China: Beijing - Great Wall and the Ming Tomb

No trip to China would be complete without a visit to The Great Wall of China. There are many tourbus operators driving the 80km from Beijing to the wall and back.

All of them combine multiple sights to visit as a package. Great, except we heard stories of visits to high pressure showrooms with staff practiced in the hard-sell - remember the story the Norways told us of their tea purchase? The Lonely Planet mentioned that this tactic is ubiquitous, and suggested going for the more reputable operators.

Their stops are merely soft sell vists...

Our hotel offered a reasonable package that we took. We were picked up early and zipped around central Beijing picking up the other tourists. Then it was on to our first destination; the Ming Tombs, about an hour north. Our group arrived to a crisp and cool mid morning to look about. Note the tortoise, housed in the pavillion behind.

This is called Shengong Shengde Stele Pavilion housing the huge carved tortoise. He is the size of a small car!

Following the tradition, Princess rubs his head to bring her some good luck. The stone head is polished on top!

As we walk along, our guide explains to the group about various features of the site.

The site is actually 7km paved road called Shen dao (the Spirit Way). We are nearing the tomb at the top of the road, set on a shallow incline. This three-arched gate near the top is known as the Dragon and Phoenix Gate.

We continue up to the ghost gate; by stepping through this we enter the graveyard, which is linked to the spiritual realm. When we come back down we must pass back through the gate to ensure we leave the spirits inside the graveyard.



We stand at the bottom of the tomb, which sits at the top of the incline. This shot makes it look smaller then it actually is.



Princess leads the way as we headed through the gate in the curved wall; ahead is the tomb, which was once open.



Looking at the sealed tomb up close. The Phillipino guy above and his wife, were part of our group. Princess was taller then both of them! (you can check in the group shot above)

We climbed up the steps to the top of the wall, which curves back to the hillside and tomb behind.

The view back down the road from the top of the wall is great.



At the center of the arced wall is this shrine. This stone is one of the (very) few named tombs on the site.

The incline of the surrounding area gives a grand view of a large area. After a good look at the shrine and view at the top, we headed back through the ghost gate and to our bus.

The next stop was an enamel vase factory and showroom tour, with a meal afterwards.

We were guided through the construction steps. After a raw copper pot is turned, copper strips are soldered on the outside.



The whole pot is slowly built up with layers of enamel paint. The workers apply hundreds of coats of paint of the required color, slowly thickening the pot and filling each section.

After all the sections are thick with enamel paint, the item is fused in a kiln to harden the enamel and copper pot.



Each item is then filed, sanded with various abrasives then buffed smooth. You can see a pot spinning on the polishing lathe above. Once all buffed, the product is lacquer sprayed and ready for sale.

We were given a complimentary lunch served above the showroom adjoining the factory. The meal was huge and had a great variety of tasty stuff. We are going to need some energy later...

We looked around the large showroom for about an hour. There were lots of eager salespeople, but no one too overbearing. There were lots of beautiful items, but we as we were travelling light we had no room to carry trinkets.

We headed on to the Great Wall, specifically the Badaling section.



The bus dropped us in a parking lot at the bottom of a valley that the wall cuts across. This guard building is at the bottom of the valley and is part of the wall.



The wall traverses some very steep hills like this, and stretches off into the distance.



Look how steep the banister is - far greater then 45 degrees here!



We made our way up, which is hard going. As we pass this old man, Princess hears him farting from exertion - eeeeeew...



Princess catches her breath as we admire the view from the top.



Along this ridge, you can see some of the many guard houses.



Here is the interior, long since unoccupied.



This is one of the larger guard houses along the wall.



We had to stop and admire the scenery:



What a stunning valley!



Amazing to see it extend off in both directions. It also splits in forks in parts, and is actually a network of walls.



We walked along for over a kilometer before dipping back down to the valley floor.



More steep stairs lead back down to the valley floor.



Looking back up the wall we just climbed down. We had to find our own way back up the valley to the carpark which was a little confusing, but we eventually found it.



In the carpark, Princess noticed something. Can you guess what caught her attention?



Guess who is having a ride...



Princess and the two-hump camel. After a lap or two around the carpark, Princess dismounts and we headed off to find our tour operator.

Back on the bus, we head for Beijing. But on the way back, there are a few more sales opportunities!

First, we visit a "Health" clinic and get a free 5 minute foot wash and rub performed by a troupe of practiced youth. This was very welcome after all the climbing steep stairs. The initial relaxation was followed by 15 minutes of pressure selling of all sorts of health balms and pills.

In true cheapskate mode, we spent 15 minutes politely but firmly asserting that we didn't need any of these kinds of things, but thanks for the gratis footrub...

Our final stop at a shop called "Mr Tea" should immediately set off alarm bells for those who read our story on The Norways, but it was OK. It was hard sell, not extortion. Well, it was courteousy and smiles serving samples, then the hard sell.



Toolman was wise enough to take a photo before the hard sell started. We adopted cheapskate mode again, and managed to avoid buying anything. Our host above got quite snarky when it became apparent that no one in the group wanted to buy anything!

The tour to all these places was a great day out, and the sales tactics came with nice perks - really worth it. Its like listening to an investment seminar just because it has nice food at the end - and in our case a foot rub!

Stay tuned for our travels back south towards Vietnam.

China: Beijing Ancient Observatory

We visited the Beijing Ancient Observatory after our look around the Forbidden City. This observatory was built in 1442 during the Ming Dynasty, and is one of the oldest observatories in the world, predating the telescope.

Toolman poses by one of the guard lions.

Princess shows another guard lion.

Toolman plays the fool with a dragon claw, which is part of an Amillary Sphere in the ground level courtyard.

Princess shows her jazz hands as we look around the museum.

This is an old compass.

The bulk of the actual observatory hardware is atop a 15 meter tall brick platform.

This is the view from the top.

The various instruments on top.



This is a large quadrant, for measuring angle in the sky.

This is another Amillary Sphere, showing the celestial sphere and its orientation.

After such a long day, we headed back to our hotel for some well deserved rest.

China: Beijing - Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City

An important place to visit for us was Tian'anmen Square, a large public square in the middle of Beijing. It is the site of the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall aka the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

The square is also infamous for a series of illegal political protests staged here in 1989, where many citizens were killed by the brutal crackdown of the military. It is the site of a famous photo with a single protestor in defiance, standing in front of a row of advancing tanks.

We walked down from our accomodation to the the South Gate.

The South Gate sits at the the southern edge of the square, and is formerly the front gate of the Imperial City.

This is the original entrance gate, part of the wall that surrounded the ancient city. Only sections and ruins of the wall remain, but this gate is well preserved.

This imperial guard lion also sits by the gate. We were able to visit inside the south gate.

After paying a small fee, we climbed the stairs into the main room in the archery bulding on top of the gate. The color scheme inside and out matches!

The archery building is now a museum, with photos and details the history of Beijing: the rulers, the Forbidden City, the surrounding wall etc.

Princess poses outside on top of the gate. The detail and color is amazing and intricate.

From the gate, you look over the square straight to Chairman Maos' Mausoleum. Below, you can see the constant stream of visitors coming out.

After buying some appropriate footwear from a nearby shop (sandals are not very respectful), we queued up and also filed through the mausoleum to see Mao. They were very strict on what you could take inside, so our stuff was all in lockers - no camera. It was like airport security, and very busy!

Apparently Mao may have been a wax duplicate, but we filed past quickly and not too close so it was hard to judge.

Walking around the square we saw lots of flower arrangement and hedge-work for the 2008 olympics next year.

The Great (hedge) Wall is an impressive feat!

On the north edge of the square is the Forbidden City. The outerwall on this edge has some nice gardens with bright colors.



This is Tian'anmen, (Literally: the Gate of Heavenly Peace) the south gate to the Forbidden City. It lends its name to Tian'anmen square, where we have just been and which it borders.

There are lots of respectful reminders of Chairman Mao!



The guards outside were at attention, and happy to be in a picture. Toolman played the fool ...

This haubiao (ceremonial column) stands outside the gate. It was errected during the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century.

We freely enter under Tian'anmen gate into a courtyard used for ticket sales and tour guide grouping.

Guards were practising their marching drills in the courtyard as we watched and queued for our tickets.

With tickets in hand, we head in to the Meridian Gate (above). Check out the group on the right all wearing red hats - tour groups all wear matching coloured hats, and follow a guide carrying a matching flag.

Toolman poses on the west edge of the courtyard south of the Gate of Supreme Harmony. There are a couple of large courts, and some could (and probably have) hosted some spectacular sized gatherings.

Toolmans stands in front of the Hall of Military Eminence.

Ornate decoration and style common to the Forbidden City and to the south gate we visited earlier.

We walked past this area that has lots of leftover or damaged imperial guard lions.

Toolman wanders back into one of the Gate of Supreme Harmony courtyard.



Princess looks in to one of the many exhibitions. The whole site is a museum, and many buildings are used for exhibiting.

There is an amazing range of interesting items, such as this large ceremonial drum.

There is also plenty of armor and weapons on display from important periods in Chinas' history.

Toolman inspects a lantern designed to be carried in procession.

Princess poses between rooms containing these treasures.

There is plenty of ceramic and bronzeware on display.



There is also plenty of important clothing from Chinese history.

As we exit we note this overside handle; the huge brass pot it is attached to is huge and would take many men to carry.

This throne room is decorated in regal yellow material.

The roof is also magnificently decorated with gold and green.

As we head on to another room, we pass this bronze imperial guard lion, with a baby lion under its paw!

In another room, we find lots of mechanical items, such as this astronomical device.

An old model train, which was a gift to Chinese royalty.



The museum host a vast large collection of over 1000 antique clocks.



Many were gifts from other nations, but plenty are of Chinese origin also.



This clock is supported by golden elephants.

Here we are looking out at the outer gate of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, from the northern end of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Closer to the gate, we inspect the brass guard lions. These ones have balls in their claws.

Looking back over the lions, we see stairs back to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The main temple at the center of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

This is a throne inside one of the many rooms in the temple.

All of the buildings in the Forbidden City follow a common style; ceramic tiled roofs, the same color scheme and architecture.



There are subtle differences and unique adornments, such as these roof statuettes. The quantity indicates the status of the building.

As we head to the northern end, we pass this bronze turtle.

Princess shows the scale of this huge dragon carving as we continue north.



A close up of the dragon - Raaar!

Here at the northern end of the city are two circular temples in the Imperial Garden. This is in contrast to the square style favored in the Forbidden City.

The imperial garden also has a wonderful rock hill with a temple on top.

The rock appears to be natural, with the temple and steps carefully constructed on top.

The gardens are full of trees and plants - many emperors spent time pondering in here.

Princess looks at the waterways to see a school of goldfish swimming about below.

The large number of buildings, each with such detail, is very impressive. Its unfortunate that its no longer a living city; all the ceremony and regality that it once hosted has gone, demoted to being a tourist attraction.

Stay tuned.