NiHao! October 2016. Behind me is Beijing National Stadium, Bird's Nest which hosted Olympic Games 2008. I was 8 years and 10 months.
DanDan enjoyed Megacity Beijing
MY HOME TOWN FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS
• With 22 million people Beijing has scale, makes difference
• ChangAn Avenue, 38kms, gave me real city feeling
• I was born in Beijing, I am proud to be a Beijinger 😇
• This was my 12th return trip between Europe and China
The Great Wall in Beijing
CAN IT BE SEEN FROM THE MOON
INFO
Great Wall of China, ChangCheng, Long Wall. Built for border control to protect the Chinese states and empires from barbarians. To protect Silk Road trade.
• Along east-to-west line of historical northern borders of China
• Building process started 2300 years ago during 220–206 B.C.
• Builder: The first Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang of Qin dynasty
• Existing wall is 8850km from Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) period
- At Great Wall the weather was hot
- I went by a carriage, a new system here
Forbidden City in Beijing
HOME OF EMPERORS
October 2016
Beijing, China
Qing Dynasty Emperor's Dragon Robe. Qing Emperors lived in Forbidden City.
Emperor's colour is yellow. Emperor's number is 9.
Emperor's long sleeves, not good for manual work but good for everything else.
INFO
The Forbidden City, ZijinCheng in the heart of Beijing.
Now Chinese call it GuGong, Former Palace.
• 90 palaces and courtyards, 980 buildings, total 8704 rooms
• Home to 24 emperors of Ming Dynasties and Qing Dynasties
• Built around north-south central axis of old Beijing
• Construction period from year 1406 to 1420
• 10 meters high defensive wall, watchtower in every corner
• Defensive wall surrounded by the moat
• Ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government for 500 years
- Many visitors, even the Chinese National holiday was already over
October 2016
Beijing, China
Nine-Dragon YunLong Relief
I got Forbidden City GPS audio headset. I went to any spot and it told the story.
INFO
Nine-Dragon YunLong Relief is cut in from flat surface of one piece of stone. During ceremonies Emperor's Dragon Chariot was carried on top of it.
• Stone: 16,57 meters long, 3,07 meter wide, 1,7 meters thick
• Stone weight: over 200 tons
• Stone origin: Beijing FangShan District of Beijing, 50kms
• Sone moving to its position needed 20.000 people, ice used
• Stone carving work made on site in Forbidden City
- Another YunLong Relief in Forbidden City
- Rain water is channeled to shower out from dragons' mouths
- Dragon-mouth innovation is gravity-based water show
- Marble Boat in Emperor's Summer Palace has similar system
- Water kept in pots in case of fire
- Turtle in China means long life
- A pavillion in Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City
- Forbidden City's wall is surrounded by the moat
- Rostrum, there Chairman Mao announced new China Oct. 1,1949
INFO
TianAnMen Square in the centre of Beijing. Named after the Gate of Heavenly Peace Rostrum which separates it from Forbidden City. Rostrum wall has portrait of Chairman Mao, 4,5 meters * 6 meters, weight 1,5 tonnes. High on top is red National Emblem of China, GuoHui.
• Leaders receive parades on Rostrum balcony, top of the portrait
• TianAnMen Square was designed and built in 1651
• Size 880 meters × 500 meters
• The site of several important events in Chinese history
• On square: People's Heroes Monument and Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
• On sides: Great Hall of the People and National Museum of China
October 2016 Beijing, China TianAnMen Square
Rostrum corridor under Chairman Mao's portrait leads to emperor's Forbidden City.
October 2016 Beijing, China TianAnMen Square
Rostrum corridor doors, not small.
- Rostrum from the other, Forbidden City, side
- On the left, red parade viewing boxes for invited quests
- Parade of 170.000 marchers, biggest square 8888 persons
Looney Tunes in Beijing
SKYCRAPERS, SANLITUN, HAIRCUT, ROAST DUCK, BIRD's NEST
- Megacity Beijing is not small: two New Yorks, or three Hong Kongs
- Left, the Children's House, my kindergarten for three years
- My home was here in Beijing downtown for the first five years
- This lobby leads to the Children's House
- I went in to see my junior years Montessori teachers
- My Ice Skating Rink is opposite to Children's House in Beijing WTC
October 2016 Beijing, China
WTC 3rd phase. 330 meters, higher than Eiffel Tower. 80 floors with restaurants, brand shops, offices, hotel.
October 2016 Beijing, China
October 2016 Beijing, China
Lunch time favourite! Chinese NiuRouMien, beef noodle soup, with original taste!
- Fashionable brands and new style eating like Element Fresh
- They still remembered me in this saloon, they know the haircut!
- Duck at Bian YiFang Roast Duck Restaurant, serving since 1416
- Tasty whole duck was 188RMB, around 25EUR
INFO
Peking Roast Duck first developed during Yuan Dynasty 1279-1368. Further developed during Ming Dynasty 1368–1644. Crispy skin and little meat. Roast Duck raised among the main dishes on imperial court menu.
• Ducks are raised in free environment for 45 days
• Ducks are force-fed four times a day for 15 to 20 days
• Ducks are ready at 5–7 kg after 65 days
• Cleaning, rinsing, then air pumped under the skin
• Soaked into boiling water before hunging up to dry
• Sugar syrup outside, inside rinsed once more
• Roasted in hung oven developed by Qing Dynasty kitchen
• Hung owen uses fruit tree wood, ducks hung in hooks, 40mins
• Chef to slice the roasted duck into 100 slices
• Duck slices on crepes with spring onions, cucumber, bean sauce
• Over 70.000 ducks roasted in Beijing every day
- My parents used to work here in FuHua Mansion Office Tower
INFO
Beijing National Stadium, the Bird's Nest, NiaoChao. The stadium was designed for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It will be used again during the Winter Olympics 2022.
• April 2003 bidding process included 13 final submissions
• Design awarded to Swiss architecture firm Herzog and de Meuron
• Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was the artistic consultant on project
• 17.000 construction workers worked on the stadium
• Construction cost of the stadium: US$428 million
• The stadium has capacity of 80.000
• 20.000 to 30.000 visitors per day, tickets 50 yuan
• Operas, football games, pop concerts
FLIGHT to Beijing
• By Finnair Helsinki ➙ Beijing, 8 hours
• Night flight, landing to Beijing next morning
FLIGHT to Helsinki
• By Finnair Beijing ➙ Helsinki, 8 hours
• Day flight over Mongolia and Russian Siberia
DANDAN's BEIJING TRIP
• Sight-seeings were great fun, I visited
-- Forbidden City, Great Wall, TianAnMen, Olympic Bird's Nest, WTC
• Had three major dinners, got real Peking Duck, my favourite
• Got a haircut in my childhood hair saloon
• Visited Children's House, my kindergarten for 3 years
• GrandMa's birthday party was a happy event
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