Bye, Bye Beijing

We had a busy day on Saturday. We visited Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Many of you remember (unfortunately the students do not) the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, referred to in much of the world as the Tiananmen Square massacre and in the People's Republic of China (PRC), where about 100,000 students and workers were protesting for the freedom and democracy. It is a moving experience (I’ve teared up each time I’ve visited) to stand where someone lost their life for freedom. I do think the students are learning how lucky we are to live in America. Within the Square lies the “Mao”soleum, where hundreds (maybe thousands) of people were lined up to see Mao lying in wait—it’s actually a wax version of Mao. Surrounding the Square are government buildings and a monument in the center. Honestly, other than that, there isn’t much to see there.

 

 

Once we walked through the Square, we arrived at the gate of the Forbidden City. We walked about ½ mile after entering the gate (and another gate) to get to the main gate. The students enjoyed walking though the Forbidden City. As large as it is, I think they were surprised that it only took 14 years to build (1407-1420). Forbidden City was the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing (pronounced Ching) dynasties. I think the most beautiful part are the Imperial Gardens at the end. The first photo below is us at the main gate; you can see Mao’s photo in the background. The second is us after we have entered the Forbidden City.

 

 

After visiting these 2 sites, we spent a few hours shopping and having lunch. Many of the students purchased some beautiful souvenirs for you! As this wraps up our Beijing experience, we had a lovely time in Beijing—it’s such a great city! Our last day in Beijing brought tears to many students’ eyes as they were sad to leave the Chinese students. We headed to the train station to take our overnight train to Xi’an (pronounced she-an) where we will meet our guide, Jo. The students will LOVE her!