Next page

Beijing

Bei jing the capital of China, is a present day built-up city scape with famous historical monuments scattered in and around the city. These include many well known (some ancient) landmarks that came to symbolise China.


A map of beijing on a subway display panel. The city is pretty large compared to what the map seemed to suggest. The Forbidden city and Tiananmen square is smack in the middle of the circle line (blue) occupying an area about 20% enclosed by the circle line.

Tiananmen square / Forbidden city (Gu Gong museum)


Tiananmen square
Motifs on the roof of Forbidden city
A main hall in the Forbidden city (not so forbidden anymore).
Emperor's throne

More motifs on a roof of Forbidden city
Tall walls within the Forbidden city.
The elaborate corner towers built at the corners of walls surrounding Forbidden city
Forbidden city viewed from the top of a hill overlooking the forbidden city

Bei hai park

Just next to the Forbidden city is Beihai park. It is a beautiful park with a man-made lake. In the middle of the lake is a island which sits a white pagoda on the hilltop. The best season to visit beijing is end autumn (Nov), during this season the autumn foilage turns golden yellow in color with a cool dry weather to match.

Marco Polo bridge (lu gou bridge)


The Marco Polo bridge is located ~10km south-west of the city center. The bridge is lined with stone lions all carved with different features. Historically, it is said that Marco Polo once travelled across the bridge. It is also the location where the war is triggered between Japan and China during world war II.

Yong he gong

Yong he gong is a tibetian lama monastery. In its compound is a few halls of beautifully maintained temples with elaborate interior buddhist decors/art on the walls and buddhist statues. There are a couple of main halls within the compound. And in the last hall sits a buddhist statute 28 meters high carved out of a single sandalwood tree that made it into the Guinness book of records. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed within the halls.

Wang fu jing

Wang fu jing is a street lined with shopping malls situated in the heart of Beijing. Part of this street is a pedestarian mall lined with shopping complexes on the side of the mall. Somewhere along the end of the street is a old church.

Next page
Back to travelogue