This area is heart of Beijing and today is still a central area for government officials and meetings. The square is just that with a centralized monument. It is most remembered for the student uprising in 1989. The area is heavily monitored with cameras and security screening. On the day of our visit the weather was cool and there was no crowds when you enter the square just group after group of tourists.
The Forbidden City so named because it was off limits to visitors. This area was the living quarters of the Emperor. The last Chinese dynasty fell in 1911 and Dan felt "all of the Emperors were just full of themselves ". Everything is in grand scale with anteroom in front of anteroom. The relationship between the Emperor, Empress and the Concubines all living in the same home spoke a lot of the dynamics of the ruling class.
Building of the Forbidden City with blue roofs to be close to heaven or yellow roofs to signify the Emperor all built in the 1400's. The most amazing part is during the Chinese cultural revolution so many artifacts were destroyed and the history is lost.
Today's walking was 4 miles and 400 steps but at such a slow pace it didn't seem like it was that far. Then off to lunch and in the afternoon we went on a rickshaw ride through the "old Chinese quarters". We stopped at the home of a local artist and were able to ask questions about living conditions and changes that have occurred in this portion of Beijing which is expensive by US standards and the conditions leave much to be desired including no indoor plumbing and community showers and toilets.
Tonight was an optional tour to the Beijing Opera. Dan and I opted out. We had a quiet dinner and walked about the hotel. We are at a Radission hotel which is amazing very nice and modern. We did not miss the bus trip and opera.
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