Beijing - Tiananmen Sq area & Forbidden City

After The Great Wall, we headed back to Beijing and the area of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Nearby is Zero Point - the beginning of China's highways.
This photo of Zero Point shows the center wheel with spokes representing the system of highways radiating from Beijing to all parts of China. The four directions have symbols of ancient Chinese mythical animals: Qinglong (Green Dragon), Baihu (White Tiger), Zhuque (Vermillion Bird) and Xuanwu (Black Tortoise).


John and I with the Front Gate (Qianmen Gate) which is at the southern end of Tiananmen Square. It used to be the central opening in the wall between the inner and outer cities. It was one of Beijing's 9 gates and the link between the north and south parts of the city.

Statues and guards outside of Mao Zedong Mausoleum.

Tiananmen Square, The Great Hall of the People (large building that is on the 100 Yuan bill), and the Monument to the People's Heroes (tower on the right).

In Tiananmen Square, you stand in the symbolic center of the Chinese universe.

The Forbidden City was off limits for 500 years (hence the name) and is the largest and best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China. Twenty-four emperors, 14 of the Ming Dynasty and 10 of the Qing Dynasty, called it home and rarely left the premises. The Forbidden City consists of many Halls with each having its own significance and purpose such as meeting dignitaries, certain ceremonies, lounge, banquets, etc. along the north-south axis. The western and eastern sides have living quarters, libraries, temples, theaters, and even a tennis court of the last emperor. At the northern end of the City is the Imperial Garden. The Forbidden City is a very large place and we saw just a fraction of it.

View of the Gate of Heavenly Peace that leads into the Forbidden City from the south.

The view from on the Meridian Gate looking south towards Duan Gate.

The Gate of Supreme Harmony

Not sure what this is but there were many around the City.

Brett and Leslie (and me -blocked from view) being smooshed in the crowd.

Joey in a "chamber pot"

Juniper tree that was intentionally split to form an inverted V, which is the Chinese character "ren" that means human being, and placed front of each of the four doors of Wanchun Ting Pavillion.