Non descript: May 2009

晴天

Day 3. We went out late that day. By the time we reached the Summer Palace, 颐和园 it was already late morning. This place was used by the monarchy as their summer villa/resort, to escape from the oppressive summer heat. It was said that the Empress Dowager Cixi used state funds meant for the country's Navy operations to rebuild the Summer Palace.

We started from the back entrance.

Whenever Empress Dowager Cixi visited the Summer Palace, a bow would be hung on the arch to indicate her presence on the grounds of the palace.

View of the palace from Kunming Lake

文昌阁

Kunming Lake

The famed 13 arch bridge

Out of the palace

After visiting the Summer Palace, it was already 5 plus in the afternoon. So we decided to hang out at Qinghua University.

Observatory

American styled architecture

Evening at Qinghua University.

晴天

The second day of our Beijing stay. We went to 天安门, 故宫，then 胡同四合院.

The front of 天安门广场 in the morning light. By the time we reached there, the flag raising ceremony was over. The square was still kind of empty at that time.

It was quite cloudy in the morning. Stuff around the square.

In the underpass to 故宫.. there was this relief along the walls. The dark parts are at the height of a raised hand. Can imagine how many people have touched this while walking past it.

The entrance to the 故宫

The 2 lions guarding the front of the palace. The one I'm with is a female lion, because of the small cub playing at her feet.

Random fact of the day: The whorls on the lion's head indicate the rank and status of the owner owning it. 13 rows of whorls on the head indicate the highest rank that can ever be attained and it is reserved for the emperor only. The smallest number is 5 whorls, for the lowest ranking official in the hierarchy. So we can count the number the number of whorls next time when we encounter a lion.

Palace grounds

A painting of a emperor's procession

Was amazed at the size of the umbrella when I compared it the one in the picture above. Its a massive umbrella, you can imagine how heavy it is, and it is held by only one person in the procession. They must be really strong.

Grounds of the palace seen from a high ground

Outside of the palace, where the ticketing counter is. There were alot of people at the time. But its still kind of the off-peak season for tourism. The fun starts in May.

A place which is to the side of the main palace. Its a place where China's history of pottery is exhibited. At the time when we reached there, there was a slight breeze blowing through. So the petals were scattered through the wind..

The road to riches and glory. Back in the olden times, its a pre-marked route for scholars who had made it through the imperial exams and are starting their careers as officials in the palace. So this is the route they had to take in the ceremony I think. So now, its used by the people who want to 发财升官. Participated in a bit of 发财升官 myself too, and walked the entire length.

Andy Lau in the house? What were the people rushing to take pictures of?

The imperial throne... Took part in a spot of mad photo-taking too. Good thing I had a zoom lens, so I can afford to take the shot from the back of the crowd and not squeeze through everyone. It was pretty skewed, but with everyone pushing around, I gave up on it.

Grounds at the back of the palace. Its like those period dramas we see on TV.

后宫. Its where all the women in the palace live and hang out.

A garden within the palace grounds.

Out of the palace

On our way to 后海，which is where the 胡同四合院 is. We saw this group of people doing their evening exercise. Its very coordinated, and its quite common.

In the evening light, at the river leading into 后海。

胡同四合院。Its a place full of pubs and bars, and shops selling lots of small gifts. It used to be a residential area. But there are still one or two houses with people living in it.