Beijing

Location:
China

Olympic City

By Peter Anderson

BEIJING

Watching a group of septuagenarian women doing their morning exercises in one of the many parks in Beijing shows how their lives must have changed since the days of Chairman Mao and the Cultural Revolution. Observing these women in their brightly coloured T-shirts, one a bright orange with a Garfield pattern, fashionable trousers and designer sports shoes makes one think how very different the scene would have been in their earlier years with their blue Mao suits and dreary buildings in the background. Globalisation is here, as the western fast food chains forever crowded with young Beijingers. Sanlitun, the yuppie café and pub area of Beijing, which attracts the bleach-blonde, mini-skirted, trendy types, expats and laowai (foreigners).

The cars almost outnumber the cyclists as they pass modern skyscrapers along wide, well maintained streets. The cyclists are as varied as their bicycles. Well dressed women sporting stylish hats and sunglasses on their battery-powered bikes, yuppie boys in baggy trousers, polo shirts and the latest footwear and hair styles on their 10 and 20 speed machines and the older generation pushing hard on bicycles from the Mao era weave amongst the laden trishaws of the delivery workers. At the intersections as cars, taxis, buses, bicycles and trishaws turn against the flow one would expect chaos, but no, the traffic is orderly. In fact everything in this city of 13 million people appears orderly.

Close to Beijing is one of the reasons why many tourists visit this area, the Great Wall of China. The wall is an architectural wonder, more for its length of 10,000 li, (1 li = 540 metres) than its height. It snakes its way up the sides of mountains, not following the contours, just straight up and over the top. The original wall was begun during the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC) when China was unified under Emperor Qin Shihuang. Independent kingdoms added onto the wall to keep out marauding nomads. But as Genghis Khan reportedly said, 'The strength of a wall depends on the courage of those who defend it.' It is a magnificent sight whatever season of the year you visit.

The Forbidden City, or the Palace Museum as it is officially known in China, is a monument to the Ming and Qing dynasties of emperors that eventually crumbled to 'People Power'. It was known as the Forbidden City as it was off limits to commoners for 500 years. This is a very crowded area, average 10,000 visitors a day, and at least a full day is required to see the whole complex, 720,000 square metres with 900 rooms..

A visit to the hutongs (lanes) of Beijing is an insight into the communities of the Chinese of yesteryear. To wander through these narrow alleys past the quadrangles (houses) and courtyards is a journey into the past. The best way to visit the hutongs is by an organised trishaw tour, with guide, by the Beijing Hutong Tourist Agency. These three to four hour tours will enlighten you on the peculiarities of the hutongs and their inhabitants. Also the tour visits the Bell and Drum Towers and Prince Gong's Palace. Close to the hutongs is Houhai Lake and strolling around the tree-lined lake watching the locals playing mahjong, cards or fishing is a fulfilling way to spend an afternoon and a drink at one of the lakeside cafés will complete a enjoyable day's outing.

Tiananmen Square is reputedly the largest square in the world. Made famous by the rallies that took place during the Cultural Revolution, when Chairman Mao reviewed parades of up to one million people. Again in 1989 it hit the international news headlines when pro-democracy demonstrations were held there. Today Tiananmen Square is a place where the Chinese queue up to watch the flag raising ceremony in the morning, flag-lowering ceremony in the evening, visit the Mao Mausoleum, fly kites and buy balloons for their children. The most impressive part of the square is the Gate of Heavenly Peace. It was constructed in the 15th century and its main function was to announce proclamations to the masses. It has seven bridges that lead to five doors; each bridge was reserved for people of certain ranks. Only the Emperor could use the centre bridge. Today a huge picture of Mao dominates the gate. You pass through this gate on the way to the Forbidden City.

The translated signs can brighten a dull day. A hotel that had tiled the road outside the front door, obviously when it is raining the tiles become slippery and caution is required when driving on them. The English translation on the sign read "Caution. The slippery can be crafty".

The people are very friendly, getting around by taxis is cheap and hassle free and the streets are clean.

Further Information

Travel tips: When visiting the Forbidden City start early in the morning.

Must see/do at this place: Visit the Great Wall, Forbidden City