Exploring Beijing (Winter Break - Part 2)
We returned to our hostel late that evening from our trip to the wall. As we started scouting out some dinner (which would end up consisting of tomato and egg soup with fried noodles), we decided to walk from our hostel all the way down to the Forbidden City in hopes of seeing the gate lit up at night. We were not disappointed. Although freezing, and we could barely stand to remove our hands from our gloves for more than a few seconds to snap some pictures, it was well worth the long walk.
The following morning, we got an early start to the day, leaving our hostel at nearly 9 am. Our plan was to see as many things as possible, starting with the National Museum of China. To our dismay, however, we found that almost all of the popular tourist destinations in Beijing are closed on Mondays.
Although the city itself was closed on Monday, the tourists are allowed to enter the front gate, called Tiananmen, which is the monumental entrance to the city that we saw lit up the previous night. From here, we walked down a long courtyard to the Meridian Gate (pictured above). This was the main entrance gate to the Forbidden City - which was the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. It was constructed in the early 1400s.
Since the city was closed, we were then forced to walk around the exterior to the east gate. The Forbidden City covers 180 acres and is surrounded by a moat, which is 6 meters deep and 52 meters wide. It was completely frozen over due to the frigid weather.
Across from the Forbidden City is a square, named for the monumental gate at its front: Tiananmen Square. It is the home to many monuments, such as the Monument to the People's Heroes (pictured above), and it is among the top 10 biggest squares in the world at 109 acres.
Many famous protests and other historically significant events took place in this square. China observes celebrations for its anniversary here each year as it was the location where Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 1949.
Since the National Museum of China, located on the edge of the square, was closed that day we decided to head to something that would definitely be open: a temple. Just a few subway stops south of the Forbidden City is: The Temple of Heaven.
The Temple of Heaven, or the Altar of Heaven, was a complex of buildings used by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to perform ceremonies and pray to heaven each year for a good harvest.
Pictured above is the exterior and interior of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. It was constructed in the 1400s and is made completely from wood without using any nails. It was one of the 3 main buildings in the temple complex for the ceremonies.
Behind the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is the Imperial Hall of Heaven. Here, they stored tablets to be displayed and worshiped during the ceremonies.
To the south of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is Danbi Bridge. This is 360 meter long 4 meter high, raised walkway that connects the temple to the circular mound altar and celestial warehouse.
Above is the gate of the Echo Wall - a circular wall surrounding the celestial warehouse. It is named as such because the curve of the stone carries sound around its circumference. If someone were to stand on the inside of the east section of the wall, and another on the west and both faced to the north, they would be able to speak to and hear each other without problem.
The center building of the celestial warehouse is the Imperial Vault of Heaven, which housed "God's tablets" to be used during the ceremony for worshiping heaven.
Across from the celestial warehouse is the Circular Mound Altar. This is where the emperor would complete the ceremony for worshiping heaven, during the winter solstice each year, and pray for a bountiful harvest.
Near the east gate of the temple complex gardens are the Seven-Star Stones. These gigantic stones were specifically engraved with motifs of mountains and placed here to symbolize the seven peaks of Mount Tai.
The following morning, we got an early start to the day, leaving our hostel at nearly 9 am. Our plan was to see as many things as possible, starting with the National Museum of China. To our dismay, however, we found that almost all of the popular tourist destinations in Beijing are closed on Mondays.
Although the city itself was closed on Monday, the tourists are allowed to enter the front gate, called Tiananmen, which is the monumental entrance to the city that we saw lit up the previous night. From here, we walked down a long courtyard to the Meridian Gate (pictured above). This was the main entrance gate to the Forbidden City - which was the Chinese Imperial Palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. It was constructed in the early 1400s.
Since the city was closed, we were then forced to walk around the exterior to the east gate. The Forbidden City covers 180 acres and is surrounded by a moat, which is 6 meters deep and 52 meters wide. It was completely frozen over due to the frigid weather.
Across from the Forbidden City is a square, named for the monumental gate at its front: Tiananmen Square. It is the home to many monuments, such as the Monument to the People's Heroes (pictured above), and it is among the top 10 biggest squares in the world at 109 acres.
Many famous protests and other historically significant events took place in this square. China observes celebrations for its anniversary here each year as it was the location where Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 1949.
Since the National Museum of China, located on the edge of the square, was closed that day we decided to head to something that would definitely be open: a temple. Just a few subway stops south of the Forbidden City is: The Temple of Heaven.
The Temple of Heaven, or the Altar of Heaven, was a complex of buildings used by the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to perform ceremonies and pray to heaven each year for a good harvest.
Pictured above is the exterior and interior of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. It was constructed in the 1400s and is made completely from wood without using any nails. It was one of the 3 main buildings in the temple complex for the ceremonies.
Behind the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is the Imperial Hall of Heaven. Here, they stored tablets to be displayed and worshiped during the ceremonies.
To the south of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is Danbi Bridge. This is 360 meter long 4 meter high, raised walkway that connects the temple to the circular mound altar and celestial warehouse.
Above is the gate of the Echo Wall - a circular wall surrounding the celestial warehouse. It is named as such because the curve of the stone carries sound around its circumference. If someone were to stand on the inside of the east section of the wall, and another on the west and both faced to the north, they would be able to speak to and hear each other without problem.
The center building of the celestial warehouse is the Imperial Vault of Heaven, which housed "God's tablets" to be used during the ceremony for worshiping heaven.
Across from the celestial warehouse is the Circular Mound Altar. This is where the emperor would complete the ceremony for worshiping heaven, during the winter solstice each year, and pray for a bountiful harvest.
Near the east gate of the temple complex gardens are the Seven-Star Stones. These gigantic stones were specifically engraved with motifs of mountains and placed here to symbolize the seven peaks of Mount Tai.
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