China - June 2002

After Morgan got out of school we spent 2 weeks touring in Beijing and Shanxi Provence. Richard had a conference in Beijing so we all tagged along and then continued touring with the group. It was a spectacular trip. We all really enjoyed it.

We spent the first few days in Beijing and hit the main tourist sites:


Tiananmen Square, Entrance to Forbidden City

Forbidden Palace where the emperor lived. All buildings of the Forbidden City are painted in red, the color of good luck.

Princess Rhyana felt right at home at the palace

 

As did warrior Morgan.

 


The Chinese have lions outside of buildings. The lions represent power and are used to protect and chase evil spirits away. There are always two of them, a male and a female. The female sits on the left side and has her right paw on a baby lion whereas the male sits on the right and has his paw on a globe. This picture shows a male lion at the Forbidden Palace

The corner tower of the Forbidden Palace with moat and wall.

Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven was completed in 1420, It was hit by lightning in 1889 and completely restored. No nails or pegs were used in the original construction nor in the restoration. Ming and Qing Emperors traveled each year from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven on the winter solstice and in the first month of the lunar calendar to worship, offer sacrifices to heaven, and to pray for good harvests.

In ancient China, the emperor was regarded as the "Son of Heaven", who administered matters on the earth on behalf of the heavenly authority. To show respect to the heaven, ceremonies for sacrifices to heaven were extremely important to the emperor. The temple was built for the worship of heaven and prayers for good harvests.

Yonghegong Lamasery, (Palace of Harmony),a lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, is was originally built in 1694 as the residence of the Qing Emperor Yongzheng before he ascended the throne and was renamed Yonghegong. Among the treasures in these halls is a 26 meter tall statue of Maitreya (the Smiling Buddha), which is carved out of a single sandalwood trunk.


This statue is in the Guiness World Book of Records as the largest statue sculpted from a single tree.


Morgan turning the prayer wheel

Spikey by the incense
Next Page:  

Go to Page 2: Beijing and Summer Palace

Go to Page 3: Great Wall and Ming Tombs

Go to Page 4: Datong

 

Go to Page 5: Yungang Caves and Hanging Temple

Go to Page 6: Wutai Mountain and Temples

Go to Page 7: Walled City of Pingyao