Saturday, September 26, 2009
PUNINGSI TEMPLE IN CHENGDE
The day that we spent at the Puningsi Temple in Chengde was probably the longest and most exhausting for Lynne since we arrived in China - if you don't count the 34 hour day that included our flight and crossing the International Date Line.
All told, she probably walked a total of four miles or more today, including some extremely steep steps and staircases at the temple. That - combined with an afternoon of walking the streets in Chengde and shopping with Bu - just about wore her out.
The experience at the temple was very educational and while there we purchased a hand-painted glass bottle from an artisan for Lynne. This is a really cool bottle. It is clear glass with a cork stopper that has a family of Pandas painted on the INSIDE of the glass. The artist also added Lynne's name to the inside (writing backwards) so that it comes through correctly when you look at it.
As you look at the pictures of the temple, you will notice a couple of photos that feature 'prayer locks'. These are brass locks that patrons and visitors to the temple buy. Their names are then engraved upon the locks and the locks are attached to the handrailings, etc. These locks serve as a vicarious prayer of sorts on behalf of the buyers when they aren't at the temple. In other words, their prayers are offered by others for them and they also receive the personal prayers offered by all others at the temple.
When we left the temple, we went to McDonald's for a quick lunch, to catch our breath and to meet up with Bu. She then took us to the equivalent of a Chinese Dollar Store. Freakin' awesome. After that, I basically followed Lynne and Bu around the city and carried their shopping bags.
Lynne was a trooper today. Proud of her.
FORBIDDEN CITY (part one)
A definite highlight of any trip to Beijing is a visit to the Forbidden City. It is located in the center of Beijing and was built during a 14 year period from 1406 - 1420. It was the Imperial Palce of the Emperor of the beginning of the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty.
For over 500 years, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the political and ceremonial center of Chinese government.
It now houses the official Palace Museum and consists of 980 buildings featuring 8,707 bays of rooms. In fact, since 1925, the Forbidden City - so named because all except the Emperors' families, concubines, eunuchs, armies and dignitaries were denied access - has been under the direction and charge of the Palace Museum. Forbidden also referred to the fact that absolutely no one could enter or leave the palace without the Emperor's decree or writ.
The Forbidden City is filled with breath-taking pieces of art, stonework and cultural treasures that typify and exemplify Chinese history. The ornate detail of the furniture, the buildings, the statues and even the painted ceilings bear testament to the high level of craftsmanship Chinese artisans embodied.
For Lynne, this was an especially wonderful tour. Her favorite part of the entire Forbidden City experience was the Imperial Garden and the beautifully manicured plants, gardens and fountains that are there.
For Lynne, this was an especially wonderful tour. Her favorite part of the entire Forbidden City experience was the Imperial Garden and the beautifully manicured plants, gardens and fountains that are there.
FORBIDDEN CITY AND TIANANMEN SQUARE (part two)
We started our tour of the Forbidden City at the South Gate and left through the North Gate under the portrait of Chairman Mao. While we were there, the government was scurrying around erecting bleachers, stages and podiums in preparation for the 60th anniversary of the Cultural Revolution.
On October 1, 1949, Mao Tse Tung established and instituted the Peoples' Republic of China. On October 1 of this year there will be a nation-wide celebration lasting for several days (in part because it coincides with the Autumn Festival) to mark the event.
Regardless of your school of political thought or philosophy, it is nearly universally accepted that the, 'Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution', was a period of widespread social, cultural and political upheaval in the PRC - especially between 1966 and 1976. The result was nationwide chaos and economic disarray.
But, I digress. . . as I stated earlier, when we left the Forbidden City, a virtual army of volunteers was going about the business of erecting stages while another equally determined group was eagerly plowing and planting tons of flowers and shrubs around the entire perimeter. It was an impressive sight.
You will notice in the following slide presentation that there are several photos of the moat which surrounds the Forbidden City. I have also included a few photos of Tiananmen Square which is situated directly across the thoroughfare from the North Entrance to the Forbidden City. Also located on Tiananmen Square are Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, the National History Museum, the Monument to the People's Heroes as well as the Great Hall of the People (National People's Congress).
On October 1, 1949, Mao Tse Tung established and instituted the Peoples' Republic of China. On October 1 of this year there will be a nation-wide celebration lasting for several days (in part because it coincides with the Autumn Festival) to mark the event.
Regardless of your school of political thought or philosophy, it is nearly universally accepted that the, 'Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution', was a period of widespread social, cultural and political upheaval in the PRC - especially between 1966 and 1976. The result was nationwide chaos and economic disarray.
But, I digress. . . as I stated earlier, when we left the Forbidden City, a virtual army of volunteers was going about the business of erecting stages while another equally determined group was eagerly plowing and planting tons of flowers and shrubs around the entire perimeter. It was an impressive sight.
You will notice in the following slide presentation that there are several photos of the moat which surrounds the Forbidden City. I have also included a few photos of Tiananmen Square which is situated directly across the thoroughfare from the North Entrance to the Forbidden City. Also located on Tiananmen Square are Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, the National History Museum, the Monument to the People's Heroes as well as the Great Hall of the People (National People's Congress).
Friday, September 25, 2009
SNACK STREET OFF WANGFUJING
One of the more popular, if not somewhat bizzare, sidestreets in Beijing is, 'Snack Street'. This world renowned street is home to an inordinate amount of cooked creepy-crawlies that are served on sticks, and is located just off Walking Street.
Deep fried insects including crickets, dung beetles, grasshoppers, silkworms, and silkworm pupae are featured with regularity, especially during the Wangfujing Night Market. You will also find squid, snakes, eels, scorpions, starfish, seahorses, and practically anything else you can imagine.
In addition to those unusual dishes, you can also find such treats as grilled corn-on-the-cob; beef, mutton, pork or chicken on-a-stick. These, 'meat-on-a-stick' skewers are especially good and come in an assortment of spiced flavors or plain.
Another tasty treat is candy coated fruit on a stick. They were delicious, as were the fresh coconuts, bananas, pomegranates and variety of apples and Chinese pears.
Lynne wasn't particularly enthused by the majority of Snack Street's offerings. Her salvation from the Snack Street entrees came in the form of a choice between KFC and McDonald's - each with two restaurants on Walking Street. As for myself, I too, took in McD's but not until I had eaten some of the scorpions on a stick. They were crunchy and a tad saltier than I prefer, but all in all, not that bad.
Deep fried insects including crickets, dung beetles, grasshoppers, silkworms, and silkworm pupae are featured with regularity, especially during the Wangfujing Night Market. You will also find squid, snakes, eels, scorpions, starfish, seahorses, and practically anything else you can imagine.
In addition to those unusual dishes, you can also find such treats as grilled corn-on-the-cob; beef, mutton, pork or chicken on-a-stick. These, 'meat-on-a-stick' skewers are especially good and come in an assortment of spiced flavors or plain.
Another tasty treat is candy coated fruit on a stick. They were delicious, as were the fresh coconuts, bananas, pomegranates and variety of apples and Chinese pears.
Lynne wasn't particularly enthused by the majority of Snack Street's offerings. Her salvation from the Snack Street entrees came in the form of a choice between KFC and McDonald's - each with two restaurants on Walking Street. As for myself, I too, took in McD's but not until I had eaten some of the scorpions on a stick. They were crunchy and a tad saltier than I prefer, but all in all, not that bad.
WANGFUJING (WALKING) STREET
While in Beijing, regardless of the length of your stay, it is an absolute necessity to visit Wangfujing Street. Wangfujing (also referred to as Walking Street) is a 700 year-old commercial street located in the DongCheng District. It is often called Walking Street because it is off-limits to cars and other motorized vehicles. 
Shoppers are free to peruse and mingle along its length from early in the morning until well after dark.
It is a nearly one mile long stretch of Department Stores, Shops, Boutiques, Stalls, Restaurants, Markets, Souvenir Shops and assorted and diverse You-Name-It-We've-Got-It establishments.
Walking Street is one of the only places I know of where you can go into a Department Store and pick out a brand new Volkswagen or Rolls-Royce from a dealership on the lower level. Ironic because you can't drive the car out of the store. You just look at the inventory and pick the one that suits you.
In the Qing Dynasty, eight aristocratic estates and princes residences were built there.
One of my favorite places to shop on the many occasions I have visited Wangfujing, is the Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore. This place is loaded with incredible old volumes of Chinese history as well as contemporary works about China in general and Beijing in particular. There are murals, paintings, works of calligraphy and the entire store is infused with a wonderful aroma from the incense that is sold (and burned) there.
Walking Street is also the nexxus for many side streets that are jam-packed with souvenir shops, open-air eateries, jade markets, silk and fabric stores, etc. Perhaps the most famous of these is Snack Street - which was described in the post preceding this one.
One of Lynne's favorite attractions on all of Walking Street was, you guessed it. . . McDonald's.
Shoppers are free to peruse and mingle along its length from early in the morning until well after dark.
It is a nearly one mile long stretch of Department Stores, Shops, Boutiques, Stalls, Restaurants, Markets, Souvenir Shops and assorted and diverse You-Name-It-We've-Got-It establishments.
Walking Street is one of the only places I know of where you can go into a Department Store and pick out a brand new Volkswagen or Rolls-Royce from a dealership on the lower level. Ironic because you can't drive the car out of the store. You just look at the inventory and pick the one that suits you.
In the Qing Dynasty, eight aristocratic estates and princes residences were built there.
One of my favorite places to shop on the many occasions I have visited Wangfujing, is the Beijing Foreign Languages Bookstore. This place is loaded with incredible old volumes of Chinese history as well as contemporary works about China in general and Beijing in particular. There are murals, paintings, works of calligraphy and the entire store is infused with a wonderful aroma from the incense that is sold (and burned) there.
Walking Street is also the nexxus for many side streets that are jam-packed with souvenir shops, open-air eateries, jade markets, silk and fabric stores, etc. Perhaps the most famous of these is Snack Street - which was described in the post preceding this one.
One of Lynne's favorite attractions on all of Walking Street was, you guessed it. . . McDonald's.
THE BEIJING JADE FACTORY
During our week-long stay in Beijing, one of the many places we visited was the Beijing Jade Factory. There are many jade-cutting, fabricating and finishing establishments located in Beijing and the surrounding area.
One of the features of this particular factory was that they would custom-make any piece of jade into the jewlery, artwork or furniture you desired. Some of these creations could be completed in an hour or two, others could take as long as several months. Now this, in and of itself, was not unique to this Jade Factory. 
No. What set this establishment apart was its four-star restaurant and the exquisite food and service that it offered to visitors to the factory.
No. What set this establishment apart was its four-star restaurant and the exquisite food and service that it offered to visitors to the factory. Without question, this meal was one of the three best we had while in China. Fantastic.
We also had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with several other world travelers from Israel, Indonesia, Germany and Ireland while at the Jade Factory. Great times with new friends.
We were absolutely astounded by the diversity of jade and jade articles on display. We saw incredible solid pieces of jade that had been carved into Chinese boats, twelve foot wall screens that sold for more than $2 million in US dollars, and bulls that stood five feet tall at the shoulder.
We purchased some of the, ahem, LESS expensive pieces of jade while we were there. 
One of the pieces we bought is a series of ornate jade balls that are carved one within another and decorated with a dragon motif.
The dragons on the outside represent the protection of the father and mother while the carved balls that are contained within represent children and grandchildren. In its entirety it symbolizes the strength and unity of the family. It's made of carved green jade and is really cool looking.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
THE MING DYNASTY TOMBS
We spent a very interesting morning at the Ming Dynasty Tombs. This is a collective mausoleum for 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty and is located approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Beijing. It was originally intended to be a central tomb, Changling, designated for Emperor Zhu Di and his empress only. His is the grandest and most magnificent of all the tombs. The succeeding twelve tombs were buit around his.
One of the grandest above-ground features of the Ming Tombs is the Ling'en Palace in the second yard of the grounds. It is exquisite in its architecture and is the only large palace made exclusively of camphor wood. The ceiling is painted in great detail and is supported by sixteen enormous solid camphor posts. The entire palace is constructed without the use of nails or any other metal support structure. Wooden pegs and dowels are used in the joints and the Palace was built in such a manner that it expands or contracts slightly in severe weather and even absorbs the jolting force of China's many earthquakes.
It now serves as a Quasi-Museum at the entrance and contains an elaborate history of the tombs, their construction and also features many precious artifacts retrieved from the tombs themselves.
It was an extremely interesting and educational visit. We hope you enjoy the photos. Again, many of them are not labeled, but I will come back later and update them as time allows.
It now serves as a Quasi-Museum at the entrance and contains an elaborate history of the tombs, their construction and also features many precious artifacts retrieved from the tombs themselves.
It was an extremely interesting and educational visit. We hope you enjoy the photos. Again, many of them are not labeled, but I will come back later and update them as time allows.
THE GREAT WALL AT BADALING
Our next-to-last day in China. . .and perhaps the most famous and iconic of China's landmarks awaits us: The Great Wall. This was my sixth visit to the Great Wall, but only my second at the BaDaLing location. My other visits were at the JinShanLing portion of the wall in Hebei Province. For Lynne, of course, this was her first visit to the Great Wall. She was excited, nervous, eager and chompin' at the bit to get going.
Because we were staying in Beijing, we visited the BaDaLing section of the wall - not only for its proximity to Beijing, but because it is most easily accessed by a tram-ride to the top! Some might call this cheating. I call it smart. More time on the Wall! Yeah, baby. BaDaLing is also the most commercialized section of the Great Wall. Lots of souvenir shops and skinny, ninety-year-old Chinese women vendors hawking their wares at the top of their lungs.
Because it's the most commercialized and visited by an average of sixty or more tourist buses each day, there is seldom a lack of human activity on the wall (another reason I prefer the remoteness of JinShanLing). In fact, on most days, you can press more flesh on the BaDaLing wall than you could at a Richard Simmons "Sweatin' to the Oldies" Dance Fest.
The drive from the heart of downtown Beijing to BaDaLing was beautiful. Blue skies, a very comfortable 85 degrees and a slight breeze made for a great afternoon.
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