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beijing.html
Beijing: China's
Political, Cultural and Educational Capitol
Long
considered the heart and soul of Chinese politics and society, Beijing is the
capitol of the People's Republic of China and one of the richest cultural centers
in the world. It is famous for its great mandarin cuisine, its wonderful teahouses,
and its rich heritage. This ancient city abounds with tradition and history,
from its Imperial past reflected in its architecture, to the classic Jingju
Opera and its amazing temples. Here you find such marvels as the Great
Wall of China, the ancient Imperial
City, and the Peking Man's Cave.
In addition, this great city boasts an amazing zoo, fabulous museums, and some
of the country's best universities. At the same time, Beijing is a modern city
with great shopping, world class restaurants, and a varied night life that includes
ballroom dancing, pubs and bars. It has a population of over 13 million making
it the second largest city in the country after Shanghai and is one of four
municipalities in China. It is located in north eastern China on the North China
Plain protected by the Jundu and Xishan mountain ranges. The Beijing International
Airport is just 20km from the center of the city and there are trains that arrive
at its many stations from other parts of China, Russia and Korea daily, making
it very easy to get to. Once here, there is an extensive public transportation
system which will get you all over this great municipality that includes a subway,
buses and trolleys, all of which are being extended for the upcoming 2008
Summer Olympics which Beijing is hosting.
Beijing,
also known as Peking, has had many names over the centuries,
depending on its rulers and the period, but it has always been at the
center of culture and politics in the East. Archaeologists have
discovered that the area of Beijing has been inhabited continually
from as far back as the first millennium B.C. It was the Imperial
capitol for centuries under the Yan, Qin, Han and Jin Dynasties and
Kublai Khan himself made it the Mongol capitol, as well, after he
invaded and began his Yuan Dynasty in the 13th
century. Always at the center of society, it was the largest city in
the world from 1420-1650 and from 1710-1825. Elegant and refined,
Beijing remained the capitol under both the Ming and Quing Dynasties,
and was home to the Imperial Court which lived within the walls of
the Forbidden City. It was in Beijing that Yuan Shikai put pressure
on the last Emperor to abduct in 1911 during the Xinhai Revolution,
making himself the president of the Republic of China. In 1915 this
same Yuan declared himself emperor, but died less than a year later
leaving both the city and country in turmoil under the control of
regional warlords. In 1928 the Republic was once again declared, and
Beijing, then called Peking, was again named the capitol. The city
then fell under the control of Japan during World War II, but was
once more confirmed the country's capitol in 1945 when the war
ended. In 1949 when Mao Zedong led the civil war which created
today's People's Republic of China, Beijing was again declared the
nation's capitol city.
Today
this booming metropolis is an historic gem as well as a modern and
fashionable city. When you are visiting be sure to explore all it
has to offer, from Peking Duck to the amazing local handicrafts such
as the Jingtailan,
a cloisonné
metalwork which is made using techniques and traditions unique to
Beijing. If you have the opportunity, don't miss Beijing's
traditional
Jingju,
Opera either,
which is a combination of song and spoken words accented by gestures,
dance, fighting, stylized movements and acrobatics. Since much of
the language used is stage dialect, both modern Chinese and English
subtitles are generally provided for the audience. Enjoy both the
historic architecture and skyscrapers in this great city that can
boast over 500,000 years of history, and be sure to meet the locals
who are known for their friendliness.
Attractions
The Forbidden City
Built
under the Ming Dynasty from 1406-1420, this walled-in city was the
Imperial home until the abdication of the last emperor in 1911 and is
now considered the best preserved cluster of historic buildings in
China. When China's emperors lived within its walls, the Imperial
City was closed to the general public, giving it the name, “The
Forbidden City.” Over the centuries a total of 24 of China's
Emperors lived here with their concubines and numerous eunuchs who
served the royal family in all their needs. The compound was made up
of over 800 buildings in a space of about 720,000 square meters with
a total of about 9,000 rooms. Today visitors can see the many
gardens, pavilions, courtyards and great halls which were once
reserved for the privileged. Some of the original structures were
burnt down during past invasions, so many of the existing buildings
actually date from the 18th
century. The Imperial City is surrounded by a wall as tall as 10
meters in some places and a moat as wide as 52 meters in some points.
While visiting the Forbidden City be sure to visit the Museum
of Antiquities
and the Palace
Museum
which hold outstanding collections of paintings, ceramics,
handicrafts, bronzes, ornaments and treasures of all sorts.
Tienanmen
Square
Believed
to be the largest central square in the world, Tienanmen Square is as
famous as it is large. Its name translates into the Gate
of Heavenly Peace,
and from here one enters the Imperial City. This large paved square
in the heart of Beijing was used as a meeting place during Imperial
times, where children would fly kites and adults would come to talk.
During Mao's times it was used for rallies and parades and even today
people come here to socialize. Nearby one finds the Museum
of Chinese History
and the Museum
of the Chinese Revolution,
the Great
Hall of the People,
the Front
Gate, the
Monument
to the People's Heroes and
the Chairman
Mao Mausoleum
where the leader's body is kept on display.
Temple of Heaven
Park
This
is another of Beijing's favorite meeting places, where locals come
early in the morning for tai'chi, dancing and other exercises. The
park itself is nearly 273 hectares with four gates that lead to the
temple in the center. It was in this Ming temple that the Emperors
worshiped, coming to ask the gods for good fortune and good harvests.
The entire complex is designed along the beliefs of fengshui,
numerology and cosmology, facilitating conversations between mortals
and gods. The temple itself is round, representing the heavens while
around it is a square compound representing the earth. Be sure to
visit the Round
Altar,
the Imperial
Vault of Heaven and
the Hall
of Prayer for Good Harvests.
There is symbolism infused in every detail of this historic
structure.
Summer Palace
This
breathtaking complex of palaces, gardens, lakes, pavilions and
corridors was built in 1750 as a cooler summer home for the royal
family. The whole complex is nearly 3 square kilometers on which
there are numerous buildings, all in balance with nature and all
designed to delight the royal family, the largest of which is the
Hall
of Benevolence and Longevity.
The Long
Corridor,
nearly 700 meters long and filled with mythical paintings and scenes,
runs along the side of Kunming
Lake.
There is a lot to see here, but be sure not to miss the Wenchang
Galleries,
the Pavilion
of Bright Scenery,
the Hall
of Serenity,
Suzhou
Street
and the Four
Great Regions.
Coming here one gets a glimpse at how the emperors enjoyed their free
time in one of the most spectacular places in the city.
Yuanmingyuan
These
public gardens are near the Summer
Palace
and include three different gardens: Yuanmingyuan
(Garden of Perfect Splendor); Changchun
Yuan
(Garden of Eternal Spring); and Qichunyuan
(Garden
of Blossoming Spring). The first garden was begun by Qing Emperor
Kangxi in 1707, and was
expanded over the next 150 years. The 350 hectares complex includes
springs, hills, lakes and buildings. It has been called the, “Garden
of gardens,”
and is certainly a
great place to appreciate the harmony of nature in the middle of the
city.
The Great Wall
As one of the most
famous structures in the world, the Great Wall, which stretches
across northern China, should not be missed on a visit to Beijing. It
was begun nearly 2000 years ago under the Qing Dynasty's Emperor Qin
Shihuang, built as a defense against invasions from the North. The
Great Wall is actually made up of smaller walls that were built at
different times and then linked together. It has high, wide
ramparts, parapets and beacon towers. The wall is over 6,000 km long,
some parts of which are in better repair than others. However, no
matter where on the wall you stand, it is an awesome experience. The
section built under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is in especially
good condition.
Lama Temple
This Tibetan temple
which is in the heart of Beijing is the largest temple in the city.
It is run by Tibetan monks and closed for visits during their prayers
in the morning. It is filled with statues, tapestries, and some
amazing carpentry, including the elaborate ceiling. There are two
giant Chinese lion statues and an 18 meter tall Buddha carved
entirely from one sandalwood tree. The complex is enclosed by walls
and has beautiful gardens. The structure was originally built as a
royal palace for a prince in 1694, but soon became the Buddhist
monastery it is today.
Peking
Man Cave
This limestone cave was
discovered in 1921 and has since undergone extensive excavation. It
proves that men were living in the area as early as 200,000 years
ago. The cave is 40 meters deep, 140 meters long and from 2-40
meters wide. Within scientists have found human remains, relics and
evidence of fire. In the last 30 years alone over 27,000 cubic meters
have been excavated from within the cave and over 200 pieces of human
fossil have been found along with artifacts and animal fossil.
Beijing Zoo
This city zoo first
opened in 1908 and now covers about 50 hectares, housing over 6,000
animals from 500 species. The zoo especially keeps rare and
endangered species, the most noteworthy of these is China's own Giant
Panda. In addition you can see golden monkeys, addaxes, and tigers
from northeastern China.
Chinese National
Museum
Located
just east of Tienanmen
Square
this museum is dedicated to the history and art of China. The
collection has over 610,000 objects that are of cultural and historic
significance. The section on Chinese History has over 9,000 objects
that date back as far as 1.7 million years ago and covers the
country's history through the revolution of 1911. The section that
covers the Chinese Revolution and Socialism has over 4,500 objects
including books, pictures, models, paintings and sculptures
pertaining to Chinese modern history.
Chinese National
Museum of Fine Arts
This is China's
national art gallery and it's huge. It has 20 exhibit halls on five
different floors with over 70,000 works of fine art. Most of the art
is Chinese, dating from the Ming Dynasty to the present, many of the
which are modern works. Here you will find paintings, sculptures,
pottery, paper cutouts, toys, puppets, kites and embroidery. In
addition there is a small section of Western art with about 117 works
by American and European artists, including 4 by Picasso. There is
also a collection of African wooden art.
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