Beijing, China

April 1-6, 2013:

This is a long post, since it covers six days in and around Beijing, China. So much to see, so little time…

Great Wall of China:

We all climbed the Great Wall of China! Took a chairlift up to the wall and an alpine slide down from it! Awesome adventure as a family!

Welcome to the Great Wall!

Chairlift up to the wall

Alpine sllide down from the wall

Climbing the wall

Views of the Great Wall

Beijing Buildings:

Modern Beijing has some interesting buildings…

China Central Television Headquarters – ‘Building of Pants’ – Photo: Pinterest

Pangu 7 Star Hotel – ‘Dragon Building’ – Photo: Facebook

Beijing National Olympic Stadium – ‘Bird’s Nest’ – Photo: x.com

Summer Palace:

The Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces in Beijing. It was an imperial garden during the Qing dynasty. Destroyed during the Second Opium War of the 1850s, it was reconstructed by Emperor Guangxu for use by Empress Dowager Cixi and renamed the Summer Palace.

Summer Palace exteriors

Summer Palace interiors

Guardian lion, peacock, and dragon

Lakes

Statue of Guanyin – Photo: deviantart.com

Theater in the Summer Palace

Crowds of Beijing:

Street in Beijing

The Subway

Exercising in the Park:

All over China, we saw people exercising in the parks.

People exercising in the park

Band Playing in the Park:

We (and many others) also saw a band play in the park.

Band playing in the park

Temple of Heaven:

The Temple of Heaven is a complex of imperial religious buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for a good harvest.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest

Decorated columns

Dragon head gutter

Flower Garden

Circular Mound Altar

Heavenly Center Stone

Palace of Abstinence

Censer and portraits of emperors – Palace of Abstinence

Ritual room – Palace of Abstinence

Imperial Vault of Heaven

Echo Wall

Round Gate

Seven Stars Rocks

Tiananmen Square:

Tiananmen Square or Tian’anmen Square is a city square in the city center of Beijing, China, named after the eponymous Tiananmen located to its north, which separates it from the Forbidden City.

Tiananmen Square

Forbidden City:

The Forbidden City is the imperial palace complex in the center of the Imperial City in Beijing, China. It was the residence of 24 Ming and Qing dynasty Emperors, and the center of political power in China for over 500 years from 1420 to 1924.

Forbidden City

Walks of Beijing:

Here is a sample of our walks in Beijing…

Walks of Beijing

Keep off the grass signs

Drum Tower:

The Drum Tower was built in 1272 during the reign of Kublai Khan, when it stood at the 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 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.

Drum Tower

Drummers in Drum Tower

Nanluoguxiang Hutong Market:

A hutong is a long and narrow street characterized by its lined shops and courtyard homes. These alleys have a rich historical significance, originating from the construction of siheyuans, individual homes organized in small compounds. Over time, residents began connecting these compounds, forming larger residences and giving rise to the narrow pathways known as hutongs.

Nanluoguxiang Hutong Market

Floating Egg:

The ‘Floating Egg’ is Beijing’s National Center for the Performing Arts. This wonderful structure is made of titanium and glass and sits ‘floating’ on an artificial lake, right in the center of the city.