thickness, and weighs about 200 tons. This huge rock was quarried from Fangshan District, around 70 kilometers southwest of Beijing. On the ramp, the nine dragons fly behind the floating clouds representing the unity of the great empire and the Emperor's divine power granted by the God.
Out from the Hall of the Preserving Harmony, you will notice a huge marble carved with cloud and dragons design. Go straight, you will see another gate, called Gate of Heavenly Peace(Qianqingmen). This is the main gateway to the inner living quarters.
Gate of Heavely Peace is the main gateway to the inner living quarters of the Forbidden City. During the Qing Dynasty, a throne was placed at the gate for the emperor to give audience to the government officials. This showed the Emperor's great concern over the important national affairs. Upon entering the gate, the rooms on the east were study rooms for the Emperor's children while on the west were the offices of the court bodyguards and servants.
Passing through the Gate of Heavely Peace, you will arrive at the innner palaces. The first structure inside the inner court is the Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong) - the emperors' sleeping place.
Palace of Heavely Peace is the largest building of the three rear palaces. It was the palace where the Emperor slept. During the reigns of Emperor Shunzhi and Emperor Kangxi, this building functioned as an audience chamber for foreign envoys and high-ranking governmental officials. On such important occasions as the New Years Day, Lantern Festivals, Duanwu Festival, Mid-autumn Festival, Chongyang Festival, Winter Solstice and the birthday of the Emperor, he would be present here to receive the congratulations from his officials and provide a great feast in return.
The hall was also used as a place for the Emperor's body to lie in State after his death. During the Qing Dynasty, no matter where the emperor died, his coffin was carried to the capital and placed in the hall for several days for memorial ceremonies.
Behind the plaque hanging in the middle of the hall lays an important box, which could shape the destiny of the crown prince. From the time of the Emperor Yongzheng, the name of the Crown prince who had been chosen to succeed the Emperor would be written in duplicate documents. One copy was kept by the Emperor while the other one was sealed in the box and placed behind the plaque. If the names on each copy were the same, the designated prince could ascend to the throne. Hiding the crown prince's name was supposed to avoid the usurpation of the throne and the idea seemingly worked. The fierce scramble for the throne declined to a minimum during the later Qing times.
Behind the Palace of Heavenly Peace is Palace of Union and Peace(Jiao Tai Dian), where the imperial seals were stored．
This was the place where the empress held the important ceremonies for the New Year Day and her birthday.
In 1748, Emperor Qianlong kept 25 imperial seals in this hall in the hope of his empire lasting 25 reigns to surpass the East Zhou Dynasty, the longest dynasty in China. Now the 25 imperial seals are displayed in the Treasure House of the Forbidden City.
Additionally there is a water clock on the eastern side of the palace. It is China's most outstanding timepiece from ancient times.
On the western of the building there stands a large chiming clock. The clock was cast in 1798 over 200 years but is still in good working order.
Go to see the Hall of Terrestrial Tranquility ( Kunninggong) to have a look at what the spoiled emperors' wedding room looks like.
Kunning Hall was built during the Ming Dynasty and reconstructed during the early Qing time. It served as the sleeping place for the Empresses.
The Manchu Qing rulers were not satisfied with the palace in its Han style and rebuilt it to the current Manchu's style to replicating their palaces in Shenyang which was their capital before their entry to central China.
It was in this palace that the last Ming Empress hanged herself after the Peasant Rebellion ransacked the capital.
The two chambers at the eastern end were used as the Emperor's wedding rooms during the Qing Dynasty and generations of Qing emperors lived there for a few days after their wedding. The chambers were painted in red, embodiment of happiness and good luck.
After having visited so many palaces and halls, you may want to have an aesthetic change. Head for the Imperial Garden to enjoy a refreshing rest.
During the Qing Dynasty, this hall was probably the most important building except for the Hall of Supreme Harmony. From the time of the third emperor Yongzhen, all the Qing emperors: 8 in total resided there. The emperor also conducted the state affairs and held private audiences in the hall.
The first Emperor of the Qing Dynasty-Shunzhi died there. The hall was later converted to the imperial workshop, manufacturing all the necessities for royal use during the Kangxi reign.
It served as the emperor's sleeping place from the time of Emperor Yongzheng.
The Western Warmth Chamber at the western end was the emperor's study was used by the Emperors to read the presentations from their ministers and to conduct private audiences with high officials.
At the end of the complex are five bedrooms. The biggest middle room was for the Emperor and the four surrounding rooms were used by the Empresses and concubines who were ready to be summoned to attend the emperor.
During the reign of Emperor Tongzhi and Guangxu, the eastern chamber of Yang Xin Dian gained special political significance. It was here that Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an gave audiences behind the screen and began their intervention in national affairs. This is the notorious "Power behind the Throne" or "Holding Court behind the Curtain" in Chinese history.
After having visited so many palaces and halls, you may want to have an aesthetic change. Head for the Imperial Garden to enjoy a refreshing vision.
Exiting the Kun Ning Gong and going further north, travelers will find the Imperial Garden. The garden is connected with the six palaces on both sides of the central axis of the Forbidden City. The rectangular Imperial Garden is 90 meters long from north to south and 130 meters wide from west to east, with a land expanse of about 11, 700 square meters. The Garden contains more than 20 different buildings in different styles: pavilions, terraces, towers and rockeries.
The garden offers an aesthetic change from the crimson or gray building complex to a colorful and luxuriant atmosphere. Qin An Dian, or the hall of Imperial Peace is built exactly on the central axis. It is a Taoist temple and houses a statute of the Xuan Wu King. The Great King Xuan Wu was believed to be the God of Water that could prevent the whole City from catching fire.
The Duixiu Hill or Hill of Piling Beauties was the place that the Emperor and his Empress climbed during the Chongyang Festival (one of the important traditions of the festival is to clime a hill to view the scenery in the distance). The Imperial Garden has become a very popular place where tourists take a rest and take photos before they exit the Forbidden City.
These halls at either side of the palace complex display traditional Chinese artwork, porcelain wares, bronze wares, watches, clocks, brush paintings, calligraphies, and other valuable treasures. Among these exhibition rooms, two are the most popular: the Clock and Watch Exhibition Hall (in the eastern part of the inner court), and the Exhibition Hall of Treasures (in the northeast of the inner court).
Collections inside the immense complex cover all the possible categories of artifacts from ancient times and they rank number 1 in terms of distinction, variety and quantity. These historical relics are of great historical and tourist value. They rekindle a sense of historical continuity among all the changes over China's over 5,000 years of civilizations. About 85% of the 1,500,000 exhibits are the arts of work from the Qing court. The ancient treasures carry the weight of Chinese tradition and are the embodiment of China's glorious history.
Relics displayed at the Beijing Forbidden City Exhibition Halls only part of the original imperial collections and another part was removed to Taiwan during the civil war and is now on display at the Taibei Forbidden City Museum.
The Office of Privy Council is at the southern end of the Qianqingmen Gate. The office was first set up during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng in 1729 to deal with urgent military affairs at a time when the Qing troops were fiercely fighting against the Mongolians in Northern China. The office was later strengthened and converted into the political heart ranking even higher than the cabinet in terms of power.
It was a very secret place. Only the Emperors and officials who were involved in the official matters were permitted and all other people were banned from approach. People who had to pass were not permitted to linger in the area.
The Zhen Concubine Well was the place where the Zhen Concubine of Emperor Guangxu was drowned.
Zhen Concubine means Brilliant Concubine. Emperor Guangxu's most favored lady was very talented and intelligent. She encouraged the Emperor to endorse political reform to strengthen his country. Unfortunately, the reform was later suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi because it contradicted with her interests. Cixi constantly
prosecuted Zhen Concubine and had her jailed. In 1900, after the Eight Foreign Allies invaded Beijing, the Dowager before fleeing the capital with the emperor ordered the eunuchs to throw the concubine into the well. The well was given the name of Zhen Concubine Well.
Layout of this hall is quite similar to that of the Qianqinggong Hall as it has towering eaves. The building complex was believed to have been built for Emperor's Qianlong's later years after his abdication. The Hall was left empty nearly for a century after Emperor Qianlong's death. The Dowager Empress Cixi used to receive the foreign envoys and enjoy the performances by folk opera troupes in the hall. After her death, her coffin was placed here for the memorial ceremony.
Badaling Great Wall, is located more than 70 kilometers northwest from the center of Beijing City, with more than 1000 meters above sea level, occupies a commanding and strategic position. Badaling is the best-preserved section of the Beijing Great Wall. 370 foreign leaders and very important persons have come to climb Badaling successively. It is a defensive outpost of the Great Wall. It is called "Bada" as it stretches in all directions.
Badaling Great wall was built in the 18th year of the Ming Hong Zhi reign (1505). The wall, built with high stone slabs on the outside, is 7.8 meters high on the average, some even reaches 8.4meters. The base of the wall was built with more than 2000 large rectangular slab of granite stones. It is about 6.5 meters wide on the average at its base and 5.7 meters wide on the average on the ramparts. The wall is wide enough for five horses to gallop abreast and ten people to advance shoulder to shoulder. The outside of the wall is called rampart wall. The rampart wall was built with bricks 1.7 meters high. Built for the purpose of defense, there are holes on the tip of the wall called watch-hole, and peepholes under the wall called embrasures. Inside of the wall, there are low walls with one meter high called parapets, which can be used as railings. There is a scroll door not far from the inside wall, with is a stone ladder for climbing up and down. The wall is narrow on the top and broad on the bottom forming an adder-shape structure. This made the wall stands firmly on the rise and fall ridges. The wall was built with 10-14 rectangular slab of stones surrounding its outside, filled with soilsand stones in the middle, and paved with square bricks on the top between the bricks were stuck with lime stones. This makes the wall tidy, beautiful, and firm. There are gutters with gargoyles to drain rain-water off the parapet wall.
The landscape of Badaling Great Wall changes every season, with numerous scenery to catch your attention. A sunlit and enchanting scene of spring, with the valley covered with greens. When the rain from mountain comes, the vista will look vast and hazy. The sky in autumn is high with unsoiled stratosphere, while the maple forest is dyed in golden colour. White snow covers the whole scene in winter.
The Summer Palace, in the Haidian District, northwest of central Beijing, is said to be the best preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in modern China. It’s hardly surprising that, during the hot Beijing summers, the Imperial Family preferred the beautiful gardens and airy pavilions of the Summer Palace to the walled-in Forbidden City. Dowager Empress Cixi took up permanent residence here for a time, giving rise to some wonderful tales of extravagance and excess.
Although only a short drive (15 km) from central Beijing it seems like another world.
The Chinese call it Yihe Yuan (Garden of Restful Peace), and the landscaped gardens, temples and pavilions were designed to achieve harmony with nature, to soothe and please the eye. The park spreads across the low hills, including Longevity Hill, around Kunming Lake, and was is divided into three main zones (administration, living, and relaxation). The wonderful buildings and courtyards wander beside the lake, along the waterways and climb the low slopes of the hillside. The arched bridges, pretty promenades, decorated ‘corridors’ and breezeways all lead visitors through ever-changing views and scenery. Here the marvelous marble boat, there an old theatre, over there an island reached by small wooden boat, and in the distance the hills, with a temple on the hillside, framed by dark trees. Small wonder that UNESCO added this 300 hectare site to the World Heritage List in 1998.
UNESCO has this to say of the Summer Palace: “…a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value.”
Justification for Inscription
Criterion i: The Summer Palace in Beijing is an outstanding expression of the creative art of Chinese landscape garden design, incorporating the works of humankind and nature in a harmonious whole.
Criterion ii: The Summer Palace epitomizes the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design, which played a key role in the development of this cultural form throughout the East.
Criterion iii: The imperial Chinese garden, illustrated by the Summer Palace, is a potent symbol of one of the major world civilizations
Many of the buildings have been meticulously restored, and maintenance and restoration activities are ongoing. The current projects are due for completion in 2010, which means that from time to time one building or another may be temporarily closed to the public.
Most people find they spend at least half a day here, there’s so much to see and enjoy in the gardens, buildings and waterways. It does involve plenty of walking, so wear comfortable shoes and protection from the weather (sun or rain) and be prepared to be enchanted. There are many pleasant spots along the way to pause and enjoy this much-loved summer retreat, as well as places selling cool drinks and snacks. You can take a 10 minute boat-ride to see an island temple, sit and watch a traditional Chinese performance in the restored theatre (one of the three great traditional theatres in China), or explore the recreated traditional shops by the river, (the story goes that former Emperors, or their concubines, used to enjoy 'pretend-shopping'), enjoy the different buildings and courtyards, or just take in the views from one of the many vantage points.
The park falls naturally into several sections, each with its own distinct character. The palace buildings where Dowager Empress Cixi and Emperor Guangxu used to stay, and also to conduct the business of government, are in the Court area, near the East Palace Gate, and include a number of Halls, courtyards and displays. From here the paths run beside the lake (which takes up about 75% of the park), under shady trees or along the roofed breezeway known as the ‘Long Corridor’, with its magnificently painted ceilings. Bridges, island, boats, willows, lotus and attractive landscaping make this a pleasant place to soak up the atmosphere and take in the longer views.
Beside the lakeside paths the land rises to Longevity Hill, dotted with some superb Halls and temples and wonderfully decorated Gates. The energetic can climb the hill to the Buddhist Temple overlooking the entire area. The waterside path continues across bridges, past boathouses and the amazing Marble Boat, to an area of tranquil gardens, hillocks and winding paths. In this area the ‘Suzhou Market Street’ also recreates traditional riverside shops, many of which can only be reached by boat. The Summer Palace is one of the lovelier spots in Beijing. Not all the buildings are open to the public, but many are, and the others continue to enhance the park with their design and decoration, nestled into the landscape.
The gardens have twice been ransacked and restored. They were first developed by the Jin Emperors during the early 12th century. A hundred years later Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis) further enlarged the lake, adding more canals to bring water from the western hills to improve Beijing’s water supply.
Over the following centuries dynasties rose and fell while successive Emperors continued to improve the Qingyi (Clear Ripples) Garden.
In 1750, one of the great Emperors of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, Qianlong, summoned the best designers and landscapers in China to create what was to become one of the most beautiful estates in China. Around 100,000 workers reproduced the styles of different gardens and palaces from throughout the Empire. The lake, enlarged once more, was modelled on Hanzhou’s West Lake, with islands, temples and the magnificent 17-arch bridge. Qianlong also remodelled the Temple of Gratitude and Longevity in honour of his mother’s birthday, and the 'three hills and five gardens' became legendary throughout the country, famed for beautifully named gardens: Clear Ripples, Everlasting Spring, Perfection and Brightness, Tranquillity and Brightness, Tranquillity and Pleasure, along with Longevity Hill, Jade Spring Mountain, and Fragrant Hill.
Another hundred years or so and in 1860, during the Opium Wars, the Anglo-French forces ransacked the place, burning many of the buildings, destroying the gardens and plundering its treasures. However, some 20 years later the notorious arch-survivor, Dowager Empress Cixi, spent a colossal amount of money on restoration and reconstruction of the ‘new’ Summer Palace, using funds diverted from the Imperial Navy, courtesy of her brother-in-law once he was put in charge of the navy. Ironically, in another time Emperor Qianlong used to enjoy watching naval exercises on the lake, so he’s unlikely to have approved of either the embezzlement nor the fabulous marble (a nod to the funds’ source?). Unfortunately the Chinese navy suffered as a result in their engagements with the Japanese fleets during the Sino-Japanese war.
Cixi’s time in residence only added to the extravagant tales about her – there’s the courtyard where she walled up most of the exits to ensure that the reigning Emperor did not interfere with her iron grip on the government of the day; the banqueting halls where she required well over a hundred dishes to be prepared for any meal, just in case she wanted one of them, her beloved theatre, displays and reminders of the way most of her opponents died sudden and sometimes mysterious deaths. She is believed to have accumulated an incredible fortune in gold, antiques and jewels. Other historians claim that she was an astute politician in an impossible position, providing conservative rule during challenging times, but she was certainly a strong and remarkable woman who inspired many stories, histories, novels and films.
By the end of the 1800s tensions between the Chinese and foreigners exploded in the Boxer Rebellion; foreigners were under attach, and Beijing’s foreign treaty areas were besieged. Eight nations joined to defeat the Boxers, and because Cixi had supported them the Summer Palace was ransacked yet again, in 1900. The Imperial Family returned three years later, after signing a humiliating treaty, the Summer Palace and gardens were once more on the path to restoration.
The gardens were open to the public in 1911, with the birth of the Republic, although the last Emperor, Puyi, retained the use of private apartments City until 1924both here and in the Forbidden City, until he was expelled from the Imperial Palaces and took up residence in Tianjin. At this time the entire complex was declared a public park.
The Summer Palace was initially built in 1750 by Emperor Qianglong. The architectural style of Summer Palace is to make others believe it is inartificial. It covers an area of 70 thousand square meters and holds over 3000 houses. In 1860 and 1900 it was destroyed by invaders and in 1912 it was rebuilt by the Government of Qing Dynasty. In 1924, it began to be open to tourists.
Chinese Pinyin: Yí Hé Yuán
Location: Summer Palace is located in northeastern suburb of Beijing.
Opening Hours: 8:30AM - 5PM
Ticket Price: Admission Y40-Y50; Audio Guides Y30
How to get to Summer Palace:
Bus NO.209, 330, 331, 332, 346, 394, 712, 718, 726, 732, 696, 683, 801, 808, 817, 826, off at east gate of Summer Palace
Bus No 303, 330, 331, 346, 375, 384, 393, 634, 716, 718, 696, 683, 801, 808, 817, 834, Special 5, off at north gate of Summer Palace
Bus NO.374, 437, 704, 992, 481, 952 off at new gate of Summer Palace
Facts: There are three regions in the Summer Palace. The first one is the political region where Queen Mother Cixi and Emperor Guangxu discussed the political issues. Renshou Palace is the main attraction in this region. The second one is the living region where the royalty lived. Leshou Hall and Yulan Hall are the main attractions. The third one is the sightseeing region where the royalty relaxed themselves. Wanshou Hill and Kunming Lake are the main attractions.
The Temple of Heaven is seen as the most holy of Beijing's imperial temples. It has been described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design".
The Temple of Heaven was where the emperor came every winter solstice to worship Heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. Since his rule was legitimized by a perceived mandate from Heaven, a bad harvest could be interpreted as his fall from Heaven's favor and threaten the stability of his reign. So, it was not without a measure of self-interest that the emperor fervently prayed for a very good crop.
In line with the Confucianist revival during the Ming dynasty, the sacred harvest ceremony was combined with the emperor's worship of his ancestors. This embellishment was also, in effect, self interest on the part of the emperor. For according to the Confucian pattern of social organization, just as the emperor respected his ancestors, so a younger brother should respect an elder brother, a wife her husband, a son his father, and a nation's subjects their ruler. Incorporating ancestor worship within the most solemn ceremony of the imperial ritual calendar, indirectly reinforced the social philosophy that perpetuated the emperor's power.
The design of the Temple of Heaven complex, true to its sacred purpose, reflects the mystical cosmological laws believed to be central to the workings of the universe. Hence, complex numerological permutations operate within its design. For example, because the number nine was considered to be the most powerful digit, you will see that the slabs that form the Circular Altar have been lain in multiples of nine. Similarly within the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, the interior twenty-eight columns are divided into four central pillars to represent the seasons, twelve inner columns to represent the months and twelve outer columns to represent the two hour tranches that make up a day. There are many such examples of this intense numerology at play.
Although in imperial times commoners were not allowed to enter the enormous park, now for a minimal fee Chinese citizens can enjoy it all day long. Were you to visit at dawn you'd be surprised by the number of people there performing their morning exercises. Next to an older person practicing the slow and flowing movements of Tai Qi there might be a younger one performing vigorous karate-like punches and kicks. One group might be learning the ancient martial art of sword fighting, while another might be practising a traditional dance. Should you have the energy and the inclination, it is well worth waking up early one morning and visiting this park to watch such events take place.
Amongst Sir Isaac Newton's lesser known achievements in the seventeenth century was the design of a nail-less bridge at Queens College, Cambridge. I wonder how he'd have felt to have known that the Chinese had already built the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest on the same principle two hundred years earlier.
Any standard package tour of Beijing should include a visit to The Temple of Heaven. Click here for our Classic China Tours which take in this inspirational temple.
Temple of Heaven Facts
The Temple of Heaven located in the southeast of Beijing, was the place where royalty prayed for excellent weather and harvest. In Ming Dynasty (AD 1420), the emperor Zhuli built this Temple which covers an area of 2.72 million square meters. The Temple of Heaven has been listed as one of the World Cultural Relics by the UNESCO.
Chinese Pinyin: Tīan Tán
Location: Temple of Heaven is on the Southeast of Beijing.
Opening Hours: 8AM - 6PM
Ticket Price: Low Season Y10-30; High Season Y15-35
How to get to Temple of Heaven: Bus NO.3, 6, 17, 20, 35, 39, 54, 106, 116, 120, 122, 803.
Facts: Temple of Heaven was built in AD 1420 and located in the royal garden. It was surrounded by big pines. The overall arrangement and single building both reflected the relationship between sky and land and the relationship was the core of the Sense of Universe at that time. The emperors played an important role in the relationship.
Beijing Zoo, just west of the second ring road, is now the biggest zoo in China with the largest animal number of species. It features pandas, elephants, gorillas, and dolphins and sharks in a big sea life center, all in a scenic Chinese garden setting.
Beijing Zoo is a natural garden with dense groves of trees, stretches of grassland, a small stream, lotus pools and small hills dotted with pavilions and halls. It was called Wansheng Garden in the Qing Dynasty (literally it means the Garden of 10,000 animals). After the Qing Dynasty was replaced by the Republic of China in 1912, this former royal garden became an experimental area for farming and animal husbandry. The zoo was not established until 6 years after the founding of the P. R. China in 1955, when the garden was officially opened to visitors as the City Zoo of Beijing.
The highlight of Beijing Zoo is for many the hall of the giant panda. As everyone knows, the giant panda is native to China and recognized as one of China’s national treasures and a national symbol. Due to people's love for them and its endangered status, the giant pandas always receive "VIP" treatment wherever they go. People can tell where they are in the zoo by the unique appearance of their hall. There is plenty of bamboo, the favorite food of the cute panda. In the hall, the lush bushes and bamboo make the place similar to the wild habitat of the giant panda, in southwest China. Many other halls also attract large number of tourists, among which the hall of the giraffe, the hall of the gorilla and the hall of the elephant are the most recommended.
The Beijing Ocean Hall measures 35,000 square meters, located in the northeast of the zoo. Seen from afar, the hall looks like a gigantic ocean trumpet shell. The shape of the architecture tells the visitors that it is a place associated with the sea. Going into this huge "trumpet shell" you find yourself really in close contact with the sea. The spacious hall is subdivided into several zones: the Hall of Tropical Rain Forest, the Hall of the Shark, the Ocean Theater and the Ocean Library and Reading Hall among others. Here the visitors can touch the aquarium in which the dynamic ocean bottom is visible. Through close proximity to the varied sea life, visitors can feel as if they are at the bottom of the vast ocean. In addition to seeing a replica of the natural conditions of the ocean life, visitors are also invited to enjoy the entertaining sea animal show. Those clever and cute sea animals, like the dolphins, make your trip hard to forget.
Beijing Zoo is more than a paradise for animals. A few gardens were built to grow the flowers that enjoy the most popularity in China, like the Chinese rose and peony (the peony is the national flower of China, signifying wealth and prosperity). While observing the lovely animals and the beautiful flowers, tourists can take a break and enjoy delicious food in the zoo. The restaurant Bin Feng Tang offers great imperial palace cuisines. There is another important attraction in the zoo: Chang Guan Manor, one of the previous temporary palaces for the Qing imperial family. However, it is currently not open for public viewing.
Our Yangtze Memories tour offers a visit to Beijing Zoo or you could request its addition to any one of our Beijing tours. We specialize in tailor-making tours to customer requirements.
Yonghe Lama Temple, in the northeast corner of downtown Beijing, has over 300 years of rich imperial and Buddhist history. It contains the largest wooden Buddha in the world.
Yonghe Lama Temple was originally used as the official residence for court eunuchs of the Ming dynasty. It was converted to the royal court of Prince Yongzheng during the Qing dynasty, in the 33rd year (1693) of Emperor Kangxi's reign. In the 3rd year of Yongzheng's reign (1725), it was elevated to imperial palace for short stays away from the capital, and its name was changed to Palace of Eternal Peace (Yonghegong). During the 9th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1744), it was dedicated for use as a Lama Temple.
The dimensions of the temple are magnificent. It has five courtyards in a row. The front structural layout of the temple is bright and spacious. It is dotted with screen walls with carved murals, statues and decorated archways. The interior pavement leads to the main halls. The evergreen pine and cypress trees make for a peaceful and secluded environment. The back structural layout is composed of a cluster of buildings, halls and pavilions intermingled with each other. Upturned eaves and ridges are beautifully interwoven, forming a picturesque architecture.
The main structures in the Yonghe Temple complex are: Palace of the Heavenly King, Palace of Eternal Peace (Yonghegong), Eternal Blessing Hall, the Hall of the Wheel of the Law and Hall of Boundless Happiness. The Hall of the Wheel of the Law is extremely imposing; the overall arrangement of its plan view forms a cross, and the ceiling is decorated with small lama pagodas.
The Hall of Boundless Happiness is the biggest building in the Lama Temple. It is flanked by the Hall of Everlasting Health and the Hall of Peace. In the Hall of Boundless Happiness, stands a huge and famous statue of Buddha, 26 meters high, carved out of a whole piece of sandalwood. It is the biggest wood-carving of Buddha in the world.
Many visitors to the temple burn joss sticks to worship the Buddha idol. It is wise to buy the joss sticks outside. If there are too many pilgrims, and you do not have the chance to burn your joss sticks, the lama will ask you to leave them on the sacrifice table.
After visiting the Lama Temple, one can also go to the Confucius Temple, which is in the neighborhood and of high cultural and historical value. Longer Beijing tours offered by China Highlights usually include a visit to Yonghe Lama Temple.
The Bell Tower originally housed a huge iron bell. But because its tolling was not loud enough, this was replaced by a massive cast bronze bell over 10 inches thick that is in perfect condition today. The iron bell was moved to the back of the DrumTower where it has remained for over 500 years. As recently as 1924, the bronze bell could be heard ringing out the 7:00 p.m. chime from a distance of over 20 kilometers.
According to legend, an official named Deng tried unsuccessfully for over a year to cast the bell. On the eve of the final casting, his daughter, fearing that further delays and loss of working time would bring blame on her father, decided to sacrifice her life in order to move the gods to bring about a perfect casting, and threw herself into the molten bronze. Her panic-stricken father could only recover a single embroidered slipper from the flames. The casting was a success and the emperor, moved by the young girl's spirit of sacrifice, named her the "Goddess of the Golden Furnace" and built a temple in her honor near the foundry. By the ordinary people she was remembered as the "Goddess Who Cast the Bell."
After the bell was installed, the chimes could be heard clearly and resonantly all across the city. But on stormy evenings, the bell would emit a desolate moaning sound similar to the word xie, which means "shoe" in Chinese. Recalling the old legend, mothers would comfort their children with: "Go to sleep! The Bell Tower is tolling. The Goddess Who Cast the Bell wants her embroidered slipper back."
The Beihai park in the center of Beijing has an area of more than 70 hectares with a water surface of 39 hectares. To its north is Shishahai Lake and to its east is Jingshan Park. The Palace Museum is to its southeast, a short distance.
The imperial court of the Liao Dynasty a temporary palace on the site of present Beihai Park in the 10th century. During the following Jin Dynasty a lake was dug. The excavated earth was piled to make a hill. Around the lake and on the hill palatial halls, corridors and pavilions were erected. The imperial court of the Yuan Dynasty which came after the Jin expanded Jionghua Islet in the lake and made it the center of its capital Dadu City. During the Ming Dynasty five pavilions linked with zigzag bridges were built in the northwestern part of the lake. During the region of Emperor Qian Long (1736-1796) a large-scale project was carried on over 30 years, making the palace a grand imperial garden.
Beihai Park is composed of Tuancheng (Circulate City), Jionghua Islet, Eastern Shore Scenic Area and Northwestern Shore Scenic Area, with Jionghua Islet as the center. The small island is connected with other parts by a stone bridge and ferry boats.
-Diary of Marco Polo
Located 15 km southwest of Tiananmen Square, over the Youngding River, the Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge, the bridge was so named and known to the west owing to the description of the famous Italian explorer Marco Polo) is the oldest existing multi-arched stone bridge in the Beijing area. Construction of the original bridge on this site commenced in 1189 and ended in 1192 and was later reconstructed in 1698.
The Lugou Bridge is 266.5 meters in length and 9.3 meters in width, supported on 11 piers. At the side of the bridge stand two steles. One carries the inscription about the rebuilding of the bridge in the 37th years of the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Qing (1698 AD). On the other stele ones sees the calligraphy means "the morning moon of Lugou" by Emperor Qianlong. On each of the 281 white marble pillars stands a stone lion. The most intriguing feature of these beasts is the fact that there are more lions hiding on the head, back or under the belly or on paws of each of the big lions. Investigations to determine total number of animals have been carried out on several occasions but the results have proved inconsistent, ranging anywhere from 482 to 496. However, record has it that there were originally 627 lions. The posture of lion varies, as do their ages. Most date from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, some are from the earlier Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368); while the few lions dating from as long ago as the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) are now quite rare.
China's entry into World War II began with shots on the Marco Polo Bridge on July 7, 1937 when the Japanese attacked Chinese troops, resulting in the occupation of Beijing. This is known as the “Marco Polo Bridge Incident.” To memorize the 50th anni
The Beijing Hutong (old lane) areas have a very special and important position in the rich history and culture of Beijing.
The alleys give a wonderful glimpse into the world of yesterday in Beijing. While visiting the Beijing Hutong, you can appreciate the dramatic changes that the rest of Beijing has undergone.
You can see evidence of the history of Beijing, experience the old way of life and experience traditional Beijing culture. Longer Beijing tours usually include a visit to a hutong area.
Beijing hutongs, lanes or alleys formed by lines of siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where old Beijing residents live, witness the vicissitude of the city.
The word "hutong" originates from the word "hottog" which means "well" in Mongolian. Villagers dig out a well and inhabited there. Hutong means a lane or alley, in fact the passage formed by lines of siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where old Beijing residents live. Be care not to lost in it! It was recorded that in the Yuan a 36-meter-wide road was called a standard street, a 18-meter-wide one was a small street and a 9-meter-wide lane was named a hutong. In fact, Beijing hutongs are inequable ranging from 40 centimeter to 10 meter in wide. The longest has more than 20 turns. Either in east-west or north-south, Beijing hutongs varied as slant, half or " blind hutongs" cul-de-sacs. The gray-tiled houses and deep alleys crossing with each other in identical appearance like a maze, you will find it much fun to walk through but be care not to lost yourself.
Beijing hutong, lanes or alleys formed by lines of siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where old Beijing residents live, witness the vicissitude of the city.
The word "hutong" originates from the word "hottog" which means "well" in Mongolian. Villagers dig out a well and inhabited there. Hutong means a lane or alley, in fact the passage formed by lines of siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where old Beijing residents live. Be care not to lost in it! It was recorded that in the Yuan a 36-meter-wide road was called a standard street, a 18-meter-wide one was a small street and a 9-meter-wide lane was named a hutong. In fact, Beijing hutongs are inequable ranging from 40 centimeter to 10 meter in wide. The longest has more than 20 turns. Either in east-west or north-south, Beijing hutong varied as slant, half or " blind hutongs" cul-de-sacs. The gray-tiled houses and deep alleys crossing with each other in identical appearance like a maze, you will find it much fun to walk through but be care not to lost yourself.
The name of a hutong implicates its origin, location or history. It is in the gray-tiled deep lanes that families play, travel, buy goods, gossip and connect. In Beijingers' eyes, hutongs means a period of history, a cordial lifestyle and even an "encyclopedia of Beijing".
When a certain name was given and prevailed among people, it exactly became the necessary symbol for intercourses and communication. From the names of hutongs one can discover how Beijingers, in the course of centuries, advanced from vulgarity to refinement. In numerous hutongs are scattered the residences of famous personages, and these places are repositories. Laoshe, a well - known playwright is just one of them. Laoshe was born in a small lane, in the west part of the city. The memory of his childhood was so dear and impressive that after he'd been away from Beijing for more than 20 years, he still clearly remembered his birthplace, and he made it the backdrop of his novel "the Four Generations Under One Roof". Many famous operas and dramas are based on the themes of the " hutong life". A visit to hutongs plus a drama by the Beijing People's Art Theatre, such as " Teahouse" or " Small Hutong" in the evening will help you appreciate the fundamental part of Beijing's life. When urban construction threatens the existence of these hutongs, some Beijingers become worried.
The Dwelling compounds or quadrangles (Siheyuan) - the enclosed, one-story courtyard houses that make up old Beijing, feature a typical Chinese folk residential architecture.
A standard siheyuan usually falls into a rectangular compound with one-story houses squarely facing the cardinal points and a courtyard in middle.
A pair of stone lions usually stand in front of the vermilion studded door with a painted lintel on the top. The decorative patterns are flowers and birds. Stepping over a high wooden threshold, you will find a stone screen standing ahead. It is built to avoid direct inspection from outside and also believed to dispel evil spirits. Next comes the outer courtyard, flanked by rooms to the east and west. These serve as kitchens and servants' living quarters. On the northern end of the outer courtyard is the "Main House" which faces southward to get maxium daylight in 3-5 rooms. The up-turned eaves provide a pleasant shade in summer. One room located in the middle of the house is for living or community purposes with a smaller bedroom or studies beside it. Two passages on either side of the Main House, give entry to the inner yard. Rooms on each side were for married children and their families. Greenery planted in the courtyard makes an inner garden.
Some large compounds have two or more courtyards, inhabited by an extended family with several generations. "Four Generations under One Roof", a novel by the contemporary writer Lao She, depicts Beijingers in the 1930s and 1940s living in siheyuan.
Beijing still has about 400,000 residential quadrangles now, mainly distributed over the East, West, Xuanwu and Chongwen districts. The municipal government has earmarked a number of dwelling compounds for protection.
Feature:
A private museum that offers a window into old Beijing’s traditional customs and local cultures.
Overview:
The two-storied private museum houses a collection of over 1,000 pieces of traditional handicrafts and toys, as well as over 100 vintage photos and posters. It was established by a Beijing local resident who loves the traditional culture of Beijing. “Hutong”, the old Beijing alleys, is a representative of traditional Beijing culture; while “Zhang” is the family name of the museum owner, Zhang Yujun.
Every item on display is a treasure of the museum. The most impressive part of the museum is the handmade and vivid miniatures of the hutongs and resident courtyards in the 1920s. The whole piece extends 100 meters long, covering about 140 old and famous shops and enterprises at that time (some brands still exit today). There are also market places, tea houses, opera houses, electrical cable posts and courtyards along the streets. Rickshaws are busy running on the streets. The clay figures representing people are dotted here and there on the streets with different clothing, characters and poses. Contact us for tailor-made tours to Beijing Hutong Zhang Folk Art Museum
Touring Activities:
Besides watching the collections and miniatures, visitors can take part in lots of fun activities here.
- Enjoy Beijing Opera. It features a Peking Opera stage where you can enjoy the charm of this traditional Chinese art. Fans of the Beijing Opera and sometimes real Beijing Opera masters gather here to give performances.
- Play traditional games. The museum provides many options, such as pushing hoops, kicking shuttlecock, playing diabolo (Chinese Yoyo), etc. You can also make a piece of traditional handwork, such as paper-cuts, clay figurines, and kites, under the guidance of craftsman.
- Tea and snacks. Savor a cup of tea and enjoy some traditional snacks here, the tastes are in the memory of older local Beijingers.
Address: 82 West Gate of Inner Street, Wanping Town, Lugou Bridge, Fengtai District.
Nearby sight: Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge)
This garden was built as a theater for the Empress Dowager. Its construction began in the 17th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign (1891) and lasted for five years. The three-storey theater stage is the biggest and best-preserved wooden stage of delicate design and magnificent structure, and is therefore of much scientific and artistic value. Famous Beijing Opera actors of the Qing Dynasty such as Yang Xiaolou and Tan Xinpei would come here to perform for the Empress Dowager and the stage was regarded as the“Cradle of Beijing Opera”. The Empress Dowager also granted special permission for some of the princes, dukes and cabinet ministers to watch Beijing opera here. Visitors can imagine the scene when the Empress Dowager watched opera in this garden. A large number of precious articles used by emperors and empresses, as well as some of the gifts presented to the Qing court by foreign states, are on display here.
Tiananmen Square is the largest city square in the world, at 440,000 square meters, and can hold about one million people for public celebration or gatherings. In the square tourists can climb the Tiananmen Rostrum, attend the national flag raising ceremony every morning at sunrise, visit the National Museum of China, and go to the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, in which one will see the body of the great Chinese leader.
Tiananmen Square holds the Monument of the National Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. To the north is the Forbidden City and to the south the Temple of Heaven.
The Tiananmen Rostrum, standing to the north of the Tiananmen Square, on the south–north central axis of Beijing, was the main gate of the royal palace of both the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was initially called Chengtianmen (Carrying Heaven Gate), which means to bear the edict and divine power of Heaven itself, as the Emperor, who used this gate, was believed to. In the eighth year of emperor Shunzhi's administration (1652), the gate was refurbished and called Tiananmen (the Gate of Heavenly Peace). From then on nearly all important imperial celebrations and events, such as: the enthronement of an emperor, imperial weddings, the rite of the emperor going to battle, the famous "Imperial Edict Issued by the Golden Phoenix", the worship of Heaven and Earth and the worship of the five grains; all involved passing through this gate.
The magnificent gate has five openings. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the passage in the middle leading to the Forbidden City was reserved for the emperor himself. The emperor went through the central passage on the way to the altars for rituals and other religious activities. High-ranking government officials and the empresses, concubines, princess and princesses could only enter the Forbidden City through the side passages, while ordinary subjects were absolutely forbidden to go inside the Forbidden City, hence its name. The 34.7 meter-high Tiananmen Rostrum seems even more magnificent in the sunshine, with glittering yellow glazed tiles on the roof and deep red walls and pillars.
Before Tiananmen are the Golden Water Bridge and the white Huabiao, a pair of ornamental columns made of white marble sculptured with dragon designs. They are also called "slander pillars", as in ancient times they carried the ordinary people's slander and suggestions for the emperor. There is also a pair of big stone lions.
Most Beijing tours include a visit to Tiananmen Square. Our Beijing Culture Experience Tour comes highly recommended as it gives a more comprehensive view of Beijing.
Xiushui Street( Silk Market) is replete with some of the finest silk products, as well as an amazing arrays of name-brand clothes, bags such as Reebok, Adidas, Gucci. But very few of these top labels are the real thing despite their uncanny resemblance. This is probably the reason that serious shoppers usually avoid this market but there is still a lot of interesting things to see and to do. The fun of the place may not come in searching for the perfect bag or best shirt, it comes in the haggling. It may yield a feeling of accomplishment when you purchase an item at maybe 30 percent of the original price. No price is fixed is the golden rule there. The more you haggle, the better price you may get. Xiushui Street is the one of the few places in Beijing where foreign can purchase clothes and shoes in large sizes.
Location: in Xiushuidong Jie (East Xiushui Street) off Jianguomenwai Street, near the US Embassy.
Wangfujing Street is one of the largest and most popular pedestrian streets in China with two large shopping malls - one each at the two ends of a pedestrian street where often hosts exhibitions and shows. There are many outdoor cafes in the summer - a nice place to take an ice-cream or frozen beer under a shady umbrella.
Wangfujing is now considered as the central heart of the city and it is really a long street. It is also home to a number of large department stores, souvenir stores, food stalls, and Chinese painting stores. If you spend 3 minutes in every chain store, it will take several days to visit them all.
In the evening, while Wangfujing street turns on all of neon advertising signs, it shows another different atmosphere. Most shops stay open till around 12pm and become an impromptu night market.
The Grand View Garden at Xuanwu District southwest of Beijing is reminiscent of a luxurious garden of Ming and Qing style. In a Chinese classic "Dream of Re Mansions", the garden is recount as the mansion of Jia Family - an official nobility of the Ming period.
It is a large greenery garden dotted with pavilions, halls, temples and miniature gardens with a total of 110,000 square meters. The layout is exactly like that described in the novel. If you go there at the right time, you will be lucky enough to see traditional ceremonies performed in the garden, always a fascinating sight.
Dream of Red Mansions
Dream of Red Mansions, written by Cao Xueqin in the 18th century, is rated the best novel of the Qing dynasty. The novel tells a tragic love-story in a noble family and is called by Westerners as the Romeo and Juliet of China. The hero - Jia Baoyu is an amorous and sentimental son of a noble official. The novel describes the rise and decline of Jia Family. In an imaginative and humorous style, the author has portrayed more than 400 dramatis personae with distinctive traits, representing the daily life of a distinguished Manchu family.
Venue: Bird's Nest;
Location: Olympic Green;
Total land surface (sq. m.): 65,000 - 80,000;
Seats: 80000 permanent and 11,000 temporary;
Olympic events: Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Athletics, Football final;
Paralympic events: Opening and Closing ceremonies, Athletics;
"Bird's Nest", also named the National Stadium, which was the main venue of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It was designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize Gainer Jacques Herzog, de Meuron and Chinese Architect Li Xinggang, shaped as a "bird's nest", and looks like a cradle.
The National Stadium began on December 24, 2003 and was completed in March, 2008. The total construction cost was more than 2.2 billion.
The shape structure of "Bird's Nest" is a colossal saddle-shaped elliptic steel structure with 24 truss pillars in total. It is 333 meters long from north to south, 294 meters wide from east to west, the highest point is 68.5 meters and the lowest point is 42.8 meters. It is the largest world's steel structure. The outside was covered by a sort of membrane, it got the demand of rain-proof, and sunshine can go through transparent roof to satisfy the demand of lawn growing. This special membrane can also help lighting within the stadium and effectively diminish glare and shadowing, allowing a more favorable competition environment.
The design of "Bird's Nest" embodied human caring fully, wherever spectators sit, the sightline is about 140 meters from the centerfield.
The "Bird's Nest" hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletic events, and football final of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games which was from August 8 to August 24, 2008 and Beijing 2008 Paralympics from September 6 to September 17, 2008. After the Olympics, the stadium would continue to host international and domestic sporting events, such as football.
Travel Tips: The Water Cube will be closed from October.15, 2009 for repairs. It is said that it will be closed for one year, yet the reopened time is not confirmed, China Highlights will keep you abreast of the lastest information.
The National Aquatics Center, also known as the Water Cube, is located on Olympic Green, with the Bird’s Nest Stadium, on Beijing's north-south axis. It was built as the main natatorium for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and became known as one of the Games' iconic structures.
Come and marvel at the Water Cube and Beijing's other ancient wonders with an Olympic Memories Tour.
The Water Cube was designed by PTW Architects and Ove Arup. Their unique and inspired design was based on the way soap bubbles come together in a 12 or 14-sided cell structure.
The Water Cube is 177 meters square and 30 meters high, and has a capacity of 17,000 seats (6,000 permanent and 11,000 temporary for the Olympics). During the Olympic Games, it was the main venue for swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo. It is now a multi-functional center for sports, recreation and fitness.
The Ming Tombs, located in Changping District, about 50 kilometers from the northwest of Beijing, are surrounded by mountains on three sides. The imperial cemetery covers an area of 120 square kilometers and there are 13 Ming Dynasty emperors buried there (along with 23 empresses and a number of concubines, princes and princesses), thus it is also called The 13 Mausoleums. These tombs are the best preserved Chinese imperial tombs and have been nominated by UNESCO as world cultural heritage.
The site of the Ming Dynasty Imperial Tombs was carefully chosen according to Feng-shui (geomancy) belief. The first tomb, Chang Ling (the Tomb of Chang) began to be built by the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty in 1409 AD (the seventh year of his reign) under the main peak of Tianshou Shan (Heavenly Longevity Mountain). (The first emperor of the Ming Dynasty was buried in Nanjing). In chronological order over the following 200 years Xiang Ling, Jing Ling, Yu Ling, Mao Ling, Zong Ling, Kang Ling, Yong Ling, Zhao Ling, Ding Ling, Qing Ling and De Ling were built, spreading out on both sides of Chang Ling. All these tombs share the same Sacred Way, an avenue in the middle of the tomb area. The last tomb, for the Emperor of the self-proclaimed Chongzhen era, Zhu Youjian, lying in the southwest of the area, was actually built out of a tomb originally intended for a concubine. Several decades after the death of the last Ming emperor, Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty gave the last Ming Tomb the tile and added the architecture on the ground. Besides the emperor's tombs scatters lots of smaller tombs for concubines and a eunuch.
In keeping with Feng-shui belief the tombs area is screened by high green mountains on three sides and has a river flowing by. Tourists enter the tomb area through the Sacred Way, on both sides of which there stand in total 36 stone sculptures. Of the 18 pairs of the sculptures, 24 are stone animals and 12 human figures. The custom of erecting stone sculptures in front of imperial tombs started as early as the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). They represent the supreme authority and dignity of the emperors and signify that they are still supreme in power after death. All these stone sculptures are huge; some exceeds 30 cubic meters in volume. In ancient times without modern machinery and vehicles, these heavy stone sculptures were transported here entirely by manpower. In winter time, water was poured on the road. When a slippery ice surface had formed on the road, the laborers hauled the sculpture forward on the ice. Every 500 meters a well was dug to get water for making the ice. Therefore, it was an arduous task to build the imperial tombs. The tombs area is so vast that tourists normally only see two of the 13 tombs, namely, Chang Ling – the largest in architectural scale, and Ding Ling – the only one that has been excavated so far.
The huge Chang Tomb (Ling means tomb) is the final resting place of the third Ming Emperor, Zhu Di. He named his ruling era Yongle (eternal joy) and was hence known as Emperor Yongle. He ruled China from 1402 to 1422. The construction of the tomb started in the seventh year of his reign and took five years to be completed. The layout of Chang Ling follows the pattern of Xiao Ling in Nanjing, tomb of the first Ming Emperor. Structures proceeding along the central axis are: the Front Gate to the tomb, the Gate of Eminent Favor, the Hall of Eminent Favor, the Dragon and the Phoenix Gate, Soul Tower and the Wall-Encircled Earth Mound, of which the Hall of Eminent Favor is the most impressive and important. The hall covers 1,956 square meters, nearly the same as of the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, but it exceeds the latter architecturally as all the columns, beams, etc. are made of nanmu, a durable high quality softwood. The 32 huge 12.58 meter-tall pillars of the hall are each made from a single nanmu tree trunk. This valuable timber came from Sichuan, Hubei, Henan and Jiangxi provinces, all thousands of kilometers away from Beijing. It is said that it took about five years just to transport these enormous treetrunks. This scale of historic project is rarely seen in other parts of the world. The hall is the largest and most magnificent structure of nanmu wood still existing in China. This hall has becomes the exhibition hall for the historical relics unearthed from Chang Ling.
The splendid Ding Ling (Ling means tomb) is the mausoleum of the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yijun. He was known as Emperor Wanli (much experience) after the self-proclaimed name of his ruling period. He ruled his great empire for 48 years, the longest reign in his dynasty. Historical documents reveal that the total cost for the tomb amazingly reached over 8 million taels (300 tonnes) of silver, which was approximately equivalent to the entire tax income for two years of then government. Ding Ling is only the third largest tomb after Chang Ling and Yong Ling. Its exquisite decorations, however, enormously surpass the other two. Most of the structure above the ground has disappeared except the Soul Tower. It is a magnificent building wholly made of stone and bricks, which may explains why it survived the centuries.
So far, Ding Ling is the only one that has been opened for archeological exploration. The underground palace is 27 meters deep with a total floor space of 1,195 square meters. It consists of five chambers: the antechamber, the central chamber, the rear chamber and two annex chambers on both sides of the central chamber. All of these chambers were built of stone without using a single beam or column. The rear chamber is the largest and most important one in the underground palace. It is 30 meters long, 9.5 meters high and 9 meters wide, and contains three coffins (the largest one in the middle was for the emperor and the smaller ones for the empresses). Besides the coffins, there are also 26 red-lacquered wooden boxes containing 3, 000 or so precious funeral objects. Of the unearthed items, a gold crown and a phoenix crown are the most amazing. The gold crown was woven with very fine gold filaments and has two dragons playing with a pearl on the top. The beautiful phoenix crown was worn by the empress only at grand ceremonies or special occasions. One crown was inlaid with over 5, 000 pearls of different sizes and more than 100 valuable gems. Today tourists can see these precious antiques in the exhibition halls of Ding Ling.
Zhao Ling is the ninth tomb of the 13, and contains the 12th emperor and his 3 empresses and concubines. What makes Zhao Ling stand out is its above ground architecture, which is the best preserved and a typical layout of the Ming imperial tombs.
When compared to the imperial tombs of other dynasties, the 13 Ming tombs stand out because of the following eye-catching features.
Firstly, the vast tomb area constitutes a harmonious whole, which is unique in the history of imperial tombs. The Warring State Period (500BC c.-221BC) saw the beginning of Chinese imperial tombs. Layouts were derived from the patriarchal clan system and subject to the ranks of the buried. Each imperial tomb varied in layout and size depending on the social environment and the age they belong to.
In the Tang and North Song Dynasties, for instance, each tomb had its own gate, sacred way and stone sculptures. Even though they are built within the same area, each tomb is independent from others architecturally speaking. The Ming Tomb is a different case. Although each has its own hall, Soul Tower, City of Treasures, and forms an individual unit, the sacred Way, marble archway, and stone statues of Chang Ling (Ling means Tomb), the first tomb among the 13, are shared by all the tombs. The other tombs are spread on both sides of the Sacred Way, thus being linked together as an organic whole.
Secondly, the tombs' architecture above the ground is unique. In ancient China, from the dynasties of Qin and Han to Tang, the above ground architecture of the imperial tombs all took the tomb mound as their center. In front of the tomb mound there stood the sacrificial hall, and the whole tomb area was enclosed by a wall with a gate at each of the four points of the compass. The whole tomb area thus resembled a huge rectangular siheyuan (a traditional four-sided family dwelling with a courtyard in the middle). Since the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the first Ming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, changed the old layout and introduced some changes for his own tomb. The front wall of the tomb area remained unchanged, but the rear portion of the wall became a semi-circle. The soul tower and the sacrificial hall were built on the central axis of the tomb zone. And the old straight sacred way became crooked.
In general , the 13 Ming Tombs in Beijing basically followed the model of the Xiao Ling (the tomb of the first Ming Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, in Nanjing) with a few slight differences. For instance, the setting of the gravestone inside the soul tower emphasized its function as a landmark for the whole tomb area.
Along the sacred way of Chang Ling, there is the Zhaoyu gate, the Pavilion for the Stele of Sacred Imperial Prowess, the huge stone sculptures, and the gate of the Dragon and Phoenix, which is consistent with the layout of Xiao Ling. However, the addition of the stone archway before the Zhaoyu gate and the addition of the statues of officials who had rendered outstanding support for the sculptures were new. The Ming tomb cells are also different from others. In the Tang Dynasty, the imperial tomb cell was dug inside a mountain, while the Ming tombs were palatial underground caverns decorated with enamel structures.
Thirdly, the natural environment around the Ming Tombs is tranquil, beautiful and spectacular. Selecting the location of an ancient Chinese imperial tomb was always affected by Feng-shui. The Ming Tomb was no exception. A famous Feng-shui expert called Liao Junqing from Jiangxi Province helped the emperor to decide the place to build the tombs. Liao Junqing’s method prevailed in Jiangxi, and stressed the interaction and match between the dragon (a Feng-shui object symbolizing activity and the masculine energy known as "Yang", often placed on the east of a property), the tomb cell, stone and the water. The mountain where the tombs were built was renamed Tianshou (Heavenly Longevity) by the Ming emperor. The winding Tianshou Mountain ridges linked to each other create a horseshoe shape opening to the south. The first of the 13 Ming tombs was built at the foot of this mountain. All the other Ming tombs all have a high mountain behind as a backing and a brook snaking its way past the front. On either side of these tombs, there are mountains as well. The special environment of the Ming tombs is obviously more beautiful than that of imperial tombs built on vast plains.
The Beijing municipal government has invested 170 million yuan on the preservation of the Ming Tombs. According to Vice Director Nie Youyi of the Ming Tomb Administration Office, the refurbishment project of De Ling with an investment of 38 million yuan is drawing to its end. This year, the restoration of Kang Ling and Qing Ling will be launched. It is estimated that by 2008 about 400 million yuan will have been invested to repair the 7 most needy Ming Tombs.
Most of the 13 Tombs are preserved according to their original look. The soul tower is a good example. The soul tower of Si Ling was the only one to be destroyed before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 and the soul tower of Zhao Ling was rebuilt in 1956. The rest still stand there. Of the 13 only Ding Ling was excavated in 1956. Everything unearthed is now under strict protection.
All of the tombs have the Sacred Way in the front. Along the Sacred Way of Chang Ling stand an imposing stone archway, known as the Big Red Gate, the Pavilion of the Stele of the Sacred Imperial Prowess, dozens of stone sculptures and the Gate of the Dragon and the Phoenix. The Big Red Gate, the Pavilion of the Stele of the Sacred Imperial Prowess, and the Gate of the Dragon and the Phoenix underwent restoration after the founding of the People's Republic of China, while the rest remain unchanged. As for other tombs, most of the Pavilions of the Stele of the Sacred Imperial Prowess were brought down during the Qing Dynasty and only fragments of some steles and stone bridges remain until today. Most of the cypress and pine trees along the sacred way were also felled during the Qing Dynasty. Many of the annexes such as Shenggongjian (the Sacred Palace Office) became villages in the Qing Dynasty. Many of the concubines and eunuchs' tombs became agricultural fields later and so did many other structures annexed to the tombs.
Overall, the Ming Tombs have seen 600 years of history spanning three periods: the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China. Although most of the structures, especially those above ground level suffered natural and human degradation, the entire layout and the underground palaces are perfectly preserved. Besides, the natural environment around the tombs is still as gorgeous as before. In the vast tomb area, tourists normally visit two of the 13: the most imposing and largest, Chang Ling, and the underground palace of Ding Ling, the only excavated Ming Imperial Tomb so far.
The Drum Tower was built in1272 during the reign of Kublai Khan, at which time it stood at eh very heart of the Yuan capital Dadu. At that time it was known as the Tower of Orderly Administration (Qizhenglou). In 1420, under the Ming Emperor Yongle, the building was reconstructed to the east of the original site and in 1800 under the Qing Emperor Jiaqing, large-scale renovations were carried out. In 1924, the name of the building was changed to the Tower of Realizing Shamefulness (Mingchilou) and objects related to the Eight-Power Allied Forces' invasion of Beijing and later the May 30th Massacre of 1925 were put on display. Nowadays, the upper story of the building serves as the People's Cultural Hall of the East City District.
The first level of the Drum Tower is a solid square terrace four meters high, 55.6 meters long and 30 meters wide. The front and rear of the terrace are pierced with three arched openings and the two sides with one opening each. The broad, squat multi-eaved wooden structure built atop the terrace is impressive with its red wall and yellow glazed roof. In ancient days, the Drum Tower was the time keeping center for the whole city and was equipped with bronze clepsydras (water clocks) and drums that were beaten to mark the hours.
The four bronze clepsydras, which once functioned in the Drum Tower, were reputed to date from the Song Dynasty. Set between these four devices was a large bronze gong, which through a series of mechanical devices was linked to the water clocks and sounded each quarter of an hour. When the system of telling time with incense coils, which burned for hours were introduced, the clepsydras fell into disuse.
In ancient times the upper story of the building housed 24 drums, of which only one survives. Its head is made of an entire ox hide and is 1.5 meters in diameter. A sword score on the side of the drum is a souvenir of the Eight-Power Allied Forces' invasion of Beijing in 1900.
In the Qing Dynasty, the hours were marked at night beginning at 7:00 p.m., a procedure that was popularly called "setting the watch." At this hour, the drums were sounded 13 times. After the watch had been "set" in this fashion, each subsequent two-hour interval was marked by a single drum beat. Civil and military officials oriented their lives around these time signals. At the sounding of the third watch (1:00 a.m.) officials attending the morning court audience rose from there beds and at the fourth (3:00 a.m.) assembled outside the Meridian Gate (Wumen). At the sounding of the fifth watch (5:00 a.m.) they entered the ImperialPalace and knelt on the Sea of Flagstones (Haimen) before the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian) to await instructions from the emperor.
National Centre for the Performing Arts located in the heart of Beijing, neighbor to the Great Hall of the People and Tian'anmen Square, it covers 118.9 million square meters, and total construction area is 217.5 million square meters including nearly 46.6 million square meters underground garage.
The main construction is the unique shell shape with 46.68 meters high and the only one of its shape in Asia. The exterior of the theater is a titanium accented glass dome that is completely surrounded by a man-made lake, it consists of 18398 pieces of titanium plates and 1226 pieces of super white glass. It looks like an egg floating on water from the air. It was designed as an iconic feature, something that would be immediately recognizable, like the Sydney Opera House.
Walking by 80 meters long under-water gallery, enter the public hall from the Olive Hall, and you will see 3 professional theatres, the middle one is the Opera Hall, eastern one is the Music Hall and western one is the Theatre Hall. The three are separated but linked by air corridor. The Opera Hall make use of performancing national and international operas like Yehudi Menuhin, Zubin Mehta and Pandit Ravi Shankar with 2398 seats; Music Hall is used in playing some symphony and national music with 2019 seats and the Theatre Hall is used in playing drama and other plays.
Inner of the centre, besides the three halls and a small practicing theatre, there are long gallery of under-water, exhibition hall, Olive Hall, library resource centre, news published hall, activity area of rooftop, souvenirs store and coffee house.
As a multi-function centre it also holds powder room, practicing room, conductor rest room, actor rest room, actor waiting room, dressing room, property room, VIP room and ritual girls’ hall in the centre.
Only 60 km away from Beijing there is a picturesque mountain village called Chuandixia Village. This village is located at the valley of Jingxi mountain area, and it is known for its well preserved 500 Ming and Qing dynasty-style courtyard houses owned by 70 families, ancient but unsophisticated, just like another “Shangri-la”.
These houses on the hillside have remained largely unchanged for centuries, surrounded by mountains and luxuriant forests. Steep stairs and lanes paved with rocks are simple and unadorned.
The village was rated as a village of great tourist value and has been placed under national level cultural relics protection. It was also a great place to take photos. Many of the families (all descended from the original founder) opened their homes to provide meals for visitors.
China Century Altar was built to greet the new century, and made the new millennium. On the extended western line of Chang’an Avenue, it covers an area of 450,000 square meters. On the stele at the entrance to the altar, engraved five chinese charaters: the place's Chinese name written by the former Chinese president: Jiang Zeming.
The century altar features an elevated pathway, 262 meters in length, and paved with 262 bronze plates inscribed with a 180,000-character text that covered major events in 5,000 years of Chinese history. It is mainly composed of the Sacred Fire Square, Bronze Path, Main Altar, Century Bell and Culture Square. In its Art Hall there are Circular Gallery of Carving of Chinese ancient scholars including the Century Hall, Oriental Art Gallery, Western Art Gallery, Modern Art Gallery and Media Digital Art Gallery.
National Art Museum of China is a national level art museum focused on collecting, displaying and researching the works of the artists in China modern times. If you're interested in contemporary Chinese art, you'll be excited about this colossal treasure house.
There are totally 20 exhibition halls in the museum covering an area of 7,000 square meters; and the collection is more than 100 thousand pieces with different time features and different art styles like Chinese paintings, canvases, prints, sculptures, Spring Festival pictures, funnies, picture posters, pencil sketches, iconography, watercolor paintings, and varnish paintings.
The construction was started in 1958 and finished in 1962. It is one of the Great Ten Constructions to mark the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China and also the largest art museum in China. After over one year's decoration, it was reopened on July 23, 2003. The museum can be divided to three levels as the upper, middle and lower respectively. Various art exhibitions of masterpieces of famous artists at home and abroad are usually held in the museum.
Its main construction imitates the ancient attic style. The top is decorated by the yellow glazed tiles. There are the corridors and pavilions around. It is filled with the distinctive nationality construction style.
Forty-five kilometers west of Beijing, Tanzhe Temple is the largest and oldest temple in Beijing, whose history can date back to the Jin Dynasty, over 1,700 years ago. It is widely believed among the locals that the Tanzhe Temple was constructed earlier than the city of Beijing. Behind the temple there is a deep pond called the Dragon Pond and in front of the temple there grow some Zhe trees, therefore the temple is called the Tan ("tan" means a deep pond) Zhe Temple.
Backing a hill, the temple is divided into three parts. The central part is filled with splendid structures like archways, mountain gates, altars and Buddhist Halls. A 200-year old purple yulan growing in the temple is noted as the largest in north of China. When the Yulan blossoms early in spring, numerous people flock here to view the pretty and fragrant flowers. Among the bushes, two high ginkgo trees were entitled by Emperor Qianlong the "Tree of Monarch" and the "Tree of Princess". The eastern part of the temple contains a dozens of courtyards where the abbot room is included and the rooms where the emperor used to stay are preserved.
Xiangshan (Fragrant Hill) Park is situated at the eastern foot of the Fragrant Mountain, approximately 10 kilometers to west of Beijing. Seen from afar, the mountain looks like an incense burner wreathed by fragrant smoke, so got its name.
The park was first built in 1186 of the Jin Dynasty and for a period served as the emperor’s traveling lodge, then later extended to a large scale during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In 1745, Emperor Qianlong (1711 to 1799) ordered the addition of many new halls, pavilions and gardens and gave it a new name, Jingyi Garden means a place of tranquility and pleasure.
Between the third week of October to mid November are the best time to visit the park, when the smoke tree leaves turn red. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the park. The cable car is a great way to take in the beautiful scenes.
The Hall of Clocks and Watches in The Forbidden City is home to a fantastic collection of Qing Dynasty (Eighteenth Century) timepieces.
The exhibition hall displays about 200 clocks and watches from the imperial collection. These clocks and watches were mostly made in Switzerland, England, France, and Japan, with some Chinese made timepieces on display as well.
The clocks and watches display various styles and exquisite workmanship, and their artistic value makes them very precious. One of the clocks which attracts the greatest attention can easily be seen on the left when you enter the Hall. It is a chiming clock, made during the Qing Dynasty, about 1797, by royal clockmakers. The clock is 5.85 meters high and it stands on a 2.6 meter-high square base. It can still run up for to 72 hours after it is well wound, regularly striking hours and quarters.
The Hall of Clocks and Watches is located in Fengxian Palace (Palace of Dedication), to the east of the imperial palaces in the Forbidden City. Fengxian Palace, built in 1656 (the 13th year of Emperor Shunzhi’s reign), was also known as the Hall of Ancestor Worship, as Qing emperors went there to worship their ancestors’ memorial tablets. You may also find this hall a nice place to have a rest. While sitting on the chairs in the hall, you can feast your eyes on the collection of clocks and watches.
Our Beijing tours, almost without exception, include a visit to the Forbidden City. You can request a stop at the Hall of Clocks and Watches, or anything else you would like to do, when customizing your tour with our travel advisors.
Peking Man Museum, or Zhoukoudian Anthropological Museum, is situated in the village of Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien in Pinyin Chinese, "Zhoukoudian" being to "Choukoutien" as "Peking" is to "Beijing") near Beijing, where the 1921 discovery of Peking Man (Sinanthropus pekinensis), based on the surface find of a molar, created a sensation when it was first discovered, since it was not only the first example of a prehistoric humanoid find in China, but the first such find in all of Asia. Peking Man was believed to be an example of a "missing link" between ape and man, the notion of a missing link belonging more to the imagination of lay folk than to the scholarly world of science. Further pieces of the Peking Man "puzzle" were found during initial site excavations that were conducted between 1923-1927.
Peking Man is now considered to belong to the broader genus called Homo erectus ("erect humanoid"), making Peking Man a Homo erectus pekinensis. Peking Man shared this missing-link role with two other specimens: Java Man, found in 1891 on the island of East Java in Indonesia, another Homo erectus with the more specific name of Pithecanthropus erectus ("upright ape-man"), erectus being the genus proper; and Taung Child (Australopithecus africanus), found in 1924 at Taung near the city of Kimberley, in South Africa.
Whereas the scientific community was somewhat skeptical of the Java Man finds and their documentation, it unreservedly accepted the scientific value of the Peking Man finds, especially since the excavations during 1923-1927 unearthed more evidence, including more teeth, a lower jaw, and skull fragments. Moreover, during a second set of excavations that took place under the supervision of the Chinese paleontologist, Yang Zhongjian (aka Dr. C.C. Young in Anglo-Saxon circles, and generally renowned as the 'Father of Chinese Vertebrate Paleontology'), and which took place from 1928 until they were abruptly interrupted by invading Japanese forces in 1937, over 200 human fossils from more than 40 individual specimens, including 6 near-complete calottes, or skullcaps, were excavated from the site.
Besides the finds of humanoid fossils, the scientists excavated a number of artifacts belonging to humanoid habitation such as primitive, hand-held tools - or tools lacking handles - such as stone flakes (for cutting) and stone chopping tools, where the latter is to be understood as a special stone (in the Zhoukoudian area, either quartz or green sandstone) that has had clumps, or flakes, removed from both sides of one end of the stone by means of striking the stone at an angle with another similarly hard stone, the result being a primitive tool, with a simple cutting edge, that can be gripped in one hand. Another indicator of humanoid habitation at Zhoukoudian was the presence of layers of cinders that included the remains of charred animal bones, suggesting that animal meat had been cooked here over open fire.
Unfortunately the bulk of the finds at Zhoukoudian were lost forever, including 5 of the 6 calottes. The German anthropologist, Franz Weidenreich, the then director of the Cenozoic Research Laboratory of the Peking Union Medical College that had been set up by the Canadian paleoanthropologist and leader of the first set of Zhoukoudian finds, Davidson Black, precisely to analyze the Zhoukoudian finds so as to properly date and document their origin, had fortunately had the foresight to cast copies of all of the calottes, such that all was not lost when the Zhoukoudian finds went missing.
The Peking Man find sparked a lively debate in the scientific community regarding the birthplace, as it were, of humanoid life. The widespread belief had theretofore been that humanoid life had emerged in Africa, and from there had spread to other parts of the world. The find of Homo erectus pekinensis suddenly divided paleontologists into two camps: those who continued to maintain that humanoid life had arisen in Africa (specifically in East Africa), and those who now believed that humanoid life had arisen in Asia - specifically, in China. That debate remains unresolved.
Location: Tongzhou District 通州区 (about 30 km / 19 miles east of downtown)
The Songzhuang Artist Village is located in Tongzhou District, eastern suburbs of Beijing. It is the biggest and most famous artist community in Beijing, with over 2,000 artist residents. It has built international fame for Chinese contemporary art. Most of the residents are painters, sculptors, calligraphers and photographers of varying styles, ranging from avant-garde to academic. Art galleries and exhibitions will be a feast for your eyes, and there is the open air art market where you might have some interesting findings. A visit to Songzhuang is convenient from Beijing, less than one hour ride by car.
Songzhuang Art Festival
The first inauguration of Songzhuang Art Festival in 2005 was a success, gathering both domestic and international praise and speculation. Subsequent years’ festivals were held annually and have strengthened the already famous reputation of Songzhuang as being a unique phenomenon of artists and art lovers at home and abroad.
This year (2009), the fifth Songzhuang Art Festival kicked off on September 19, and will last until October 12. More than 2,000 pieces of art creations of over 1,000 Chinese and international artists will be on exhibition at the festival.
This excellent museum of art and archaeology is situated in the beautiful West Campus of Peking University. It is the first of its kind established in China’s institutions of higher learning. If you have any interest in Chinese history and ceramics, and would like to enjoy a calm and intellectual atmosphere, then this is a must-see destination.
The museum was co-founded by Peking University, boasting one of China’s best collegiate archaeological departments, and Mr. Arthur M. Sackler, a medical doctor, famous collector and philanthropist. Mr. Sackler has great passion for Chinese culture and has made great contribution to the cause of protecting Chinese cultural relics.
The museum houses over 10,000 objects and spans a period of 280,000 years, from Paleolithic remains to present-era treasure. The collection has been acquired during the past 70 years from diverse sources.
- Collections: The museum houses a great collection of archaeological finds in China and also from other countries. Art on display include bronzes, jades, pottery, and other artifacts dating back to each of China's dynasties and presented in chronological order.
- Opening hours: daily 09:00 – 16:30 (closed during Chinese Spring Festival Holiday)
- Address: West Gate of Peking University, Haidian District (北京大学西门)
- Nearby sight: Summer Palace
The Beijing Folklore Museum is located in the original Dongyue Taoist Temple, which was built in 1319. The museum is the only folklore museum in Beijing, and besides exhibiting folklore items all year round, it attracts numerous local people by holding abundant folklore activities during traditional holidays (e.g. the Spring Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival).
The museum is organized in three main courtyards, holding many collections of statues, steles, stone tablets, couplets, and inscriptions. You will get a feeling of what the Taoist supernatural world is like by observing the statues. Each department of the supernatural world is depicted in a series of statues accompanied by a description of each and its role and purpose, which makes some interesting reading. Furthermore, you can leave a small offering in the collection box or hang a fortune card, if you want to appease the gods and make a wish.
The folklore museum is a wonderful place to while away one or two hours, whether you are after a slice of tranquility or are interested in traditional Chinese mythology.
- Opening hours: 09:00 – 16:30 (closed on Mondays)
- Address: 141, Chaowai Avenue, Chaoyang District 朝阳区朝外大街141号
- Subway: Line 2, Chaoyangmen Station, use Exit A, walk another 5 minutes in eastern direction along the avenue.
Being a very comprehensive military museum and the first of its kind, the museum was built in 1958 as a tribute to the tenth anniversary of the founding of the New China.
Both standing and temporary exhibition sessions are held here. Temporary exhibitions include the War of Agrarian Revolution, the Anti-Japanese War, the Civil War, the Korean War, the Ancient Warfares, Modern War Hall, the Armoury Hall, the Souvenirs Shops.
Articles on Display
Ancient Armory
Armoury used during the Anti-Japanese War : Military Uniform, Cannon, telescope, medic appliances, communication appliances, seals, declarations and strategies.
Modern Armory : Ammunition, Tanks, Ballistic Missiles, Ships and Jets.
Diplomatic Gifts : Over 500 gifts, each of which has a diplomatic story behind it, are on display. These representative gifts are handpicked from thousands of gifts presented to China by different countries.
Old Photos ：Photos taken during the wars that happened from 1840 to 1960.
Attractions Nearby : The China Millennium Monument
Add : No.9 Fuxing Rd ,Haidian District, Beijing. ( South to the Yuyuantan Park on the Fuxingmenwai Street )
Dedicated to the collection of paleontological, botanical and anthropological specimen , this museum boasts more than one hundred thousand exhibits.While some are type specimen, some others are rare and precious treasures such as the
Upstream Yangchuanosaurus, Tsintaosaurus, Psittacosaurus specimen and some well-preserved dinosaur egg fossils and footprint fossiles. The carnivorous Yangchuanosaurus from the later Juraasic era sustained a body length of over 8 meters and body height of 4 meters; the Herbivorous Tsintaosaurus from later cretaceous ear sustained a body length of 6.62 meters and a body height of 4.9 meters while the Herbivorous Psittacosaurus had a body of only 70 centimeters. Some imported collections include :the Moa fossils from New Zealand,sloth, Echidna, Lyrebird from Australia, La Diman fish from Africa. Some exhibits are taxidermy ,some others are fossils . All play a very important role in the evolutionary link and have very important academic value.
Here you will find the exhibition in four sections : the Paleontology Section, the zoological section , the botanical section and the anthropological section. Diversified and advance techology like slides projector, video technology are employed to illustrate the evolution process from the single cell life to a diversifed world, from the lowest level to the highest, from water-born life to the modern world. In the paleontology hall you can see the 22 meters-long Mamenchisaurus from 140 million years ago and the 6 meters long and 2 meter tall Lufengosaurus from 180 million years ago. Some reptiles that had the ability to fly are also on display. Pterosaur and Ichthyosaur that lived in water are on display. They went into extinction with the dinosaurs at the same time. The zoological and botanical hall try to use the systematic evolution of life on earth to make the public aware that it took millions of years for life to be so diversified on this planet and we should try to preserve them and protect the habitat we lived in. Anthropology hall aims at illustrating the human evolution by using paleo-anthroplogical, anthropological, anatomy and archeological materials.
Opening dates : Only closed on Mon.
Opening Hours : 9：00－－17：00 ( No admission after 16:00 )
Attrations : Paleo reptiles, paleo mammals, dinosaur world and aquatic life forms.
Features : Extensive and exhaustive pictures and antiques to delineate the evolution and accomplishments of China railway over the last 130 years.
Brief Introduction : Situated in the proximity of the southeast corner of the Tian’anmen Square and based on relics of the former Zheng yang men East railway station ( also called Qian men station), the museum is the first of its kind in Beijing. Built in 1906, the railway station was the then-biggest railway station and transportation hub. The museum teems with various railway artifacts and pictures such as the first steam engine and railway tracks made by China on its own, new D-train models, the miniature of the newly-built Beijing South Railway Station, the Hongqiao Railway Station, the new Cheng Du railway station, the new Xi an Railway Station, the new Wuhan Railway Station, the new Guangzhou Railway station. Another novelty feature of the museum is the collection of the train tickets from different phases of the railway evolution . Some Taiwan train tickest are also on display. Here you can see the train tickest used during the Late Qing Dynasty, the tickets during the Kuomintang Reign Period, tickets that came in diversified shapes and designs since the foudation of the Republic of China. Also on display is a old style brick-and-mortar tickets printer that can produce the old style hard-board ticket. Resembling a piece of dried toufu and made of hard paper , this kind of ticket with date, value, serial number and station names on had been in use for more than 70 years. This printer still got it and you can print an old style ticket using it if you have raring hands.
Exhibits
Old style train
Old style tracks
Train Models
Station Models
Train tickets
ADD : Southeast of the Qian men tower that is in the front of Tian an men square.
Open hours : 9:00—16:30
Features : A museum dedicated to the evolution of Beijing Opera.
Brief Intro : The museum is located inside the Beijing Huguang( refers to three provinces in China )Hui Guan(is a kind of venue for businessmen to meet ). Huguang Huiguan is now located at Hufang Qiao , Xuanwu District and was first built in 1807 during the Jia Qing Emperor for the purpose of functioning as the venue for the meeting and residence place for businessmen and government-hosted tests taker from Hu Nan and Hu Bei provinces. This Huiguan boasts both a very deeply ingrained historical and cultural atmosphere and a strong Beijing Opera tradition and since its founding had been a magnet to talents and geniuses. The famous Beijing Opera virtuosos like Tan Xin pei, Yushu yan, Meilan fang had all performed here , making it the most attractive and famous venue for this art. Come here and have a taste of the quintessential Beijing Opera repertoire while sitting there sipping the quintessential Chinese tea in this culturally saturated place !!
Exhibits
Precious and rare antiques , photos and audios and reference material will give you real insights into the evolution of Beijing Opera.
Add : No 3 Hufang RD , Xuan wu District Beijing
Open Hours : 9: 00—19:30
Brief Introduction:
Located in Xiannong Alter, Beijing, Museum of Chinese Ancient Architecture is a theme museum mainly for collecting, protecting, researching as well as showcasing the history, culture and techniques of ancient architectures. Trough photos, real objects and models, the history of the development of Chinese ancient architecture techniques are introduced vividly.
Items on Display:
Beijing Old City Model;
Temple of Heaven Qinian Palace Model which is made smaller in proportion with the same structure of the real one;
Various models of Chinese ancient palaces and houses of common citizens;
A great number of architecture relics and specimens;
Architectures of Beijing in the past
Address: Dong Jing Road NO. 21, Xuanwu District, Beijing City
Brief Intro
An outgrowth from a former branch of the Citi Bank, the museum is a four-storied quintessential building with a floor space of 2000 square meters. Exhibits include tangible memorabilias, photos, captions and various models. The exhibits are displayed in a chronological order and juxtaposed with the events that happened at that time. The four categories :police history , crime detection , classification of policemen and police armoury boast more than 7000 articles covering a time span from the Ming Dynasty until present. 1500 will be on display.
Exhibits
The Beijing Police History Hall :
A special wall that we call the Heroes Wall with a height of 8 meters and a arc width of 18.2 meters and an area of more than 45.6 square meters is the centerpiece of this hall. It records the names of 58 policemen who had sacrificed their lives from the formation of Beijing police force until the year 2000. The key that the Kuomingtang general Fuzuoyi surrendered to the liberating army (its replica) and some cannons used in the The People's Republic of China's founding ceremony are also displayed.
The Crime Detection and Investigation Hall
Located on the second floor , this hall showcased some devices and technology once used by the Beijing force. The fingerprint brush , the multi-wavelength fingerprint differentiator and the computerized image formation system and the lie-detectors are also seen here. A lifesize prison cell and a miniature one are on the west wing of this hall.
Police Functions Hall
Located on the third floor , this hall is home to some interesting articles : the anti-heat bamboo T shirt worn by the police during the fifties and sixties, the oldest clunker of a firetruck made during the later Qing Dynasty and the first ID card that ever issued near Chaoyangmen streets.
The Police Armoury Hall
Located on the fourth floor , this hall holds the weapons and amoury and vehicles the force used from 1949 to 2000
Add : No,36 Dongjiaominxiang Lane , Dongcheng District
9:00-16:00
Opening Hours : 9:00-16:00 ( Stop selling ticket at 15:30)
Tips:
There are many interactive devices for you to get a first hand experience . Simulation driving , shooting and traffic monitoring device and fire-escaping devices are there for you to manipultate.
Brief Introduction:
Situated in Xisi of Beijing, Chinese Geology Museum is the biggest scientific museum. It can be dated back to a showcasing room established in 1916.
It has five fixed showrooms of mineral resource, history of the earth, layer ancient life, mineral rock and gemstone. The Mineral Resource Showroom displays minerals of agriculture, chemical industry, steel metal and ferrous metal and so on. What is shown in the second showroom is the 4.6 billion-year-long history of the earth from a wild and still star to a modern world of vitality. The Layer Ancient Life Showroom shows fossils in different layers, revealing the evolution of creatures from the Proterozoic Era to the Quaternary period. The Mineral Rock Showroom helps people to know mineral rock better. The Gemstone Showroom has four units to display, namely, gemstone, jade, color stone along with ink stone.
Items on Display:
It possesses geology specimen amounting for 200,000.
Giant Shandong Dragon: the highest and best-protected dinosaur specimen in the world;
Bird Specimens, including Chinese Dragon-Bird, famed for the numbers of collections and precious ones;
Ancient Human Specimen discovered earliest so far in China: the teeth specimen of Yuanmou People in Yunnan;
Nation Grade Treasure involving stoneware, stone bead, bone needle, bone ornament and big fluorite unearthed in the relics of Shanding Cave People
Opening Time：9：00－16：30 (closed on Monday)
Address： Yangrou Lane NO.15, Xisi District, Beijing
Features : China’s only state-level comprehensive Science and Technology museum
Brief Intro
Located in proximity of the center-piece Olympic stadium and an essential part of the Olympic park to bear out the “ Green Olympics, Technology Olympics,
Humane Olympics” promises by China, the Science and Technology Museum aims to propagate and disseminate general science knowledge and awareness by virtue of its diversified , novel , interactive and scientific exhibits and presentation methods. The new museum is divided into five thematic exhibition halls and some public exhibition space and four advanced movie theaters.
Exhibits on display
Exhibits include breakthroughs in sciences like life science, environmental science , acoustics and telecommunications , energy and transportation, new synthetic material and its manufacturing technology etc. The glory of ancient China scientific achievements is also showcased. Devices that are interactive abounds. People can get first-hand experience with the state-of-art technologies.
Open Hours : 9:00-16:30
Add: 5th Bei Chen North Rd. Chao Yang District ( 1 kilometers north to the Bird Nestle )
Ways to get there : Subway line 8 .Get off at the Olympic Park stop and walk towards north for 13 minutes.
