Beijing, the crux of my trip and the capital of China both in the past and in the present. Home to most of China’s famous landmarks and the very location the People’s Republic of China was founded. Beijing is, more often than not, the city most consider to be the go-to when visiting China, and for good reason. So much to see, so much to learn, so much to eat and so much to immerse yourself in, Beijing is where it all stands and where it all once stood.
This post is one of 4 encompassing my full 8D7N China Trip. For the full itinerary, tips, and overview, check out the Master Post HERE.
Locations / Activities
Tiananmen Square (天安门广场) – The Heart of Modern Day China
Although the gate itself is under renovation as of when we went, on October 1st 1949, Mao Zedong, overlooking Tiananmen Square, declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China. After centuries of the country being torn apart by war, Japanese invasion, warlordism and all the Dynasties that came before, China was finally one unified country it’s people could be proud of. 75 years later, Mao Zedong’s portrait is famously hung up on the Gate of Heavenly Peace.
Tangent 1 – Is there any lingering respect for Mao Zedong in China?
Although Mao Zedong was undoubtedly responsible for some of the darkest chapters in China’s modern history, the act of founding the People’s Republic of China in 1949 does earn him a complicated kind of merit. Our tour guide mentioned something that stayed with me. Many elders in China, especially those alive during that founding era, still wish to visit Tiananmen Square before they pass, simply to pay their respects to Mao.
This reverence doesn’t come unwarranted, of course. Rather, it comes from having lived through a pre-unified China that was, in many ways, just as bad as post-unified China. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912, the country endured decades of chaos. Warlord rule, foreign imperialism, and the invasion by Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Amidst a bloody civil war between Nationalists and Communists, China was a mess.
So when Mao Zedong stood atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace in 1949 and declared the birth of the People’s Republic of China, it marked more than a political victory. It, in a way, was a rebirth. For many, that moment was the first time they felt China was one country that could face the world. That matters, just as much as it did when Lee Kuan Yew declared Singapore’s independence
This isn’t to excuse what followed, obviously. Mao’s rule brought disaster and the deaths of tens of millions. To compare him to Stalin or Hitler is, sadly, not an exaggeration. But acknowledging that some people still hold gratitude for one thing he did, founding China as it is today, is not the same as endorsing him.
A case study into the perception of Mao Zedong.
This song actually say a lot about China back in the day and the (propaganda-fuelled) perception of Mao Zedong. Try to get past the fact this song has been memed about for the past 2 decades. Here are some quotes from the song itself
“””
他领导我们得解放 唉 – He led us to liberation
他领导我们奋勇向前进 唉 – He led us forward courageously.
唉…毛主席. 我们无限热爱您 – Oh, Mao Zedong! We love you endlessly
万寿无疆 万寿无疆 – Long live forever!
天上的太阳是毛泽东唉! – The sun in the sky is Mao Zedong! (A common saying amongst those who revere Mao)
“””
This is “Red Sun in the Sky,” a 1975 Chinese patriotic communist song. It was composed to honour Mao Zedong and all his exploits. Although a song pushing propaganda and likely not genuinely representing the Chinese people’s thoughts on Mao Zedong at the time, it does show how intricately Mao’s image was upheld back in the day. It’s not impossible to believe people, to this day, respect Mao Zedong for all he did for China, even with every step he led the country backwards.
Did he truly grasp how much damage he did to China’s progression? Did he really, truly mean to help China with every single step he took? Was China’s best interests at the core of his heart? Maybe the propaganda was simply really really effective and people hate him. Maybe the propaganda told truth in some parts.
We’ll never know.
Regularly scheduled programming
Now. I’ve seen Tiananmen Square in pictures and in media, but the scale of it truly is something to behold in real life.
Even that may not be enough to convey the sheer scale of the square and the distance it spans.
However, visiting Tiananmen Square, as you may have heard, is not as easy as simply walking in. Security checks can take more than an hour, consisting of strict bag checks and a streamlined yet still slow process. Furthermore, you’ll have to register your information before your visit, effectively a reservation, to enter. Our tour group of 24 people were rather lucky to get in within 30 minutes, albeit with the help of an extremely experienced tour guide who had sorted out all the details before.
The view is still stunning nonetheless and totally worth the visit and history lesson. We didn’t visit most of the buildings as we were to visit the Forbidden City afterwards, but getting to look at the famous Square was an experience in and of itself.
The Forbidden City (故宫) – Home of the Emperors
The Forbidden City (故宫) was the residence of 24 Ming and Qing Dynasty Emperors, hence the centre of power in China for that span of 500 years. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is undoubtedly one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world. The “City” itself is made up of multiple gates and halls surrounded by a moat which you have to cross to enter via Tiananmen. To accurately describe and name each and every hall and gate would take many hours of my time, but I will attempt to do my best when I show you the photos I took. The Wikipedia Article on the Forbidden City does provide a seemingly comprehensive map of the massive rectangular City.
Rather than spending 2 hours switching between the Wikipedia Article and my WordPress tab, I will do my best to impart some knowledge I find interesting.
Tangent 2 – The Forbidden City was more “glorified office” than “home”
Despite its depictions in media, arts and fiction, the Forbidden City was actually rather disliked by the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It’s a symbol of authority and power, no doubt, but the stark lack of greenery probably got old at some point. Not to mention, the Forbidden City was built explicitly to uphold formality. Seats and beds weren’t necessarily comfortable, paired with the tension of either having to serve the EMPERORS OF CHINA or being the Emperor of China yourself. Although extremely lavish and intricate, it was a rigid place to be.
Oh, and it was also hot. Chinese weather was (and still is) harsh.
This is exactly why the Summer Palace and Chengde Mountain Resort was built, which I have talked extensively about in seperate posts and later on. Both were built as summer residences, the former actually constructed to celebrate Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty’s (1750) mother. Arguably one of the best birthday gifts in history, no doubt. You’ll see later that, although perhaps not as symmetrical and overtly authoritarian, the Summer Palace is FAR easier on the eyes.
With that aside…
The Forbidden City is still something to behold. It’s design is, interestingly, totally symmetrical in many ways which makes for fantastic photography. Just reading the Wikipedia article gives you a feel for how much thought was put into its construction, from colour palettes to the location of certain buildings and their purposes. Of course, some of its buildings are now used to display collections from the Qing Dynasty and have been renovated for the sake of preservation
Something I find very interesting about Chinese architecture is the use of figures on roof ridges (you’ll see me photographing it a lot.) Roof ridges often have figures of animals or deities displayed. Some buildings have more figures, up to 11 on the Hall of Supreme Harmony to 5 or 6 on smaller buildings. The more prestigious the building, the more figures there are on the roof ridge. This trend can be observed in most Heritage sites in China.
Here are some photos!
The Temple of Heaven (天坛) – Mediation between Heaven and Earth
If there’s something an Emperor of China is more obsessed with than immortality, it’s the concept of Heaven itself. Oh, and maybe constructing important buildings on top of 3 tiers of marble
Of course, although the Temple of Heaven is heavily if not entirely associated with the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the temple is actually a complex of buildings used for rituals. Back in the day, in humble fashion, the Emperor of China was regarded as the Son of Heaven. As such, they were in charge of representing heavenly authority. Akin to filial piety, to pay respect to Heaven for allowing him such authority, sacrifices and rituals were conducted.
The Temple of Heaven was thus constructed in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty along with the Forbidden City. It acted as the site for these sacrifices, mostly consisting of prayers for good harvests, hence the name of the Hall situated atop 3 tiers of marble. As is customary of China, every aspect of it’s design represents something. Do read about it here. Notably, the building is completely wooden with no use of nails! No idea how they did it, but I’ve learnt to never doubt the people of Ancient China.
At the end of the day, as interestingly flawed as Chinese Emperors of the past were, they did know how to pay their respects.
Wangfujing Street (王府井大街) – Peace Bureau
A short trip at the end of the first day to Wangfujing Street. The street itself has history to it, as most things do in China, having existed since the Ming Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, it was named Wangfujing (directly translating to Prince’s Residence Well) when a well of sweet water was discovered after estates and residences were built. However, to be a little more specific, we aren’t here for the street but rather for the Peace Bureau or Heping Guoju (和平菓局)
Located on B2 of the Wangfujing Department Store, Heping Guoji occupies an area of 2,400 square meters, Heping Guoju recreates the scene of Beijing half a century ago in the mid 20th century. It essentially paints a picture of what Beijing would have looked like early “founding of the PRC.” For as much as we talk about the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and China in the age of the emperors, I find it interesting to have a look at what China looked like when it had just been founded.
Summer Palace (颐和园) – Imperial Retreat from the Heat
By far my favourite UNESCO World Heritage Site, more so than the Forbidden City for reasons I alluded to earlier. It is far, FAR easier on the eyes. From the beautifully painted Long Corridor (长廊) to the view of the Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁) across Kunming Lake (昆明湖), it is absolutely stunning and one of the most naturally beautiful places I’ve been to in my life. People ask me why I love China so much? I show them this.
Tangent 3 – 15 Years of labour, one happy mother
I’m so invested in this, so get ready to listen.
The site upon which the Summer Palace was constructed was actually first developed during the Jin Dynasty all the way back in the 12th century. It was later expanded by the Yuan and early Qing Dynasty before it was entirely rebuilt and expanded by none other than Emperor Qianlong in 1750. Everything you see is largely due to him and partially due to Empress Dowager Cixi (慈禧太后) restoring the site after it was burned by Anglo-French troops in 1860.
To start with Emperor Qianlong, he built the Summer Palace mainly as a gift to his mother for her birthday. Likely finding the Forbidden City as stifling and hot as I did, he constructed the Summer Palace with Chinese landscape paintings and the style of gardens in Suzhou and Hangzhou in mind. Rather than the symmetrical and strict colour palettes of the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is lush with greenery and colour with, of course, Kunming Lake being the bulk of the land.
Fun fact, Kunming Lake, 2.2 square kilometers in size, was entirely manmade. Mind you, this was back in 1750! This was done with hard labour, of course. It was Ancient China, after all. However, the dirt thankfully did not go to waste. The hill upon which the Tower of Buddhist Incense stands is a result of excavation efforts which took 15 years! What a gift to give your mother, eh? Could you imagine spending 15 years building a palace to give your mother for her birthday? Unbelievable.
Of course, nothing in China stays for long. Just like many other historic buildings were struck by lightnings and burned down, the Summer Palace was also burned down, this time by humans. However, then came Empress Dowager Cixi…
Tangent 3.5 – The Marble Boat that Sank the Naval Budget
Born in 1835, Empress Dowager Cixi rose from a low-ranking concubine to become de facto ruler of the Qing Dynasty for nearly half a century. However, to say she was controversial, was an understatement. Staging multiple coups, killing people who got in her way and somehow getting her 5 year-old son into the seat of emperor, Empress Dowager Cixi was a bit messy.
She rebuilt the Summer Palace after it was burnt down in 1860, using funds originally allocated to strengthen China’s navy. This decision is often cited as a major contribution to China’s defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War and the subsequent loss of Taiwan, so, not a good look. She ruled China from the Summer Palace after its rebuild, given the one in the Emperor seat back in the Forbidden City was a literal 5 year-old. Some say she led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty, others argue the ship was sinking anyways, but the infighting and her manipulation definitely didn’t make for a good look.
Most famously, a marble boat still stands near shore in Kunming Lake. Of course, the thing doesn’t go out to sea, given it’s made of marble, it’s simply there to show off. Some find it ironic that naval funds were diverted to construct a boat which couldnt sail the lake she had access to, others say it’s a perfect mirror of the woman herself and her rule, beautiful but immobile.
Class dismissed.
Sorry, I found that unreasonably interesting.
There’s so much history behind any place you visit in China. Stuff you learn sticks with you, stuff you want to share and talk about. Ancient China was almost a sort of a drama show, ironically. People betraying each other, murders, deaths, 5 year-olds in power, it’s really all extremely interesting to hear about.
In any case, enough about the history from me for now. I’ll let the photos speak for itself and tag along exposition as we go.
Golden Mask Dynasty – No Chinese needed
Even as a Chinese speaking Singaporean, I’ll put my hands up and say I do not have a single clue what happened in this performance. There was a story being told, no doubt, but I did not understand it.
Thankfully, the title doesn’t lie. No Chinese is needed to enjoy this performance. Together with acrobatics, dance, music and modern stage effects, the show is an experience I’ve never had before. A fictional story performed by acrobats in OCT Theatre, the performance is a visual marvel to behold. Costumes are impressively crafted and the stage changes and morphs depending on scene. 200 million yuan was invested into the theatre with 200 actors starring in any one performance. 8 chapters, 20 dance scenes and one overarching story. Here are some images I caught.
Beihai Park (北海公园) – Park for Emperors
Beihai Park is located Northwest of the Forbidden City, one of the oldest gardens preserved in China, rivalling it’s neighbour Jingshan Park. Built over 1000 years ago and expanded across multiple dynasties, Beihai Park is small and lesser known yet still a location of history. Given its proximity to the Forbidden City, it’s almost a backyard of sorts, perhaps less formal than Jingshan Park
It’s what you’d expect from an Imperial Garden constructed 1000 years ago. The Park consists of the lake it’s built around, pavilions, temples and the White Dagoba Temple, the headliner of the park itself. Notably, during its renovation in 1978, several Buddhist precious cultural relics of the Qing Dynasty were found inside the top of the dagoba.
Food
Quanjude (全聚德) – Roast Duck Royalty
You can’t go to Beijing and not try Beijing roast duck, just like you can’t leave your house without using your legs. It’s what the city is known for, after all. We tried our first Beijing roast duck at Quanjude Restaurant, which is included in our tour package. Quanjude is a well-known restaurant in Beijing. Established in 1864, during the Qing Dynasty, more than 150 years ago, they are known to serve famous politicians and artists etc. This includes Barrack Obama, Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon and more. In fact, during the Qing Dynasty, the recipe was actually reserved for imperial families. This effectively means you’re eating a royal meal.
How you eat Peking roast duck, however, is slightly convoluted. Grab a thin pancake, apply a sweet sauce onto it, place the duck and condiments such as cucumbers, spring onions stems etc onto it and wrap it up and eat it. With this setup however, it tastes undeniably fantastic. Very much worthy to be Beijing’s signature dish.
HaiDiLao Smart Restaurant – Will Robots be dancing in the future?
Everybody knows and loves HaiDiLao, so much so it’s essentially the face of hotpot in the world. However, truth be told, this was actually my first time eating HaiDiLao, much less at a restaurant manned by AI
Unfortunately, for as well known HaiDiLao is for dancing, I didn’t have the chance to enjoy being serenaded by techno Chinese opera music. However, that does not in any way diminish the quality of the food. It still tasted fantastic, as you might expect, but not having had HaiDiLao before, I can’t definitively say if Beijing HaiDiLao is better or worse. Tough luck all around!
Bianyifang (便宜坊) – Oldest Duck in the Game
With compliments from the tour guide, we got to try Peking duck from another well-known restaurant, Bianyifang, which has a longer history than Quanjude. However, Quanjude became more well known and Bianyifang was slowly “forgotten”. Both restaurants have a different way of roasting the Peking duck and each have their own uniqueness.
In terms of which is better, the skin of the Peking duck at Quanjude was crispier as compared to Bianyifang. However, feedback from the other tour members was also that it was more oily at Quanjude. Taking a vote, we personally prefer Quanjude but the tour group members prefer Bianyifang. To each their own, I suppose.
Hotel – Wanda Realm Hotel
Down to the hotel review!
The hotel that the tour package provided for 4 or so days was Wanda Realm Hotel. Located only about 40 or so minutes away from the airport and a good 30 or so minutes away from Tiananmen Square, one would say there could be worse. The hotel itself was very comfortable with a mall across the street for any needs.
However, from our experience at least, the fridge provided was locked and, for the first day, one of the room’s heaters did not work at all. Furthermore, the breakfast buffet didn’t have much noteworthy about it, given the spread was quite limited. If you’re looking for guaranteed utility, I’d say this isn’t the best hotel to turn to. But, for pure comfort, it works just fine. The bed is comfortable, after all.
Conclusion
I love this city so much. The history behind it spans centuries, all of which interesting enough to drive me to ramble endlessly on stories I simply find interesting. I hope my writing has been able to convey just how hooked I am on all of this.
Not only that, Beijing is extremely beautiful. Take a look at this photo I took on the way to dinner after the Golden Mask Dynasty Performance
The Forbidden City, the countless Imperial Gardens. The Summer Palace and the walks through museums which immortalise the daily life of those who have just had their country founded by a leader which would go on to kill tens of millions. There’s so much to talk about that, even after all I’ve written, I still feel as though I haven’t spoken enough.
All of it is astonishingly beautiful. Not just the scenery, but the history and the nuance of it all. I’m very glad to have had a tour guide with 30 years of experience take me through this, frankly. It helps to have someone so passionate about his job that he’s spent 30 years perfecting the craft, memorising the stories, telling tourists about the past and the present. To have a tour guide that does his job so well you feel compelled to get on the internet and ramble on and on about 慈禧太后 and 毛泽东 and the history of a country I don’t live in is something magical.
I love Beijing. I really really do and I’d recommend everyone in the world to visit.
With all that being said, make sure to refer to the post linked HERE to have a look at my thoughts on Gubei, Chengde, Tianjin and the overlook of my full 8D7N China Trip.