The Forbidden City: Beijing, China

The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace, housed Chinese Emperors, their wives, concubines, children, parents and servants for hundreds of years. It a huge complex with courtyards, gardens and buildings that one could explore for days. (Click here to see an interactive map) We spent seven hours exploring the corridors, courtyards, museum rooms and gardens and were still left with about a third of the complex unseen as the 'closing time' music began and we were directed towards the nearest exit. But, what we did see was magnificent. The museum rooms were filled with artifacts dating as far back at 600 BC. We marveled at the concept of such long, rich and continuous history - neither of us could really understand what it feels like to be a part of such history.

We entered through the southern gate that bordered Tienanmen square.

Natalie and Emily with Forbidden city in the background

the southern gate

Many of the gates were guarded by giant mythical lions (anyone know where this comes from? Have there ever been lions in China?). The female ones play with a cub underfoot and the male ones play with a ball.

guards of the gate

guarding an internal gate leading to the Empress' quarters

Throughout the grounds of the Forbidden City were large ornamental buildings in bright colors, mostly red and yellow.

On the sides of the main passageway were many smaller courtyards. Many were living quarters for the imperial family.

a gate leading to a courtyard

the corner of a courtyard

a dragon keeps guard

Natalie at the entrance to a courtyard

inside an imperial residence of 1911

a blind that prevented anyone in the corridors from catching a glimpse

of the Empress in her quarters

Emily and a big pot

Some of the rooms on the edge of the central area were filled with artifacts and antiques dating from 650 BC until 1911. Here are a couple that I enjoyed:

dragons are cool

My favorite part of the city was the Imperial garden. The trees that reached every direction with their twisting branches bare, having lived for several hundred years already were a neat contrast with the smaller trees newly budding with the approach of spring. The Chinese pavilions nestled atop hills of stone did seem to be places where a deity might truly reside. I could have spent all day just int he garden, but we had to move on.

looking up at a pavilion

This bush is ripe with spring color

one wall of the garden lined with tall trees

a new peony bud

imperial pavilion atop the "perilous hills"

pretty in pink

a tree in the garden that was intentionally formed by the royal gardeners

to form the Chinese character ren, meaning human being

just look at that color!

gorgeous

the central garden pavilion

the cypress trees twist up into the sky

Once outside the city gates, we saw some of the guards practicing.

Goodbye Forbidden City.