The square is usually not very decorated, no trees and no flowers. However, we came just before their national Labor Day holiday, so they had made beautiful flower arrangements around the square. The balls and towers of flowers were gorgeous!
Just across the street from Tiananmen Square was the Forbidden City. Susan took this picture of us, with Mao Zedong's picture right in the middle of us! Although he passed in 1976, the Chinese still very much respect Mao Zedong.
Susan told us the sign on the left means, " Long Live the People's Republic of China" and on the right, "Long Live the Unity of the World."
Once we entered the Forbidden City, we could not believe the magnitude of the structures, which went on forever. Most of the structures were built from timber and were still in amazing shape. Here we are in front of one of the lions standing guard to the Emperor's palace and I am standing by one of the many LARGE doors to enter the Forbidden City. The golden knobs on the doors were in perfect rows, and each row and column were divisible by the number 9. Did I mention these doors were HUGE?!
Scott and I with our blonde hair were much like celebrities today! I can't tell you how many pictures were were asked to be in with others...young and old alike! Susan said the Chinese like our blonde hair, large eyes, high-seated nose, pale skin. Too funny!
The trees in the forbidden city date back hundreds of years! This first tree has a red name plate on it's trunk, indicating it is at least 300 years old, if not older. The bottom tree is so odd. I snapped a picture, and Susan went on to explain this is a tree that was stuck by lightening. There were several trees like this- with "bulbs" on their trunks.
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ReplyDeleteI love china culture and country..
ReplyDeleteforbidden city