Tiananmen and Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square is the huge plaza in front of the "Forbidden City".



The railings remind you that you're in Red China.



Even though you have to go through a security checkpoint (X-ray machine for your bags) before entering the square, there are LOTS of security & police all around the square. Some march around in groups on patrol. Somehow they don't seem too intimidating. They don't seem to be carrying weapons, even clubs. However, there are a lot of them. The building in the background is Chairman Mao's tomb, which is in the middle of the square.



You've seen this before, but I had to have my own picture. This is the "Gate of Heavenly Peace", or "Tienanmen ." This is the gateway into the forbidden city. Mao declared the start of the new country of China, and his portrait famously hangs there.




As we stand on the plaza between Tienanmen Gate and Chairman Mao's mausoleum, a fitting tribute to the Great Helmsman would be a wristwatch from a street vendor.




As we approach the gate to enter the Forbidden City, there are plenty of police.

Now, the "Forbidden City" isn't really a city. It's a compound where the emperors used to live. The story is that the only people allowed in were:

• The emperor
• The emperor's family
• Concubines
• Eunuchs working as servants

But then again, there were ceremonies and meetings with high officials and other civil servants. Perhaps other craftsmen? The main thing is that riff-raff were forbidden.




In the outer courtyard, another police patrol. Notice the path they're on. That is a marble path that runs north-south through the center of the Forbidden City. Formerly, it was reserved for the emperor and his sedan chair only. Others had to take other paths.



Impressive doors protect gateways from outside into the Forbidden City. I'm not going to try to describe all the different courtyards, palaces, and corridors. To be honest, it is kind of overwhelming.






All of the roofs are gleaming yellow tiles to represent royalty.









Above, there's that marble walkway again. You might not be able to see it, but it's slightly raised and nicely crowned to help let water run off. Below, kids play on a patio outside an old palace.



Gardens and courtyards...







Many of the halls have some kind of throne on display. This one is in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. It was said that if a pretender falsely tried to claim to be the real emperor, the stone above would fall and crush them.



As we left the Forbidden City on the north end, we could see the moat and outside wall.