Three Days In Beijing

After a surprisingly satisfying breakfast at McDonalds, David took us to his favorite stop along the tour—the Temple of Heaven.  Constructed in the 1400's, the complex was used by Emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties as a ceremonial site to pray for good harvests.  The majestic architecture of the Temple of Heaven is rich in symbolism and color.  Squares, representing Earth, and circles of Heaven can be found on and throughout the complex.  Pillars symbolizing the four seasons, twelve months, and twelve Chinese hours stand below a blue-tiled roof; the color of Heaven.

The bright sun was beautiful, but it was deceivingly cold that day.  Feeling particularly under the weather, I used my scarf in a feeble attempt to muffle my coughs and block my lungs from exiting my body.  Dramatic, I know.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and location of 28 symbolic pillars.

The expansive grounds surrounding the temple were saturated with people engaging in various activities from tai chi chuan (a soft form of martial arts that focuses on slow, concentrated movements to improve health and meditation) to singing and dancing.  A perfect people-watching location, the colorful sights and sounds drowned out the cold weather and lifted my spirits.

  

This reminded me of 2-stepping.  But, maybe it was only in my head.

Tai chi with rackets

Tai chi with swords

Nothing like 2-stepping

Old men—cute no matter what country they're in.

Live performances...

Our next visit was to a diminishing Chinese neighborhood, characterized by narrow alleys and courtyard residences, referred to as a hutong.  Hutongs, once popular during the days of emperors and empresses, are now facing extinction throughout Beijing and some effort has been made to preserve the cultural treasures.  Although they appear miniscule from the outside, the siheyuan (courtyard residences) often open into many adjoining buildings once through the front gate.  In an effort to safeguard the buildings from city expansion and educate the public, some people have opened up their homes to tour groups.

  

Because cars are not allowed to drive inside the hutongs, elaborate pedicabs were the next best thing.

A typical residence within the hutong neighborhood, although I specifically remember them telling us cars are not allowed.

The number of posts above the front door depict the owner's status.  In the "old days," a girl who lived in a 4-post residence, such as this, was not allowed to marry a boy from a 3-post house.

Since recently opening his house to the public for tours, this man has seen thousands of visitors come through the front gate.

 

Multiple buildings surround the interior courtyard—perfectly positioned to obtain optimal sunlight infiltration.

 

The interior of his family's main living quarters.

Of course, lunch was located adjacent to another tourist trap market.  This one, however, was full of beautiful pearls I found hard to resist.  After a brief lesson on pearls and how to distinguish between the real and fake ones, we were released into the sparkly show room.  The temptation was too great and the necklaces too brilliant so I willingly gave in.  

As the sun was beginning its decent, we made our way to the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace, as its name implies, was used by many of China's imperial rulers during Beijing's warm months.  Its location outside of the city provided a cool, tranquil environment that encouraged relaxation and meditation.  The palace is a well-preserved example of traditional Chinese gardening, which intoxicates visitors with its beauty and poetic backdrop.

 

The frozen lake, although beautiful, was man-made.  The excavated soil and dirt from the lake was used to build Longevity Hill, which acts as a stage for many beautiful temples.

The Summer Palace was the last stop of our Beijing tour and we were to spend the last two days on our own. Three days of non-stop touring had taken its toll on me, and I conceded to the flu and opted out of dinner in exchange for some much needed rest at the hotel.  However, in doing so I missed out on an important adventure... a trip to Wal-Mart.  From the stories I heard and pictures I saw, a Wal-Mart in China is strikingly similar to one in America. One noticeable difference is the presence of fresh pig's feet.  Luckily, I wasn't along or the temptation may have been too great.  Once you eat duck brain, there's no telling where you will draw the line.