China

May - June 2019
  • skip's retirement travel
May - June 2019 Read more
  • skip's retirement travel

List of countries

  • Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
  • China China
Categories
None
  • 4.8kkilometers traveled
Means of transport
  • Flight1,121kilometers
  • Walking-kilometers
  • Hiking-kilometers
  • Bicycle-kilometers
  • Motorbike-kilometers
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometers
  • Car-kilometers
  • Train-kilometers
  • Bus-kilometers
  • Camper-kilometers
  • Caravan-kilometers
  • 4x4-kilometers
  • Swimming-kilometers
  • Paddling/Rowing-kilometers
  • Motorboat-kilometers
  • Sailing-kilometers
  • Houseboat-kilometers
  • Ferry-kilometers
  • Cruise ship-kilometers
  • Horse-kilometers
  • Skiing-kilometers
  • Hitchhiking-kilometers
  • Cable car-kilometers
  • Helicopter-kilometers
  • Barefoot-kilometers
  • 31footprints
  • 28days
  • 178photos
  • 0likes
  • Beijing, China

    May 31, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Capital of China. Views over the city from the top of the man-made hill called Jinshang Park that is located immediately north of the Forbidden City. The hill is made from the spoils from digging the moat around the Forbidden City by the Ming Dynasty, and they are placed on the site of the capital complex of the previous dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty, that the Ming destroyed after defeating them in 1368. On the other hand, the last Ming emperor commuted suicide on this site, as noted in the last pic.Read more

  • Tiananmen Square

    May 31, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Largest square in China and sometimes claimed as the largest in the world at about 100 acres. This is the site of the democracy demonstrations made most famous by the picture of the man standing in front of a tank. The first 2 pics give a sense of scale as does the third looking toward the Forbidden City. The south side of the square contains Mao's mausoleum. Fifth is a garden to one side of the square, and the last is the Tian Anmen gate to the Forbidden City at the north end of the square and is the South gate to the Forbidden City.Read more

  • Great Wall 1

    June 1, 2019 in China ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    There isn't much more to say than wow! Once more I'm in a place that books and TV can't do justice to.
    The section of the wall I visited is called Jinshanling. The wall was started more than 2,000 years ago, but what we can see today is the work of the Ming Dynasty in the 14th and 15th centuries. I walked a section that is still original, not refurbished with newer materials.
    First, I needed to convince myself I was actually here. Next is a look along a section of the wall, followed by a couple of watchtowers. Next is a picture that shows the construction: two brick walls filled with rubble in between. Also, the mortar is original and is said to be made of sticky rice and lime. It is still rock hard, lasting all these years. Last is a series of defensive structures to be used if the barbarian hordes made it on to the wall. They are a series of brick structures on a steep uphill portion of the wall that soldiers stood behind to counterattack.
    Read more

  • Great Wall 2

    June 1, 2019 in China ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    One post on the Great Wall just didn't seem to be enough. As you may know, the wall follows the ridge line, so it goes up and down hill. It can get pretty steep, like in the 1st pic. On the left you can see more of those top of the wall defensive structures. Second is inside a guard tower. 3rd is a look at one of the gates through the Wall that allowed for commerce, communication, etc. The arch is original and completely made of brick. 4th is what the attackers would see if they got close enough. The last two show more of the wall and an example of the view from on top. I was disappointed that the day was pretty hazy. The scenery and mountains of China are unusual and stunning, at least to these western eyes.Read more

  • Temple of Heaven, Beijing

    June 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Main temple of Ming and Qing emperors where they prayed for harvests and otherwise comunicated with God. The emperor considered himself the son of god, making himself the one who could act before God for the people. The temple was built about 600 years ago and is said to be Taoist.
    The first three pics are of the main temple, from the outside, looking through the door and a detail of the inside and cieling.
    It is a 600 acre park now.
    Read more

  • Summer Palace, Beijing

    June 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Summer residence of the Qing Royal family. Built in the 18th Century. Now a large park, centered on Kunming Lake. Unfortunately all buildings were closed and most had their windows covered. The pics are of the temple, the emperor's residence, the empress's residence and the empress dowager's residence. The indoor picture is through one of the few uncovered windows in n the empress dowager's residence. The last pic is of the so called Long Corridor, said to be the longest in the world at 700 meters. You can see paintings on all parts of the structure. There are said to be more that 10,000 paintings here.Read more

  • Lama Temple

    June 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing. The Qing dynasty was actually Manchu. As such, they were a minority group. They were led to what I would call a very good policy of supporting minority groups on China. The Qing invited the Dalai Lama to come to Beijing and begin the temple. The pictures are a sampling of the beauty of the place. In some, you can see the smoke from incense. The last is a sandalwood statue carved from a single tree. It is so huge that the building was built around it.Read more

  • Confucian temple

    June 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    It is probably more appropriate to refer to Confucianism as a philosophy than a religion. If there is a central premise, it rests in meeting or living up to one's responsibilities rather than focusing on rights. Interesting that a culture focused on responsibilities has lasted thousand of years while those with a different focus fade much more quickly.
    The first picture is a statue of Confucius. 2nd is the central focus of the main temple which is a Confucian tablet. Next are some of the musical instruments used in ceremonies. Finally is a room now used as an exhibition space on Confucianism and it's effect on cultures worldwide.
    Marco Polo first introduced Confucius to the west. Voltaire cited him greatly, and he was even referred to in a Nobel Prize lecture in the late 20th Century. It's clear to me that he is one of the most influential people in history.
    Read more

  • Imperial College

    June 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    The pictures are of the Qing Dynasty academy buildings, about 300 years old. However, imperial higher education goes back over 2,000 years. Admission was based on merit without regard to class. The goal was to do well in the imperial examinations as those scoring highest earned the most important government posts. So the government was run by scholars, quite contrary to the anti-intellectualism that seems so rampant today. Much of this began with Confucius, and his philosophy was the guiding force behind their learning.
    The pictures are of the gate, the main building where the emperor lectured, the actual seat and desk the emperor lectured from, and the teaching/study/examination room.
    Read more

  • Pingyao

    June 4, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Pingyao is an ancient city, famous for it's wall and it's banking history (see other posts). The city is full of temples mostly Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian. In addition, every business and home seems to have its own temple. First is a look over the city from a balcony. Next is a Taoist temple where priests were praying for rain. The prayers ended with a spray of water over us, most welcome at 92°F. Across the temple courtyard, is a stage where performances take place. This one was about a Mongolian general being confronted about the differences in diet. Next are the Confucian and Buddhist temples. Last is inside the hotel where I stayed. It is a redone building from the Qing Dynasty period. It gives as good a sense of place as any of the dozens of pictures I have.Read more