There are 3 main gates, the first of which is the "office", the second the ceremonial and the third leading to the residence. They are big halls, but they are given a number of rooms according to how many columns are in them. Four columns establishes one chamber. We could really get a sense of how life was lived in these huge halls, with screens, etc., dividing the areas.
Each area is elevated more than the one before as we get closer to "heaven" and the residence. This is all marble - stairs, walkway,
balustrade. Stunning.
More celebrity. Storey liked being a part of it with mom.
I just love the buildings. There were thousands of Chinese tourists. They have become tourists in their own country for the first time, recently. They now have more money, and the permission, to travel around and see their country's treasures. We were also doing all our traveling on the National Holiday week, as that's when the girls got out of school. It was just announced in the paper that over 17.5 million Chinese traveled during this week, and over 2.5 million foreign tourists. We sure saw and experienced that everywhere we went.
An exquisite ceramic sculpture on one of the walls.
This is ONE piece of marble that took 4 - 5 years to be brought to the Forbidden City. As I mentioned before, it took 10 years to collect all the materials and 4 years to actually build this enormous complex. The things that are possible when you have at your disposal millions of workers!
We finally reached one of the gardens where trees were allowed again. This area is filled with trees with plaques dating them from 300 - 500 years ago. This particular tree is the "marriage tree" where emperors and their wives went. It is two trees that have been wound and twisted together to form one tree. Over 500 years old.
One of the many lions protecting the city.
Old trees.
We are now outside of the Forbidden City walls and are crossing the moat that surrounds the City. There was a young man trying to sell us a picture tourist book on the Forbidden City, and a woman behind us began yelling at him, obviously warning him that an official was coming because he ran from us and tucked all the books into the back of his pants under his shirt. By the time we had reached the street, he was back trying to close the sale!
The final gate beyond Ridley, Paige and Mom, and coal hill which is where all the coal for heating the City was collected and stored. This long and huge tour of the Forbidden City captivated us at every turn. I only wish I could really pass along the grandeur, beauty and awesome feeling of being in such a remarkable place. The wonder of this country and what this civilisation has done through millenia is overwhelming at times. As Nancy said before she left, nothing can quite capture the reality of being here. In Shanghai the modern wonders are as impressive as the old. Going about on an elevated freeway gives a futuristic feel that is impossible to describe. And then in the midst of it all are these treasures that take your breath away. Anyway - the Forbidden City was superior in every way!
There are 3 main gates, the first of which is the "office", the second the ceremonial and the third leading to the residence. They are big halls, but they are given a number of rooms according to how many columns are in them. Four columns establishes one chamber. We could really get a sense of how life was lived in these huge halls, with screens, etc., dividing the areas.
Each area is elevated more than the one before as we get closer to "heaven" and the residence. This is all marble - stairs, walkway, balustrade. Stunning.
More celebrity. Storey liked being a part of it with mom.
I just love the buildings. There were thousands of Chinese tourists. They have become tourists in their own country for the first time, recently. They now have more money, and the permission, to travel around and see their country's treasures. We were also doing all our traveling on the National Holiday week, as that's when the girls got out of school. It was just announced in the paper that over 17.5 million Chinese traveled during this week, and over 2.5 million foreign tourists. We sure saw and experienced that everywhere we went.
An exquisite ceramic sculpture on one of the walls.
This is ONE piece of marble that took 4 - 5 years to be brought to the Forbidden City. As I mentioned before, it took 10 years to collect all the materials and 4 years to actually build this enormous complex. The things that are possible when you have at your disposal millions of workers!
We finally reached one of the gardens where trees were allowed again. This area is filled with trees with plaques dating them from 300 - 500 years ago. This particular tree is the "marriage tree" where emperors and their wives went. It is two trees that have been wound and twisted together to form one tree. Over 500 years old.
One of the many lions protecting the city.
Old trees.
We are now outside of the Forbidden City walls and are crossing the moat that surrounds the City. There was a young man trying to sell us a picture tourist book on the Forbidden City, and a woman behind us began yelling at him, obviously warning him that an official was coming because he ran from us and tucked all the books into the back of his pants under his shirt. By the time we had reached the street, he was back trying to close the sale!
The final gate beyond Ridley, Paige and Mom, and coal hill which is where all the coal for heating the City was collected and stored. This long and huge tour of the Forbidden City captivated us at every turn. I only wish I could really pass along the grandeur, beauty and awesome feeling of being in such a remarkable place. The wonder of this country and what this civilisation has done through millenia is overwhelming at times. As Nancy said before she left, nothing can quite capture the reality of being here. In Shanghai the modern wonders are as impressive as the old. Going about on an elevated freeway gives a futuristic feel that is impossible to describe. And then in the midst of it all are these treasures that take your breath away. Anyway - the Forbidden City was superior in every way!
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