Beijing, part 8: Beihai Park

Beihai Park is around Beihai, "North Lake." The "bei" is the same character as in Beijing and the "hai" is the same character as in Shanghai. The "hai" in Shanghai refers to the sea, though, and not a lake.

Before we entered the park, we climbed a fortification known as the Round City.


Atop the fort is the last known remnant from Kublai Khan's capital, a jade jar.

Somehow only it was preserved over the centuries. Now it is housed in a small glass box in a courtyard.

We then arrived at the lake, Beihai.


Willow trees around the lake. Chunlin had a couple very nice photos of her by this lake 25 years ago. Here's one from this year.


We crossed the bridge to the Jade Isle and climbed through the Yong'an Temple to the White Dagoba (Bai Ta).









Good view from up top.


We then descended the other side of the hill.

This spiral staircase ended at a blank wall. We had to climb over the guardrail to continue downward. Very odd.

The Ancient Caves of the Jade Islet didn't sound interesting enough to justify the three yuan entrance fee, so we passed them by.

Back at the lake, sweating in the humidity, we waited in the shade of the Long Corridor and caught a boat.




At the north end of the lake are the Five Dragon Pavilions.

That's five pavilions with dragons, by the way. It was at the center of these pavilions that Chunlin had her photo taken 25 years ago. During our visit, elderly folks danced in the center pavilion, so we couldn't spend much time there.

We took a brief look at the closed Xiao Xi Tian ... temple? pavilion? then over to the double-sided Nine Dragon Screen, which actually thus has eighteen big dragons -- and over 300 total dragons, or so they say.


Food time. Tired.

We left the park and hunted. Some small food from local-type restaurants. Kung pao chicken and spicy eggplant.

Bus to subway line 7, to line 1, to line Batong, to get picked up by Chunyu. Standing in the dark under a streetlight by a freeway offramp of sorts. An hour to get home and I couldn't see how it could be quicker.

'Twas Mount St. Helens Day. Big bada boom.

My feet finally started hurting at 6 p.m. Chunlin's feet hurt all day. Vacationing is hard work. Wo bu xi huang gong zuo. Good night.

I've posted twice as many photos from Beihai Park on flickr.

Beijing, part 7: Rain Storm!

Our next stop in the Forbidden City was the theater.

The stage is three levels (see above). Performers would be on all three levels, travelling between levels on stairs and wires.

The audience was situated in the buildings across the courtyard, with the emperor a floor up for optimum viewing. Only the emperor (and Emperor Dowager Cixi when she was in charge) could sit down. All others were forced to kneel for the duration of the performances. Some ministers didn't make it, apparently, and keeled over.

Real hats of the emperor, or so they say:


Nearby is a collection of precious jewels and carved jade.



Impressively huge, in the Chinese imperial tradition.

They need to weed their roofs, however.

As I've mentioned before, maintenance in China is a bit hit-and-miss.


At the Imperial Garden, we discovered where all the tour groups had been hiding. Also, the skies began to rain. Notice the man in the above photo peering upward. I think he knows what's coming.

Thunder.

Everyone runs for the North Gate.


Since we were just about finished with the Forbidden City, we followed the crowd.


Instead of hanging out in the gate's tunnel for the rest of the afternoon, we decided to head to the street and catch a bus. It wasn't raining too hard, after all.


By the time we reached the street, the rain became harder. We shared our umbrella and crowed partially under a bus shelter while the heavens opened up.

A few enclosed pedicabs stopped by, offering rides, but no one took them up on their offer.

After a long ten minutes, sudden sunshine.


We caught a bus westward and that was that.

More photos on flickr.

Beijing, part 6: The Center of the Known World

We rested a moment at the Zhong of the Zhong: the Middle Hall in the center group of three halls in the middle of the Forbidden City in the center of Beijing in the political center of the Middle Kingdom which is at the heart of the known world.

And back down the other side.


We got some food at one of the two eateries in this part of the palace, then wandered through more halls.





The buildings and courtyards were quickly all starting to look the same. And the stories, too. This is the throne where the emperor made big decisions. This is the throne where the emperor made really big decisions. No, this is the throne where the emperor sat while the Emperor Dowager sat behind that curtain on that throne and made all the big decisions.





For a change of pace, we headed over to the Watch and Clock Gallery on the east side of the Forbidden City.




At 2 p.m., we watched a few medium-sized clocks spin a few trees and flowers. It wasn't as impressive as I'd hoped.





Nearby is the Nine Dragon Screen.


Nine is a lucky, powerful number in China and dragons are ... well, dragons!


For more photos, head on over to flickr.

Beijing, part 5: Entering the Forbidden City

We popped out of the subway at Tian'anmen Square. Big, crowded -- although, we were blocked from the main area of the square by a major street. Tour groups all over, of course. We followed the flow of humanity through Tian'an Men (Gate of Heavenly Peace), pausing only for pictures with old man Mao. I mean you gotta, right?






Next was the Front Gate and then another large plaza full of people. We bought tickets and audio auto-guides, and then entered through the Meridian Gate.


We were finally inside the Forbidden City, the past home of the emperors of China.


It's now home to millions of tourists.

The palace is big and harsh -- composed of unforgiving stone squares.


The only respite was the Golden Stream meandering across the first plaza.

With five bridges, I guess it was a bit of a moat, but I'm sure battles never got this far inside the defenses. At least not battles with armies -- just battles of diplomats, bureaucrats, and the like.

The palace squares may be harsh, but the buildings had lovely roofs. Ornate detailing on the eaves. Lines of animals on the corners of the roofs. Dragon heads for water spouts from one stone terrace down to the next. Wide stairs up to the fancy halls.










This was the marble carriageway up to the large Hall of Supreme Harmony. Only the emperor himself was allowed to use this carriageway, which is good, because I'm sure it would have long ago been trodden to destruction otherwise.




Not all dragons have long, lithe bodies. Some have hard shells!


No one is allowed inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, hence it's empty. I fought for space to take a photo or two of the throne. This hall was used for the big, ceremonial shindigs with dignitaries and such. It's the first and largest throne hall in the palace, and thus designed for show. And now it is on display, instead of hosting the display.

The tour will continue in a while. For now, there's more photos of the Forbidden City on flickr.