Introduction

Tiananmen Square is also known as the gate of heavenly peace and is located in the center of Beijing, at Changan avenue. Tiananmen Square is named after Tiananmen Gate which is the entrance to the Forbidden City. The Square was originally built in 1651 and was later enlarged by four times when it was cemented with concrete in 1958.

It is enclosed by two imperial gates in the north and south with the north side being the Gate of Heavenly Peace also known as the Tiananmen Gate and the Front Gate towards the south known as Qianmen Gate.

As you approach Tian'anmen there is a Golden Water Bridge, a pair of columns made from white marble sculptured with lion and dragon designs that is not only for decoration but also the expect for the emperor.

Things and activities to do on a visit   

Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall   

Located on the southern side of Tiananmen Square, this hall is divided into three parts and in one of the halls is the place where peple admire Chairman Mao at his crystal coffin surrounded by fresh flower bouquets. People offer respect to the greatest founder of the modern nation of China.

The Great Hall of the People  

Situated on the west of Tiananmen Square is where the Great Hall of the People is located. This building was constructed in 1959 and is the site where congress meetings and diplomatic activities take place. Twelve marble posts are in front of the hall which has three parts the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall. The floor of the Central Hall is paved with marble and crystal lamps hang from the ceiling.

Monument to the People's Heroes   

At the center of Tiananmen Square is a granite and marble monument that weighs over 10,000 tonnes that is known as the Monument to the People's Heroes built in 1952 and is one of the largest monuments in China's history. On the monument, Chairman Mao engraved “Eternal glory to the People's Heroes”, and visitors can testify the gradual development of Chinese modern history. It serves as a memorial to heroes who lost their lives in the revolutionary struggle and conflicts of the early 19th and 20th centuries from the First Opium War to the Civil War.

Tiananmen Tower  

Built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty at the north end of the Square, this tower has been built and rebuild through the course of time until 1661 during the reign of Emperor Shunzi when it was remodeled, rebuilt and named the Tiananmen Tower. It measures 38 meters in height and 66 meters in length and has five arched gates, only royalty was allowed to enter from the middle gate. Today the tower is widely recognized by the Chairman Mao portrait which hangs above the archway gates.

China National Museum

The China National Museum location is right in front of the Great Hall of the People and was constructed in the year 2003 with a set up of a mix of Chinese History Museum and Chinese Revolutionary Museum. It occupies close to 200,000 square meters in exhibition space and is the third largest museum in the world with over a million priceless relics dating back to 1.7 million years. The museum is home to cultural relics, material objects, books, pictures and models to present the growth of China through its long history and rich culture of China. Get into concise Chinese General History, and visit remains of the prehistoric Yuanmou Man.

Flag Raising and lowering Ceremony  

This is one of the focal points in the Tiananmen Square attractions flying high in the sky above Tiananmen Square. A seven-ton flagpole that is renowned for the raising ceremony takes place very early in the morning and lowering takes place in the evening and many tourists both from home and abroad look forward to seeing the guard of honor raise the flag and change guard. The reviewing stands flanks were opened on the west and the east sides to watch the ceremony. The flag is affixed and raised in time to the rising sun and the lowering is at dusk over an approximate two minutes and seven seconds after which the national anthem plays afterwards.

Statues

Situated at the back of the Monument of the People’s Heroes there are a couple of statues that pay tribute to workers, soldiers and just normal people who took part in China’s revolutions; the eastern statue represents the New Democratic Revolution period and the western side statues pay homage to those who contributed to the construction of chairman Mao’s leadership structure.

Magnificent Flower Beds

Tiananmen Square is home to the most extraordinary and ever-changing colorful floral displays according to seasons and it gets into its peak during special occasions and national holidays.

Introduction

The Forbidden City is an awe-inspiring building situated in the center of Beijing city and towards the northern side of Tiananmen Square. It was constructed during the early Ming Dynasty in 1420 and took a total of 14 years to build from 1406 to 1420. Construction was done by a million workers and another one hundred thousand artisans who were subjected to long term hard labor yet displayed very impressive and considerable skills in building the City. For instance, the bricks used are extremely strong and were made from white lime and glutinous rice and the cement used was made from glutinous rice and egg whites.

The city is one of the world's most captivating royal structures and global landmarks where visitors can discover Chinese history more comprehensively as well as learn about Chinese culture. It actually once served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911) and people were forbidden to enter into this city without special permission from the emperor. The last occupant who was even the last emperor of imperial China: Puyi left in 1925 after which the precinct was converted into the Palace Museum. The city covers a total of 74 hectares and it is surrounded by a 52 meters wide moat and a 10 meters high wall with gates on each side of the wall. The distance between the south Meridia Gate and the North Gate is 961 meters and the distance between the east and west gates is 753 meters. There are also other unique towers on each of the four corners of the wall that give excellent views of both the palace inside and the city outside.

The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section where the emperor exercised his supreme power and the northern section where the emperor lived with his royal family. The architectural style chosen for the Forbidden City reflects a sense of hierarchy with each structure designed in accordance with State Building Standards in Chinese social structure. Its design features a central axis, a symmetrical design of the outer court in the front and inner court at the rear part including courtyards derived from Yuan city layout.

Things and activities to do on a visit

Tickets of the attraction get tourists advanced reservation to visit the Beijing Palace Museum housed inside the Forbidden City and discover the rich and varied history of this breathtaking palace.

Palace Museum

The Forbidden City holds more than a million rare and valuable works of art, cultural relics and countless cultural artifacts from China’s long and splendid history dating all the way back from its earliest dynasties. There are also numerous exhibits going on in the Palace Museum with a collection of jade pieces, calligraphy, ceramics, paintings, bronzes, ancient books, historical documents and timepieces. In addition to this, there are also digital presentations with numerous sights to see and learn.

The Outer Court

The outer court has three main buildings, where emperors attended grand ceremonies and conducted state affairs. It contains spectacular palace compounds including the emperor’s places for religious rituals, formal reception halls and where state ceremonies are carried out. The first hall known as the hall of supreme harmony is the most important and largest structure in the Forbidden City and is where the emperors' Dragon Throne is situated. The second hall situated behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the place where Emperors would rehearse their presentations and speeches before heading to the Temple of Heaven for sacrificial ceremonies. It is also the resting place of the emperors before presiding over grand events held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The last hall is the hall used for banquets and imperial examinations.

Inner Court

This inner court is what was known as the domestic space, dedicated mainly to the imperial family. It includes the palaces in the northern part of the Forbidden City. The northeastern corner of the complex is known as the Tranquil Longevity Sector where the Empress Dowager and the many imperial concubines resided where visitors can see well preserved nine dragon wall particularly noted as one of just three of this type of decorations that remains prominent in China. The Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong) is located on the south while the Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian) where imperial weddings and familial ceremonies took place. In addition to the living quarters, you can admire the beautifully preserved architecture.

The western and eastern sides of the inner court were back in the days reserved for the retired emperor and empress dowager. The last major construction in the imperial precinct took place when Emperor Qianlong built his post-retirement palace and the Hall of Pleasant Longevity in the northeast corner of the Forbidden City. There are also structures for the imperial family’s religious activities in the inner court towards the eastern and western sides where the Buddhist and Daoist temples are located.  

Hall of Clocks

This impressive Hall of Clocks features unique, intricate and lavish timepieces that were gifted to Qing emperors by different European leaders from the 17th.

Traditional Gardens  

There are a couple of gorgeously preserved grounds side gardens to explore and learn Chinese history through the countless cultural artifacts.  

Summer palace

Introduction

The Summer Palace is located in the Haidian District northwest of Beijing and 15 kilometers from downtown. The Summer Palace was first built in 1750 by Emperor Qianglong but was later destroyed in the war of 1860 by the Anglo-French Allied Forces and later restored on its original foundations in 1886. In 1888, the Summer Palace was given its present Chinese name, Yihe Yuan. It was later destroyed by the Allied Forces of the Eight Powers in 1900 but was later reconstructed in the Qing Dynasty before it was opened to the public as a tourist attraction in 1924. In 1998 it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The Summer Palace covers a total of 2.9 square kilometers and has been used as a spot for retreat, residence and relaxation area for imperial families. As other dynasties occupied the palace they modified it but it was during the late Qing dynasty and the regency of Empress Dowager Cixi that the palace obtained its current grandeur. The general landscape of the Summer Palace incorporates natural hills and open water with artificial features like halls, pavilions, palaces, bridges and temples to create a harmonious setting that strives to maintain a conducive environment. Due to its layout, the Summer Palace was able to combine its residential, administrative, political, recreational and spiritual functions. 

Things to see and do on a visit

The Long Corridor

This is a 728-meter long walkway that was constructed in 1750 so that everyone would have sheltered walks in the garden regardless of the weather condition. The corridor is magnificently endowed with at least 14,000 paintings from famous Chinese legends. Its overall landscape creates a completely pleasant atmosphere for unwinding surrounded by willows, lotus flowers, boats and bridges. 

Kunming Lake and Boating 

Kunming Lake is located at the center of the park taking up 75% of the park area and is the key landscape element in the Summer Palace. Visitors can take a boat ride on Kunming Lake in summer to see an island temple and three large islands taking the aspect of ancient Chinese symbolic mountain garden design. Towards the south, of which is linked to the East Dike by the Seventeen Arch Bridge. An essential feature is the West Dike with six bridges in different styles along its length. 

Longevity Hill

Longevity Hill is a man-made steep hill that rises 60 meters high and sits beside a lake dotted with excellent halls and temples that have superbly decorated gates. It is made out of mound extracted from the area that is the current Kunming Lake.

The Court Area

The Court area is near the East Palace Gate in the palace buildings where Empress Cixi and Emperor Guangxu used to conduct government business. They also used to stay in the area that includes a number of courtyards and halls. 

Wenchang Gallery

This is an exhibition of artifacts, relics, jade, furniture and bronze dating back to the Shang dynasty. These materials are collected from imperial families.

The Heralding Spring Pavilion

The Heralding Spring Pavilion is the only pavilion that displays the most stunning and comprehensive view of the whole palace all the way to western mountains. The pavilions name comes from the fact that its the topmost spot where visitors can admire spring colors throughout the palace. It also sits over the water making it more unique surrounded by rocks. Before you reach the pavilion on the path leading to it there are interesting water calligraphers who display their artwork on the pavings. 

The Garden of Virtue and Harmony 

The Garden of Virtue and Harmony is located on the right of the administrative Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. The garden is an imperial leisure complex and is home to the imposing Grand Theatre. The restored theater in the palace where visitors can sit and watch traditional Chinese performances. Empress Cixi was a fan of the Peking opera and she requested the construction of a performing space that remains to date the country’s largest and most impressive.

Just directly opposite is the ornate Hall of Nurtured Joy, where the Empress Dowager relaxed and watcher performances with his special invited guests.

The Bronze Ox 

This bronze ox dates back to 1755 and is located near a pavilion facing Kunming lake with its back inscribed a poem of eighty characters written by the Qianlong Emperor. 

The Spacious Pavilion 

The Spacious Pavilion is the palace’s largest pavilion amongst all the other pavilions. Inside the pavilion is an impressive work of art and colorful wooden structures.

Marble Boat

At the northern edge of the lake sits the only western-style building in a very interesting form that is in the shape of a Marble Boat. It was constructed in 1755 but was burned down by the French and Britons in 1860 during the Second Opium War. The current building was reconstructed in 1893 and is decorated with colored bricks, wheels and glass windows.

Suzhou Market Street

Suzhou Market Street was set up during Qianlong’s Emperor resembling the architectural design of the southern city of Suzhou. It was actually built to impress one of the emperors homesick concubines but the strip was damaged by the French and British forces in 1860 and was later reconstructed in 1990. Nowadays it is home to shops and many boats can be seen floating and riding through its 300-meter canal.

Through these boats, there are riverside shops and most of them can only be accessed through boats. Back in the days, emperors and their concubines would pretend to be shopping although everything was bought for them.

South Lake Island

At the south lake island, visitors can get the best view of the Longevity Hill from way across the lake. In addition to this, there is an imperial Hall of Embracing the Universe where locals relax and unwind. 

The Jade Belt Bridge

This jade belt bridge is also known as a moon bridge and it features a series of Japanese and Chinese gardens and arches steeply. Looking from a distance the bridge’s arc reflects on the lake creating an illusion of a circle hence the name the moon bridge. The high arch was also set in high levels to allow Qianlong Emperor’s elaborate dragon boat to effectively pass beneath it.

The Four Great Regions 

These series of temples combine Tibetan and traditional Chinese architecture mixing color white and red creating the most magical and shimmering buddhas in the midst of steep steps. 

The Tower of Buddhist Incense

This majestically decorated Tower of Buddhist Incense is home to an impressive five meter tall Thousand Handed Guanyin Buddha. The tower is very pleasing to look at. 

The Sea of Wisdom 

This is yet another conspicuous Buddhist monument that is also the highest building in the area. It is characterized by repeating Buddhas both big and small on the inside and its facade is yellow glazed in green. 

Baoyun Bronze Pavilion

Located near the Longevity Hill, this pavilion is made of 207 tonnes of bronze and has a blackish green color sitting in the middle of other colorful buildings. 

The West Causeway

This West Causeway was built in the same criterion as Hangzhou’s renowned West Lake. This western strip is completely calm and quiet and is lined with pavilions and bridges shaded by the most colorful flowers and green trees. 

The Seventeen Arch Bridge

This 150 meter high Seventeen arch bridge is very conspicuous and is decorated by hundreds of lion statues. During summer, the sun shines on this Bridge to form the most auspicious sight. 

The Hall of Joyful Longevity 

The hall of joyful longevity is set up in a siheyuan style courtyard environment that was built in 1750 as a gift to Emperor Qianlong’s mother 60th birthday. The courtyard was later rebuilt by empress Dowager Cixi after it was destroyed by British and French forces. It is home to an 8 meters wide and 4 meters tall rock that was first discovered in the southwest of Fangshan district by Ming dynasty official and stone enthusiast Mi Wanzhong, who spent all his fortune trying to transport it back to his city residence but he left it halfway due to lack of funds. When emperor Qianlong came across it and saw its resemblance to a renowned fungus perceived to miraculous extend powers, he moved the stone to the summer palace. However, to date many suspicious visitors connect the rock to bad lick and even choose not to take photos with it fearing their own bankruptcy.

Dragon and phoenix statues

This pair of bronze statues are located on either side of the entrance as it is traditionally with the Chinese customs representing the empress and the Phoenix represents the power that empresses Cixi held.