Day 2: Tiananmen Square and (gasp!) the Forbidden City

On my honor, I will try to do better today.

Today is the first real day of China for my mom & sister. Having arrived yesterday (I think--who knows with the time difference?), they likely spent the next 18 hours conked out on their Chinese mattresses. Well, probably not really, given our odd familial sleep disorder, but I'm hopeful that exhaustion will play the trump card for them. They need to be good and rested for their trip to Tiananmen Square today. For most of us, Tiananmen Square brings back a vivid image of a young man standing courageously (and perhaps somewhat stupidly) in front of a tank during the 1989 protests against the ruling Communist party. I have to agree with a. fanny that the gub'mint there makes me a little squeamish; after all, as a result of these protests, the foreign press was banned from the country and several high-ranking Party members were placed under house arrest. Not a very open or forgiving place.

Aside from this more contemporary notoriety, Tiananmen Square really does seem to be the core of the city. To quote an online travel guide, "It is the must place to visit in Beijing City." In traditional Chinese thought, the world was conceived of as square. A city, and especially a capital city, was supposed to be a geometric reflection of the cosmic order. And it seems you can't turn any direction without running into something to marvel the eyes and mind.

To the north is found Tiananmen Tower. Built almost 600 years ago, it served as the front door of the (gasp!) Forbidden City. Its most important function was to serve as the place where the emperor and empress were declared to the commoners. It wasn't until 1911, after the last feudal kingdom, that anyone but the royal family and aristocrats could enter the Tower. So snobby.

The Great Hall of the People sits to the west of the Square. This building, definitely modern by China's standards, was built in 1959. It is the site of the China National People's Congress meetings as well as other political and diplomatic activities. It will impress you to know that the floor of the Central Hall is paved with marble and crystal lamps hang from the ceiling. Nice touch.

To the south we find Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. Guess who you can find there in a crystal coffin?? That's right, our own dear Chairman Mao. Fortunately he is surrounded by fresh bouquets of flowers and grasses to help cover the smell. Just kidding! Ha ha, Chairman Mao, I made a funny at your expense! Hey, how's that crystal coffin treating you?

The China National Museum fills out the square on the east side. Now we're really talking modern, since this baby was only built in 2003. It's a combination Chinese History Museum and Chinese Revolutionary Museum, providing the masses with the opportunity to look at everything from relics of 1.7 million years ago to modern day books. The breadth of time is almost unfathomable, isn't it?

Rounding out Mama Tink's and Lisa's day will be a trip into (gasp!) the Forbidden City. Named this because of its off-limits status to visitor for 500 years, it served as the center of Imperial palaces for the emperors of both the Ming and Qing dynasties. The city contains 800 ceremonial buildings, 9,999 rooms (it begs the question--why not an even ten thousand?), and a courtyard big enough to hold 100,000 people. Complete with moats wide enough for naval engagements, it was completed in 1420 and served in this capacity until the last dynasty fell.

All in all, an exhausting day. I'm sure the girls will be ready for a good meal and more sleep in preparation for tomorrow, when another full day awaits them. Included in the fun will be a ride in a rickshaw and a game of table tennis with elementary children. Not so different from the day I have planned, really.