If you are only allowed to choose one city to travel in China, it must be Beijing.It boasts of so many best attractions famous at home and abroad. I will list some of the most important attractions here and then give you simple introduction of them.
Beijing is vibrant with amazing attractions, Forbidden City, the most magnificent palace in China; Ming Tombs, an imperial tomb cluster for thirteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644); Great Wall, one of the seven wonders of the world; Temple of Heaven, the worshipping site for the emperors; Summer Palace, the grandest imperial garden in China; Sacred Way, a divine road reflecting the pomp and dignity of emperors; Tiananmen Square, The largest square in the world; Lama Temple, a noted temple dedicated to Tibetan Buddhism; Beihai Park, a centuries-old park with marvelous scenery; Hutong, a carrier and mirror of Beijing folk culture.
The magnificent Forbidden City is the largest and the best-preserved Imperial Palace complex in the world. It has 9,999 rooms in flourishing period (many were desolated and now there are over 8,000 completed rooms saved) with just a single room short of the number that ancient Chinese belief represents ‘Divine Perfection’ and surrounded by a moat six meters (about 6.6 yards) deep and ten-meter (about 11 yards) high wall. For five centuries, this palace functioned as the administrative center of the country as well as being the residence of emperors and empresses of Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties. Thus, the place itself is not to be missed by any Beijing visitor. A self-guided audio tour tapes are available in several languages at the entrance.
Hailed as the largest central city square in the world, the solemn and respectful Tiananmen Square serves not only Beijing’s symbol but also the whole of China. This immense courtyard is the site of various historical events. The square is surrounded by a variety of significant edifices namely, the Chinese Revolution History Museum, the Mao Mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People, the elegant and beautiful Tiananmen (Heavenly Peace Gate) Tower, and the Qianmen (Front Gate). The daily flag ceremonies at the square, performed during sunrise and sunset, are most exceptional and well-worth time to view and experience. The Great Wall was constantly repositioned along new routes as successive dynasties rose and fell. In the year a.d. 607, more than a million workers toiled on this line of defense, but soon after the Great Wall was abandoned. The Mongols eventually broke through from the north and established the Yuan Dynasty (a.d. 1271-1368), making Beijing their capital. Their successors, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty (a.d. 1368-1644), set in motion the last great phase of wall building, which created the Great Wall as we see it today north of Beijing.
Located in the southern part of Beijing, Temple of Heaven has been one of the most holy places for the whole country for more than five centuries. It used as a complex of sacrificial buildings for the Ming and Qing emperors, and is the largest one in Beijing among several royal altars to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, the Moon and other deities or symbolic forces of Nature. If you go to the Temple of Heaven in the early morning, you can see groups of people practicing all types of kung fu and taiji. Many people contentedly entertain each other with music,songs or quietly playing cards. You can also practice with them if you are so inclined. This is another good activity for the jetlagged. What makes the temple unique is the century-old trees – line upon line of Chinese cypress, Chinese juniper and scholar trees. Some of the cypresses are more than 600 years old. Dr Henry Kissinger, when he visited the temple, stated that while the USA could recreate the Temple of Heaven if it desired, it could not create the trees!
Yuan Ming Yuan (also known as the Old Summer Palace) is situated between Qinghua University and the Yi He Yuan (New Summer Palace). It was constructed between 1709 and 1859, although there had been imperial gardens and summer palaces in the area since at least the Liao dynasty (~1125AD).
Don’t miss this sites during your Beijing tour and China tours.
