 |
Forbidden City
|
May 12, 2009
We were picked up at 7am for our whole day tour of Beijing's major sites:
1.
Forbidden City - built in 1406 -1420 by a million laborers, home of
emperors, servants, concubines and eunuchs until 1925. 720,000 square
meters---you can practically spend the whole day here if you want to
explore every nook and cranny!
 |
| Forbidden City |
 |
| "9, 8, and a lion head are a sign of good luck" |
 |
| one of the courtyards at Forbidden City |
 |
| one of the temples |
 |
| Forbidden City |
2. Tiananmen Square - World's
largest public square bordered by Mao's Mausoleum, History Museum, Great
Hall of the People and Forbidden City.
 |
| Tiananmen Square |
3. Temple of Heaven -
magnificent temple and park where emperors of Qing and Ming dynasties
worship heaven and pray for good harvest; features a circular "Hall of
Prayer for Good Harvests".
 |
| Temple of Heaven |
4. Summer Palace - Used to be a Royal
garden and imperial palace for short stays away from the capital. An
Imperial retreat from Beijing's summer heat with gardens, lakes, hills,
the elaborately decorated "long corridor" and Empress Cixi's marble
boat.
 |
| Summer Palace |
 |
| The lake surrounding the Palace |
 |
| a portion of the (very) long corridor |
 |
| Empress Cixi's marble boat |
