Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City
June 2013
After an unforgettable morning on the Great Wall we headed back into the city and Glenn took us on a tour of Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the city center of Beijing named after the Tiananmen gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. The square contains the monuments to the heroes of the revolution, the great hall of people, the National Museum of China, and the Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall (with Mao's embalmed body). Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic in the square on Oct. 1, 1949, which is now the National Holiday.
Outside China, the square is best known in recent memory as the focal point of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a pro-democracy movement which ended on 4 June 1989 with the declaration of martial law in Beijing by the government and the shooting of several hundred, or possibly thousands, of civilians by soldiers.
New hat!
Sword fighting!
The gate leading to the Forbidden City has a very large picture of Mao Zedong front and center.
As per usual the Chinese love to take pictures with Westerners, especially blonde ones!
I love these HUGE red doors with big brass knobs at the Forbidden City gate.
Traditional Lions at the gate
Dozens of bowls that were filled with water in the event of a fire.
The detail is remarkable. Unbelievable
Little warriors protecting in inhabitants.
Careful with that sword buddy!
Female Lion with lion cub.
We took a hike up the hillside across from the Forbidden City for an amazing view.
Tai Chi in the park.
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