All photos in the article were taken by the author of "Touch of Black and White". All rights reserved. Misappropriation without permission is strictly prohibited!

Recommended reading: (Four Ancient Capitals)

Beijing: Across the street, where Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself,"Let's paddle"| So many highly educated and foreigners came to see, what exactly does Beijing 798 have?

Nanjing: 52 museums and more than 200 special exhibition halls cannot cover the city's myriad scenery| Rated as the "World's Best Tourist Destination" by American media, stay in Qinhuai at night and visit Zhongshan daily| In addition to Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, Nanjing also has so many scenic spots

Luoyang: How old is Luoyang, one of the four ancient capitals? | How beautiful is the Luoyang peonies that are the best in the world?

Xi'an: How prosperous was Chang' an, the former capital of the Tang Dynasty?

The previous article took you to visit Beijing's Beihai Park, Jingshan Park, Taoranting Park and 798 Art District. Today, we will once again enter the capital and appreciate the scenic spots and historic sites that have been praised by the world in the thousand-year-old ancient capital. You will see:

The majestic Badaling Great Wall:

Royal gardens full of stories:

Beautiful modern buildings:

And the leisurely and peaceful Jiuxiang Hutong:

Without saying much, let's go now!

If foreigners were asked to say a few keywords about their impression of China,"Great Wall" would definitely be on the list.

The Great Wall was built more than 2,000 years ago during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. At that time, various countries competed for hegemony and each built the Great Wall to defend each other. After Qin unified the world, it connected the sections of the Great Wall into the Great Wall of thousands of miles. It starts from Shanhaiguan in the east and ends at Jiayuguan in the west, and is about 6700 kilometers long. Its vast project, majestic momentum, and ingenious layout are rare in the world. It is one of the greatest buildings in the history of human civilization and the hard work and wisdom of the Chinese nation. crystallization.

After the Qin Dynasty, the Great Wall was repaired in successive dynasties to defend against the invasion of northern nomads. The Great Wall protects the economic and cultural development of the Central Plains region and is a symbol of the Chinese nation's blood inheritance and national spirit.

The last dynasty in history to overhaul the Great Wall was the Ming Dynasty. Most of the Great Wall we see today are the Ming Great Wall. The most famous section of them is the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing.

The Badaling Great Wall is located at the north entrance of the Guangou Ancient Road in Jundu Mountain, Yanqing District. It is a pass of the Ming Great Wall and an outpost of Juyong Pass, one of the "Nine Fortresses in the World". Juyong Pass, known as the "No. 1 Pass in the World", is famous for its dangers, while Badaling is the most dangerous among dangers. In ancient times,"the danger of Juyong lies not in the pass but in Badaling", so it is called the "Yuguan Heavenly Chasm".

According to historical records, the Great Wall was built in the Badaling area during both the Warring States and the Northern Wei Dynasty. Starting from the 18th year of Hongzhi in the Ming Dynasty (1505), the Badaling Great Wall was built for more than 80 years, totaling more than 1300 miles. This is the Badaling Great Wall we see now. Later, Qi Jiguang, a famous anti-Japanese general, was transferred here to command the defense of the Great Wall and retreated the enemy many times here.

Among the most well-known quotes about the Great Wall, the one who is not a hero before the Great Wall is written by Chairman Mao in "Qingpingle·Liupan Mountain" in October 1935. When Mao Zedong led the Red Army to cross Liupan Mountain during the Long March, he passed through a section of the Great Wall in Xiji County, Ningxia, and was touched by the scene and expressed his lofty ambition to "tie the Canglong." From then on, this heroic saying spread and became the reason why Chinese people must climb the Great Wall.

Although Mao Zedong wrote this poem in Liupan Mountain, no matter which section of the Great Wall you climb and look at the endless dragon lying on the high mountains, it is not difficult to develop "The Great Wall will never fall, thousands of miles of Yellow River water surging".

At the entrance of the Badaling Great Wall and on the side of the city wall, you can see many stone steles saying "Those who are not heroes who have not reached the Great Wall" along the way.

In the northern section of Badaling, there is also a hero's stone standing on the top of the mountain. Standing on the stone, leaning against the Great Wall, facing the mountains, standing with his hands behind his back, with his long sleeves dancing in the wind. Looking at the beauty of the mountains and rivers, we all feel happy and strong and want to fly... Maybe you can have this experience when there are few tourists. Most of the time, there is an endless stream of people taking pictures here. It is already a fluke to take an empty picture, but it is absolutely impossible to stand here and enjoy the scenery.

In addition to Badaling, the Great Wall in Beijing, the Mutianyu Great Wall is also a famous attraction. In terms of scenery, Mutianyu is rich in vegetation and gentle in slope. It is more beautiful than Badaling, and there are relatively few tourists. However, the scenery of Badaling is actually quite good (there were not many people during the epidemic).

In the distance, the mountains are continuous with indigo, and the vegetation nearby is layered with green green. The Great Wall is inlaid among the verdant mountains like a jade belt, undulating and stretching, hidden in the distance like a landscape painting.

The danger of Badaling makes this section of the Great Wall more majestic. In some places, the steep city walls make people shudder. The exposed rocks show the majesty of the natural chasm, which makes people can't help but think: In ancient times without cranes, how did people transport huge rocks to the mountain?

"The Great Wall will never fall." In the thousand-year-old era of cold weapons, the Great Wall defended the invaders 'cavalry most of the time. However, in modern times, when the enemy was armed with aircraft tanks, strong ships and artillery, no matter how high the Great Wall was, the Great Wall could not defend backward China. Therefore, the British, French, and the Eight-Power Allied Forces... They all attacked, burned, killed and looted, and their former glory and glory were burned.

Yuanmingyuan and Summer Palace were victims of that tragic drama.

This part will take you around Yuanmingyuan and Summer Palace.

Yuanmingyuan is a royal garden in the Qing Dynasty. It was once called the "garden in the garden" and "a model of all gardening art". However, this garden in the garden is a dilapidated and dilapidated scene in our impression. If you have no impression of Yuanmingyuan, go to the Internet to search for information, and the most common sight is the dilapidated scene below.

Everyone knows that this is the evil result of modern imperialist aggression against China.

In 1860, the last year of the Second Opium War, the British and French allied forces invaded Beijing, broke into the Yuanmingyuan and Summer Palace, looted cultural relics and burned buildings. A large number of precious cultural relics and buildings were destroyed in the sea of fire.

In 1900, the Eight-Power Allied Forces invaded China and carried out several days of burning, killing and looting in Beijing. The Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan were destroyed again, and almost all cultural relics were looted. After the Eight-Power Allied Forces, bandits rammed freely in the garden, and the former Diaoliang and Painted Buildings eventually turned into broken walls.

Today's Yuanmingyuan can almost be called a relic. Except for a few scattered pavilions and bridges built later, the only thing worth seeing in the park is the collapsed stones-the ruins of Xiyanglou.

The Xiyanglou Site is located in the northeast corner of Yuanmingyuan. It is the first imitation of a European garden in China. It includes landscapes such as Xiexiangqu, Yellow Flower Array, Sparrow Cage, Five Bamboo Pavilion, Square Exterior, Dashui Law, etc. Its unique incomplete beauty has become the symbol of Yuanmingyuan.

Xiexiqiqu was built in the 16th year of Qianlong (1751) and consists of Xiexiqiqu Building, Fountain Group and Water Supply Building. The main building has a semicircular arc, and there is an octagonal hall for playing music at the end of the apartment platform. This is the first European water law hall in Yuanmingyuan.

The bird cage was built in the 24th year of Qianlong (1759). It is a Western Gate leading to the Eastern Garden and is used to cage birds such as peacock birds. To the east is a semi-annular Western archway carved with exquisite brass flower doors, and the rock sparrow cage is decorated with five-color glazed components, which contrasts with the stone buildings.

Yellow Flower Array is located on the north side of Xieqiqu and is a garden modeled after the European labyrinth. The square array of the Yellow Flower Array is a rectangle in the north and south, with doors on all sides. The center of the array is a Western-style pavilion with a high platform, round foundation and eight directions, implying "the sky is round and the earth is square." According to records, every time on the Mid-Autumn Festival night on August 15th, the emperor would hold a light party here. What we see now are all the formation walls and European garden pavilions restored at the original site in 1987 and 1989.

(Garden Pavilion in the center of Huanghuazhen)

Wifanguan is located on the east side of the sparrow cage. It is a two-story, three-room Western-style building. According to records, Wifanguan was converted into a mosque for Consort Rong (Xiangfei) to worship by Qianlong at that time. Two Islamic stone tablets were placed in the temple.

Haiyan Hall is the largest garden landscape in the Xiyanglou Scenic Area. It was built in the 24th year of Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1759). The main building of Haiyan Hall faces west. There are arc-shaped overlapping water jets on the left and right sides of the building. Under the steps is a large water fountain. There are bronze sitting statues of the twelve zodiac animals with the heads of animals arranged in eight characters on the left and right sides of the pool. According to the order of the twelve hours in ancient Chinese timing, each takes turns to spray water from its mouth for an hour. At noon, all the zodiac animals spray water together and it starts again. It is commonly known as the" Water Bell".

The bronze heads of the twelve zodiac fountains in Haiyan Hall were looted during the imperialist invasion. Three of them now exist in France and Taiwan, and the heads of cattle, tigers, monkeys and pigs are now in the Poly Art Museum in Beijing.

Guanshuifa is located opposite the Dashuifa River, where the Qing Dynasty emperors watched the Dashuifa River fountain. There is a throne on the stone platform in the center of Guanshuifa, and behind it is a large stone screen made of five stone carvings side by side, each carved with Western military flags, armor, swords, and guns. There is a white marble square tower on the east and west sides of the screen, and there is a Baroque Western Gate on each side. The throne of Guanshuifa was specially designed to sit in the direction of south and north. This was also a relatively special emperor's throne in ancient Chinese history.

Yuanying Temple was built in the forty-eighth year of Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1783). It is located on a high platform north of Dashui River. The main body is a Western below-style hall. The entire building is all made of high-quality white marble. The patterns on the stone pillars are exquisite and lively. Consort Rong once lived in this garden. After the fifty-eighth year of Qianlong (1793), the celestial orbiting instrument given to the emperor by King George III of England was displayed here.

Finally, let's introduce the iconic Dashapa law in Yuanmingyuan: Dashapa law is a garden landscape with a fountain as the main body. It is surrounded by left and right curved stone steps. The main building is in the form of a giant stone niche. In front of the center, there is a lion's head water-spraying waterfall, forming a seven-level water curtain, spraying water layer by layer. There are turn-tailed stone fish on the bank and in the pool respectively. The water on the bank flows out from the mouth of the "upper fish" and enters the mouth of the "lower fish". This cycle is amazing. There is a copper deer in the center of the pool. Eight water jets are sprayed out from its antlers. Ten copper dogs are scattered on both sides. Water jets are sprayed directly from its mouth to the deer. It is commonly known as the "hunting dogs chasing deer" fountain, which Westerners call it the "Beast War". There is a large Western-style square water spray tower on the left and right sides of the Dashui Law, with a total of thirteen levels. Water waterfalls are sprayed from the top of the tower. There are also 44 copper pipes of various sizes around the tower to spray water together. It is spectacular.

After reading the above introduction, I believe it has aroused everyone's yearning for the original scenery of Xiyang Tower. Those exquisite fountains and elegant buildings will be amazing today. Even from the remaining broken walls, you can also peek into the past. style.

However, this style was actually inconspicuous in the huge Yuanmingyuan at that time.

The area occupied by Xiyang Tower is only 1.5% of the total area of Yuanmingyuan. Moreover, it is located in the remote northeast corner. It is really a "suburb" of Yuanmingyuan. The buildings in the "suburbs" are so beautiful, so you can imagine how beautiful the "center" is.

Today, the ruins of Xiyang Tower have become the symbol of Yuanmingyuan. More and more beautiful buildings in the park have long disappeared in the long river of history and can no longer be restored. Walking through Yuanmingyuan, you can only see empty lawns and rivers. Almost every open space has a glorious history. The tour guide pointed to the air and said: This was once a place where the royal family worshiped Buddha, this was once a place where the prince studied, and this was once a place for aristocrats to enjoy lotus...

Yuanmingyuan is divided into three major areas: Changchun Garden, Qichun Garden and Yuanmingyuan. Except for the small Xiyang Tower, most of the garden landscapes are pavilions and pavilions. There are several large and small lakes in the park, such as front lake, back lake, and Fuhai. There are countless lakes, halls, houses, halls, etc., which now only exist on the map. At most, the stone Xiyang Tower would collapse, while the wooden pavilion Tower would be reduced to ashes in the sea of fire.

(The Hanjing Hall located in Changchun Garden was once the place of cultivation after Qianlong returned to government)

The most vibrant things in Yuanmingyuan today are the wild ducks, red fish and black swans in the lake...

Not far west of Yuanmingyuan is the Summer Palace.

Compared with the Yuanmingyuan, the Summer Palace was much luckier. After being destroyed by the British and French coalition forces, the Qing government rebuilt the Summer Palace, which was less damaged by fire, allowing most of the buildings to remain.

The Summer Palace was built in 1750 and was formerly known as Qingyi Garden. It is the most completely preserved royal garden in ancient China. It consists of Wanshou Mountain and Kunming Lake. It is famous for its precious cultural relics collections and various palaces.

For example:

The longevity star stone you can see after entering from Renshou Gate was moved from Morgen Garden (on the campus of present-day Peking University) when the Summer Palace was rebuilt in the 12th year of Guangxu (1886). It is green and moist in color, and has a unique shape, like a longevity star.

Behind the Shouxing Stone is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, which was the place where Cixi and Guangxu governed the court, received congratulations and received foreign envoys during their stay in the garden.

Yiyun Hall was built in the 15th year of Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1750). After its reconstruction, it became the residence of Queen Yehnara in the garden.

Yulan Hall was the bedroom of Emperor Guangxu when he lived in the garden. It was also the place where he reviewed memorials and handled government affairs. On September 16, 1898, Guangxu summoned Yuan Shikai, who held military power, here, hoping that Yuan would sponsor the reform and reform. After the failure of the Reform Movement of 1898, Emperor Guangxu was imprisoned here.

There are six Chengguan buildings in the Summer Palace, the largest of which is the Wenchang Pavilion shown in the picture below, which is used to cast Wenchang Emperor and Fairy Boy in bronze. The Wenchang Pavilion and the Suyun eaves in Wanshou Shanxi Province for Martial Saints symbolize the "Civil and Military Assistants".

There is also another garden in the Summer Palace-Xieyu Garden, which was built in the 16th year of Qianlong (1751) to imitate the Jichang Garden of Huishan, Wuxi, a famous garden in Jiangnan. There are several acres of square ponds in the garden. There are garden buildings such as buildings, pavilions, halls, boutiques, bridges, and pavilions built along the pond. They are connected by hundreds of verandas that return in three steps and fold in five steps. They are interspersed and have scenery step by step., fascinating.

The Jingfu Pavilion on Wanshou Mountain is the place where Empress Dowager Cixi enjoys the moon and the rain, and also receives foreign envoys here. In February 1942, negotiations for the peaceful liberation of Peiping took place here.

There is also a poetic small hall on Wanshou Mountain called "The meaning is delayed and the cloud is present". The name comes from a poem in Du Fu's "Jiang Ting":"Water flows without competition, but clouds are delayed."

The most eye-catching building in the Summer Palace is the towering Foxiang Pavilion on Wanshou Mountain. It stands on a 20-meter-high stone foundation. It is majestic and is the center of the composition of the whole garden.

The pavilion is dedicated to the copper cast thousand-handed Guanyin made during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It is beautiful, solemn and shining.

Climb the Foxiang Pavilion and you can overlook the panoramic view of Kunming Lake.

Under the Foxiang Pavilion, from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, there are buildings such as the "Yunhui Yuyu" archway, the Pai Yun Hall, the Dehui Hall, and the Wisdom Sea, which together form the main building of Wanshou Mountain.

The Hall of Paying Clouds is the place where Guangxu celebrated the birthday of Cixi. The hall displays birthday gifts presented by princes and ministers at that time.

(Smart Sea located on the top of the mountain)

Come down from Wanshou Mountain and walk along Kunming Lake. The scenery in the lake is very beautiful, and the buildings on the shore are still beautiful.

The Yingli Hall by the lake was originally built by Qianlong for his mother to watch a movie. The ancients often used the call of oriole birds to compare beautiful music, hence the name "Yingli Hall". Hou Cixi often went to the theater here. Today, Tingli Restaurant has become a restaurant specializing in court cuisine. It has received hundreds of heads of state and is a famous court cuisine restaurant in China.

Another famous sight in Kunming Lake is the Qing Yan Boat, built in the 20th year of Qianlong (1755) and named after the meaning of "clear river and sea".

There is also Suzhou Street in the all-encompassing Summer Palace, located in the center of Houhu. The commercial street is built on both sides of the water flow, recreating the prosperity of the Jiangnan water town.

The most conspicuous building on the bank of Kunming is the Langru Pavilion, covering an area of more than 130 square meters. It is the largest paving-style building in ancient China. The plaque hanging in the pavilion contains excerpts of imperial poems made by Qianlong and classical classics.

On one side of the Langruting is a 17-hole bridge, connecting the east embankment and the small island in the lake-Nanhu Island. It is the longest existing bridge in my country's royal gardens. More than 500 stone lions of different shapes are carved on the bridge railing and observation columns. It is a masterpiece among Qing Dynasty stone carving art.

Crossing the 17-hole Bridge, we arrived at Nanhu Island, which is the island in the middle of the lake in front of Kunming Lake, which corresponds to Wanshou Mountain. There are buildings on the island such as Hanxu Hall, Jianyuan Hall, and Yuebo Tower.

Hanxu Hall is an excellent place for emperors and queens to admire the moon in summer and autumn. Qianlong once reviewed the naval drills of Xiangshan Jianrui Camp, and Cixi once reviewed the exercises of the Navy Academy here.

It is already evening after visiting the Summer Palace. There are two black swans swimming on the sparkling water. The picture is warm and romantic.

If this is the first time in Beijing and has limited time and can only visit one attraction, I think most people will choose the Forbidden City.

As the royal palace of the last two feudal dynasties in China, the Forbidden City is the epitome of ancient Chinese architectural culture. Like palaces such as the Kremlin in Russia and the Palace of Versailles in France, it is the essence of a country's traditional culture.

The Forbidden City is also China's largest museum of ancient culture and art, with more than one million precious cultural relics in its collection, accounting for one-sixth of the country's total cultural relics. It is a priceless historical witness of Chinese cultural relics during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Friends who have been to the Forbidden City all know that the Forbidden City is very large. There are more than 70 palaces, large and small, and more than 9,000 houses. Therefore, in this part, I will introduce you to some important buildings.

During the epidemic, it is necessary to enter the Forbidden City from Donghuamen. Donghua Gate is the east gate of the Forbidden City. It was built in the 18th year of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1420). It is close to the Prince's Palace. It used to be dedicated for the Prince to enter and exit the Forbidden City. Generally, there are nine rows of door nails on the palace gate, but only eight rows on Donghua Gate.

Enter the Forbidden City and come to the central axis. On the south side is the Meridian Gate.

The Meridian Gate was built in the 18th year of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1420). It is the main entrance of the Forbidden City and has a "concave" shape. It is centered towards the sun and is located at the meridian, hence the name "Meridian Gate". The Meridian Gate is majestic, like three mountains surrounded by five peaks, majestic and spectacular. It is commonly known as the "Five Phoenix Tower".

White stone bridges and yellow palaces can be seen on the north side of the central axis.

The stone bridge is called the "Inner Jinshui Bridge". There are five in total. It was built in the early Ming Dynasty and the Inner Jinshui River flows through it. The one in the middle is the Royal Road Bridge, which is specially used for the emperor to pass through. On both sides of the bridge are white marble railings, and the capital is carved with cloud dragon patterns, making it the first of the five bridges. The length and width of the bridge on both sides decrease in turn. The capital of the bridge is decorated with twenty-four qi patterns, which is a bridge for princes, ministers, civil and military officials, etc.

After passing through the Inner Jinshui Bridge, you will arrive at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, one of the three halls.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, also known as the "Golden Luan Hall", was built in the 18th year of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1420) to imitate the Fengtian Hall of the Forbidden City in Nanjing. It is the largest existing wooden structure hall in China.

Many people think that the Hall of Supreme Harmony is used for going to court. In fact, it is not. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is generally used for holding major ceremonies. The places where emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties went to court were mainly at Taihe Gate, Qianqing Gate, Qianqing Palace and Yangxin Hall (in the late Qing Dynasty, they attended government affairs from behind the curtain). 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties all held grand ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, such as the emperor's accession to the throne, the emperor's wedding, the appointment of an empress, and the order to go on an expedition. In addition, every year, the emperor accepts civil and military officials here on the three major festivals of Wanshou Day, New Year's Day, and Winter Solstice. Congratulations and banquets are given to princes and ministers.

The plaque of the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the plaque of "Jianji Suiyou", which is the royal pen of Emperor Qianlong (the existing plaque is a replica, and the original was replaced and lost when Yuan Shikai proclaimed himself emperor).

In front of the Taihe Hall, there is a stone sundial and a good quantity, which represent the highest power to grant time to the people of the world, the determination of weights and measures, and the unity of the world.

(Jialiang: Ancient standard measuring device)

(Sundial: Ancient timer)

Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony are the Hall of Zhonghe and the Hall of Baohe.

Zhonghe Hall was the place where the Yellow Emperor received congratulations from officials before attending the grand ceremony. "Neutrality" comes from the Book of Rites, which means that everything should be impartial and appropriate. On the throne in the Hall of Zhonghe hangs the plaque of "Grant and Promise" written by Qianlong's imperial pen, implying that only by implementing the path of justice can the country be governed well.

Baohe Hall was called the "Jianji Hall" in the Ming Dynasty and was the place where the Ming emperor changed his clothes before the grand ceremony. In the second year of Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1645), it was renamed Baohe Hall."Baohe" comes from the Book of Changes, which means maintaining the harmony of all things. Every year on New Year's Eve, Qing emperors entertain ethnic minority princes and ministers here. In the fifty-fourth year of Qianlong (1789), this place became a fixed place for the "palace examination".

The above are the three halls of the Forbidden City. Behind the Baohe Hall, we pass through the Qianqing Gate and arrive at the back three palaces of the Forbidden City, led by the Qianqing Palace.

(Qianqing Gate)

From the Yongle Period of the Ming Dynasty to the Kangxi Period of the Qing Dynasty, the Qianqing Palace was the residence of the Yellow Emperor for handling government affairs and living. Later, Emperor Yongzheng moved his bedroom from the Qianqing Palace to the back hall of Yangxin Hall, and the handling of government affairs was also moved to Yangxin Hall. However, during the Qianlong period, he still handled government affairs in the Qianqing Palace. Qianqing Palace was also the place where the Yellow Emperor died in the Ming and Qing Dynasties to symbolize the "end of his life".

Behind the "Zhengda Mingming" plaque in the Qianqing Palace is the place where the secret storage system created by Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty was stored. The box contains the names of the heirs to the throne selected by the Yellow Emperor and personally written by the Emperor. After the Yellow Emperor died, the box was taken down and jointly verified that the secretly designated prince ascended the throne.

After the Qianqing Palace is the Tai Hall, the intersection of the three later palaces.

"Jiaotai" comes from the Book of Changes, which means that heaven and earth intersect and yin and yang are in harmony. Therefore, Jiaotai Hall is located between Qianqing Palace (heaven) and Kunning Palace (earth).

There is a throne in the middle of Jiaotai Hall. Above the throne is a plaque "Wuwei" copied by Emperor Qianlong's imperial pen of Emperor Kangxi, and there is a screen "Jiaotai Hall Inscription" made by the Emperor Qianlong. The Qing Dynasty emperors received congratulatory greetings again on three major festivals: Qianqiu (the Queen's Birthday), New Year's Day, and Winter Solstice. In the 13th year of Qianlong (1748), Emperor Qianlong deposited the twenty-five seals symbolizing imperial power here.

Behind the Hall of Jiaotai is the Palace of Kunning. Kunning Palace was the bedroom of the queen of the Ming Dynasty. Kunning Palace and Qianqing Palace were the bedroom of the emperor and queen respectively in the traditional sense."Qianqing" and "Kunning" imply that the sky is clear and the earth is peaceful, that is, the sky is brilliant and the earth is rich. The Kunning Palace was built in the 18th year of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. Today, the Kunning Palace was rebuilt in imitation of the Qingning Palace in Shengjing (Shenyang) in the 12th year of Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1655). The door is not centered but oriented to the east, becoming a pocket house with Manchu characteristics. Kangxi, Tongzhi, Guangxu and Puyi all married here.

In addition to the three main halls and the three rear palaces on the central axis, there are also buildings on the left and right sides such as the East Sixth Palace, the West Sixth Palace and the Imperial Garden where the empresses and princes live. Only when you shuttle between the six east and west palaces can you feel the size of the Forbidden City. One courtyard sets up another courtyard, which makes people dazzled and dazzled. With the same red walls and yellow tiles, and similar rooms, it is easy to get lost. I often wonder: Have you just entered this courtyard?

Among these countless courtyards, there are also differences in status. For example, Cining Palace is even more magnificent. During the Ming Dynasty, it was the residence of the imperial concubine. During the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, Empress Xiaozhuang Wen lived here. After that, Cining Palace became the residence of the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager.

Shoukang Palace, not far from Cining Palace, is also a magnificent palace. It was built in the 13th year of Yongzheng (1735) and was built by Emperor Qianlong for his biological mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing. After the death of the Empress Dowager in Chongqing, Emperor Qianlong dedicated a specially made golden pagoda here in memory of his mother.

The Imperial Garden located on the north side of the Forbidden City is still exuding atmosphere despite its exquisiteness. The green pines, cypresses and bamboos in the park are dotted with rocks, forming a garden landscape that is evergreen all year round. The pavilions and pavilions are spread among shady green trees, embodying the idea of unity between man and nature.

The history and culture of the Forbidden City are really rich. Only a few major buildings are introduced here. Other buildings are not covered, and the precious cultural relics stored are not mentioned. Interested friends can go and visit in person. Let's go and visit the Temple of Heaven.

The Temple of Heaven was a sacrificial complex for emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties to worship heaven and valley. It was one of the highest-level and most complete altar and temple buildings in ancient China.

The Chinese custom of worshiping heaven first appeared during the period of Emperor Yao."Records of the Historian" records: "It was the order of Xihe, who was like Haotian, and the calendar was like the sun, the moon and the stars, and worshipped people." Archaeology found that there were more than 30 sacrificial sites in my country during the Neolithic Era. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the sacrifice to heaven and earth in the suburbs became an important national ritual and was included in the "Zhou Rites". Since then, strict etiquette for offering sacrifices to heaven has been formulated in successive dynasties, all derived from the "Zhou Rites".

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the etiquette of worshipping heaven was highly valued by the rulers. From the first time that Emperor Yongle held the Heaven and Earth Joint Sacrifice Ceremony at the Temple of Heaven in the 18th year of Yongle to the last time that he held the Heaven and Earth Sacrifice Ceremony at the Temple of Heaven in the 13th year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, a total of 22 emperors were held at the Temple of Heaven. A grand ceremony was held. In addition to offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, when encountering national events such as natural disasters and quelling rebellions, the emperor also came personally to offer sacrifices or sent officials to sacrifice on his behalf.

The Temple of Heaven includes two altars of Circular Mound and Grain Prayer. The Circular Mound Altar is in the south and the Grain Prayer Altar is in the north. There are two altar walls, forming an inner and outer altar. The altar walls are round in the south and the north, symbolizing the roundness of the sky and the square of the earth. There are mainly buildings such as the Circular Mound Altar and the Imperial Firmament in the Circular Mound Altar, and there are mainly buildings such as the Hall of Prayer for New Year, the Hall of Huangqian, and the Gate of Prayer for New Year in the Grain Altar.

After entering from the north gate, the first thing to come to is the Hall of Prayer for Good Years. The Hall of Praying for New Year was built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. It was originally named the "Da Dian" and was used to worship heaven and earth together. In the twenty-fourth year of Jiajing of the Qing Dynasty, it was changed into a triple-eaves round hall. The roof of the hall was covered with three colors of blue, middle yellow and green glass, implying heaven, earth and all things. It was renamed the "Daxiang Hall". In the 16th year of Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the three-color tiles were changed into a unified blue tile and gold roof, and they were named the "Hall of Prayer for New Year". It was a special building for praying for the valley in the first month. The inner opening of the Hall of Praying for New Year also symbolizes the four seasons, December, twelve o'clock and the stars on the sky. It is the only remaining example of an ancient Mingtang style building.

Another important building in the Temple of Prayer for Grain is the Huangqian Hall, which can be reached from the Hall of Prayer for Nien through a glass glass. Huangqian Hall is a temple dedicated to the divine tablets of the emperor's heavenly god and the emperors 'ancestors.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Years heads south to the Echo Wall. This is a circle of circular walls. The wall is hard and smooth and can reflect sound waves well. Due to the precise circumferential curvature, sound waves can be continuously reflected along the inner surface of the wall and spread forward. If two people are separated under the Echo Wall behind the east and west halls and talk softly, both parties can clearly hear each other's voice, which is very interesting.

The building in the center of the Echo Wall is the Imperial Firmament, built in the ninth year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is the main hall of the Tianku of the Huanqiu Altar, which is used to worship the sacred tablets of the ceremony of worshipping heaven. The imperial dome is covered with blue tiles and gold roofs, exquisite and solemn. The ceiling caisson in the hall is a golden dragon caisson with a green tone, and the center is a large gold group dragon pattern, which is a masterpiece of ancient architecture.

Further south of the Echo Wall is the Circular Mound, built in the ninth year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1530). Because the ceremony of worshipping heaven is held on the stage every winter solstice, it is also known as the "worshipping heaven platform". The number of stone steps for climbing the altar, table stones and stone railings on each floor of the circular mound is a multiple of nine and nine to correspond to the nine heavens and emphasize the supremacy of heaven.

The stone slab in the center of the upper mesa of the circular mound is called the "Tianxin Stone". Nine stone slabs are built on the outer ring, and eighteen stone slabs are built on the outer ring. Later, the stone slabs are increased by nine to eighty-one pieces, implying nine heavens. When a person stands on the Sky Heart Stone and speaks, his voice is very thick and loud.

There is also a group of seven-star stones in Temple of Heaven Park. These are seven giant town stones placed southeast of Daxiang Hall during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. They are engraved with mountain patterns, implying the seven peaks of Mount Tai. After the Manchu entered the Central Plains, in order to show that the Manchu were also a member of China, Emperor Qianlong issued an edict to add a stone in the northeast, implying that China was one family and the country was unified.

In the Temple of Heaven, you can not only learn about the ancient rituals of offering sacrifices to heaven, but also admire the majestic royal sacrificial buildings. The garden is covered with green grass, cypress and cypress, red walls and green tiles, and the scenery is also very beautiful. In the early morning and evening, the Grain Prayer Altar and the Circular Mound Altar have not been opened or closed, and tourists also walk and enjoy the scenery in the park.

The Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven are prominent representatives of Beijing as an imperial city, while the Hutong is a city symbol of Beijing as an old city. To say that the most famous hutong in Beijing is Nanluogu Lane.

Nanluogu Lane is located in the Jiaodou area on the east side of Beijing's central axis. It starts from East Gulou Street in the north and ends at Ping 'an Street in the south. It was built in the Yuan Dynasty and has a history of more than 740 years. It is one of the oldest hutongs in Beijing.

At first, it was named "Luoguo Lane" because its terrain was high in the middle and low in the north and south, like a hunchback man. During the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed "Nanluogu Lane" based on the "Complete Map of the Capital" drawn in the 15th year of Qianlong.

Nanluogu Lane is the street with the most old Beijing flavor. Along the main street, you can encounter many distinctive hutongs-Maoer Hutong, Yuer Hutong... Even the name has a strong Beijing flavor.

(Maoer Hutong)

Nanluogu Lane and its surrounding areas were once the center of the Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, they were a gathering place for dignitaries, and there were countless royal palaces. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the prosperity of Nanluogu Lane slowly came to an end, but there are still various mansions and colorful houses in the alleys, which are profound and profound.

In addition to the flavor of old Beijing, there are also many interesting fashion shops here, such as "Somewhere Elsewhere","Encounter Love at the Corner","Heart is a Lonely Hunter","Ghost Taste"... Just listening to the name of the store makes people look forward to it. Tradition and fashion collide passionately here, creating a fascinating romance and leisurely.

Not far from Nanluogu Lane is Houhai, which is within walking distance. On the way, you also pass another famous alley in Beijing-Yandai Xie Street. It is full of shops selling smoking equipment, antiques, calligraphy and painting, stationery and snacks. It is a combination of commercial atmosphere and cultural charm.

Houhai is an integral part of Shichahai, a huge artificial lake surrounded by various bars. As night falls, the lights begin to turn on, the lakeside path becomes lively, there are pedestrians walking and enjoying the cool under the shade, and the bar is filled with the tone of wine and wine. It is not as noisy as Sanlitun, but it has more tranquility and art.

Feng Tang mentioned "Houhai's courtyard with trees" in "Things You Can Encounter but Not Ask for". However, there are so many trees in Houhai and so many courtyards around it. Why can we encounter but not ask for it...

After the 2008 Olympics, the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube became new landmarks in Beijing. In the Olympic Park where the Bird's Nest and Water Cube are located, there are many eye-catching buildings and sculptures. Let's go and have a look.

(The Xiangyun Torch of the Beijing Olympics)

The "Bird's Nest" is the main stadium of the Beijing Olympics and will serve as the venue for the ice events of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. It is one of the landmark buildings of the Beijing Olympics. The Bird's Nest was designed by 2001 Pritzker Prize winners Herzog and De Meuron in collaboration with Chinese architects. Such a "cradle" for nurturing and caring for life expresses mankind's hope for the future.

(Bird's Nest in the Night)

The Water Cube is the National Aquatics Center. It is located opposite the Bird's Nest. It is the main swimming pool of the Beijing Olympics and one of the landmark buildings of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Water Cube will be transformed into an "Ice Cube" to serve as a competition venue for curling events. The Water Cube and the Bird's Nest are round, embodying the ideas of "the sky is round and the earth is square" and "no rules can be round" in traditional Chinese culture.

There is a sunken garden in the Olympic Park, which includes a shopping center and some antique house buildings. It is full of Chinese elements and demonstrates the historical and modern cultural heritage.

(Tang people playing polo)

(Strange modern sculpture)

There are also two towering buildings in the park that are very eye-catching. One is the Linglong Tower (Olympic Multi-Purpose Studio Tower) and the other is the Sightseeing Tower.

The Linglong Tower is 132 meters high and is located in the middle of the Olympic Park. It is designed to be light, exquisite and transparent. When it was built, its main function was television broadcast, and now it shows the countdown to the opening of the Winter Olympics.

The Sightseeing Tower is located outside the south gate of the Olympic Park and is 246.8 meters high. It is called a "big nail" by netizens because of its slender shape. The Sightseeing Tower consists of 5 independent towers of varying heights and are neatly arranged. The basic shape of the tower is based on the five-ring pattern from low to high. Tourists can take the elevator directly to the top of the tower and have a panoramic view of the entire Olympic Park.

From the park and 798 in the previous article, to today's Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Bird's Nest, the most well-known scenic spots and historic sites in the Imperial Capital of Beijing have been shared with everyone. Next article, we will visit Shanghai, the magic city. It is also a megacity. What different charm does Shanghai have?