Beijing Forbidden City

Beijing Forbidden City
Address: No.4 Jingshan Front Street,Dongcheng District 65132255
Opening Hour: 8:30-17:00
Time for the last ticket to be sold: 3:00 pm
Travel Time: two hours
Entrance Fee: RMB 60
How to get there:
By Bus
No. 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 52, 57, 22, 54, 101, 103,109, 111, 120, 802, special No.1 bus and get off at Zhongshan Phongshan Park stop or Tian Am Men stop. 
By Subway
Subway line 1 & 2: get off at Tiananmen west station or Tiananmen east station.

The Forbidden City is the No. 1 of top 10 Beijing must-to-see attractions. It is the most visited and the most popular sight in Beijing.

The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

Chinese name Zijin Cheng (Chinese: 紫禁城; pinyin: Zǐjinchéng; 
literally "Purple Forbidden City"). 


The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex, covering 720,000 square meters with 800 buildings and 9,000 rooms in total. It was the home to 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and is recognized as one of the most attractive five palaces in the world (the other four are: the palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in the UK, the White House in the US and the Kremlin in Russia).

We entered the Forbidden City from the Tian'anmen Gate. Through the gate, across an expansive brick - paved square, we reached the main entrance to the palace, the Meridian Gate (Wumen in Chinese). The Meridian gate was the place where the Emperor announced the new lunar calendar on the winter solstice. 

We then, entered the Meridian Gate, and went across the Golden Stream Bridge and we arrived at the outer court. The Forbidden City falls into two parts: the outer court and the inner palaces.

The outer court is made up of three main buildings:

1. The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)
2. The Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian) 
3. The Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian). 

These halls were where the emperors attended the grand ceremonies and conducted state affairs. The first hall waiting for you is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the most important and largest structure in the Forbidden City. The emperors' Dragon Throne (Longyi) is in this hall. Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian), the resting place of the emperor before presiding over grand events held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Emperors would rehearse their speeches and presentations here before departing to the Temple of Heaven for the sacrifice rites. The last hall is the Hall of the Preserving Harmony used for banquets and later for imperial examinations.

Out from the Hall of the Preserving Harmony, you will notice a huge block of marble carved with cloud and dragon designs. Go straight, and you will see another gate, called Gate of Heavenly Peace(Qianqingmen). This is the main gateway to the inner living court.

The inner court is composed of the three main structures at the rear of the Forbidden City, namely the

1. Palace of Heavenly Peace (Qianqinggong), 
2. the Palace of Union and Peace (Jiaotaidian)  
3. Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility (Kunninggong). 

Besides the three main buildings there are the six eastern palaces and six western palaces, where the emperor used to handle every day affairs and was the living quarters for the emperor, expresses and concubines. Those palaces have been converted into exhibition halls, where a spectacular set of imperial collections is displayed.

The first structure inside the inner court is the Palace of Heavenly Peace, the emperors' sleeping quarters. Behind it is the Palace of Union and Peace, where the imperial seals were stored. The third hall is the Hall of Terrestrial Tranquility, the emperors' wedding room. Exiting and going further north, travelers will find the Imperial Garden. The garden offers an aesthetic change from the crimson and gray building complex to a colorful and luxuriant atmosphere. On the left side of the inner court, travelers will find the Mental Cultivation Hall(Yangxindian), the most important building except for the Hall of Supreme Harmony. From the time of the third emperor, Yongzhen, all the Qing emperors, 8 in total resided in this hall. The palaces on the eastern and western sides, the former residences of the concubines have been converted into exhibition halls.

The main exit gate of the Forbidden City is the Gate of Divine Might, behind the Imperial Garden.

For security the Forbidden City is enclosed by a 10 meter high city wall, which has a circumference of 3, 430 meters. At each corner of the Forbidden City, there stands a magnificent watchtower, which was heavily guarded in the past. Around the city there is a moat as the first line of defense.


Weather/Best Time to Go
The autumn months between September and November have the best weather and fewer tourists. Summer (June to August) is considered peak season, when hotels typically raise their rates and the Great Wall nearly collapses under the weight of marching tourists. Spring is less pleasant not many tourists but lots of wind and dust. In winter, you'll have Beijing to yourself and many hotels offer substantial discounts, just remember it's an ice box outside. Everything is chock block during the Chinese New Year (usually in January or February).

The best tourist season to Forbidden City is from late March to early June and from late August to late November. During these periods, choose someday not on the weekdays and holidays to avoid the crowds of people.

WEST LAKE ADMISSION FEE AND TRANSPO

Travel Tips:

1. West Lake is a large open lake area with some scenic spots around it charging admission fee. For example:

Spots	Addr.	Admission Fee	Bus Routes
Leifeng Pagoda	15 Nanshan Road	CNY40	Y1, Y2, Y3, K4, J5, Y6, Y7, Y9, K291, K504, K808, 822/K822
Three Pools Mirroring the Moon	the bigger islet in the southwest of the lake	CNY20	----
Chenghuang Pavilion	3 Wushan Road	CNY30	38/K38, Y7, Y8, 8/K8, J9, 25/K25, 34/K34, 35/K35, 40/K40, 59/K59、60/K60
Lingyin	1 Fayun Nong, Lingyin Road	CNY30 (Lingyin Temple) CNY45 (Fei Lai Feng)	Y1, Y2, 7/K7, Y13, K807/K837

2. To the West Lake, visitors can easily find bus routes at Hangzhou Railway Station, Huanglong Sports Center, Wulin Square or Hangzhou East Railway Station, and get off at Su Di, Ling Yin, Duan Qiao, Qu Yuan Feng He, Yue Miao, Shuang Feng, Long Jing Si, Yan'an Road, Hu Bin or Xihu Dadao Stations. 

Available bus routes are 4/K4, 6/K6, 7/K7, 15/K15,16/K16,18/K18, 21/K21, 27/K27, 28/K28, 81/K81, K504, 527/K527, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6, Y7, Y8, Y9.

3. Round-the-lake battery car: CNY40 per person

The battery car can stop at any place along the route and it takes about 70 minutes to round the lake.

4. Sightseeing bus: Y9 is double-decker tourism bus running around the West Lake. Ticket is CNY 5 for the whole journey. The starting and end point is Huanglong Tourism Dispatch Center. 

5. The free tourism bus line has been opened between the West Lake and Xixi Wetland. The bus starts from Leifeng Pagoda and departs every half an hour from 09:00 to 14:30, back from Xixi Wetland from 11:00 to 17:00. 

6. Free shuttle bus from Leifeng Pagoda to Hangzhou Polar Ocean Park is also available. There are four buses a day from 09:30, not timely though. The last bus leaves at 15:00 and will be back from the ocean park at 16:00. 

HANGZHOU WEST LAKE: Heaven on Earth

HANGZHOU WEST LAKE: Heaven on Earth 

I heard a lot of good things about Hangzhou in Eastern China. As an old Chinese saying declares, "There is heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below." For the Chinese, Suzhou and neighboring Hangzhou are the closest things to Heaven on Earth.  

I wanted a glimpse of the piece of Heaven on Earth! Human as I am, I tend to be super excited about a new place that I've never been to before. So, I flew from Beijing to Hangzhou via China Eastern Airlines.

Marco Polo even called Hangzhou the most beautiful and magnificent in the world. 

This is most evident in the West Lake area--the effective, if not the geographic, center of Hangzhou. Hills embrace the lake on three sides. The city proper lies to the east.

Ancient Chinese people praised the West Lake area as a land of intoxicating beauty. 

Su Shi, a poet from the Song Dynasty, likened the lake to Xizi, a Chinese Cleopatra, for its allure. 

I gasped in awe when I first saw this scene while walking in Sudi, a 3 kilometer stretch that has the best view of the Famous West Lake.

Intoxicating beauty indeed

Ten (10) of the most beautiful sites include:

1. Spring Dawn at Sudi Causeway
2. Melting Snow at Broken Bridge
3. Sunset Glow over Leifeng Hill
4. Lotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard
5. Autumn Moon on Calm Lake (a lakeside park at the west end of the Bai Causeway)
6. Listening to Orioles Singing in the Willows
7. Viewing Fish and Lotus Ponds at Flower Harbor
8. Evening Bell at Nanping Hill
9. Three Pools Mirroring the Moon
10. Twin Peaks Piercing the Clouds

The West Lake is like a shining pearl inlaid on the vast land of China, reputed for beautiful scenery, a multitude of historical sites, brilliant cultural relics, and a profusion of native products. Legend has it that the West Lake was a heavenly jewel fallen to earth. Pragmatists insist that it is a mere lagoon on Hangzhou's western fringe. In any case, West Lake has inspired painters for centuries.

Who would have thought that in ancient times, this place had been a shallow sea gulf before it evolved into a residual lake. The Baidi and Sudi causeways provide access to many parts of the lake. Most of the best known tourist sites lie around and within the lake. With a circumference of 15 kilometers , the lake area itself is easy for the visitor to negotiate.

My Hangzhou adventure still lingers in my mind. Hangzhou does not only have an intoxicating appeal but also very kind people!  I met a lot of angels who, despite the language barrier, had help me find my way around and did not expect anything in return. They're complete strangers, not even a Filipino, but the kindness in their hearts shines brightly. 

TEMPLE OF HEAVEN

The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven (simplified Chinese: 天坛; traditional Chinese: 天壇; pinyin: Tiāntán; Manchu: Abkai mukdehun) is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperorsof the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It is regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism.

The temple complex was constructed from 1406 to 1420 during the reign of the Yong Le Emperor, who was also responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The complex was extended and renamed Temple of Heaven during the reign of the Jiajing Emperorin the 16th century. The Jiajing Emperor also built three other prominent temples in Beijing, the Temple of Sun in the east (日坛), the Temple of Earth in the north (地坛), and the Temple of Moon in the west (月坛). The Temple of Heaven was renovated in the 18th century under the Qianlong Emperor.

In 1914, Yuan Shih-kai, then President of the Republic of China, performed a Ming prayer ceremony at the temple, as part of an effort to have himself declared Emperor of China.

The Temple of Heaven was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and was described as "a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which simply and graphically illustrates a cosmogony of great importance for the evolution of one of the world’s great civilizations..." as the "symbolic layout and design of the Temple of Heaven had a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries."

The surrounding of the Temple of Heaven is also a very popular park for exercising. 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. You can lso practice with them if you are so inclined. This is another good activity for the jetlagged.

The Temple grounds cover 2.73 km² of parkland and comprises three main groups of constructions, all built according to strict philosophical requirements:

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿) is a magnificent triple-gabled circular building, 36 metres in diameter and 38 metres tall, built on three levels of marble stone base, where the Emperor prayed for good harvests. The building is completely wooden, with no nails.
The Imperial Vault of Heaven (皇穹宇) is a single-gabled circular building, built on a single level of marble stone base. It is located south of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and resembles it, but is smaller. It is surrounded by a smooth circular wall, the Echo Wall, that can transmit sounds over large distances. The Imperial Vault is connected to the Hall of Prayer by the Vermilion Steps Bridge, a 360 meter long raised walkway that slowly ascends from the Vault to the Hall of Prayer.

The Circular Mound Altar (圜丘坛) is the altar proper, located south of the Imperial Vault of Heaven. It is an empty circular platform on three levels of marble stones, where the Emperor prayed for favorable weather. It was built in 1530 by the Jiajing Emperor and rebuilt in 1740.

Address: on the east of Tianqiao, Chongwen District 67018866

Opening Time: 6:00-21:00
Take 6, 20, 39 Buses
Travel Time: 1.5 hours
Entrance Fee: RMB 35

SUMMER PALACE BEIJING

BEIJING SUMMER PALACE is a must see site. It is included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Summer Palace is a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. The natural landscape of hills and open water is combined with artificial features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges to form a harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value. 

The North gate is easily accessible from Beigongmen Station on Line 4 of the Beijing Subway.

Located at the northwest suburb of Beijing, the Summer Palace was originally a royal garden and a temporary dwelling palace for emperors of Qing Dynasty. The Summer Palace in northwest suburban Beijing is the largest and most complete imperial garden existing in China.

Summer Palace mainly consists of Longevity Hill (Washoushan) and Kunming Lake. Covering an area of 290.8 hectares. Of which 3/4 is covered by water.

Hill-and water- surrounded palaces,temples and garden buildings are divided into three areas: 

• the palace area, with the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (Renshoudian) as the center, where Cixi held court from behind a screen in most time of her late years; 
• the residence area, with Yulan Hall, Leshou Hall and Yiyun Hall as main bodies , where the emperor and empress lived before death; 
• the tour area integrating landscape, buildings, flower and plants, a place of tour and rest for rulers of that time. As the building center in the whole Palaces, the Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiangge) stands highly relying on the Hill and facing to the water.

The water surface of Kunming Lake is spacious like sky, charming, gentle and appealing. In the vast mist- covered water stand the magic hills and wonder islands. 

The Seventeen-arch Bridge spans the green water like a rainbow. The West Dike of the lake runs from north to south. 

Forming a God-fiven scene together with six graceful bridges. Business on the palace market is flourishing. 

Towering palaces shine with the hill and water, Group peaks of West Hill (Xishan) and the Jade Spring (Yuquanshan) are even taken as the background.

With masterly design and artistic architecture and integration the essence of Chinese garden arts, the Summer Palace has a title of  "Imperial Garden Museum". It is an imperial garden most completely preserved with richest landscapes and concentrated buildings. 

It is a popular tourist destination but also serves as a recreational park.Add:

Yiheyuan (Summer Palace) Road, Haidian District 62881144-209Open Time: 6:30-20:30
Take busses No.726, 826, 718, 332, 331 or 737 and get of at Yiheyuan Dongmen
Entrance Fee: RMB 40 (low season) / RMB 50 (peak season)

THE CUBE IN BEIJING

The Beijing National Aquatics Center, also known as the National Aquatics Center, and nicknamed the Water Cube, (simplified Chinese: 北京国家游泳中心; traditional Chinese: 北京國家游泳中心) is an aquatics center that was built alongside Beijing National Stadium in the Olympic Green for the swimming competitions of the 2008 Summer Olympics. 

Despite its nickname, the building is not an actual cube, but a cuboid (a rectangular box). Ground was broken on December 24, 2003, and the Center was completed and handed over for use on January 28, 2008.  Swimmers at the Water Cube broke 25 world records during the 2008 Olympics.

The Water Cube's design was initiated by a team effort. The Chinese partners felt a square was more symbolic to Chinese culture and its relationship to the Bird's Nest stadium, while the Sydney based partners came up with the idea of covering the "cube" with bubbles, symbolising water. Contextually the cube symbolises earth whilst the circle (represented by the stadium) represents heaven. Hence symbolically the water cube references Chinese symbolic architecture.

Comprising a steel space frame, it is the largest ETFE clad structure in the world with over 100,000 m² of ETFE pillows that are only 0.2 mm (1/125 of an inch) in total thickness. The ETFE cladding allows more light and heat penetration than traditional glass, resulting in a 30% decrease in energy costs.

The outer wall is based on the Weaire–Phelan structure, a structure devised from the natural formation of bubbles in soap lather.

The structure had a capacity of 17,000 during the games that is being reduced to 6,000. It also has a total land surface of 65,000 square meters and will cover a total of 32,000 square metres (7.9 acres)

After the Olympics, the building underwent a 200 million Yuan revamp to turn half of its interior into a water park. The building officially re-opened on August 8, 2010


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THE NEST IN BEIJING

Beijing National Stadium, also known as the National Stadium (国家体育场), or colloquially as the Bird's Nest (鸟巢), is a stadium in Beijing, China. 

It is our last itinerary on our second day in Beijing, China. Gracie, Lasnoches and I went to the Nest located in the Olympic Green, the stadium which costs US $423 million to build. We were so excited to have our picture taken despite the sub zero freezing night temperature.

Pleasing to the eye, the "Bird's Nest" embodies traditional Chinese elements sprinkled with modernity. With a red glow, the venue symbolizes luck and optimism, and its structure mirrors the energetic and ardent spirit innately present in athletes. The letter "N" completes the National Stadium's look, reflecting the passionate and welcoming atmosphere warranted by the Olympic Games.

The design, which originated from the study of Chinese ceramics, implemented steel beams in order to hide supports for the retractable roof, giving the stadium the appearance of a "Bird's nest".

Leading Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was the artistic consultant on the project.

The stadium officially opened in 28 June 2008. Located at the southern part of the Olympic Green in Beijing, the National Stadium is the main stadium of the 29th Olympiad in 2008. Occupying an area of 21 hectares, it has a floor space of 258,000 square meters. Its seating capacity amounts to 91,000, including 11,000 temporary seats

The Bird's Nest boasted the largest ski resort in urban Beijing. The first winter amusement activity in the Bird's Nest was the Ice and Snow Festival, which was launched on Dec.19, 2009 and lasted for two months up to Feb.20, 2010.

Address: 18 Beichen Dong Lu, Olympic Area, Chaoyang district (8437 3008; www.n-s.cn/en).

Tip: Besides Beijing National Stadium, you may visit its neighboring attractions such as the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) and the National Indoor Stadium.

Admission Fee:

CNY50 for a visit to the National Stadium

* CNY140 for Through Tickets of Beijing Landmark Tour, including the National Stadium, the National Aquatics Center, the National Centre for Performing Arts and the CCTV Tower; the ticket is valid for one month.

Opening Hours:

9:00 to 18:00 on weekdays

9:00 to 21:30 on weekends and public holidays.

Subway:

Take Subway Line 10 to Beitucheng then switch to Subway Line 8 (Olympic Special Line): get off at Olympic Sports Center Station, get out of the station from Exit B1 (northwest exit) or Exit B2 (northeast exit), and walk north to Bird's Nest.

Bus Route:

Take bus 82, 538 or 611 and get off at Guo Jia Ti Yu Chang Dong (National Stadium East) Station.

Take bus 18, 108, 124, 207, 328, 380, 387, 409, 426, 558, 653, 694, 758, 803, 849, 985 or 特2 and get off at Ao Ti Dong Men (Olympic Sports Center East Gate) Station.

Take bus 84 or 407 and get off at Ao Ti Xi Men (Olympic Sports Center West Gate) Station.

THE EGG IN BEIJING

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) (Chinese: 国家大剧院; pinyin: guó​jiā​ dà​ jù​yuàn​; literally: National Grand Theatre), and colloquially described as The Egg, is an opera house in Beijing, People's Republic of China. 

The Centre, an ellipsoid dome of titanium and glass surrounded by an artificial lake, seats 5,452 people in three halls and is almost 12,000 m² in size. It was designed by French architect Paul Andreu. Construction started in December 2001 and the inaugural concert was held in December 2007.

The exterior of the theater is a titanium accented glass dome that is completely surrounded by a man-made lake. It is said to look like an egg floating on water, or a water drop. It was designed as an iconic feature, something that would be immediately recognizable.

The dome measures 212 meters in east-west direction, 144 meters in north-south direction, and is 46 meters high. The main entrance is at the north side. Guests arrive in the building after walking through a hallway that goes underneath the lake. The titanium shell is broken by a glass curtain in north-south direction that gradually widens from top to bottom.

The location is immediately to the west of Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People, and near the Forbidden City.