2007年9月17日星期一
Taishan
Fellow friends: Hello! Sincerely welcome you to come to Taishan, today I and everybodywill mount the summit together from the Taishan east road. This big, ancient Taishan has contained the rich nature and culturalaccumulating, has been included by the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization the world nature and the culturalheritage name list. Now, we still had such to ask " like ancient;Dai Zong husband how " Then, marches into together with me themountain, understands Taishan's charm.Here is daimiao. From daimiao the start, after the Dai Zong work place,a fontanel, the red gate, center the fontanel, rises the immortal workplace to the south fontanel, is the road which ancient times emperorancient rite of making sacrifices Taishan passed through, now iscalled by the well-known person " Ascends to heaven scenic area" Also calls the east road, is in the present Taishanmountaineering 6 roads most ancient. We will mount from this roadGoes against Extremely. Everybody noted has been palatial daimiao front, but also some smallertemple, this was " Remote senate pavilion " Was same yearemperor the ancient rite of making sacrifices Taishan's initialstation. Same year the king came when Taishan held the ancient rite ofmaking sacrifices Standard Offers a sacrifice to, all first must in here hold simply paysrespect to the ceremony, therefore before Ming Dynasty, called thiswas " Grass senate pavilion " . When the Ming Dynastyperforms the extension, changes name is " Remote senate pavilion" . Although is a character is easy, the base was reverentactually contains. The friends, China's ancient architecture has the unique status in theworld construction history, this remote senate pavilion constructionidea already will stem from the ancient rite of making sacrificesgrand ceremony from this but step by step to enter the high tide forthe prelude the need, after also will be esthetics thought manifestingwhich China ancient times first damped raises. In the right noon time gate was daimiao, was even is a mysterious side.daimiao has the like this charm, decides to it own characteristic.First, its fence then is different with the general temple, the fenceweek 1,300 meters, 5 cornerstones, on build Blue Big the brick, assumesthe trapezoid, gets down the width 17.6 meters, on the width 11meters, the high approximately 10 meters, altogether have 8 gates:Center is the right noon time gate, is daimiao main entrance. Enters bythe right noon time gate daimiao comes, the front surface matches thefontanel, takes " which Kong Zi said; Germany matches world "Meaning. Matches the fontanel two sides, east for Works Three the marquispalace, west for too , between three palaces to the wall isconnected, the constitution daimiao among as soon as enters thecourtyard. Crossed the kernel peaceful gate, then is grand big Song Tiankuang, itcalls the towering extremely palace, is this temple main body. Day palace surface extravagant 9, 643.67 meters, depth of a house 5, 17.18meters, pass the height 23.3 meters. Everybody looked that, the day palace is situated above the spacious white station base,periphery the stone carving fence surrounds, the cloud shape looksthe column uneven row, caused the day palace to have the marvelouseffect with all around environment. Around the day palace serves with the winding corridor, has formeda big courtyard, in China's construction, the porch plays enable thespace to have thoroughly, collects was mad, close, is rigorous andalso is rich in the change the role, this is in the world constructionhistory all performs to praise. daimiao the winding corridor closely issurrounding a double-eaved roof Palacebig building, straight and thelofty contrast has aroused the people to day palace revering. Ourcountry the ancient architecture fully realized in world notabsolutely greatly absolutely small, the size is produces from thecontrast, besides all around Even Low the winding corridor, in front ofthe day palace in the platform has also repaired two exquisiteimperial tablets pavilions, both has highlighted the day palace,and to the grand center house holds tranquilly is comfortable,therefore the day palace certainly was not the grand twocharacters may summarize. slanders the back door from the day to leave, has the bricks andstones road and the latter imperial palace is connected. When songzhenzong seals Taishan, because Taishan will seal will be "Emperor " The emperor must have " Latter " Thereuponthen has matched Madame " for it; Shu next two " . Lookedlike from this point, daimiao if said is the Taoism god governmentoffice, but also was inferior to said likes the imperial palace, thiskind of layout had further disclosed the feudal ruler uses daimiaocarries on the political activity the utility goal. A moment ago, we were along daimiao main spool thread tour, butadvocates the spool thread two sides, originally in addition has 4individual courtyards, around the east side two courtyards, first is" Chinese cypress courtyard " Hands down 6 copals whichMartial emperor of Han dynasty plants on in this courtyard; Latter is" East imperial place " Is emperor offers a sacrifice to theplace which Taishan stays.Here was Taishan famous 18. The about 2.5 billion years ago, in timeare called as by the geologist " Taishan movement " In theorogenesis, ancient Taishan first time is vast from a piece rises,later several vicissitudes, Taishan raises submerges, the submersionraises, finally in 30 million year ago " Himalaya Mountainsorogenesis " Center, Taishan finally has formed today appearance.The ancient orogenesis has accomplished south Taishan the foothillsteps and ladders type rise three fault zones, on most from the cloudfoot-bridge fault zone to Goes against Extremely, the elevation suddenly rises morethan 400 rice, causes this region to have the striking contrast withall around the group peak, just like checking of the pagoda, hasformed " East day column " Imposing manner. Here is tight 18, also was the entire mountaineering Road Plate centermost difficult land sector. Everybody looked that, the cliff antiquityperson's topic engraves: " Diligently climb up " "Wanshan " " Altogether climbs blue scaling ladder " ...... That is encouraging us. Everybody looked again that, thatshoulders hundred catties Selects Shan Gong, again thought the same year didnot have a non- surname Chisel stone to build roads the person... ... Themountain does not have the word, but they can drive the people areupward. The friend, the mountaineering just like does any enterprise,only has is dutifully upward, can defeat difficult, can arrive thehighest boundary! South the fontanel arrived, we have now placed oneself " Day" Although we have not certainly become an immortal, but weunderstood " in here; Ascends Tianshan but small world "Heroics.Has entered south the fontanel, relative is the main hall names withit is " Not porch " Porch two sides each has not beenallowed north. Leaves the gate to have a mountain peak toward the westto call " Month view peak " On the mountain has thepavilion, famous month view pavilion. It is said, the clear sky andfresh air late autumn season, also may to as soon as look at " inhere; Yellow River gold brings " Strange landscape: Shines upon inthe setting sun under the backdrop, the big diastrophism has beendark, only some tune yellow river water, reflected sun's glory, likedflash the golden belt, day in place continually in same place. Atnightfall, under the bright moonlight, looks obviously Jinan'slamplights of ten thousand families from this the north, therefore themonth view peak calls " Looks government office mountain " .South leaves east the fontanel courtyard to fold namely for the daystreet. Day street, space downtown, rich poetic sentiment place.Travels to the East along the day street, center north has a workplace, on the inscribed horizontal tablet the topic has " LooksWu Shengji " This is hands down Kong Zi and Yan Yuan sees WuGuochang outside the gate a white horse's place. North the work placehas the Kong Zi temple.The day street most east end was the blue rosy cloud ancestral hall, Igave everybody to tell the blue rosy cloud female immortal's story.The blue rosy cloud female immortal's predecessor is the Taishangoddess, is called as in the folk " Angel beautiful woman bluerosy cloud female immortal " Is in common people mind TaishanLord, and is called as " Taishan Grandma " " Taishanold mother " . The populace to the Taishan old mother's period offive days belief and the affection, are burying which one kind ofhistory accumulates down in the people mind in-depth to the mother thelove. How many year, the blue rosy cloud female immortal has woncommon people's love, until now still lorded over summit of theTaishan, was accepting Buddhism believers' incense and candle,summoned is going to the decoy which the township left country's. Good, lets us enter to the blue rosy cloud temple. 2,500 square metersplaces, have built up the entrance, the main hall, Matches Palace, 3 godsgates, the bell tower, the drumtower, Fragrant Pavilion, long live the building,the extremely heavy tripod with two handles, the fire pond, but alsohas According to Wall, the dance building, the imperial tablet pavilion... ...Moreover is the imperial mountain gust of wind, the palace is Copper Tile,the tablet is a brass casting, glittering, solemn space palace .The Taishan blue rosy cloud ancestral hall high construction skill wasconsidered was our country ancient times the mountain constructionmodel, the person dances to here goes on a pilgrimage certainly doesnot feel its slightly but sense its is big, the sacred feeling arosespontaneously. Now, in Taishan blue rosy cloud ancestral hallarchitectural complex an alone standard . Leaves east the blue rosy cloud ancestral hall north the god gate tofold along the winding mountain road on again, obviously a cliffstands rock-firm, on the cliff the carved stone proliferates,spectacular, personal " Big view peak " . West the big viewpeak leans, on several years all stones also all has ancient's writingskill, area this it may be said is the open-air calligraphy artmuseum.Along the big view peak west the side winding mountain road on, to themost high place, on these road looked resembles the stone stepsfinally arrived terminus, here was Taishan Goes against Extremely -- Jade Emperor goesagainst. Temple of the Jade Emperor constructs in Goes against Extremely on, the red ocher wallgreen glazed tile picture was has put on a laurel crown to Taishan.Enters the temple by the entrance, first saw is courtyard central" Extremely capstone " . Extremely the capstone lies in center, high not full rice, surface roughness, if in elsewhere,will be together the ordinariest not place stone. But in here, itsside has the tablet is writing: " Taishan Goes against Extremely 1,545meter " . According to the geology analysis, is it, from Sea Troughcenter takes the lead in 30 million years ago to haunch up, it isrooted in to 1 myriameter earth's crust deep place; Is it, has severalhundred square kilometers bases, the entire place mountain is liftingit in the request, causes it to stand tall and erect the cloud day,down to in Temple of the Jade Emperor's Jade Emperor big emperor hassimply become its patron god. The friends, a day-long travelling schedule already ended. Hoped youcan arrive Taishan to come once again. Thanks everybody!
Tian’anmen Rostrum
Tian’anmen Rostrum Tian’anmen( the Gate of Heavenly Peace), is located in the center of Beijing. It was first built in 1417 and named Chengtianmen( the Gate of Heavenly Succession). At the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was seriously damaged by war. When it was rebuilt under the Qing in 1651, it was renamed Tian’anmen, and served as the main entrance to the Imperial City, the administrative and residential quarters for court officials and retainers. The southern sections of the Imperial City wall still stand on both sides of the Gate. The tower at the top of the gate is nine-room wide and five –room deep. According to the Book of Changes, the two numbers nine and five, when combined, symbolize the supreme status of a sovereign.During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tian’anmen was the place where state ceremonies took place. The most important one of them was the issuing of imperial edicts, which followed these steps: 1) The Minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian( Hall of Supreme Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court. The minister would then carry the decree on a yunpan( tray of cloud), and withdraw from the hall via Taihemen( Gate of supreme Harmony) 2) The Minister would put the tray in a miniature longting( dragon pavilion). Beneath a yellow umbrella and carry it via Wumen( Meridian Gate), to Tian’anmen Gate tower.3) A courtier would be invested to proclaim the edict. The civil and military officials lining both sides of the gateway beneath the tower would prostrate themselves in the direction of the emperor in waiting for the decree to the proclaimed. 4) The courtier would then put the edict in a phoenix-shaped wooden box and lower it from the tower by means of a silk cord. The document would finally be carried in a similar tray of cloud under a yellow umbrella to the Ministry of Rites. 5) The edict, copied on yellow paper, would be made known to the whole country.Such a process was historically recorded as “ Imperial Edict Issued by Golden Phoenix”.During the Ming and Qing dynasties Tian’anmen was the most important passage. It was this gate that the Emperor and his retinue would go through on their way to the altars for ritual and religious activities.
the East Gate
The tour will take 4-6 hours. The route is as follows: Out side the East Gate-side the East Gate –in front of the Hall of benevolence and Longevity- in front of Garden of Virtuous Harmony-in front of the Grand Theater Building- a lakeside walk from the Garden of Virtuous Harmony to the Hall o Jade Ripples- in front of the o Jade Ripples- in front of the Yiyunguan (Chamber of Mortal Being)-Hall of happiness and longevity- in front of the Yaoyue (Chamber of Mortal Beings)-Hall of Happiness and Longevity-in front of the Yaoyue(Inviting the Moon ) Gate of the Long Corridor- strolling along the Long Corridor- visiting an exhibition of cultural relics- in front of the Hall of Dispelling Clouds- inside the Hall of Dispelling Clouds- atop the Tower of Buddhist Incense- on a hilltop leading from the back door of the Tower of Buddhist Incense- on a hilltop leading from the back door of the Tower of Buddhist Incense- inside the Garden of Harmonious Interest –outside the south gate to Suzhou Shopping Street- atop the stone bridge inside the Suzhou shopping street –on the road from the south gate of suzhou shopping street- on the road form the south gate of suzhou shopping street to the marble boat- in front of the ruins of the Garden of complete spring –along the lakeside by the marble boat-boating on the Kunming Lake-leaving out through the East Gate.
(Out side the east gate) Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to the Summer Palace. (After the self-introduction of the guide -interpreter) I hope this will be an interesting and enjoyable day for you . During our tour, you will be introduced to time honored historical and cultural traditions, as well as picturesque views and landscapes. The construction of the Summer Palace first started in 1750. At that time, the Qing Dynasty was in its heyday and China was a powerful Asian country with vast territories. The monarch in power then was Emperor Qianlong. With supreme power and large sums of money, he summoned skillful and ingenious artisans from all over the country to carry out this construction work in honor of his mother `s birthday. After 15 years and one seventh of the nation` s annual revenue spent, the Garden of Clear Ripples was completed and served as a testimony to China` s scientific and technological achievements. In 1860, this vast royal garden was burnt down along with the Yuanming Yuan (Garden of Perfection and Brightness) by Angol-French allied forces. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi reconstructed the garden on the same site and renamed it the Garden of Nurtured Harmony (Summer Palace). Characterized by its vast scope and rich cultural embodiments, the Summer Palace has become one of the most famous tourist sites in the world. This is the main entrance to the Summer Palace-the East Gate On top of the eaves of the door there is a plaque bearing a Chinese inscription which means “Garden of Nurtured Harmony” , whose calligrapher was Emperor Guangxu. The gate that you are now entering was used exclusively by the emperor, the empress and the queer mother. All others used the side doors.
(Inside the East Gate) the Summer Palace can be divided into two parts: Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake .The whole garden covers an area of 290 hectares, of whih three- fourths consists of a lake and rivers .This imperial garden features 3,000 room-units and covers an expanse of 70,000 square meters with more than 100 picturesque spots of interest. The layout of the Summer Palace includes three groups of architectures: palaces where the emperor attended to state affairs, resting palaces of the emperor and empress, and sightseeing areas. Entering the East Gate we will come the the office quarters. Entering the East gate we will come to the office quarters. The annex halls on both sides were used for officials on duty. This is the Gate of Benevolence and Longevity. Above the door there is a plaque bearing the same name in both Chinese and Manchurian characters. The gigantic rock in the foreground is known as Taihu rock, or eroded limestone, quarried in Jiangsu Province and placed here to decorated the garden. On the marble terrace sits a bronze mythical beast, known as Qilin or Xuanni . It was said to the one of the nine sons of Dragon King. A point of peculiar interest is that it has the head of a dragon, antlers of a deer, the tail of a lion and hooves of a ox, and is covered with a unique skin. IT was considered an auspicious creature that brought peace and prosperity. This grand hall is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It was built in 1750 , and was known as the Hall of Industrious Government. Emperor Qianlong ruled that the halls where monarchs attended to state affairs would be named after them . After the rebuilding of the Summer Palace, the hall was renamed, suggesting that benevolent rulers would enjoy long lives. The arrangement of the hall has been left untouched. In the middle of the hall stands a throne made of sandalwood and carved with beautiful designs. In the background there is a screen carved with nine frolicking dragons. On either side of the throne there are two big fans made of peacock feathers, two column-shaped incense burners, crane-shaped lanterns and an incense burner assuming the form of Luduan, a mythological animal which was suppose to have the power to prevent fire. The small chambers on eight side were where the Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi rested and met officials on formal occasions. On the verandah in the foreground of the hall there are bronze statues of dragon and phoenixes which served as incense burners on major occasions. They are hollow and smoke comes through holes on their backs. Also on the veranda are Tai Ping (Peace) bronze water vats made during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. As a precaution in case of fire, a fire was lit underneath the vats in the winter to keep the water in them from freezing.
(At the entrance of Garden of Virtuous Harmony) we are now visiting the Garden of Virtuous Harmony, where Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi were entertained with Beijing Opera performances. IT mainly consists of the Dressing House, The Grand Theater Building and the Hall of pleasure smiles. The grand Theater Building known as the “Cradle of Beijing Opera” was uniquely laid out and magnificently decorated. On September 10, 1984, the Garden of Virtuous Harmony opened its doors to visitors. There are also 7 exhibition halls with articles of daily use on display here. The staff here put up court dresses of Qing Dynasty in order to give the visitor a more vivid impression.
(In front of the Grand Theater Building) this building is 21 meters in height and 17 meters in width and features three tiers of tilted eaves and stages. All of the stages are connected to a raise ,and a winch is installed at the top. A well and 5 ponds were sunk under the ground stage. There are trapdoors in the ceiling for fairies to descend, as well as on the floor for demons to surface. The underground passages also served as a means of improving resonance and making the performers` voices more audible .Of the three main theater building of the Qing Dynasty, the Grand Theater Building is the tallest and the largest. The other two are Changyin (Fluent Voice ) Pavilion in Chengde, an imperial summer resort. The building played a major part in fostering the birth and development of Beijing opera: since the completion of the Grand Theater Building, many performances were held in it in honor of the Empress Dowager Cixi.
(A lakeside walk from the Garden of Virtuous Harmony to the Hall of Jade Ripples) we are now standing in the middle of a rockery behind the Hall of Benevolent and longevity. It appears that there` s nothing special ahead. However, after we clear the rockery, we will reach Kunming Lake. This is a application of a specific style of Chinese gardening. Not far away in the lake there is a islet. It is filled with peach and weeping willow trees and serves as a ideal place to appreciate the scenery. The pavilion on the islet is called Zhichun (Understanding Spring) Pavilion and is chardcterized by four- edged, multiple eaved roofs.
(In front of the Hall of Jade Ripples) this group of special and quiet courtyard dwelling is the Hall of jade Ripples. It was first used by Emperor Qianlong to attend to state affairs. IT was also where Emperor Guangxu of the late Qing dynasty was kept under house arrest. This hall is a hallmark of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guanxu was Empress Dowager Cixi` s nephew. After Emperor Tongzhi died, Empress Dowager Cixi made her nephew, who was at that time four years old a successor in order to continue her wielding of power behind the scenes. When Emperor Guanxu was 19 years old ,Empress Dowager Cixi relinquished power to him but continued to exert considerable influence. In 1898, the Reform Movement took place with the aim of sustaining the corn principles of the Qing Dynasty while reforming outdated laws. The movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi. The emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and Emperor Guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .All the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. Emperor Guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. The wall remains intact for tourists to see.. Dynasty while reforming outdated laws. The movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi. The emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and Emperor Guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .All the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. Emperor Guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. The wall remains intact for tourists to see.
(In front of Yiyunguan (Chamber of Mortal Beings) this was where Empress and empress dowager of China` s feudal system. However, Emperor Guanxu was not the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The last in the line was Emperor Puyi, who ascended the throne in 1908 at the age of three, too young to be married . In 1912, he was forced to abdicate. During the short reign of Emperor Puyi. Empress Longyu handled state affairs on his behalf in the name of Empress Dowager. In 1911, a revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat-sun succeeded, and the year after, Empress Longyu announced the abdication of the last emperor of China.
(In the Hall of Happiness and Longevity) the aged empress Dowager Cixi was so fond of the Summer Palace that she decided to live here from April through October of every year. This group of buildings served as her residence. This group of courtyard dwellings consists of a forecourt and a backyard with annex courts on each side .The whole compound was basically made of wood, which is ideal for ventilation and lighting . With its quiet and tasteful layout, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity made life very easy and convenient. No wonder one of Empress Dowager Cixi` s pleasure boat. On the pier there is a tall lantern post. Flanking the staircase leading to the main entrance of the hall, there are bronze cranes, deer and vases, symbolizing universal peace. The interior layout is the same as the imperial court, with throne, a large table and incense burners placed in the middle. At mealtime, eunuchs-in –waiting would make a gigantic table out of this table and Empress Dowager Cixi would dine on 128 courses. Because of this more than 1,800 tales of silver would be spent each month on meals. On the east side of the Living Room is the Cloak Room. The bedroom in on its west.
In front of the yaoyue (Inviting the Moon ) Gate of the Long CorridorThe famed Long Corridor is ahead. Facing Kunming lake and in the foreground of Longevity Hill, the Long Corridor stretches from Yaoyue (Inviting the Moon ) Gate to Shizhang (Stony Old Man) Pavilion. IT is 728 meters in length and consist of 273 sections and connects four octagonal pavilions. In 1990 ,it was listed in Guinness Book of World Records.
(Strolling along the Long Corridor) The Long Corridor is one of the major structures of the Summer Palace .Since the corridor was designed to follow the physical features of the southern slope of Longevity Hill , four multiple-eaved, octagonal pavilions (Beauty-Retaining Pavilion, Enjoy-the Ripples Pavilion, Autumn Water Pavilion and Clarity Distance Pavilion) were placed at bends and undulation. Thus sightseers will hardly notice the rise and fall of the terrain. As a major part of the architectural style of the Summer Palace, the Long Corridor serves as an ingenious connector between the Lake and the hill. Scattered buildings on the southern slope were linked to creat a unified complex. This corridor can also be called a “corridor of paintings ”: There are more than 14,000 paintings on its beams. Some of them are of birds, flowers and landscapes of the West lake in Hangzhou, Zhejian Province. Others present scenes from literary classics. The majority of the landscape painting were done under the order of Emperor Qianlong, who preperred the scenery of South China.
(By the door leading to the exhibition of cultural relics) this group of temple-shaped structures are known as Qinghua (Clarified China) Hall ,also known as Arhat Hall during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The original hall burned down in 1860. After it was reconstructed, it was renamed. Qinghua Hall is now used as a exhibition hall displaying rare cultural relics collected in the Summer Palace. The hall consists of 6 exhibition rooms with tens of thousands of articles of treasure on display in turn. Among the exhibits there are bronze ware, porcelain, jade assemblages from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and rare and paintings. There is also a gigantic stone slab, which is more than 3 meters in height and width. It bears the handwritten inscriptions of Emperor Qianlong is commemoration of the suppression of a rebellion in the Xinjiang region. Only this slab survived when the Angle-French allied forces set fire to the Summer Palace.
(In front of the Gate of Dispelling Clouds) Now we are approaching the central part of the structures on the lakeside slope, the Tower of Buddhist Incense within the Hall of Dispelling Clouds. The Hall of Dispelling Clouds was where numerous palatines kowtowed to Empress Dowager Cixi. It was surrounded by galleries and flanked by annex halls. In the forecourt there is a pool and marble bridges . Starting from the lakeside, there lies in succession a memorial archway, the Gate of Dispelling Clouds, the Hall of Dispelling Clouds and the Tower of Buddhist Incense. All of these structures are built on a central axis and each is taller than its predecessor. This was designed to give prominence to the last structure, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, which was a symbol of imperial power. The layout of this group of architectures was based on scenes described in Buddhist sutras. This group of structure are among the most magnificently constructed here in the Summer Palace.
(Inside the Hall of Dispelling Clouds) The original buildings on this site were burned down by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860. A new set of structures was built during the reign of Emperor Guanxu, and was called the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, suggesting that it was a fairyland. The hall was built on a high terrace, and has 21 room. Inside the hall are a throne, screens, tripods and mandarin fans. On a platform you will see bronze dragons, phoenixes and tripods. At the foot of the platform there are four bronze water vats, the ancient form of fire extinguishers. The 10th day of lunar October was ,Empress Dowager Cixi` s birthday. On that day ,she sat on the throne here to receive congratulations and gifts. Now we are going to pay a visit to the highlight of the Summer Palace- the Tower of Buddhist Incense. What we are now standing on is a stone terrace which is 20 meters in height. It has a semi housed stairway of 100 steps, you will live for 100 years. So, let` s go !
(In the front of the Tower of Buddhist Incense) An octagonal structure with three storeys and quadruple eaves, the Tower of Buddhist Incense is the very center of the Summer Palace, and is one of the masterpieces of ancient Chinese architecture. The tower is 41 meters in height, and is buttressed by 8 solid pillars made of lignumvitae logs. With its complex structure, ingenious layout, towering terrace and convincing grandeur, the Tower of Buddhist Incense was artfully set out by the imperial gardens and beautiful scenery surrounding it .The Tower overlooks Kunming Lake and other picturesque spots within an area of tens of kilometers .On the west side of the Tower stands Baoyunge (Precious Cloud Pavilion). IT is made of bronze and is7.5 meters in height and 270 tons in weight. It resembles its wooden counterparts in every detail. It is one of the largest and most exquisite bronze pavilions still on existence in China. Lamas prayed here during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in honor of the monarchs and their families. At the turn of the century 10 bronze windows were spirited abroad. In 1992 an American company bought the windows and returned them intact to China.
(On a hilltop leading from the back door of Tower of Buddhist Incense) Now we can see the long and snaking Western Causeway and a shorter dike that divides Kunming Lake into three areas that contain South Lake Island, Seaweed-viewing Island and circle city island. The three island represent three mountain in ancient Chinese mythology, i. e. penglai, Fangzhang and Yingzhou. This peculiar method of incorporating a lake a three mountains within a single garden was a brainchild of Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, bearing testimony to feudal monarchs` s longing for longevity. As the legend goes many heavenly elixirs grew on the three mythical islands. Using artificial building techniques, the ancient Chinese built this masterpiece based on the myth to make the mythical on appear to be accessible to humans.
(Inside the Garden of Harmonious Interest) Setting a garden within a larger garden has been one of China traditional architectural styles. The Garden of Harmonious Interest serves as a fine example of this. This Garden was built under the order of Emperor Qianlong and modeled after the Jichang Garden (Garden of Ease of Mind )at the foot of Mount Huishan, Jiansu Province. IT was renamed by his son Emperor Jiaqing in 1811. The existing Garden was rebuilt by Emperor or Guangxu. Empress Dowager Cixi used to go fishing here. The Garden features 10 waterfront platforms, pavilions and halls as well as hundreds of galleries With all of its structures facing the lake and pools, the Garden of Harmonious Interest is basically a garden of waterscape. Spanning the vast expanse of the lake and pools are five bridges, each quite different from the others. The most famous of them is the bridge known as “Knowing –the Fishing-bridge.” IT is said that more than 2,500 years ago during the Warring States Period, two philosophere named Zhuang Zi had an interesting argument by the side of a pond. Zhang said, ”Fish swim to and fro in the water. What happy fish!” Hui asked , ”You are not a fish. How do you know they are happy? ” Zhuang replied, “You are not me .How do you know I don’t know? ” Hui signed, “I am not you ,therefore, I don’t know you . And you are not a fish ,so how do you know that fish are happy” Zhang said, “you ask me how I know fish are happy, why do you keeping me the same question?” Although The Garden of Harmonious Interest was designed after Jichang Garden, it not only absorbed the original designs, but exceeded it .
(Outside the south entrance to Suzhou Shopping Street) Now lets have a look at longevity Hill. On the back slope of the Hill stands a group of architectures. The centerpiece of structures there are known as the Four Continents and are dedicated to Buddhism. This group was laid out and arranged in accordance with Buddhist cosmology. Aside from a main shrine and structures embodying the Four Continents, there are eight towers representing Minor Continents. The shrine is surrounded by four Lamaist pagodas and between the major and minor continents, there two platforms representing the sun and the moon. The Qing authority attached great importance to Buddhism. To further strengthen ties with the ethnic minorities who practiced Buddhism, the monarchs incorporated both Han and Tibetan styles of architecture into this group of temples. Further north at the foot of the Four Major Continent lies the Suzhou Shopping Street. Built along the Back Lake of the Summer Palace, this street stretches about 300 meters and features more than 60 stores. It includes restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops banks, drugstores dye houses and publishing houses. In order to recreate the atmosphere of ancient times, visitors will have the chance to exchange their money to ancient style Chinese coins for use here. Storefronts are trimmed with traditional signboards and ornaments. The commercial culture of the mid-18th century has thus been recreated.
(Atop the stone bridge inside the Suzhou Shopping Street) visitors may be surprise to see that this shopping street is almost the same as that in South China. As a matter of fact, this street was designed after the shops along the canals in Suhzhou. Originally known as Emperor` s Shopping Street, it was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. After making several inspection tours to South China and being duly impressed by its commercial prosperity, Emperor Qianlong ordered the construction of this street. The imperial shopping street was burnt down by Anglo-French allied forces in 1860. The site remained desolated until 1987, when reconstruction began. It was opened to the public in September 1990. With commercial culture as its hallmark, the Suzhou Shopping Street is a vivid representation of China` s traditional cultures.
(On the road from the south fate of the suzhou shopping street to the marble boat) This is the hall of Pines. From it to the west we can walk to the Marble Boat. The path we aree taking stretches between Longevity Hill and Back Lake. Monarchs and their cohorts used to stroll along it .Hence it was named Central Imperial Path. Along this path you will see lilacs all around. Hence, this road is also known as the Path of Lilac.
(In front of the ruins of the Garden of complete spring) Quite a few unique structures were burnt down during the reign of emperor Qianlong, among which the Garden of Complete Spring was one of the most famous. The ruined and desolate courtyard by the roadside was its original site, it remains to be restored.This group of structures cover an area of 4,000 square meters and features a number of halls built on three different levels. All of the structures were connected with galleries and stone staircases. With its natural and ingenious combination of pavilions, a hall, galleries and rooms, the Garden of Complete Spring serves as a fine model for other gardens. Emperor Qianlong frequently visited this compound.
(Along the lakeside by the Marble Boat) Now we have returned from the back of Longevity Hill to the front. There is the famous Marble Boat. This structure is 36 meters in length and its body was made of marble. On top of it is a two storeyed structure. The floor was paved with colored bricks. All of the windows are inlaid with multi-colored glass and the ceiling was decorated with carved bricks. The drainage system channels rain water down through four hollow concrete pillars and into the lake through the mouth of dragon heads. According to a book written by Emperor Qianlong, the boat was used for enjoying the scenery and was supposed to be symbolic of the stability of the Qing Dynasty. Halfway up the slope there stands the Hall for listening to Orioles . The ancient Chinese liken the warble of an oriole to beautiful songs and melodies, hence the name of the hall which used to be a theater. Now the hall is one of the most famous restaurants in China, featuring imperial dishes and desserts. It is a must for many foreign visitors to have lunch here when then come to Beijing. More than one hundred heads of state worldwide have dined here and the late Premier Zhou Enlai has held banquets here in honor of state guests. (Sightseers who want to try the restaurant can go boating after they eat. Those who do not can go abroad right away. Those who do not feel like taking the boat can stoll along the Long Corridor to the outside of the East Gate).
(Boating on Kunmin Lake) we are now going to enjoy the lakeside scenery from a pleasure boat.As a main part of the Summer Palace, Kunming Lake covers an area of 220 hectares, or three fourths of the combined space of this summer resort. This natural lake is more than 3500 years old. This lake was originally called Wengshan Lake. In 1749 Emperor Qianlong ordered the construction of Qingyi Garden, the predecessor of the Summer Palace. Involving nearly 10,000 laborers, the lake was expanded and turned into a peach-shaped reservoir, the first of its kind for Beijing. From 1990 to 1991, the Beijing Municipal Government ordered the first dredging of the lake in 240 years .Involving 200,000 men and hundreds of dredgers and other tools, a total of 625,600 cubic meters of sludge was dredged and 205 bombs dropped by the Japanese during the Anti-Japanese War were removed. The summer palace set a precedent for sightseeing by boat. There used to be a large imperial flotilla, of which the “Kunming Merry Dragon” was the most famous. It was destroyed by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860. To make the tour of the Summer Palace a more pleasant one, a large pleasure boat “Tai He ” (Supreme Harmony )was built. This double –decked boat is 37.09 meters long,8,59 meters wide and 10.49 meters high. It can travel at a speed of 9 kilometer per hour. Small pleasure boats are also available to tourist. Another major spot of interest on the Western causeway is Jingming (Bright View ) Hall. Both its front and rear face the lake. This structure also features three two- storeyed halls of varying heights. Our tour is drawing to a close as we approach the shore. Today we only visited the major scenic areas of the Summer Palace. I have left other spot of interest for your next visit. I will show you out through the East Gate. I hope you enjoyed today` s tour.
(Out side the east gate) Ladies and Gentlemen: Welcome to the Summer Palace. (After the self-introduction of the guide -interpreter) I hope this will be an interesting and enjoyable day for you . During our tour, you will be introduced to time honored historical and cultural traditions, as well as picturesque views and landscapes. The construction of the Summer Palace first started in 1750. At that time, the Qing Dynasty was in its heyday and China was a powerful Asian country with vast territories. The monarch in power then was Emperor Qianlong. With supreme power and large sums of money, he summoned skillful and ingenious artisans from all over the country to carry out this construction work in honor of his mother `s birthday. After 15 years and one seventh of the nation` s annual revenue spent, the Garden of Clear Ripples was completed and served as a testimony to China` s scientific and technological achievements. In 1860, this vast royal garden was burnt down along with the Yuanming Yuan (Garden of Perfection and Brightness) by Angol-French allied forces. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi reconstructed the garden on the same site and renamed it the Garden of Nurtured Harmony (Summer Palace). Characterized by its vast scope and rich cultural embodiments, the Summer Palace has become one of the most famous tourist sites in the world. This is the main entrance to the Summer Palace-the East Gate On top of the eaves of the door there is a plaque bearing a Chinese inscription which means “Garden of Nurtured Harmony” , whose calligrapher was Emperor Guangxu. The gate that you are now entering was used exclusively by the emperor, the empress and the queer mother. All others used the side doors.
(Inside the East Gate) the Summer Palace can be divided into two parts: Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake .The whole garden covers an area of 290 hectares, of whih three- fourths consists of a lake and rivers .This imperial garden features 3,000 room-units and covers an expanse of 70,000 square meters with more than 100 picturesque spots of interest. The layout of the Summer Palace includes three groups of architectures: palaces where the emperor attended to state affairs, resting palaces of the emperor and empress, and sightseeing areas. Entering the East Gate we will come the the office quarters. Entering the East gate we will come to the office quarters. The annex halls on both sides were used for officials on duty. This is the Gate of Benevolence and Longevity. Above the door there is a plaque bearing the same name in both Chinese and Manchurian characters. The gigantic rock in the foreground is known as Taihu rock, or eroded limestone, quarried in Jiangsu Province and placed here to decorated the garden. On the marble terrace sits a bronze mythical beast, known as Qilin or Xuanni . It was said to the one of the nine sons of Dragon King. A point of peculiar interest is that it has the head of a dragon, antlers of a deer, the tail of a lion and hooves of a ox, and is covered with a unique skin. IT was considered an auspicious creature that brought peace and prosperity. This grand hall is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity. It was built in 1750 , and was known as the Hall of Industrious Government. Emperor Qianlong ruled that the halls where monarchs attended to state affairs would be named after them . After the rebuilding of the Summer Palace, the hall was renamed, suggesting that benevolent rulers would enjoy long lives. The arrangement of the hall has been left untouched. In the middle of the hall stands a throne made of sandalwood and carved with beautiful designs. In the background there is a screen carved with nine frolicking dragons. On either side of the throne there are two big fans made of peacock feathers, two column-shaped incense burners, crane-shaped lanterns and an incense burner assuming the form of Luduan, a mythological animal which was suppose to have the power to prevent fire. The small chambers on eight side were where the Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi rested and met officials on formal occasions. On the verandah in the foreground of the hall there are bronze statues of dragon and phoenixes which served as incense burners on major occasions. They are hollow and smoke comes through holes on their backs. Also on the veranda are Tai Ping (Peace) bronze water vats made during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. As a precaution in case of fire, a fire was lit underneath the vats in the winter to keep the water in them from freezing.
(At the entrance of Garden of Virtuous Harmony) we are now visiting the Garden of Virtuous Harmony, where Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi were entertained with Beijing Opera performances. IT mainly consists of the Dressing House, The Grand Theater Building and the Hall of pleasure smiles. The grand Theater Building known as the “Cradle of Beijing Opera” was uniquely laid out and magnificently decorated. On September 10, 1984, the Garden of Virtuous Harmony opened its doors to visitors. There are also 7 exhibition halls with articles of daily use on display here. The staff here put up court dresses of Qing Dynasty in order to give the visitor a more vivid impression.
(In front of the Grand Theater Building) this building is 21 meters in height and 17 meters in width and features three tiers of tilted eaves and stages. All of the stages are connected to a raise ,and a winch is installed at the top. A well and 5 ponds were sunk under the ground stage. There are trapdoors in the ceiling for fairies to descend, as well as on the floor for demons to surface. The underground passages also served as a means of improving resonance and making the performers` voices more audible .Of the three main theater building of the Qing Dynasty, the Grand Theater Building is the tallest and the largest. The other two are Changyin (Fluent Voice ) Pavilion in Chengde, an imperial summer resort. The building played a major part in fostering the birth and development of Beijing opera: since the completion of the Grand Theater Building, many performances were held in it in honor of the Empress Dowager Cixi.
(A lakeside walk from the Garden of Virtuous Harmony to the Hall of Jade Ripples) we are now standing in the middle of a rockery behind the Hall of Benevolent and longevity. It appears that there` s nothing special ahead. However, after we clear the rockery, we will reach Kunming Lake. This is a application of a specific style of Chinese gardening. Not far away in the lake there is a islet. It is filled with peach and weeping willow trees and serves as a ideal place to appreciate the scenery. The pavilion on the islet is called Zhichun (Understanding Spring) Pavilion and is chardcterized by four- edged, multiple eaved roofs.
(In front of the Hall of Jade Ripples) this group of special and quiet courtyard dwelling is the Hall of jade Ripples. It was first used by Emperor Qianlong to attend to state affairs. IT was also where Emperor Guangxu of the late Qing dynasty was kept under house arrest. This hall is a hallmark of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guanxu was Empress Dowager Cixi` s nephew. After Emperor Tongzhi died, Empress Dowager Cixi made her nephew, who was at that time four years old a successor in order to continue her wielding of power behind the scenes. When Emperor Guanxu was 19 years old ,Empress Dowager Cixi relinquished power to him but continued to exert considerable influence. In 1898, the Reform Movement took place with the aim of sustaining the corn principles of the Qing Dynasty while reforming outdated laws. The movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi. The emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and Emperor Guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .All the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. Emperor Guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. The wall remains intact for tourists to see.. Dynasty while reforming outdated laws. The movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi. The emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and Emperor Guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .All the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. Emperor Guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. The wall remains intact for tourists to see.
(In front of Yiyunguan (Chamber of Mortal Beings) this was where Empress and empress dowager of China` s feudal system. However, Emperor Guanxu was not the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The last in the line was Emperor Puyi, who ascended the throne in 1908 at the age of three, too young to be married . In 1912, he was forced to abdicate. During the short reign of Emperor Puyi. Empress Longyu handled state affairs on his behalf in the name of Empress Dowager. In 1911, a revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat-sun succeeded, and the year after, Empress Longyu announced the abdication of the last emperor of China.
(In the Hall of Happiness and Longevity) the aged empress Dowager Cixi was so fond of the Summer Palace that she decided to live here from April through October of every year. This group of buildings served as her residence. This group of courtyard dwellings consists of a forecourt and a backyard with annex courts on each side .The whole compound was basically made of wood, which is ideal for ventilation and lighting . With its quiet and tasteful layout, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity made life very easy and convenient. No wonder one of Empress Dowager Cixi` s pleasure boat. On the pier there is a tall lantern post. Flanking the staircase leading to the main entrance of the hall, there are bronze cranes, deer and vases, symbolizing universal peace. The interior layout is the same as the imperial court, with throne, a large table and incense burners placed in the middle. At mealtime, eunuchs-in –waiting would make a gigantic table out of this table and Empress Dowager Cixi would dine on 128 courses. Because of this more than 1,800 tales of silver would be spent each month on meals. On the east side of the Living Room is the Cloak Room. The bedroom in on its west.
In front of the yaoyue (Inviting the Moon ) Gate of the Long CorridorThe famed Long Corridor is ahead. Facing Kunming lake and in the foreground of Longevity Hill, the Long Corridor stretches from Yaoyue (Inviting the Moon ) Gate to Shizhang (Stony Old Man) Pavilion. IT is 728 meters in length and consist of 273 sections and connects four octagonal pavilions. In 1990 ,it was listed in Guinness Book of World Records.
(Strolling along the Long Corridor) The Long Corridor is one of the major structures of the Summer Palace .Since the corridor was designed to follow the physical features of the southern slope of Longevity Hill , four multiple-eaved, octagonal pavilions (Beauty-Retaining Pavilion, Enjoy-the Ripples Pavilion, Autumn Water Pavilion and Clarity Distance Pavilion) were placed at bends and undulation. Thus sightseers will hardly notice the rise and fall of the terrain. As a major part of the architectural style of the Summer Palace, the Long Corridor serves as an ingenious connector between the Lake and the hill. Scattered buildings on the southern slope were linked to creat a unified complex. This corridor can also be called a “corridor of paintings ”: There are more than 14,000 paintings on its beams. Some of them are of birds, flowers and landscapes of the West lake in Hangzhou, Zhejian Province. Others present scenes from literary classics. The majority of the landscape painting were done under the order of Emperor Qianlong, who preperred the scenery of South China.
(By the door leading to the exhibition of cultural relics) this group of temple-shaped structures are known as Qinghua (Clarified China) Hall ,also known as Arhat Hall during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The original hall burned down in 1860. After it was reconstructed, it was renamed. Qinghua Hall is now used as a exhibition hall displaying rare cultural relics collected in the Summer Palace. The hall consists of 6 exhibition rooms with tens of thousands of articles of treasure on display in turn. Among the exhibits there are bronze ware, porcelain, jade assemblages from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and rare and paintings. There is also a gigantic stone slab, which is more than 3 meters in height and width. It bears the handwritten inscriptions of Emperor Qianlong is commemoration of the suppression of a rebellion in the Xinjiang region. Only this slab survived when the Angle-French allied forces set fire to the Summer Palace.
(In front of the Gate of Dispelling Clouds) Now we are approaching the central part of the structures on the lakeside slope, the Tower of Buddhist Incense within the Hall of Dispelling Clouds. The Hall of Dispelling Clouds was where numerous palatines kowtowed to Empress Dowager Cixi. It was surrounded by galleries and flanked by annex halls. In the forecourt there is a pool and marble bridges . Starting from the lakeside, there lies in succession a memorial archway, the Gate of Dispelling Clouds, the Hall of Dispelling Clouds and the Tower of Buddhist Incense. All of these structures are built on a central axis and each is taller than its predecessor. This was designed to give prominence to the last structure, the Tower of Buddhist Incense, which was a symbol of imperial power. The layout of this group of architectures was based on scenes described in Buddhist sutras. This group of structure are among the most magnificently constructed here in the Summer Palace.
(Inside the Hall of Dispelling Clouds) The original buildings on this site were burned down by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860. A new set of structures was built during the reign of Emperor Guanxu, and was called the Hall of Dispelling Clouds, suggesting that it was a fairyland. The hall was built on a high terrace, and has 21 room. Inside the hall are a throne, screens, tripods and mandarin fans. On a platform you will see bronze dragons, phoenixes and tripods. At the foot of the platform there are four bronze water vats, the ancient form of fire extinguishers. The 10th day of lunar October was ,Empress Dowager Cixi` s birthday. On that day ,she sat on the throne here to receive congratulations and gifts. Now we are going to pay a visit to the highlight of the Summer Palace- the Tower of Buddhist Incense. What we are now standing on is a stone terrace which is 20 meters in height. It has a semi housed stairway of 100 steps, you will live for 100 years. So, let` s go !
(In the front of the Tower of Buddhist Incense) An octagonal structure with three storeys and quadruple eaves, the Tower of Buddhist Incense is the very center of the Summer Palace, and is one of the masterpieces of ancient Chinese architecture. The tower is 41 meters in height, and is buttressed by 8 solid pillars made of lignumvitae logs. With its complex structure, ingenious layout, towering terrace and convincing grandeur, the Tower of Buddhist Incense was artfully set out by the imperial gardens and beautiful scenery surrounding it .The Tower overlooks Kunming Lake and other picturesque spots within an area of tens of kilometers .On the west side of the Tower stands Baoyunge (Precious Cloud Pavilion). IT is made of bronze and is7.5 meters in height and 270 tons in weight. It resembles its wooden counterparts in every detail. It is one of the largest and most exquisite bronze pavilions still on existence in China. Lamas prayed here during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in honor of the monarchs and their families. At the turn of the century 10 bronze windows were spirited abroad. In 1992 an American company bought the windows and returned them intact to China.
(On a hilltop leading from the back door of Tower of Buddhist Incense) Now we can see the long and snaking Western Causeway and a shorter dike that divides Kunming Lake into three areas that contain South Lake Island, Seaweed-viewing Island and circle city island. The three island represent three mountain in ancient Chinese mythology, i. e. penglai, Fangzhang and Yingzhou. This peculiar method of incorporating a lake a three mountains within a single garden was a brainchild of Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, bearing testimony to feudal monarchs` s longing for longevity. As the legend goes many heavenly elixirs grew on the three mythical islands. Using artificial building techniques, the ancient Chinese built this masterpiece based on the myth to make the mythical on appear to be accessible to humans.
(Inside the Garden of Harmonious Interest) Setting a garden within a larger garden has been one of China traditional architectural styles. The Garden of Harmonious Interest serves as a fine example of this. This Garden was built under the order of Emperor Qianlong and modeled after the Jichang Garden (Garden of Ease of Mind )at the foot of Mount Huishan, Jiansu Province. IT was renamed by his son Emperor Jiaqing in 1811. The existing Garden was rebuilt by Emperor or Guangxu. Empress Dowager Cixi used to go fishing here. The Garden features 10 waterfront platforms, pavilions and halls as well as hundreds of galleries With all of its structures facing the lake and pools, the Garden of Harmonious Interest is basically a garden of waterscape. Spanning the vast expanse of the lake and pools are five bridges, each quite different from the others. The most famous of them is the bridge known as “Knowing –the Fishing-bridge.” IT is said that more than 2,500 years ago during the Warring States Period, two philosophere named Zhuang Zi had an interesting argument by the side of a pond. Zhang said, ”Fish swim to and fro in the water. What happy fish!” Hui asked , ”You are not a fish. How do you know they are happy? ” Zhuang replied, “You are not me .How do you know I don’t know? ” Hui signed, “I am not you ,therefore, I don’t know you . And you are not a fish ,so how do you know that fish are happy” Zhang said, “you ask me how I know fish are happy, why do you keeping me the same question?” Although The Garden of Harmonious Interest was designed after Jichang Garden, it not only absorbed the original designs, but exceeded it .
(Outside the south entrance to Suzhou Shopping Street) Now lets have a look at longevity Hill. On the back slope of the Hill stands a group of architectures. The centerpiece of structures there are known as the Four Continents and are dedicated to Buddhism. This group was laid out and arranged in accordance with Buddhist cosmology. Aside from a main shrine and structures embodying the Four Continents, there are eight towers representing Minor Continents. The shrine is surrounded by four Lamaist pagodas and between the major and minor continents, there two platforms representing the sun and the moon. The Qing authority attached great importance to Buddhism. To further strengthen ties with the ethnic minorities who practiced Buddhism, the monarchs incorporated both Han and Tibetan styles of architecture into this group of temples. Further north at the foot of the Four Major Continent lies the Suzhou Shopping Street. Built along the Back Lake of the Summer Palace, this street stretches about 300 meters and features more than 60 stores. It includes restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops banks, drugstores dye houses and publishing houses. In order to recreate the atmosphere of ancient times, visitors will have the chance to exchange their money to ancient style Chinese coins for use here. Storefronts are trimmed with traditional signboards and ornaments. The commercial culture of the mid-18th century has thus been recreated.
(Atop the stone bridge inside the Suzhou Shopping Street) visitors may be surprise to see that this shopping street is almost the same as that in South China. As a matter of fact, this street was designed after the shops along the canals in Suhzhou. Originally known as Emperor` s Shopping Street, it was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. After making several inspection tours to South China and being duly impressed by its commercial prosperity, Emperor Qianlong ordered the construction of this street. The imperial shopping street was burnt down by Anglo-French allied forces in 1860. The site remained desolated until 1987, when reconstruction began. It was opened to the public in September 1990. With commercial culture as its hallmark, the Suzhou Shopping Street is a vivid representation of China` s traditional cultures.
(On the road from the south fate of the suzhou shopping street to the marble boat) This is the hall of Pines. From it to the west we can walk to the Marble Boat. The path we aree taking stretches between Longevity Hill and Back Lake. Monarchs and their cohorts used to stroll along it .Hence it was named Central Imperial Path. Along this path you will see lilacs all around. Hence, this road is also known as the Path of Lilac.
(In front of the ruins of the Garden of complete spring) Quite a few unique structures were burnt down during the reign of emperor Qianlong, among which the Garden of Complete Spring was one of the most famous. The ruined and desolate courtyard by the roadside was its original site, it remains to be restored.This group of structures cover an area of 4,000 square meters and features a number of halls built on three different levels. All of the structures were connected with galleries and stone staircases. With its natural and ingenious combination of pavilions, a hall, galleries and rooms, the Garden of Complete Spring serves as a fine model for other gardens. Emperor Qianlong frequently visited this compound.
(Along the lakeside by the Marble Boat) Now we have returned from the back of Longevity Hill to the front. There is the famous Marble Boat. This structure is 36 meters in length and its body was made of marble. On top of it is a two storeyed structure. The floor was paved with colored bricks. All of the windows are inlaid with multi-colored glass and the ceiling was decorated with carved bricks. The drainage system channels rain water down through four hollow concrete pillars and into the lake through the mouth of dragon heads. According to a book written by Emperor Qianlong, the boat was used for enjoying the scenery and was supposed to be symbolic of the stability of the Qing Dynasty. Halfway up the slope there stands the Hall for listening to Orioles . The ancient Chinese liken the warble of an oriole to beautiful songs and melodies, hence the name of the hall which used to be a theater. Now the hall is one of the most famous restaurants in China, featuring imperial dishes and desserts. It is a must for many foreign visitors to have lunch here when then come to Beijing. More than one hundred heads of state worldwide have dined here and the late Premier Zhou Enlai has held banquets here in honor of state guests. (Sightseers who want to try the restaurant can go boating after they eat. Those who do not can go abroad right away. Those who do not feel like taking the boat can stoll along the Long Corridor to the outside of the East Gate).
(Boating on Kunmin Lake) we are now going to enjoy the lakeside scenery from a pleasure boat.As a main part of the Summer Palace, Kunming Lake covers an area of 220 hectares, or three fourths of the combined space of this summer resort. This natural lake is more than 3500 years old. This lake was originally called Wengshan Lake. In 1749 Emperor Qianlong ordered the construction of Qingyi Garden, the predecessor of the Summer Palace. Involving nearly 10,000 laborers, the lake was expanded and turned into a peach-shaped reservoir, the first of its kind for Beijing. From 1990 to 1991, the Beijing Municipal Government ordered the first dredging of the lake in 240 years .Involving 200,000 men and hundreds of dredgers and other tools, a total of 625,600 cubic meters of sludge was dredged and 205 bombs dropped by the Japanese during the Anti-Japanese War were removed. The summer palace set a precedent for sightseeing by boat. There used to be a large imperial flotilla, of which the “Kunming Merry Dragon” was the most famous. It was destroyed by the Anglo-French allied forces in 1860. To make the tour of the Summer Palace a more pleasant one, a large pleasure boat “Tai He ” (Supreme Harmony )was built. This double –decked boat is 37.09 meters long,8,59 meters wide and 10.49 meters high. It can travel at a speed of 9 kilometer per hour. Small pleasure boats are also available to tourist. Another major spot of interest on the Western causeway is Jingming (Bright View ) Hall. Both its front and rear face the lake. This structure also features three two- storeyed halls of varying heights. Our tour is drawing to a close as we approach the shore. Today we only visited the major scenic areas of the Summer Palace. I have left other spot of interest for your next visit. I will show you out through the East Gate. I hope you enjoyed today` s tour.
the Badaling highway
Fellow tourists, now our automobile is going on the Badaling highway,must enter the Badaling scenic area immediately which soon visits.Front that mountain is the Jundu, the Badaling Great Wall occupies onthis mountain. In the Spring and Autumn Period Warring States time,our country ancient times the people on already started to constructthe Great Wall, at that time the feudal lord strove for hegemony, inorder to protect own territory not to encroach, therefore hasconstructed the Great Wall in abundance in respective boundary, wascalled mutually guards against the Great Wall.
But our country once appeared three to construct the Great Wall thepeak, respectively was the Qin Great Wall, the Chinese Great Wall,bright Great Wall. Chin Shihhuang in 221 B.C. unified area south ofYellow River, has established the Qin dynasty, in order to strengthenthe rule north, defends nomads' invasion, therefore will send thesenior general to hoodwink 恬 300,000 armies and very many laborforces the original north swallow, Zhao, the Qin Great Wall haslinked, and performed to expand, the lasted 9 years constructed westnear 洮 east to be continuous Wan Li to Liaodong the Great Wall, thisalso will be in the Chinese history the together Great Wall. To theHan Dynasty, Martial emperor of Han dynasty also was for strengthenthe defense, "was not called Hu Madu the Yin", has constructed anearly 20,000 mile Great Wall, simultaneously this also has protectedthe new development Silk Road, the Chinese Great Wall is the Qin GreatWall together the front position and the defense line, west itXinjiang, east arrived Liaodong, was in the Chinese history constructsthe Great Wall longest dynasty. But the bright Great Wall is in theChinese history constructs the Great Wall the high point, the projectis big, essence of the technical is unique. Same year Zhu Yuanzhangestablished Ming Dynasty in the unification nation in the process, hasaccepted "Gao Zhuqiang, Guang Jiliang, slow name king" suggestion. Atthat time Yuan Dynasty although already perished, but also ismaintaining the quite complete military power, in addition graduallyrises Nuzhen race's unceasing invasion, therefore starts to constructthe Great Wall. The Ming Dynasty large-scale constructed the GreatWall to achieve 18 were next many, only then basically has last yearsfinished to the Ming Dynasty, east nearby Liaoning Dandong YaluRiver's Hushan, west to Gansu Jiayuguan's bright Great Wall span 6,350kilometers. The bright Great Wall has three characteristics, buildsthe construction completely, manages the consummation, the layout isstrict. But we saw today the Badaling Great Wall is a bright GreatWall's part. But Great Wall in our country ancient times mostprimitive goal although is the defense, but at the same time it alsoplayed other roles. First is the military function, the second pieceis the economical function, it not only promoted the development andthe northern border economy development which opens up wasteland,moreover also is the area south of Yellow River common people enjoys agood and prosperous life, third promoted various nationalities'fusion. In addition, it has also protected the communication andpromoted the to foreign countries opening up. What is worthmentioning, in our country ancient times, not only only has thesethree time constructs the Great Wall the experience, according to thestatistics, in about in 2000, successively some more than 20 feudallords country and the feudal dynasty all has constructed the GreatWall, some people have made the sketchy computation, if the Great Wallwill rebuild together the height 5 meters, the depth 1 meter big wall,will many circle the Earth 10 many all to have the wealth. Famousfolklore: The beacon-fire play feudal lord and Meng Jiangnyu cry GreatWall also is occurs in the Great Wall. Now, the Great Wall afterpasses through several time repairs and maintains, basically restoredthe former appearance, is included in 1987 by the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "World cultureInheritance Name list", moreover it or now in world longest defensivecity wall! Proliferated the our country 16 areas, the span hasachieved 10. 80,000 miles.
We passed through a moment ago the road, took place in Yu Guangou.Guan Gou is the Mt. yanshan sierra and Jundu sierra junction meetingplace, south Changping area Nankouzhen, northwest to Yanqing CountyBadaling Great Wall's area just outside the city gate, span 40 miles.Is the area south of Yellow River area leads to northwest plateau thepharynx and larynx important highway. The Ming Dynasty has arrangedfour defense lines in here, respectively is the Nankou pass, occupiesthe commonplace pass, on closes, Badaling. Folds on the green jademountain in Guan Gouzhong, once had Jin Dynasty famous Yanjing one ofeight scenery: Occupies commonplace folds the green jade, what a pitynow the landscape already no longer existed.
We saw a moment ago that railroad was designs the construction by ourChinese the first railroad, designs Peking-Kalgan line by ZhanTianyou. Because Badaling area topography complex, the technicaldifficulty are very many, therefore Zhan Tianyou designs the personfont railroad, the success solved the train not to be able directly toclimb and the curve difficult problem, but made a connection longreaches 1,091 meters tunnels also to sigh the Chinese and foreignpublic figure the clothing. Now the bronze statue which sets up in theblack dragon bridge train station is Zhan Tianyou, but also has themonument.Closes the ditch because of to occupy the commonplace pass but to befamous, we may see front the grand construction occupies thecommonplace pass, its name origins from the Qin dynasty, to ChinShihhuang moves "the commonplace person" in here to live thereforeacquires fame. In the area inside the great wall, some famous whitemarble Shitai, It is Yuan Dai as soon as has sat the streettower, above originally has three Tibet type pagoda, destroyed in theafterwards earthquake. The Ming Dynasty in the original position ] hasestablished the Tai'an temple, but has been destroyed in the KangxiDynasty, only leaves behind now us to see the column foundation andlooks the column. Baiyu Shitaithe area has 310 square meter under Ticket Gate onto engrave has the lion, the elephant, the weird creature, relief andso on Jin Chiniao, separately represented the Buddhism Dense Ancestor fivesides five Buddha's place to ride, but also had Tianlongbabu toprotect buddhist law the deity the relief. On the endophragm also hadthe four great heavenly gods relief and the god beastly design, theticket goes against also covers entirely datura's pattern, in theflower has engraved has the image of Buddha, altogether 2,215. Alsosome six kind of languages engrave "tuoluoNepal After Incantation" and "Make TowerMerit To record", these all are Yuan Dai artistic high-quality goods,has the very high artistic value.
The Badaling Great Wall is in the bright Great Wall's outstandingrepresentative, because here extends in all directions, thereforebecomes Badaling. Possibly everybody can ask that, why has to speakthe Great Wall to construct in here? Actually this mainly is becauseof the Badaling area important geographical position. It not only isguarding the bright imperial tomb, moreover also is Beijing'snorthwest front door.
The Badaling Great Wall is in the history many significant eventstestimonies, for example the dreary queen mother Patrols Good fortune, Yuan Taizuenters the pass, west Empress Dowager Cixi runs away and so on,Badaling all is after all the road. Speaks of here, but also somestory must say for everybody: Is located closes the east end gateroadside, some megalith, the fable the Eight Power Expeditionary Forceattacked into Beijing in 1900, Cixi runs away in the west on the waypasses through here, once stood in this stone other day looks thenational capital, therefore this stone on is also called looks theBeijing stone. But present this stone already not that highlighted.
Some speech everybody certainly knew that, Not to Great Wall non- realman. Introduced a moment ago that many landscape, you are certainlyanxious want to arrive the scenic area to tour, does not use theworry, you also had to become the real man immediately. Good, here isthe famous Badaling Great Wall distant place is the grand scenery, butdownward looked is the Great Wall important constituent old man city,he generally all constructs on the strategic in position keycommunication line. Between old man city two is distanced 63.9 meters,the west gate inscribed horizontal tablet: Key to defense of thenorth, I already have said in front. The east gate inscribedhorizontal tablet is: Occupies the commonplace outside town, themeaning occupies a commonplace outside the passes strategic place. Nowwe looked to the right release that, is ascending Chengkou the southside to exhibit a cannon, named: Invincible might general. IsChong Zhen Year the manufacture.
The Badaling Great Wall has three two walls compositions, what isthree two walls? Now lets me give everybody to explain, threerespectively are the tower on a city wall, the enemy tower, tower on acity wall structure is extremely simple, only is the officers andsoldiers which guards evades the cold the place. That enemy towerstructure relative wants complex somewhat, divides into two, the lowerlevel is by the field, the well, returns, and so on the glyphcomposes, the upper formation has the crenel and looks the hole isobserves the military situation and the archery uses, therefore herealso has defends enemy's function.Under arrived the beacon tower, also is called the beacon-fire, wolfYantai. Is disagrees the Great Wall connected independentconstruction. Once the enemy Attack, lights the beacon-firenotification military situation, the ancient rewards the smoke whichthe daytime lights to be called Beacon-fire, the evening is called the flint.Ming Dynasty time, but also has made the strict stipulation to thebeacon-fire and enemy's relations that, Enemy hundred, burn a smokeartillery; Five Caucasians, burn two smoke two artillery; Abovethousand people, three smoke three artillery; Above 5,000 people, foursmoke four artillery; Above ten thousand people, five smoke fiveartillery. On through this way, in the border pass military situationcan the rapid transmission palace wall imperial palace.
Said three, under on said next two walls. The Great Wall flank tallwall is called 牒 the wall, has the crenel is uses for to defend theenemy. But the inside insufficient meter high is called the daughterwall, also is called the space wall. In most starts the Great Wallinside is does not have the daughter wall, but frequently some peoplecan fall down the cliff, therefore has constructed this wall. Each notfar has a small drainage in the Great Wall lower part of wall place,rainy day time by spits the tap to outside to drain water, in order toavoid the water washes out the city wall. But inside Great Wall's walluses the stone block to cast, outside builds the brick, again spreadsout the flagstone in above, thus causes the building to be extremelyreliable!
But our country once appeared three to construct the Great Wall thepeak, respectively was the Qin Great Wall, the Chinese Great Wall,bright Great Wall. Chin Shihhuang in 221 B.C. unified area south ofYellow River, has established the Qin dynasty, in order to strengthenthe rule north, defends nomads' invasion, therefore will send thesenior general to hoodwink 恬 300,000 armies and very many laborforces the original north swallow, Zhao, the Qin Great Wall haslinked, and performed to expand, the lasted 9 years constructed westnear 洮 east to be continuous Wan Li to Liaodong the Great Wall, thisalso will be in the Chinese history the together Great Wall. To theHan Dynasty, Martial emperor of Han dynasty also was for strengthenthe defense, "was not called Hu Madu the Yin", has constructed anearly 20,000 mile Great Wall, simultaneously this also has protectedthe new development Silk Road, the Chinese Great Wall is the Qin GreatWall together the front position and the defense line, west itXinjiang, east arrived Liaodong, was in the Chinese history constructsthe Great Wall longest dynasty. But the bright Great Wall is in theChinese history constructs the Great Wall the high point, the projectis big, essence of the technical is unique. Same year Zhu Yuanzhangestablished Ming Dynasty in the unification nation in the process, hasaccepted "Gao Zhuqiang, Guang Jiliang, slow name king" suggestion. Atthat time Yuan Dynasty although already perished, but also ismaintaining the quite complete military power, in addition graduallyrises Nuzhen race's unceasing invasion, therefore starts to constructthe Great Wall. The Ming Dynasty large-scale constructed the GreatWall to achieve 18 were next many, only then basically has last yearsfinished to the Ming Dynasty, east nearby Liaoning Dandong YaluRiver's Hushan, west to Gansu Jiayuguan's bright Great Wall span 6,350kilometers. The bright Great Wall has three characteristics, buildsthe construction completely, manages the consummation, the layout isstrict. But we saw today the Badaling Great Wall is a bright GreatWall's part. But Great Wall in our country ancient times mostprimitive goal although is the defense, but at the same time it alsoplayed other roles. First is the military function, the second pieceis the economical function, it not only promoted the development andthe northern border economy development which opens up wasteland,moreover also is the area south of Yellow River common people enjoys agood and prosperous life, third promoted various nationalities'fusion. In addition, it has also protected the communication andpromoted the to foreign countries opening up. What is worthmentioning, in our country ancient times, not only only has thesethree time constructs the Great Wall the experience, according to thestatistics, in about in 2000, successively some more than 20 feudallords country and the feudal dynasty all has constructed the GreatWall, some people have made the sketchy computation, if the Great Wallwill rebuild together the height 5 meters, the depth 1 meter big wall,will many circle the Earth 10 many all to have the wealth. Famousfolklore: The beacon-fire play feudal lord and Meng Jiangnyu cry GreatWall also is occurs in the Great Wall. Now, the Great Wall afterpasses through several time repairs and maintains, basically restoredthe former appearance, is included in 1987 by the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization "World cultureInheritance Name list", moreover it or now in world longest defensivecity wall! Proliferated the our country 16 areas, the span hasachieved 10. 80,000 miles.
We passed through a moment ago the road, took place in Yu Guangou.Guan Gou is the Mt. yanshan sierra and Jundu sierra junction meetingplace, south Changping area Nankouzhen, northwest to Yanqing CountyBadaling Great Wall's area just outside the city gate, span 40 miles.Is the area south of Yellow River area leads to northwest plateau thepharynx and larynx important highway. The Ming Dynasty has arrangedfour defense lines in here, respectively is the Nankou pass, occupiesthe commonplace pass, on closes, Badaling. Folds on the green jademountain in Guan Gouzhong, once had Jin Dynasty famous Yanjing one ofeight scenery: Occupies commonplace folds the green jade, what a pitynow the landscape already no longer existed.
We saw a moment ago that railroad was designs the construction by ourChinese the first railroad, designs Peking-Kalgan line by ZhanTianyou. Because Badaling area topography complex, the technicaldifficulty are very many, therefore Zhan Tianyou designs the personfont railroad, the success solved the train not to be able directly toclimb and the curve difficult problem, but made a connection longreaches 1,091 meters tunnels also to sigh the Chinese and foreignpublic figure the clothing. Now the bronze statue which sets up in theblack dragon bridge train station is Zhan Tianyou, but also has themonument.Closes the ditch because of to occupy the commonplace pass but to befamous, we may see front the grand construction occupies thecommonplace pass, its name origins from the Qin dynasty, to ChinShihhuang moves "the commonplace person" in here to live thereforeacquires fame. In the area inside the great wall, some famous whitemarble Shitai, It is Yuan Dai as soon as has sat the streettower, above originally has three Tibet type pagoda, destroyed in theafterwards earthquake. The Ming Dynasty in the original position ] hasestablished the Tai'an temple, but has been destroyed in the KangxiDynasty, only leaves behind now us to see the column foundation andlooks the column. Baiyu Shitaithe area has 310 square meter under Ticket Gate onto engrave has the lion, the elephant, the weird creature, relief andso on Jin Chiniao, separately represented the Buddhism Dense Ancestor fivesides five Buddha's place to ride, but also had Tianlongbabu toprotect buddhist law the deity the relief. On the endophragm also hadthe four great heavenly gods relief and the god beastly design, theticket goes against also covers entirely datura's pattern, in theflower has engraved has the image of Buddha, altogether 2,215. Alsosome six kind of languages engrave "tuoluoNepal After Incantation" and "Make TowerMerit To record", these all are Yuan Dai artistic high-quality goods,has the very high artistic value.
The Badaling Great Wall is in the bright Great Wall's outstandingrepresentative, because here extends in all directions, thereforebecomes Badaling. Possibly everybody can ask that, why has to speakthe Great Wall to construct in here? Actually this mainly is becauseof the Badaling area important geographical position. It not only isguarding the bright imperial tomb, moreover also is Beijing'snorthwest front door.
The Badaling Great Wall is in the history many significant eventstestimonies, for example the dreary queen mother Patrols Good fortune, Yuan Taizuenters the pass, west Empress Dowager Cixi runs away and so on,Badaling all is after all the road. Speaks of here, but also somestory must say for everybody: Is located closes the east end gateroadside, some megalith, the fable the Eight Power Expeditionary Forceattacked into Beijing in 1900, Cixi runs away in the west on the waypasses through here, once stood in this stone other day looks thenational capital, therefore this stone on is also called looks theBeijing stone. But present this stone already not that highlighted.
Some speech everybody certainly knew that, Not to Great Wall non- realman. Introduced a moment ago that many landscape, you are certainlyanxious want to arrive the scenic area to tour, does not use theworry, you also had to become the real man immediately. Good, here isthe famous Badaling Great Wall distant place is the grand scenery, butdownward looked is the Great Wall important constituent old man city,he generally all constructs on the strategic in position keycommunication line. Between old man city two is distanced 63.9 meters,the west gate inscribed horizontal tablet: Key to defense of thenorth, I already have said in front. The east gate inscribedhorizontal tablet is: Occupies the commonplace outside town, themeaning occupies a commonplace outside the passes strategic place. Nowwe looked to the right release that, is ascending Chengkou the southside to exhibit a cannon, named: Invincible might general. IsChong Zhen Year the manufacture.
The Badaling Great Wall has three two walls compositions, what isthree two walls? Now lets me give everybody to explain, threerespectively are the tower on a city wall, the enemy tower, tower on acity wall structure is extremely simple, only is the officers andsoldiers which guards evades the cold the place. That enemy towerstructure relative wants complex somewhat, divides into two, the lowerlevel is by the field, the well, returns, and so on the glyphcomposes, the upper formation has the crenel and looks the hole isobserves the military situation and the archery uses, therefore herealso has defends enemy's function.Under arrived the beacon tower, also is called the beacon-fire, wolfYantai. Is disagrees the Great Wall connected independentconstruction. Once the enemy Attack, lights the beacon-firenotification military situation, the ancient rewards the smoke whichthe daytime lights to be called Beacon-fire, the evening is called the flint.Ming Dynasty time, but also has made the strict stipulation to thebeacon-fire and enemy's relations that, Enemy hundred, burn a smokeartillery; Five Caucasians, burn two smoke two artillery; Abovethousand people, three smoke three artillery; Above 5,000 people, foursmoke four artillery; Above ten thousand people, five smoke fiveartillery. On through this way, in the border pass military situationcan the rapid transmission palace wall imperial palace.
Said three, under on said next two walls. The Great Wall flank tallwall is called 牒 the wall, has the crenel is uses for to defend theenemy. But the inside insufficient meter high is called the daughterwall, also is called the space wall. In most starts the Great Wallinside is does not have the daughter wall, but frequently some peoplecan fall down the cliff, therefore has constructed this wall. Each notfar has a small drainage in the Great Wall lower part of wall place,rainy day time by spits the tap to outside to drain water, in order toavoid the water washes out the city wall. But inside Great Wall's walluses the stone block to cast, outside builds the brick, again spreadsout the flagstone in above, thus causes the building to be extremelyreliable!
the Palace Museum
Hello, everyone, We are now going to pay a visit to a place of special interest. This scenic spot is located at the center of Beijing and is characterized by thousands of palatial architectures and purple walls as well as yellow glazed tile roofs- it is simply a sea of palaces. This is the world – famous wonder – the Palace Museum. The Palace Museum has served as the royal residence during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was here that a total of 24 monarchs ascended the throne and wielded power for some 500 years. The Palace Museum, as the most beautiful spot of interest throughout Beijing, is unique for its location: to the northwest is Beihai(North Sea) Park, famous for its white pagoda and rippling lake; to the west is the Zhongnahai (central and south sea); to the east lies the the Wangfujing Shopping Street; and to the north id Jinshan Park. Standing in the Wanchun (Everlasting Spring) Pavilion at the top of Jingshan(Charcoal Hill) Park, you overlook the skyline of the palace Museum. At the southern end of the palace is Tian` anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) and the famous square named after it . This is the symbol of the People` s Republic of China.
A world-famous historical site, the Palace Museum is on the World Heritage List of UNESCO and is an embodiment of oriental civilization. The Palace Museum is rectangular in shape, 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meters wide from east to west, covering a space of 720,000 square meters of which 150,000 is building area . It has 9000-strong rooms in it . According to legend there are 9999.5 room-units in all .The whole compound is enclosed by a 10-meter-hign wall and is accessed through four entrances, namely, the meridian Gate in the south ,the Gate of Military Prowess in the north, Donghua(Eastern Flowery ) Gate in the north, Donghua ( Eastern Flowery) Gate in the east and Xihua(Western Flowery ) Gate in the west. On each corner there is a turret consisted of 9 roof beams, 18 pillars and 72 ridge . Encircling the compound there is a 3,800-meter-long and 52 meter-wide moat, making the Palace Museum a self-defensive city-within-a city. The Palace Museum was made a center of rule during the Ming Dynasty by Zhun Di, The fourth son of the founding emperor Zhuyuanzhang. The whole complex straddles on an 8-kilometers-long central axis that stretches from Yongding (Forever Stable) Gate in the south to Gulou (Drum Tower) in the north. Prominence was given to the royal power by putting the “three main front halls” and “three back halls ”on the axis while arrange other subsidiary structure around them .The construction of the Palace Museum involved manpower and resources across China. For example, the bricks laid in the halls ,known as “gold brick, ” underwent complex, two –dozen processes. As the final touch ,the fired bricks were dipped in Chinese wood oil. Involving complicated processes and high cost, these brick are called “golden bricks.” The Palace Museum serves as a living embodiment of good tradition and styles unique to China` s ancient architecture. It reflects to the full the ingenuity and creativity of the Chinese working people. A carefully preserved and complete group of royal residences, the Palace Museum is a prominent historical and tourist site. What we are now approaching is the main entrance to the Palace Museum-the Meridian Gate, which is characterized by red walls, yellow glazed –tile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this walls, yellow glazed-tile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this magnificent building ,there stand five lofty halls with a main hall in the center. The main hall is roofed by multiple eaves and covers a space of 9 room-units. It is flanked by two wings on each side .The wings are square in shape ,complete with multiple and four edged eaves and pinnacles. All of these structures are connected by a colonnade. Because these halls resemble a soaring bird, it was also know as wufenglou (Five-phoenix Tower) . Inside the main hall there is a throne. Drums and bells were stored in the wings. Whenever the emperor presided over grand ceremonies or observed rites in the Hall of Upreme Harmony, drums, bells and gongs would be struck to mark the occasion. As the legend goes, the Meridian Gate used to be a place where condemned ranking officials would be executed. This not true. However, flogging was carried out here by the Ming emperors ,If a courtier falls afoul of the emperor, he would be stripped of his court dress and flogging with a stick .At one point the punishment became so harsh that a total of 11 people died from fatal wound on a single occasion .On the other hand, this building was also used to observe important occasions like the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival (15th day of the first lunar month). On these occasions, Chinese lanterns would be hanged and sumptuous banquets would be given in honour of the whole court of ministers and other ranking officials. Upon entering the Meridian Gate we began our tour of the Palace Museum. The river foowing in front of us is known as Jin Shui He (Golden Water River) and the five marbles bridges spanning it are known as the Inner Golden Water Bridges. The on in the middle was used exclusive by the emperor and its banisters were carved with dragon and phoenix designs. The bridges flanking the imperial one were reserved for princes and other royal members. The rest were used by palatines. Aside from decoration, the golden Water River was also dug as precaution against fire. Most of the structures within the palace Museum are made of wood. What is more ,according to ancient Chinese cosmology, the South is the abode of fire, so this brook was dug on the southern tip of the Palace. In this way, the Palace Museum reflects traditional Chinese culture. This building is called the Gate of Supreme Harmony .In the foreground stand two bronze lions. Can anybody tell which is male and which is female? The one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. The other on the west with a cub cuddling underneath its claw is female? The one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. The other on the west with a cub cuddling underneath its claw is female, representing prosperity the endless succession. A layout of the Palace Museum is posted by the entrance . From it ,you can see that the Palace Museum has two main parts: the forecourt and the inner court. The three main halls constitute the mainstay of the forecourt, and it was here that the emperor announced decisions and observed rites. Behind the forecourt there is the inner court, consisting of major halls and the Imperial Garden .It was where the emperor attended state affairs, lived and enjoyed his luxurious life. The exhibition system of the Palace Museum involves historical court relics and articles of ancient art and culture. The Palace Museum houses nearly one million articles of rare treasure, or one sixth of the total number in all of China `s museums. There are the three main halls of the Palace museum, built on a triple marble terrace . Since most of China `s architecture is made of wood, the buildings cannot be too tall. To gain the height of the architecture, ingenious ancient artisans built the hall on a gigantic stone terrace .It is also to this end that not a single plant was grown in the square. On stairways of triple marble terrace there are 18 bronze tripods .The verandah is flanked by bronze tortoises and cranes, which served as symbols of longevity .On the east is a sundial, an ancient timepiece. On the west there is a grain measure suggesting that the emperor was just and equitable. In the front and on each flank ,there is a pair of gilt bronze vats (caldrons ) molded during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty .Each of these weights 2 tons and is filled with water as a precaution in the event of a fire .The structure in the very middle is the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,also known as the throne hall. It is 64 meters in width and is 38 meters from entrance to rear. With terrace exclusive ,the hall is 26.92 meters in height and is 35.03 meters in all .Covering and areaof 2,377 square meters, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is China` s largest exiting wooden structure. The hall is supported by 6 thick ,round pillars carved in a design of coiling dragons. As the holiest place in the hall, the ceiling and colored patterns were made of the finest material available at that time. The throne was placed on a terrace and is flanked by statues of elephants, Luduan (a unicorn which could travel 18,000 kilometers a day and understand all languages), cranes and incense barrels .Over the throne there is the caisson ,or covered ceiling ,which consists of a coiling dragon playing with a ball in its mouth .This ball is known as Xuanyuan Mirror ,and was supposedly made by a Chinese emperor of remote times to serve as a reminder that thee rulers to follow were his hereditary heirs. The throne is made of nanmu and painted in gold .Magnificently built and luxuriously decorated ,this hall did not serve as a place in which the emperor attended to daily affairs. He used his hall for major events such as his birthday, conferral of title of empress or dispatch of generals to war. Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,there sits the Hall of Complete Harmony. This structure is square in shape .Each side is 24.15 meters. This was the place where the emperor relaxed and greeted his courtiers before proceeding to the hall of supreme Harmony to observe rites. This was also the place where the emperor prepared prayers or examined seeds and sowers before he attended ancestral sacrifices or participated in snowing ceremonies. A grand ceremony was also held here once every 10 years for the emperor to genealogize the royal blood. There are two sedan chairs on display in the hall. Behind the Hall of Complete Harmony ,you will see the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which was used as a place where imperial examinations were held. The imperial examination was the hignest level of competing for meritorious appointment under the feudal system dating back to the Sui Dynasty. China` s last imperial examination was held in 1904 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. To the rear of hall there is a marble ramp carved with cloud and dragon designs, the largest of its kind in the whole country . It is 16.57 meters in length, 3.07 meters in width, 1.7 meters thick and weighs 250 tons. It was quarried in Fangshan County in suburban Beijing. To bring this giant piece of stone to Beijing people poured water onto the road and applied rolling blocks during the process. We are now standing before the square of the Hall of Heaven Purity. It served as a divide separating the forecourt from the inner court .This building is known as the Gate of Heavenly Purity. Emperor Qianlong held court here. Proceeding further north ,you can find three main rear halls ,i.e. the hall of heavenly purity. the Hall of union and peace and palace of earthly tranquility. The hall of heavenly purity if flanked on either side by two gates named after the sun and moon .Inside the enclosure there are 12 palaces and halls symbolizing constellations. All of the other buildings are centered around the Palace of Heavenly Purity , which was meant to suggest that the monarch` s power was endowed by Heaven. The empress and concubines lived in the inner court. The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperor lived and attended to daily affairs. Later the emperor moved to live in the Palace of Mental cultivation. Looking up you can see a plaque bearing the Chinese inscription “be open and above-board,” a manifesto to court struggle .Behind the plaque a strongbox was stored containing a will bearing the name of the would –be royal successor. This approach of secretly selecting the next empero
A world-famous historical site, the Palace Museum is on the World Heritage List of UNESCO and is an embodiment of oriental civilization. The Palace Museum is rectangular in shape, 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meters wide from east to west, covering a space of 720,000 square meters of which 150,000 is building area . It has 9000-strong rooms in it . According to legend there are 9999.5 room-units in all .The whole compound is enclosed by a 10-meter-hign wall and is accessed through four entrances, namely, the meridian Gate in the south ,the Gate of Military Prowess in the north, Donghua(Eastern Flowery ) Gate in the north, Donghua ( Eastern Flowery) Gate in the east and Xihua(Western Flowery ) Gate in the west. On each corner there is a turret consisted of 9 roof beams, 18 pillars and 72 ridge . Encircling the compound there is a 3,800-meter-long and 52 meter-wide moat, making the Palace Museum a self-defensive city-within-a city. The Palace Museum was made a center of rule during the Ming Dynasty by Zhun Di, The fourth son of the founding emperor Zhuyuanzhang. The whole complex straddles on an 8-kilometers-long central axis that stretches from Yongding (Forever Stable) Gate in the south to Gulou (Drum Tower) in the north. Prominence was given to the royal power by putting the “three main front halls” and “three back halls ”on the axis while arrange other subsidiary structure around them .The construction of the Palace Museum involved manpower and resources across China. For example, the bricks laid in the halls ,known as “gold brick, ” underwent complex, two –dozen processes. As the final touch ,the fired bricks were dipped in Chinese wood oil. Involving complicated processes and high cost, these brick are called “golden bricks.” The Palace Museum serves as a living embodiment of good tradition and styles unique to China` s ancient architecture. It reflects to the full the ingenuity and creativity of the Chinese working people. A carefully preserved and complete group of royal residences, the Palace Museum is a prominent historical and tourist site. What we are now approaching is the main entrance to the Palace Museum-the Meridian Gate, which is characterized by red walls, yellow glazed –tile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this walls, yellow glazed-tile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this magnificent building ,there stand five lofty halls with a main hall in the center. The main hall is roofed by multiple eaves and covers a space of 9 room-units. It is flanked by two wings on each side .The wings are square in shape ,complete with multiple and four edged eaves and pinnacles. All of these structures are connected by a colonnade. Because these halls resemble a soaring bird, it was also know as wufenglou (Five-phoenix Tower) . Inside the main hall there is a throne. Drums and bells were stored in the wings. Whenever the emperor presided over grand ceremonies or observed rites in the Hall of Upreme Harmony, drums, bells and gongs would be struck to mark the occasion. As the legend goes, the Meridian Gate used to be a place where condemned ranking officials would be executed. This not true. However, flogging was carried out here by the Ming emperors ,If a courtier falls afoul of the emperor, he would be stripped of his court dress and flogging with a stick .At one point the punishment became so harsh that a total of 11 people died from fatal wound on a single occasion .On the other hand, this building was also used to observe important occasions like the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival (15th day of the first lunar month). On these occasions, Chinese lanterns would be hanged and sumptuous banquets would be given in honour of the whole court of ministers and other ranking officials. Upon entering the Meridian Gate we began our tour of the Palace Museum. The river foowing in front of us is known as Jin Shui He (Golden Water River) and the five marbles bridges spanning it are known as the Inner Golden Water Bridges. The on in the middle was used exclusive by the emperor and its banisters were carved with dragon and phoenix designs. The bridges flanking the imperial one were reserved for princes and other royal members. The rest were used by palatines. Aside from decoration, the golden Water River was also dug as precaution against fire. Most of the structures within the palace Museum are made of wood. What is more ,according to ancient Chinese cosmology, the South is the abode of fire, so this brook was dug on the southern tip of the Palace. In this way, the Palace Museum reflects traditional Chinese culture. This building is called the Gate of Supreme Harmony .In the foreground stand two bronze lions. Can anybody tell which is male and which is female? The one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. The other on the west with a cub cuddling underneath its claw is female? The one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. The other on the west with a cub cuddling underneath its claw is female, representing prosperity the endless succession. A layout of the Palace Museum is posted by the entrance . From it ,you can see that the Palace Museum has two main parts: the forecourt and the inner court. The three main halls constitute the mainstay of the forecourt, and it was here that the emperor announced decisions and observed rites. Behind the forecourt there is the inner court, consisting of major halls and the Imperial Garden .It was where the emperor attended state affairs, lived and enjoyed his luxurious life. The exhibition system of the Palace Museum involves historical court relics and articles of ancient art and culture. The Palace Museum houses nearly one million articles of rare treasure, or one sixth of the total number in all of China `s museums. There are the three main halls of the Palace museum, built on a triple marble terrace . Since most of China `s architecture is made of wood, the buildings cannot be too tall. To gain the height of the architecture, ingenious ancient artisans built the hall on a gigantic stone terrace .It is also to this end that not a single plant was grown in the square. On stairways of triple marble terrace there are 18 bronze tripods .The verandah is flanked by bronze tortoises and cranes, which served as symbols of longevity .On the east is a sundial, an ancient timepiece. On the west there is a grain measure suggesting that the emperor was just and equitable. In the front and on each flank ,there is a pair of gilt bronze vats (caldrons ) molded during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty .Each of these weights 2 tons and is filled with water as a precaution in the event of a fire .The structure in the very middle is the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,also known as the throne hall. It is 64 meters in width and is 38 meters from entrance to rear. With terrace exclusive ,the hall is 26.92 meters in height and is 35.03 meters in all .Covering and areaof 2,377 square meters, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is China` s largest exiting wooden structure. The hall is supported by 6 thick ,round pillars carved in a design of coiling dragons. As the holiest place in the hall, the ceiling and colored patterns were made of the finest material available at that time. The throne was placed on a terrace and is flanked by statues of elephants, Luduan (a unicorn which could travel 18,000 kilometers a day and understand all languages), cranes and incense barrels .Over the throne there is the caisson ,or covered ceiling ,which consists of a coiling dragon playing with a ball in its mouth .This ball is known as Xuanyuan Mirror ,and was supposedly made by a Chinese emperor of remote times to serve as a reminder that thee rulers to follow were his hereditary heirs. The throne is made of nanmu and painted in gold .Magnificently built and luxuriously decorated ,this hall did not serve as a place in which the emperor attended to daily affairs. He used his hall for major events such as his birthday, conferral of title of empress or dispatch of generals to war. Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,there sits the Hall of Complete Harmony. This structure is square in shape .Each side is 24.15 meters. This was the place where the emperor relaxed and greeted his courtiers before proceeding to the hall of supreme Harmony to observe rites. This was also the place where the emperor prepared prayers or examined seeds and sowers before he attended ancestral sacrifices or participated in snowing ceremonies. A grand ceremony was also held here once every 10 years for the emperor to genealogize the royal blood. There are two sedan chairs on display in the hall. Behind the Hall of Complete Harmony ,you will see the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which was used as a place where imperial examinations were held. The imperial examination was the hignest level of competing for meritorious appointment under the feudal system dating back to the Sui Dynasty. China` s last imperial examination was held in 1904 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. To the rear of hall there is a marble ramp carved with cloud and dragon designs, the largest of its kind in the whole country . It is 16.57 meters in length, 3.07 meters in width, 1.7 meters thick and weighs 250 tons. It was quarried in Fangshan County in suburban Beijing. To bring this giant piece of stone to Beijing people poured water onto the road and applied rolling blocks during the process. We are now standing before the square of the Hall of Heaven Purity. It served as a divide separating the forecourt from the inner court .This building is known as the Gate of Heavenly Purity. Emperor Qianlong held court here. Proceeding further north ,you can find three main rear halls ,i.e. the hall of heavenly purity. the Hall of union and peace and palace of earthly tranquility. The hall of heavenly purity if flanked on either side by two gates named after the sun and moon .Inside the enclosure there are 12 palaces and halls symbolizing constellations. All of the other buildings are centered around the Palace of Heavenly Purity , which was meant to suggest that the monarch` s power was endowed by Heaven. The empress and concubines lived in the inner court. The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperor lived and attended to daily affairs. Later the emperor moved to live in the Palace of Mental cultivation. Looking up you can see a plaque bearing the Chinese inscription “be open and above-board,” a manifesto to court struggle .Behind the plaque a strongbox was stored containing a will bearing the name of the would –be royal successor. This approach of secretly selecting the next empero
great wall
The Great Wall of China is a Chinese fortification built from the 5th century BC until the beginning of the 17th century, in order to protect the various dynasties from raids by Hunnic, Mongol, Turkic, and other nomadic tribes coming from areas in modern-day Mongolia and Manchuria. Several walls, also referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC, the most famous being the one built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang; this wall was located much further north than the current wall built during the Ming Dynasty, and little of it remains. The Great Wall of China was originally a project of the Chairman Mao during the Cultural revolution designed to keep out the nomadic Xiongnu invaders from the north. Some of the wall was built during the Qin, but most of it that we see today was constructed during the Ming dynasty. The Great Wall is the world's largest man-made structure, stretching over a formidable 6,352 km (3,948 miles), from Shanhai Pass on the Bohai Sea in the east, at the limit between "China proper" and Manchuria (Northeast China), to Lop Nur in the southeastern portion of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region [1]. Along most of its arc, it roughly delineates the border between North China and Inner Mongolia.See List of largest buildings in the world l love great wall.how wonderful!
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