Igor The Troll

Temple of Heaven in Beijing China is a wonderful place to visit. It is located inside a large park with fir and spruce trees neatly planted giving it a heavenly feeling. Visit the temples where ancient ritual ceremonies were performed for the the gods and the emperors. This is the place where everything had to be approved by the gods before an undertaking was to commenced. New emperors were anointed, a ready to battle ceremonies performed, a blessing for a new harvest! Chinese people were and still are very spiritual about their lives.

At a Music Academy you can see ancient instruments, some as old as 2,000 years ago. You can listen and observe a performance by gifted musicians playing these instruments. You can also watch some Tai Chi dancing with a ball and a racket done to sound of music.

Strolling through the park you will find Tai Chi practitioners searching for the perfect spiritual form!

Temple of Heaven Beijing

The Great Wall of China is a marvelous undertaking. Just its colossal size will make you tremble in awe when you see it. Built over the two millenniums it has been a marvelous architectural undertaking.

While it was made to protect the Chinese kingdom from barbarian Mongols of the North, it did not accomplish its task but served only as an intimidation. Because the wall was segmented, built and maintained by different provinces there were pours in the barrier! The Mongol warrior Genghis Khan skirted the wall and bribed guards to gain access to China in his campaign of 13th century.

The Ming dynasty were invaded by Manchurian Qing who gained access to Beijing via the wall because of a love affair that went wrong. The Ming emperor in love with a concubine who was also secretly involved with a Ming general who betrayed the Ming to the Ching allowing access trough the wall. The sordid love affair was stronger than the wall defenses!

With all its history and intrigue the Great Wall of China starches through out the whole China approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west! Every part has its own story to tell. So like China which takes ages to explore, the wall and its different neighborhoods would require time.

The part that I visited is in Beijing. I trekked from Jinshanling to Simatai which is around 100 kilometers from Beijing. It is about a 10 kilometers hike but can become longer if you chose to explore the eastern side of the wall. Make sure to turn left after you ascended the wall in Jinshaling or one day will not be enough to do the whole thing and you will be walking in the dark, if not sleeping on the wall. The panoramic view is mind boggling and exulting. Climbing steps after steps you will walk through the towers that once served the soldiers guarding the wall. (You can also start in Simatai and trek to Jinshaling, but you will have trouble finding bus transport coming back to the city.)

The Great Wall of China
Beijing Simatai Jinshanling

Imperial City - Forbidden City in Beijing China is a huge palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties! As it guarded the Chinese nobility for centuries without any commoner having access to it, it is still guarded by the statues, urns, and spirits of the past.

To get to the palace you first have to pass through a formidable portrait of Chairman Mao Ze Dong. Then you walk from one court yard into another across bridges made of marble, while looked upon by the urns and sacred lions of the past to get to the emperor’s throne. The Ming built the Forbidden City on the principles of Feng Shui which dictates that the head of the family should be in the center. Please see the architectural difference of the Imperial Palace in Shenyang constructed by the Qing dynasty.

Forbidden City Beijing

Shenyang Imperial Palace is much smaller than the Beijing Imperial Palace in China, but it is a wonder to see for its architecture and design.

Shenyang Imperial Palace was build by the nomadic tribesmen who established the Qing dynasty in the first part of the 17th century. After the Qing emperor built the palace in Shenyang, the Manchuria North East China, he with his army proceeded to concur Beijing and wrestle the power away from the Ming dynasty emperor.

After defeating the Ming emperor, the Qing emperor became the supreme leader of the whole China. He moved the capital from Shenyang to Beijing while keeping the Shenyang as a secondary capital. All Qing emperors came to the Shenyang capital to pay homage to their ancestors all the way through until the end of their dynasty!

Shenyang Imperial Palace

The Front

The Throne

Approach the Sacred Hall

The Sacred Hall

Sacred Throne Chambers

The Roofs

The Facade

The Hallway

Art Work

The Red Colors

The Bed

The Seating Room

The Bridge

The Rock Statue

Jade Ornament

Porcelain Flask

Porcelain Plate

Porcelain Wine Pot

Porcelain Tea Pot

The Door Ornament

Please also read Forbidden City Beijing, so you can see the contrast between the Ming and Qing building architectures.