Eurasia: Marco Polo-in’ it

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<li class="cat-item cat-item-4594"><a href="https://blogs.bootsnall.com/Danny-in-Asia/category/japan/brooding-in-japan" title="A series of reflections about two years spent in Japan.  ">Brooding in Japan</a> (6)
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<li class="cat-item cat-item-4593 current-cat"><a href="https://blogs.bootsnall.com/Danny-in-Asia/category/eurasia-marco-polo-in-it" >Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it</a> (88)
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Beijing (14)

Brooding in Japan (6)

Cambodia (3)

Capitals tour of Asia (24)

China (16)

Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it (88)

Hong Kong (4)

Iceland (11)

Japan (33)

Japan on the cheap (14)

Kazakhstan (3)

Korea (10)

Kyrgyzstan (9)

Macau (1)

Mongolia (24)

Nanjing/Suzhou (3)

Poland (4)

Shanghai (8)

Sweden (2)

Teaching English (10)

Thailand (12)

Trip preparation/departure (5)

Uzbekistan (10)

Archive for the 'Eurasia: Marco Polo-in’ it' Category

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Tiananmen Square, Beijing

Thursday, April 12th, 2007

The world will always view Tiananmen Square as a violent blow to the democratic hopes of China’s young people. When you scratch the surface of this event you’ll find that the communists won not only the battle of June 4, 1989 but have continued to win the ideological battles that have sprouted as the economy has boomed. While continuing to promote free market ideals they refuse to give in to the idea of democracy.

The Tiananmen Square incident has been successfully cleansed from the history books with even the infamous “tank man” photograph unrecognizable to China’s younger generations. For a great documentary on this subject check out PBS Frontline’s “The Tank Man,” viewable online (but not in China).

In today’s Tiananmen it’s still hard to ignore the autocratic feel of the place. Cameras are everywhere as well as military guard marching in perfect 108 step/minute strides. At sunrise and sunset crowds amass at the north end of the square to watch the goose stepping soldiers raise and lower the Chinese flag. About 20 minutes after the evening ceremony the square is cleared of all people and lies empty at night. No street performers here.

In the center of the square is the towering Monument of the People’s Heroes behind which sits Chairman Mao’s mausoleum for those who like to go see pickled dead bodies of controversial leaders. It’s currently closed for renovation as is the National Museum to the east, making a big boring square just a bit more dull.

Posted in Beijing, Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it | 1 Comment »

The Forbidden City, Beijing

Thursday, April 12th, 2007

It took fourteen years to build the Forbidden City, ten years of prep and four years of actual construction. The emperor Zhu Di was the third of the Ming Dynasty and his vision for China and his legacy was grand. First he moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, started work on the Grand Canal, and set to improve the Great Wall fortifications north of the capital. He also sent out huge treasure fleets with hundreds of ships commanded by the towering eunuch Zheng He. When they set out their goal was to sail the world trading the huge quantities of silk, porcelain, and other fine treasure they brought, bringing the world into the Chinese tribute system. While it’s disputed how far the treasure fleets actually traveled, historians agree that they definitely reached the east coast of Africa. For an interesting theory about further Chinese travels and discoveries check out Gavin Menzies’ book 1421: The year China discovered the world. He’s a retired British Royal Navy submarine captain who retraces the supposed treasure fleet’s voyages. Admittedly, he is more detective than historian but the book is wonderfully entertaining non-fiction.

Regardless of where and how far the treasure fleets traveled, when they returned they were expecting to receive glory and riches. They did not. A year after the Forbidden City was completed in 1420 a lightning storm sparked a fire and it burnt to the ground. To this day 308 water vessels dot the city grounds, a memory of the past fire phobia.

From this time the reign of Zhu Di came to a sputtering end. He became convinced that the gods were punishing him for taking on too much. The event forever altered China’s and probably the world’s history, beginning a long period of international isolationism. The treasure fleets returned to a closed China and slowly rotted into the harbors with many records of their journey being destroyed in the aftermath of Zhu Di’s downfall.The city was rebuilt and is structurally largely the same as the original, occupying an area of one million square meters and containing 8,765 rooms. Running down the exact center is a raised stone walkway reserved for royalty. Only the emperor could walk above the others.

We hired a university student guide working for tips. The immensity of the place can make it all start to look like a maze of red and yellow. Our guide “Jerry” put it all in perspective with his vivid stories of the daily tribulations of royal life.The ceremonial aspects of the emperor’s schedule seem exhausting. We went from room to room, hall to hall, while Jerry explained: “This is where the emperor rested, here he changed clothes, here he celebrated his birthday, and here he rested again. Being the emperor sounds boring to me.

The Forbidden City tour ends in the garden where once again rocks are the centerpieces. The most impressive is the “Hill of Accumulated Elegance, a huge stack of rocks originally held together with a mortar recipe containing glutinous rice, honey and egg whites.

Staying consistent with the poetic Chinese translations, even the do not climb signs manage to stir the imagination:

Posted in Beijing, Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it | No Comments »

Hutong hopping, Beijing

Thursday, April 12th, 2007

Beijing's size in area would have to make it one of the world's largest, most sprawling cities. It's set out in a grid of expanding loop road, the second of which used to be the old city wall but ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Beijing, Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it | No Comments »

Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

Bit of a skull-bender last night. I think it ended with me convincing a Norwegian kid to forget about college and just start traveling. His parents were there too so I'm not sure how happy they were about my suggestions. The ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Beijing, Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it | No Comments »

Beijing wedding

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

I caught a night train last night (barely) to Beijing. My buddy Thommo from Oz married his Chinese girlfriend Lillian (Fung) today and I just happened to be in town for the party. Bonus. Funny thing is I was ... [Continue reading this entry]

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Gates of a Nightmare, Nanjing

Sunday, April 8th, 2007

I enjoyed the wall so much yesterday that I decided to check out another section to the south. According to the hostel staff the Lake section is largely intact from older restorations while it's obvious todays section has been ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it, Nanjing/Suzhou | 1 Comment »

Ming city walls of Nanjing

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

The people of Nanjing have been the friendliest I've encountered in China so far. Shanghaiese are friendly, but with the prevalent tea scam and hundreds of art students pestering you to see their gallery, sometimes it's hard to pick out ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it, Nanjing/Suzhou | 1 Comment »

The Gardens of Suzhou

Wednesday, April 4th, 2007

Suzhou is only one hour west of Shanghai, and just happens to be the sister city of Portland, my home town. Wandering through the famous gardens of Suzhou and soaking up the zen makes a nice day trip from Shanghai, ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it, Nanjing/Suzhou | No Comments »

Shanghai’s urban plan

Sunday, April 1st, 2007

In the middle of the People's Square sits the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, an interactive look into the future of Shanghai. This six story building is part museum, part giant city model, and part urban planning ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it, Shanghai | No Comments »

Shanghai’s Jews

Friday, March 30th, 2007

History is written by the winners, so it's hardly surprising that the Allied forces don't brag about the fact that they turned away Jewish refugees seeking to flee Nazi Germany before WWII. At that time there was only one city ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Eurasia: Marco Polo-in' it, Shanghai | No Comments »

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Archive for the 'Eurasia: Marco Polo-in’ it' Category

Tiananmen Square, Beijing

The Forbidden City, Beijing

Hutong hopping, Beijing

Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Beijing wedding

Gates of a Nightmare, Nanjing

Ming city walls of Nanjing

The Gardens of Suzhou

Shanghai’s urban plan

Shanghai’s Jews