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Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City

Posted at: 2008-10-26; By catherine; Clicks:1375

Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City are very important land marks of Beijing , without seeing which a visit to Beijing would be incomplete. A large road divides the two complexes, but there are underpasses to go from one to the other.

There are Tours available for Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City. One can see these two places on one’s own too. English speaking guides are available for both the complexes. There are also students who act as guide to make some pocket money!! It requires 3-4 hours time to see both the places depending on how much detail one would like to go into.

Tiananmen means “gate of heavenly peace”. The square is a huge plaza in the middle of Beijing. The present day square, built in 1958, is a four-times enlarged version of the one made in 1651. Tiananmen Square has been the site of many historical events in Beijing.

On the day I arrived in Beijing, I hired a taxi in the evening and took a drive around Tiananmen Square. It was well-lit and one could get a good idea of the lay out. I also passed by the main gate of the Forbidden City.

The next morning, I again took a cab and went to the square. My main aim was to see Mao’s Mausoleum, which is the main attraction. There were thousands of visitors. They formed up in rows of 7-8 abreast in a long line and walked towards the Mausoleum. As we entered the compound quite a few locals purchased flowers, and offered the same when they entered the hall where the embalmed body of the great leader lies. One could feel the high regard Chinese people have for Mao Zedong.

The Monument to the People’s Heroes, in memory of the martyrs who laid down their lives for the revolutionary struggles of the Chinese people during the 19th and 20th centuries, is just in front of Mao’s Mausoleum. One could walk around it and see it. There was a festive mood all around.

A young Chinese boy and his girl friend started to talk to me. They were art students from up north and wanted me to see their art exhibition in the close by Museum. I went along and purchased two typical Chinese paintings. Good marketing effort by the two young artists!!

Next, I took the underpass and went into The Forbidden City, just across the road. It was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing (pronounced Ching) dynasties. The palace is surrounded by a 6-meter deep moat and 10-meter high wall. It has 9,999 rooms and a number of courtyards and is the largest imperial palace in the world.

Again there were large numbers of visitors. A number of people came to me and enquired if I needed a guide. I decided not to have one and did not miss much.

The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The northern part housed the living quarters and the southern part the seat of government, from where the emperors exercised power. The Forbidden City houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. These are exhibited in scores of rooms and worth a look.

Yellow is the dominant color in The Forbidden City since it was the color reserved for use by the emperor.

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