北京导游词——北京天安门广场

各位游客们，我们现在来到的是世界上最大的城市中心广场，天安门广场，面积达到了44万平方米，而且北京在世界上的地理位置就是以广场的经纬度（东经：116°23′17″，北纬：39°54′27″）来确定的。它坐落在北京市中心，一直注视着北京自古至今的历史变革。在明代，这里曾叫做承天门广场，出现了T型广场，当然，现在已经没有了。清代的时候才改为现在的天安门广场。在辛亥革命以后，天安门广场成了最好的群众运动集结地，著名的五四运动，一二九学生运动等等就是在这里发生的。而在这里最著名的事件，相信大家一定知道，那就是在1949.10.1的开国大典，当时这里聚集了30万人，共同来庆祝新中国的成立。解放以后，将T型广场拆除，建了人民英雄纪念碑，人民大会堂和历史博物馆，革命博物馆等大型建筑。而在76年，毛主席去世后，在原来中华门的位置上建立起了毛主席纪念堂，从而形成了广场今天的建筑格局。而在国庆50周年的时候，天安门广场经历了一系列的整修，使广场更加美丽壮观整洁。各位一定很向往我所描述的天安门广场，没有关系，在接下来的游览过程，我将向大家一一介绍。

明代永乐年间，这里叫做承天门，只是一个木牌坊，取“承天启运，受命于天”之意。可是明代的时候被烧毁了，后来修建了面阔九间，进深五间的城楼，真正体现了帝王的九五之尊。但是明朝末年，又被毁了。而在清顺治年间，重修城楼以后，改名为天安门，将另外的三个皇城门儿都改名为带安字的，将故宫三大殿都改名为带和字的，体现了内和外安的美好愿望。这就是我们现在所看的城楼，它由城基、城台、城楼三个部分组成。基座是汉白玉须弥座，这是我国古代最高等级的基座，高1.59米。城台高14.6米。而城楼重檐歇山顶，这也是当时殿宇屋顶的最高等级。整座建筑高33.7米，在70年重修后，升高了一米。 这座建筑等级非常高的城楼，它的作用也同样非常重要。明清时候，凡是遇到国家大典，都要在城楼上举行“金凤颁诏”的仪式，（就是颁诏时，在城楼正中堞口设宣诏台。宣诏后，用黄丝线机上一只木雕金凤，金凤口中衔着诏书顺墙而下，礼部官员用朵云盘接住，然后放入龙亭，颂到礼部，随后颁布天下。）而且每当皇帝出宫祭祀的时候，这里是必经之路。对于新中国最重要的时刻也是这里产生的，毛主席就是在天安门城楼上庄严宣告新中国成立，并且亲自生气了新中国第一面五星红旗。在城楼上挂的毛主席画像，在每年国庆之前都要更换一次。 在天安门城楼前面的这一条河，被称为金水河。那这里为什么被称为金水河呢？因为这条河是从北京的西北方向被引过来的，而在阴阳五行中，西属金，北属水，所以这条河命名为金水河，而河上的7座汉白玉桥，就是金水桥。其中最旁边的这两座桥叫做公生桥，分别对应着太庙和社稷坛，也就是现在的劳动人民文化宫和中山公园。而中间的这座是御路桥，是皇帝皇后专用的，它旁边的两座是皇族桥，供宗室王公行走，在旁边的两座是品级桥，只有三品以上的官员才可以通过。

在金水桥前面，左右各有一个石狮子。左边的是雄师，右边的是雌狮。我们是如何分出雌雄的呢？因为雄师脚踩的是绣球，而雌狮则是幼狮。现在为了保护文物，这对狮子已经被围栏保护起来了。在天安门前后各有一对华表，其实华表的原名叫做诽谤木，是皇帝为了表示自己能够采纳意见和接受意见而设立的，逐渐演变成了今天的华表。它的顶端的异兽叫做吼，北华表上的叫做望君出，意思是为了让皇帝出宫体察民情 ，而南端的 则叫望君归，意思是皇帝不要留恋宫外的花花世界，应该及时回宫处理政务。

现在请大家向后转，在我们身后，就是天安门广场。在明清时候，这里是成T字型的，中间是南北走向的御路，在御路两侧，建有千步廊，两边都有廊房110间，到了长安街南侧，在随着红墙向东西两侧延伸，有廊房34间，所以千步廊共有228间廊房。而在御路的最南端明代时是大明门，清朝则改为大清门；东西两侧的门分别是长安左门和长安右门，也分别称为龙门和虎门，因为在科考之后，黄榜在长安左门公布，考中的进士要从这里进入皇城，

所以称之为龙门，而虎门的来由则是每年霜降以后，朝廷都要对犯人进行审查，而审定的犯人则被带出长安右门，等于落入虎口，所以称为虎门。而订立这些，都是与五行有关。 在我国古代，有文东武西之说，所以在千步廊东西两侧就是五府六部的所在地。在广场东侧，现在的历史博物馆一带，基本上都是中央文职机关，而西侧，也就是人民大会堂一带，则是五军都督府和特务机构锦衣卫。为了方便这些官员进入皇城，所以就在龙门虎门外各建了一道南北走向的大门，东公生门和西公生门。

现在我们已经看不到那时候的痕迹了，取而代之的是更有历史意义和政治特色的现代化建筑。

在广场西侧，是人民大会堂。它于19xx年10月动工，历时一年，在59年国庆节前就完工了，占地面积17.18万平方米。整座建筑像一个“山”字，中央最高处是46.5米，是整个天安门广场中的最高建筑。大会堂分为三个部分：中央是万人大礼堂，总面积达36000平方米，有席坐一万个，礼堂顶部有巨大的红五角星，放出70到光芒，整个穹顶的装饰布局不仅很壮丽，而且还象征着万民一心，团结在党中央周围；北部是宴会厅，总面积7000多平方米是我国最大的宴会厅；南部则是人大办公楼，这里包括全国37各省市自治区直辖市特区格局特色的会议厅，例如重庆厅，香港厅等等。 在广场东北部是中国革命博物馆，61年7月1日正式对外开放，主要展品是五四以来的革命资料，而周恩来同志纪念馆爷在博物馆中，展品内容极为丰富。广场东南部是中国历史博物馆，它的前身是北京历史博物馆，在26年改为国立历史博物馆，过了4年，改为中央研究院北平历史博物馆，而在34年4月，这里又改为中央博物馆筹备处、北平历史博物馆。它的展品内容是从奴隶制社会夏商周直到清王朝灭亡数千年历史的文物，货币，图画等30多万件，分朝代展出。

正对着天安门城楼的是人民英雄纪念碑。根据49年9月中国人民政治协商会议第一届全体会议的决议，在天安门广场修建了人民英雄纪念碑，向全国征集了240多幅设计方案，选出了3个方案，最后决定以梁思成的设计方案为主，在综合其他三个方案，融为一体。也就是我们今天所看到的纪念碑。52.8.1正式兴建，在58.4建成，5.1隆重揭幕。重达百吨的碑芯巨石是由青岛运来北京的，经过一系列的加工雕琢后，成品高14.7米，宽2.9米，厚1米，重60吨，碑身有413块花岗岩组成。而石碑基座是由17000多块花岗岩和汉白玉组成，面积为3000多平方米。

纪念碑的正面向着天安门，刻有镏金板镶嵌，毛主席亲笔书写的“人民英雄永垂不朽”，背面则是由毛主席起草，周总理书写的158字的碑文（三年以来，在人民解放战争和人民革命中牺牲的人民英雄们永垂不朽 三十年以来，在人民解放战争和人民革命中牺牲的人民英雄们永垂不朽，由此上溯到一千八百四十年，从那时起为了反对内外敌人，争取民族独立和人民自由幸福，在历次斗争中牺牲的人民英雄们永垂不朽）。碑座四周共有8幅浮雕，高2米，总长40.68米。从东面起，由历史顺序排列，依次是：虎门销烟，今田起义，武昌运动，五四运动，五卅运动，南昌起义，抗日战争，胜利渡江。在胜利渡江的两旁，还有两幅装饰性的图案，内容是：支援前线和欢迎人民解放军。全部浮雕共有180个人物。 在人民英雄纪念碑南边，就是毛主席纪念堂。纪念堂在1976.11.24动工兴建，仅用了六个月，就全部建成。于毛主席去世一周年时正式开放。在纪念堂北门前有东西两组泥塑，都以革命史诗为内容。主体建筑南门则是以继承毛主席遗志、各族人民显示出无比信心为内容的。南门外的30面红旗，代表了我国三十各省市自治区。纪念堂的台基四周是用来自大渡河畔的枣红色花岗岩砌起，基石周围砌进了来自珠穆朗玛峰的石头和浇灌了台湾海峡的水。整个纪念堂主体建筑由三个部分组成：一进入碑大厅，迎面有三米高的毛主席塑像，这里市举行纪念活动的地方；从北大厅南侧的金丝楠木大门进去，就是瞻仰厅，毛主席的遗体就安放在这里；瞻仰厅的南侧是南大厅，毛主席的《满江红》诗词镌刻于这里。三个大厅的东西两侧，有休息厅和老革命家纪念室，现在信增了邓小平和陈云同志的纪念室。 在毛主席纪念堂后面，就

是内城的正门——正阳门。在过去，正阳门就是全国最高的建筑，取意：圣主当阳、日至中天，万国瞻仰的意思。现在这里是北京所剩的唯一保存完整的城楼和箭楼。

在明清时代，西城和南城市民来往的交通枢纽是棋盘街，现在位置大概在毛主席纪念堂和正阳门城楼之间的广场上。

其实天安门广场还有一个非常著名的景观，那就是升旗和降旗仪式，每天都会有数以万计的人来观看仪式。我国国旗图案的设计者是曾联松，第一面国旗制作者是国营永茂实业公司的宋树信，这面特大的国旗长5米多，宽3米多，在开国大典上，毛主席亲手升起了这面象征新中国诞生的国旗。

天安门广场原来的旗杆基座是封闭的，升降旗不方便，而且设备已经陈旧，所以在1991.2.25改建新基座，同时改建旗杆。新基座平面为三层，第一层是汉白玉制成，四周都有出入通道，第二层是红褐色花岗岩，象征人民江山万代红，第三层是绿化带，象征社会主义祖国欣欣向荣，另外，四周是56个金黄色铜制的隔离墩，象征着56个民族手拉手、心连心团结在国旗下。

新的旗杆是首钢制造的无缝钢管制成，分4节，重7吨，高32.6米，20年不会锈蚀。 在每旬的第一天或者国家重要庆典，都要举行节日升降旗仪式，其他日子也要举行平时升降旗仪式。每天升旗的时间以日出为准，降旗则是以日落为准，要奏国歌，节日的时候是军乐队现场演奏，而平时则是放录音。如果各位有兴趣，也可以在方便的情况下来观看这一重要景观。

第二篇：北京各大景点英文导游词

The Great Wall

The Great Wall, like the Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal(1) in India and the Hanging Garden of Babylon(2), is one of the great wonders of the world. Starting out in the east on the banks of the Yalu River in Liaoning Province, the Wall stretches westwards for 12,700 kilometers to Jiayuguan in the Gobi desert, thus known as the Ten Thousand Li Wall in China. The Wall climbs up and down, twists and turns along the ridges of the Yanshan and Yinshan Mountain Chains through five provinces--Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu--and two autonomous regions--Ningxia and Inner Mongolia, binding the northern China together.

Historical records trace the construction of the origin of the Wall to defensive fortification back to the year 656 B.C. during the reign of King Cheng of the States of Chu. Its construction continued throughout the Warring States period in the fifth Century B.C. when ducal states Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Qin were frequently plundered by the nomadic peoples living north of the Yinshan and

Yanshan mountain ranges. Walls, then, were built separately by these ducal states to ward off such harassments. Later in 221 B.C., when Qin conquered the other states and unified China, Emperor Qinshihuang ordered the connection of these individual walls and further extensions to form the basis of the present great wall. As a matter of fact, a separate outer wall was constructed north of the Yinshan range in the Han Dynasty(206 BC--1644 BC.), which went to ruin through years of neglect. In the many intervening centuries, succeeding dynasties rebuilt parts of the Wall. The

most extensive reinforcements and renovations were carried out in the Ming Dynasty (1368--1644) when altogether 18 lengthy stretches were reinforced with bricks and rocks. it is mostly the Ming Dynasty Wall that visitors see today. The Great Wall is divided into two sections, the east and west, with Shanxi Province as the dividing line. The west part is a rammed earth construction, about 5.3 meters high on average. In the eastern part, the core of the Wall is rammed earth as well, but the outer shell is reinforced with bricks and rocks. The most imposing and best preserved

sections of the Great Wall are at Badaling and Mutianyu, not far from Beijing and both are open to visitors. The Wall of those sections is 7.8 meters high and 6.5 meters wide at its base, narrowing to 5.8 meters on the ramparts, wide enough for five horses to gallop abreast. There are ramparts, embrasures, peep-holes and apertures for archers on the top, besides gutters with gargoyles to drain rain-water off the parapet walk. Two-storied watch-towers are built at approximately 400-meters internals. The top stories of the watch-tower were designed for observing enemy

movements, while the first was used for storing grain, fodder, military equipment and gunpowder as well as for quartering garrison soldiers. The highest watch-tower at Badaling standing on a hill-top, is reached only after a steep climb, like "climbing a ladder to heaven". The view from the top is rewarding, hoverer. The Wall follows the contour of mountains that rise one behind the other until they finally fade and merge with distant haze. A signal system formerly existed that served to communicate military information to the dynastic capital. This consisted of beacon

towers on the Wall itself and on mountain tops within sight of the Wall. At the approach of enemy troops, smoke signals gave the alarm from the beacon towers in the daytime and bonfire did this at night. Emergency signals could be relayed to the capital from distant places within a few hour long before the invention of anything like modern communications. There stand 14 major passes (Guan, in Chinese) at places of strategic importance along the Great Wall, the most important being Shanghaiguan and Jiayuguan. Yet the most impressive one is Juyongguan, about 50

kilometers northwest of Beijing. Known as "Tian Xia Di YI Guan" (The First Pass Under Heaven), Shanghaiguan Pass is situated between two sheer cliffs forming a neck connecting north China with the northeast. It had been, therefore, a key junction contested by all strategists and many famous battles were fought here. It was the gate of Shanghaiguan that the Ming general Wu Sangui opened to the Manchu army to suppress the peasant rebellion led by Li Zicheng and so surrendered the whole Ming empire to the Manchus, leading to the foundation of the Qing

Dynasty. (1644-1911) Jiayuguan Pass was not so much as the "Strategic pass Under the Heaven" as an important communication center in Chinese history. Cleft between the snow-capped Qilian Mountains and the rolling Mazong Mountains, it was on the ancient Silk Road. Zhang Qian, the first envoy of Emperor Wu Di of the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C-24 A.D), crossed it on his journey to the western regions. Later, silk flowed to the west through this pass too. The gate-tower of Jiayuguan is an attractive building of excellent workmanship. It has an inner city and an outer city, the former square in shape and surrounded by a wall 11.7 meters high and 730 meters in

circumference. It has two gates, an eastern one and a western one. On each gate sits a tower facing each other. the four corners of the wall are occupied by four watch towers, one for each.

Juyongguan, a gateway to ancient Beijing from Inner Mongolia, was built in a 15-kilometer long ravine flanked by mountains. The cavalrymen of Genghis Khan swept through it in the 13th

century. At the center of the pass is a white marble platform named the Cloud terrace, which was

called the Crossing-Street Dagoba, since its narrow arch spanned the main street of the pass and on the top of the terrace there used to be three stone dagobas, built in the Yuan

Daynasty(1206-1368). At the bottom of the terrace is a half-octagonal arch gateway, interesting for its wealth of detail: it is decorated with splendid images of Buddha and four celestial guardians carved on the walls. The vividness of their expressions is matched by the exquisite workmanship. such grandiose relics works, with several stones pieced together, are rarely seen in ancient Chinese carving. The gate jambs bear a multi-lingual Buddhist sutra, carved some 600 years ago in Sanskrit(3), Tibetan, Mongolian, Uigur(4), Han Chinese and the language of Western Xia. Undoubtedly, they are valuable to the study of Buddhism and ancient languages. As a cultural heritage, the Wall belongs not only to China but to the world. The Venice charter says: "Historical and cultural architecture not only includes the individual architectural works, but also the urban or rural environment that witnessed certain civilizations, significant social developments or historical events." The Great Wall is the largest of such historical and cultural architecture, and that is why it continues to be so attractive to people all over the world. In 1987, the Wall was listed by

UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site. Notes:1. the Taj Mahal in India 印度的泰姬陵2. the Hanging Garden of Babylon 巴比伦的空中花园3. Sanskrit 梵语4. Uigur 维吾尔语

There stand 14 major passes (Guan, in Chinese) at places of strategic importance along the Great Wall, the most important being Shanghaiguan and Jiayuguan. Yet the most impressive one is Juyongguan, about 50 kilometers northwest of Beijing.

Known as "Tian Xia Di YI Guan" (The First Pass Under Heaven), Shanghaiguan Pass is situated between two sheer cliffs forming a neck connecting north China with the northeast. It had been, therefore, a key junction contested by all strategists and many famous battles were fought here. It was the gate of Shanghaiguan that the Ming general Wu Sangui opened to the Manchu army to suppress the peasant rebellion led by Li Zicheng and so surrendered the whole Ming empire to the Manchus, leading to the foundation of the Qing Dynasty. (1644-1911)

Jiayuguan Pass was not so much as the "Strategic pass Under the Heaven" as an important

communication center in Chinese history. Cleft between the snow-capped Qilian Mountains and the rolling Mazong Mountains, it was on the ancient Silk Road. Zhang Qian, the first envoy of Emperor Wu Di of the Western Han dynasty (206 B.C-24 A.D), crossed it on his journey to the western regions. Later, silk flowed to the west through this pass too. The gate-tower of Jiayuguan

is an attractive building of excellent workmanship. It has an inner city and an outer city, the former square in shape and surrounded by a wall 11.7 meters high and 730 meters in

circumference. It has two gates, an eastern one and a western one. On each gate sits a tower facing each other. the four corners of the wall are occupied by four watch towers, one for each.

Juyongguan, a gateway to ancient Beijing from Inner Mongolia, was built in a 15-kilometer long ravine flanked by mountains. The cavalrymen of Genghis Khan swept through it in the 13th

century. At the center of the pass is a white marble platform named the Cloud terrace, which was called the Crossing-Street Dagoba, since its narrow arch spanned the main street of the pass and on the top of the terrace there used to be three stone dagobas, built in the Yuan

Daynasty(1206-1368). At the bottom of the terrace is a half-octagonal arch gateway, interesting for its wealth of detail: it is decorated with splendid images of Buddha and four celestial guardians carved on the walls. The vividness of their expressions is matched by the exquisite workmanship. such grandiose relics works, with several stones pieced together, are rarely seen in ancient Chinese carving. The gate jambs bear a multi-lingual Buddhist sutra, carved some 600 years ago in Sanskrit(3), Tibetan, Mongolian, Uigur(4), Han Chinese and the language of Western Xia. Undoubtedly, they are valuable to the study of Buddhism and ancient languages.

As a cultural heritage, the Wall belongs not only to China but to the world. The Venice charter says: "Historical and cultural architecture not only includes the individual architectural works, but also the urban or rural environment that witnessed certain civilizations, significant social

developments or historical events." The Great Wall is the largest of such historical and cultural architecture, and that is why it continues to be so attractive to people all over the world. In 1987, the Wall was listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.

故宫

hello, everyone，we are now going to pay a visit to a place of special interest. this scenic spot is located at the center of beijing and is characterized by thousands of palatial architectures and purple walls as well as yellow glazed tile roofs- it is simply a sea of palaces. this is the world – famous wonder – the palace museum.

the palace museum has served as the royal residence during the ming and qing dynasties. it

was here that a total of 24 monarchs ascended the throne and wielded power for some 500 years. the palace museum, as the most beautiful spot of interest throughout beijing, is unique for its location: to the northwest is beihai(north sea) park, famous for its white pagoda and rippling lake; to the west is the zhongnahai (central and south sea); to the east lies the the wangfujing shopping street; and to the north id jinshan park. standing in the wanchun (everlasting spring) pavilion at the top of jingshan(charcoal hill) park, you overlook the skyline of the palace museum. at the southern end of the palace is tian` anmen (gate of heavenly peace) and the famous square named after it . this is the symbol of the people` s republic of china. a world-famous historical site, the palace museum is on the world heritage list of unesco and is an embodiment of oriental civilization. the palace museum is rectangular in shape, 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meters wide from east to west, covering a space of 720,000 square meters of which 150,000 is building area . it has 9000-strong rooms in it . according to legend there are 9999.5 room-units in all .the whole compound is enclosed by a 10-meter-hign wall and is accessed through four entrances, namely, the meridian gate in the south ,the gate of military prowess in the north, donghua(eastern flowery ) gate in the north, donghua ( eastern flowery) gate in the east and

xihua(western flowery ) gate in the west. on each corner there is a turret consisted of 9 roof beams, 18 pillars and 72 ridge . encircling the compound there is a 3,800-meter-long and 52 meter-wide moat, making the palace museum a self-defensive city-within-a city.

the palace museum was made a center of rule during the ming dynasty by zhun di, the fourth son of the founding emperor zhuyuanzhang. the whole complex straddles on an 8-kilometers-long central axis that stretches from yongding (forever stable) gate in the south to gulou (drum tower) in the north. prominence was given to the royal power by putting the “three main front halls” and “three back halls ”on the axis while arrange other subsidiary structure around them .the

construction of the palace museum involved manpower and resources across china. for example, the bricks laid in the halls ,known as “gold brick, ” underwent complex, two –dozen processes. as the final touch ,the fired bricks were dipped in chinese wood oil. involving complicated processes and high cost, these brick are called “golden bricks.” the palace museum serves as a living

embodiment of good tradition and styles unique to china` s ancient architecture. it reflects to the full the ingenuity and creativity of the chinese working people. a carefully preserved and complete group of royal residences, the palace museum is a prominent historical and tourist site.

what we are now approaching is the main entrance to the palace museum-the meridian gate, which is characterized by red walls, yellow glazed –tile roofs and upturned eaves. on top of this walls, yellow glazed-tile roofs and upturned eaves. on top of this magnificent building ,there stand five lofty halls with a main hall in the center. the main hall is roofed by multiple eaves and covers a space of 9 room-units. it is flanked by two wings on each side .the wings are square in shape ,complete with multiple and four edged eaves and pinnacles. all of these structures are connected by a colonnade. because these halls resemble a soaring bird, it was also know as wufenglou (five-phoenix tower) . inside the main hall there is a throne. drums and bells were

stored in the wings. whenever the emperor presided over grand ceremonies or observed rites in the hall of upreme harmony, drums, bells and gongs would be struck to mark the occasion.

as the legend goes, the meridian gate used to be a place where condemned ranking officials would be executed. this not true. however, flogging was carried out here by the ming emperors ,if a courtier falls afoul of the emperor, he would be stripped of his court dress and flogging with a stick .at one point the punishment became so harsh that a total of 11 people died from fatal wound on a single occasion .on the other hand, this building was also used to observe important occasions like the traditional chinese lantern festival (15th day of the first lunar month). on these occasions, chinese lanterns would be hanged and sumptuous banquets would be given in honour of the whole court of ministers and other ranking officials.

upon entering the meridian gate we began our tour of the palace museum. the river foowing in front of us is known as jin shui he (golden water river) and the five marbles bridges spanning it are known as the inner golden water bridges. the on in the middle was used exclusive by the emperor and its banisters were carved with dragon and phoenix designs. the bridges flanking the imperial one were reserved for princes and other royal members. the rest were used by palatines. aside from decoration, the golden water river was also dug as precaution against fire. most of the structures within the palace museum are made of wood. what is more ,according to ancient

chinese cosmology, the south is the abode of fire, so this brook was dug on the southern tip of the palace. in this way, the palace museum reflects traditional chinese culture.

this building is called the gate of supreme harmony .in the foreground stand two bronze lions. can anybody tell which is male and which is female? the one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. the other on the west with a cub cuddling

underneath its claw is female? the one on the east playing with a ball is male, symbolizing power and universal unity. the other on the west with a cub cuddling underneath its claw is female, representing prosperity the endless succession. a layout of the palace museum is posted by the entrance . from it ,you can see that the palace museum has two main parts: the forecourt and the inner court. the three main halls constitute the mainstay of the forecourt, and it was here that the emperor announced decisions and observed rites. behind the forecourt there is the inner court, consisting of major halls and the imperial garden .it was where the emperor attended state affairs, lived and enjoyed his luxurious life. the exhibition system of the palace museum involves

historical court relics and articles of ancient art and culture. the palace museum houses nearly one million articles of rare treasure, or one sixth of the total number in all of china `s museums. there are the three main halls of the palace museum, built on a triple marble terrace . since most of china `s architecture is made of wood, the buildings cannot be too tall. to gain the height of the

architecture, ingenious ancient artisans built the hall on a gigantic stone terrace .it is also to this end that not a single plant was grown in the square. on stairways of triple marble terrace there are 18 bronze tripods .the verandah is flanked by bronze tortoises and cranes, which served as symbols of longevity .on the east is a sundial, an ancient timepiece. on the west there is a grain measure suggesting that the emperor was just and equitable.

in the front and on each flank ,there is a pair of gilt bronze vats (caldrons ) molded during the reign of emperor qianlong of the qing dynasty .each of these weights 2 tons and is filled with water as a precaution in the event of a fire .the structure in the very middle is the hall of supreme harmony ,also known as the throne hall. it is 64 meters in width and is 38 meters from entrance to rear. with terrace exclusive ,the hall is 26.92 meters in height and is 35.03 meters in all .covering and areaof 2,377 square meters, the hall of supreme harmony is china` s largest exiting wooden structure. the hall is supported by 6 thick ,round pillars carved in a design of coiling dragons. as the holiest place in the hall, the ceiling and colored patterns were made of the finest material available at that time. the throne was placed on a terrace and is flanked by statues of elephants, luduan (a unicorn which could travel 18,000 kilometers a day and understand all languages), cranes and incense barrels .over the throne there is the caisson ,or covered ceiling ,which consists of a coiling dragon playing with a ball in its mouth .this ball is known as xuanyuan mirror ,and was supposedly made by a chinese emperor of remote times to serve as a reminder that thee rulers

to follow were his hereditary heirs. the throne is made of nanmu and painted in

gold .magnificently built and luxuriously decorated ,this hall did not serve as a place in which the emperor attended to daily affairs. he used his hall for major events such as his birthday, conferral of title of empress or dispatch of generals to war.

behind the hall of supreme harmony ,there sits the hall of complete harmony. this structure is square in shape .each side is 24.15 meters. this was the place where the emperor relaxed and greeted his courtiers before proceeding to the hall of supreme harmony to observe rites. this was also the place where the emperor prepared prayers or examined seeds and sowers before he attended ancestral sacrifices or participated in snowing ceremonies. a grand ceremony was also held here once every 10 years for the emperor to genealogize the royal blood. there are two sedan chairs on display in the hall. behind the hall of complete harmony ,you will see the hall of preserving harmony, which was used as a place where imperial examinations were held. the imperial examination was the hignest level of competing for meritorious appointment under the feudal system dating back to the sui dynasty. china` s last imperial examination was held in 1904 during the reign of emperor guangxu of the qing dynasty. to the rear of hall there is a marble ramp carved with cloud and dragon designs, the largest of its kind in the whole country . it is 16.57 meters in length, 3.07 meters in width, 1.7 meters thick and weighs 250 tons. it was quarried in fangshan county in suburban beijing. to bring this giant piece of stone to beijing people poured water onto the road and applied rolling blocks during the process.

we are now standing before the square of the hall of heaven purity. it served as a divide

separating the forecourt from the inner court .this building is known as the gate of heavenly purity. emperor qianlong held court here. proceeding further north ,you can find three main rear halls ,i.e. the hall of heavenly purity. the hall of union and peace and palace of earthly tranquility. the hall of heavenly purity if flanked on either side by two gates named after the sun and moon .inside the enclosure there are 12 palaces and halls symbolizing constellations. all of the other buildings are centered around the palace of heavenly purity , which was meant to suggest that the monarch` s power was endowed by heaven. the empress and concubines lived in the inner court.

the hall of heavenly purity was where the emperor lived and attended to daily affairs. later the emperor moved to live in the palace of mental cultivation. looking up you can see a plaque bearing the chinese inscription “be open and above-board,” a manifesto to court struggle .behind the

plaque a strongbox was stored containing a will bearing the name of the would –be royal successor. this approach of secretly selecting the next emperor was adopted by emperor

yongzheng of the qing dynasty. two copies of the will were prepared .one was stashed by the

emperor in person ,the other was placed inside the strong box behind the plaque. after the death of the emperor, the two copies would be compared and successor would be announced. it was in this way that emperor qianglong and others have ascended the throne.

behind the hall of heavenly purity you will see the hall of union and peace , which is

indentical to the hall of complete harmony. it was there that the emperor received congratulations and tributes from imperial officials on major calender occasions , a total of 25 imperial seals are stored there. in the hall, you will see a plaque with the handwritten inscription of “we wei,” exhorting taoist doctrines.

further northward is the palace of earthly tranquillity, which once served as the living room of the empresses` . the hall was later converted into a sacrificial place .through the windowpanes on the eastern wall you can see the royal bed decorated with dragon and phoenix designs. this hall has also served as the bridal chamber of monarchs.

the gate of earthly tranquilliity leads to the imperial garden (known to westerners as qianlong` s garden ),which was used by the emperor ,the empress, and the concubines. a

magnificent structure stands in the middle. it is called the qin `s an (imperial peace) hall. it is the only building in the palace museum that was built in taoist style. it served as a shrine to the taoist deity. the garden covers a space of 12,000 square meters ,and is 130 meters from east to the west and some 90 meters from north to the south. there are a dozen halls, verandahs, pavilions and waterside houses in the garden . on each of the fur corner there is a pavilion dedicated to the four seasons which is different in construction style and shape. the garden also features an imperial landscape. with rare trees and exotic rockery, the imperial garden served as a model for china` s imperial parks .in all ,a total of 10-strong building styles were applied.

the tall building we are now passing is the gate of military prowess, the back door of the palace museum. our visit is now drawing to a conclusion but the architectures of the palace are not . on the other side of the road is the 43-meter-hign charcoal hill , providing natural protection for the forbidden city. this was also an embodiment of china` s construction style-putting a pool in

the front and a hill in the rear. now let` s climb up to wanchun (everlasting springs ) pavillion where we` ll have a great view of the palace museum.

颐和园 the tour will take 4-6 hours. the route is as follows: out side the east gate-side the east gate –in front of the hall of benevolence and longevity- in front of garden of virtuous harmony-in front of the grand theater building- a lakeside walk from the garden of virtuous harmony to the hall o jade ripples- in front of the o jade ripples- in front of the yiyunguan (chamber of mortal being)-hall of happiness and longevity- in front of the yaoyue (chamber of mortal beings)-hall of happiness and longevity-in front of the yaoyue(inviting the moon ) gate of the long corridor- strolling along the long corridor- visiting an exhibition of cultural relics- in front of the hall of dispelling clouds- inside the hall of dispelling clouds- atop the tower of buddhist incense- on a hilltop leading from the back door of the tower of buddhist incense- on a hilltop leading from the back door of the tower of buddhist incense- inside the garden of harmonious interest –outside the south gate to suzhou shopping street- atop the stone bridge inside the suzhou shopping street –on the road from the south gate of suzhou shopping street- on the road form the south gate of suzhou shopping street to the marble boat- in front of the ruins of the garden of complete spring –along the lakeside by the marble boat-boating on the kunming lake-leaving out through the east gate. (out side the east gate) ladies and gentlemen: welcome to the summer palace. (after the self-introduction of the guide -interpreter) i hope this will be an interesting and enjoyable day for you . during our tour, you will be introduced to time honored historical and cultural traditions, as well as picturesque views and landscapes. the construction of the summer palace first started in 1750. at that time, the qing dynasty was in its heyday and china was a powerful asian country with vast territories. the monarch in power then was emperor qianlong. with supreme power and large sums of money, he summoned skillful and ingenious artisans from all over the country to carry out this construction work in honor of his mother `s birthday. after 15 years and one seventh of the nation` s annual revenue spent, the garden of clear ripples was completed and served as a testimony to china` s scientific and technological achievements. in 1860, this vast royal garden was burnt down along with the yuanming yuan (garden of perfection and brightness) by

angol-french allied forces. in 1888, empress dowager cixi reconstructed the garden on the same site and renamed it the garden of nurtured harmony (summer palace). characterized by its vast scope and rich cultural embodiments, the summer palace has become one of the most famous tourist sites in the world. this is the main entrance to the summer palace-the east gate on top of the eaves of the door there is a plaque bearing a chinese inscription which means “garden of nurtured harmony” , whose calligrapher was emperor guangxu. the gate that you are now entering was used exclusively by the emperor, the empress and the queer mother. all others used the side doors.

(inside the east gate) the summer palace can be divided into two parts: longevity hill and kunming lake .the whole garden covers an area of 290 hectares, of whih three- fourths consists of a lake and rivers .this imperial garden features 3,000 room-units and covers an expanse of 70,000 square meters with more than 100 picturesque spots of interest. the layout of the summer palace includes three groups of architectures: palaces where the emperor attended to state affairs, resting palaces of the emperor and empress, and sightseeing areas. entering the east gate we will come the the office quarters. entering the east gate we will come to the office quarters. the annex halls on both sides were used for officials on duty. this is the gate of benevolence and longevity. above the door there is a plaque bearing the same name in both chinese and manchurian characters. the gigantic rock in the foreground is known as taihu rock, or eroded limestone, quarried in jiangsu province and placed here to decorated the garden. on the marble terrace sits a bronze mythical beast, known as qilin or xuanni . it was said to the one of the nine sons of dragon king. a point of peculiar interest is that it has the head of a dragon, antlers of a deer, the tail of a lion and hooves of a ox, and is covered with a unique skin. it was considered an auspicious creature that brought peace and prosperity. this grand hall is the hall of benevolence and longevity. it was built in 1750 , and was known as the hall of industrious government. emperor qianlong ruled that the halls where monarchs attended to state affairs would be named after them . after the rebuilding of

the summer palace, the hall was renamed, suggesting that benevolent rulers would enjoy long lives. the arrangement of the hall has been left untouched. in the middle of the hall stands a throne made of sandalwood and carved with beautiful designs. in the background there is a screen carved with nine frolicking dragons. on either side of the throne there are two big fans made of peacock feathers, two column-shaped incense burners, crane-shaped lanterns and an incense burner

assuming the form of luduan, a mythological animal which was suppose to have the power to

prevent fire. the small chambers on eight side were where the emperor qianlong and empress dowager cixi rested and met officials on formal occasions. on the verandah in the foreground of the hall there are bronze statues of dragon and phoenixes which served as incense burners on major occasions. they are hollow and smoke comes through holes on their backs. also on the veranda are tai ping (peace) bronze water vats made during the reign of emperor qianlong. as a precaution in case of fire, a fire was lit underneath the vats in the winter to keep the water in them from freezing. (at the entrance of garden of virtuous harmony) we are now visiting the garden of virtuous harmony, where emperor qianlong and empress dowager cixi were entertained with beijing opera performances. it mainly consists of the dressing house, the grand theater building and the hall of pleasure smiles. the grand theater building known as the “cradle of beijing opera” was uniquely laid out and magnificently decorated. on september 10, 1984, the garden of virtuous harmony opened its doors to visitors. there are also 7 exhibition halls with articles of daily use on display here. the staff here put up court dresses of qing dynasty in order to give the visitor a more vivid impression. (in front of the grand theater building) this building is 21 meters in height and 17 meters in width and features three tiers of tilted eaves and stages. all of the stages are connected to a raise ,and a winch is installed at the top. a well and 5 ponds were sunk under the ground stage. there are trapdoors in the ceiling for fairies to descend, as well as on the floor for demons to surface. the underground passages also served as a means of improving resonance and making the performers` voices more audible .of the three main theater building of the qing dynasty, the grand theater building is the tallest and the largest. the other two are changyin (fluent voice ) pavilion in chengde, an imperial summer resort. the building played a major part in fostering the birth and development of beijing opera: since the completion of the grand theater building, many performances were held in it in honor of the empress dowager cixi. (a lakeside walk from the garden of virtuous harmony to the hall of jade ripples) we are now standing in the middle of a rockery behind the hall of benevolent and longevity. it appears that there` s nothing special ahead. however, after we clear the rockery, we will reach kunming lake. this is a application of a specific style of chinese gardening. not far away in the lake there is a islet. it is filled with peach and weeping willow trees and serves as a ideal place to

appreciate the scenery. the pavilion on the islet is called zhichun (understanding spring) pavilion

and is chardcterized by four- edged, multiple eaved roofs. (in front of the hall of jade ripples) this group of special and quiet courtyard dwelling is the hall of jade ripples. it was first used by emperor qianlong to attend to state affairs. it was also where emperor guangxu of the late qing dynasty was kept under house arrest. this hall is a hallmark of the reform movement of 1898, emperor guanxu was empress dowager cixi` s nephew. after emperor tongzhi died, empress dowager cixi made her nephew, who was at that time four years old a successor in order to continue her wielding of power behind the scenes. when emperor guanxu was 19 years old ,empress dowager cixi relinquished power to him but continued to exert considerable influence. in 1898, the reform movement took place with the aim of sustaining the corn principles of the qing dynasty while reforming outdated laws. the movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by empress dowager cixi. the emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and emperor guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .all the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. emperor guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. the wall remains intact for tourists to see.. dynasty while reforming outdated laws. the movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by empress dowager cixi. the emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and emperor guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .all the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. emperor guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. the wall remains intact for tourists to see. (in front of yiyunguan (chamber of mortal beings) this was where empress and empress dowager of china` s feudal system. however, emperor guanxu was not the last emperor of the qing dynasty. the last in the line was emperor puyi, who ascended the throne in 1908 at the age of three, too young to be married . in 1912, he was forced to abdicate. during the short reign of emperor puyi. empress longyu handled state affairs on his behalf in the name of empress dowager. in 1911, a revolution led by dr. sun yat-sun succeeded, and the year after, empress longyu announced the abdication of the last

emperor of china. (in the hall of happiness and longevity) the aged empress dowager cixi was

so fond of the summer palace that she decided to live here from april through october of every year. this group of buildings served as her residence.

this group of courtyard dwellings consists of a forecourt and a backyard with annex courts on each side .the whole compound was basically made of wood, which is ideal for ventilation and lighting . with its quiet and tasteful layout, the hall of happiness and longevity made life very easy and convenient. no wonder one of empress dowager cixi` s pleasure boat. on the pier there is a tall lantern post. flanking the staircase leading to the main entrance of the hall, there are bronze cranes, deer and vases, symbolizing universal peace. the interior layout is the same as the imperial court, with throne, a large table and incense burners placed in the middle. at mealtime, eunuchs-in –waiting would make a gigantic table out of this table and empress dowager cixi would dine on 128 courses. because of this more than 1,800 tales of silver would be spent each month on meals. on the east side of the living room is the cloak room. the bedroom in on its west. in front of the yaoyue (inviting the moon ) gate of the long corridor the famed long corridor is ahead. facing kunming lake and in the foreground of longevity hill, the long corridor stretches from yaoyue (inviting the moon ) gate to shizhang (stony old man) pavilion. it is 728 meters in length and consist of 273 sections and connects four octagonal pavilions. in 1990 ,it was listed in guinness book of world records. (strolling along the long corridor)

the long corridor is one of the major structures of the summer palace .since the corridor was designed to follow the physical features of the southern slope of longevity hill , four

multiple-eaved, octagonal pavilions (beauty-retaining pavilion, enjoy-the ripples pavilion, autumn water pavilion and clarity distance pavilion) were placed at bends and undulation. thus sightseers will hardly notice the rise and fall of the terrain. as a major part of the architectural style of the summer palace, the long corridor serves as an ingenious connector between the lake and the hill. scattered buildings on the southern slope were linked to creat a unified complex. this corridor can also be called a “corridor of paintings ”: there are more than 14,000 paintings on its beams. some of them are of birds, flowers and landscapes of the west lake in hangzhou, zhejian province. others present scenes from literary classics. the majority of the landscape painting were done under the order of emperor qianlong, who preperred the scenery of south china. (by the door

leading to the exhibition of cultural relics) this group of temple-shaped structures are known as

qinghua (clarified china) hall ,also known as arhat hall during the reign of emperor qianlong. the original hall burned down in 1860. after it was reconstructed, it was renamed. qinghua hall is now used as a exhibition hall displaying rare cultural relics collected in the summer palace. the hall

consists of 6 exhibition rooms with tens of thousands of articles of treasure on display in turn.

among the exhibits there are bronze ware, porcelain, jade assemblages from the ming and qing

dynasties, and rare and paintings. there is also a gigantic stone slab, which is more than 3 meters in height and width. it bears the handwritten inscriptions of emperor qianlong is commemoration of the suppression of a rebellion in the xinjiang region. only this slab survived when the

angle-french allied forces set fire to the summer palace. (in front of the gate of dispelling clouds) now we are approaching the central part of the structures on the lakeside slope, the tower of

buddhist incense within the hall of dispelling clouds. the hall of dispelling clouds was where

numerous palatines kowtowed to empress dowager cixi. it was surrounded by galleries and

flanked by annex halls. in the forecourt there is a pool and marble bridges . starting from the

lakeside, there lies in succession a memorial archway, the gate of dispelling clouds, the hall of

dispelling clouds and the tower of buddhist incense. all of these structures are built on a central

axis and each is taller than its predecessor. this was designed to give prominence to the last

structure, the tower of buddhist incense, which was a symbol of imperial power. the layout of this group of architectures was based on scenes described in buddhist sutras. this group of structure are among the most magnificently constructed here in the summer palace. (inside the hall of dispelling clouds) the original buildings on this site were burned down by the anglo-french allied forces in 1860. a new set of structures was built during the reign of emperor guanxu, and was called the hall of dispelling clouds, suggesting that it was a fairyland. the hall was built on a high terrace, and has 21 room. inside the hall are a throne, screens, tripods and mandarin fans. on a platform you will see bronze dragons, phoenixes and tripods. at the foot of the platform there are four bronze water vats, the ancient form of fire extinguishers. the 10th day of lunar october was ,empress dowager

cixi` s birthday. on that day ,she sat on the throne here to receive congratulations and gifts. now we are going to pay a visit to the highlight of the summer palace- the tower of buddhist

incense. what we are now standing on is a stone terrace which is 20 meters in height. it has a semi housed stairway of 100 steps, you will live for 100 years. so, let` s go ! (in the front of the tower of

buddhist incense) an octagonal structure with three storeys and quadruple eaves, the tower of

buddhist incense is the very center of the summer palace, and is one of the masterpieces of ancient chinese architecture. the tower is 41 meters in height, and is buttressed by 8 solid pillars made of lignumvitae logs. with its complex structure, ingenious layout, towering terrace and convincing grandeur, the tower of buddhist incense was artfully set out by the imperial gardens and beautiful scenery surrounding it .the tower overlooks kunming lake and other picturesque spots within an area of tens of kilometers .on the west side of the tower stands baoyunge (precious cloud pavilion). it is made of bronze and is7.5 meters in height and 270 tons in weight. it resembles its wooden counterparts in every detail. it is one of the largest and most exquisite bronze pavilions still on existence in china. lamas prayed here during the reign of emperor qianlong in honor of the

monarchs and their families. at the turn of the century 10 bronze windows were spirited abroad. in 1992 an american company bought the windows and returned them intact to china. (on a hilltop leading from the back door of tower of buddhist incense)

now we can see the long and snaking western causeway and a shorter dike that divides kunming lake into three areas that contain south lake island, seaweed-viewing island and circle city island. the three island represent three mountain in ancient chinese mythology, i. e. penglai, fangzhang and yingzhou. this peculiar method of incorporating a lake a three mountains within a single garden was a brainchild of emperor wudi of the han dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, bearing testimony to feudal monarchs` s longing for longevity. as the legend goes many heavenly elixirs grew on the three mythical islands. using artificial building techniques, the ancient chinese built this masterpiece based on the myth to make the mythical on appear to be accessible to humans. (inside the garden of harmonious interest) setting a garden within a larger garden has been one of china traditional architectural styles. the garden of harmonious interest serves as a fine example of this. this garden was built under the order of emperor qianlong and modeled after the jichang garden (garden of ease of mind )at the foot of mount huishan, jiansu province. it was renamed by his son emperor jiaqing in 1811. the existing garden was rebuilt by emperor or guangxu. empress dowager cixi used to go fishing here. the garden features 10 waterfront

platforms, pavilions and halls as well as hundreds of galleries with all of its structures facing the lake and pools, the garden of harmonious interest is basically a garden of waterscape. spanning the

vast expanse of the lake and pools are five bridges, each quite different from the others. the most famous of them is the bridge known as “knowing –the fishing-bridge.” it is said that more than 2,500 years ago during the warring states period, two philosophere named zhuang zi had an interesting argument by the side of a pond. zhang said, ”fish swim to and fro in the water. what happy fish!” hui asked , ”you are not a fish. how do you know they are happy? ” zhuang replied, “you are not me .how do you know i don’t know? ” hui signed, “i am not you ,therefore, i don’t know you . and you are not a fish ,so how do you know that fish are happy? ” zhang said, “you ask me how i know fish are happy, why do you keeping me the same question?”

although the garden of harmonious interest was designed after jichang garden, it not only absorbed the original designs, but exceeded it . (outside the south entrance to suzhou shopping street) now lets have a look at longevity hill. on the back slope of the hill stands a group of architectures. the centerpiece of structures there are known as the four continents and are dedicated to buddhism. this group was laid out and arranged in accordance with buddhist cosmology. aside from a main shrine and structures embodying the four continents, there are eight towers representing minor continents. the shrine is surrounded by four lamaist pagodas and between the major and minor continents, there two platforms representing the sun and the moon. the qing authority attached great importance to buddhism. to further strengthen ties with the ethnic minorities who practiced buddhism, the monarchs incorporated both han and tibetan styles of architecture into this group of temples. further north at the foot of the four major continent lies the suzhou shopping street. built along the back lake of the summer palace, this street stretches about 300 meters and features more than 60 stores. it includes restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops banks, drugstores dye houses and publishing houses. in order to recreate the atmosphere of ancient times, visitors will have the chance to exchange their money to ancient style chinese coins for use here. storefronts are trimmed with traditional signboards and ornaments. the commercial culture of the mid-18th

century has thus been recreated. (atop the stone bridge inside the suzhou shopping street) visitors may be surprise to see that this shopping street is almost the same as that in south china. as a matter of fact, this street was designed after the shops along the canals in suhzhou. originally known as emperor` s shopping street, it was built during the reign of emperor qianlong. after making several inspection tours to south china and being duly impressed by its commercial prosperity, emperor qianlong ordered the construction of this street. the imperial shopping street

was burnt down by anglo-french allied forces in 1860. the site remained desolated until 1987, when reconstruction began. it was opened to the public in september 1990. with commercial culture as its hallmark, the suzhou shopping street is a vivid representation of china` s traditional cultures. (on the road from the south fate of the suzhou shopping street to the marble boat) this is the hall of pines. from it to the west we can walk to the marble boat. the path we aree taking stretches between longevity hill and back lake. monarchs and their cohorts used to stroll along it .hence it was named central imperial path. along this path you will see lilacs all around. hence, this road is also known as the path of lilac. (in front of the ruins of the garden of complete spring) quite a few unique structures were burnt down during the reign of emperor qianlong, among which the garden of complete spring was one of the most famous. the ruined and desolate courtyard by the roadside was its original site, it remains to be restored. this group of structures cover an area of 4,000 square meters and features a number of halls built on three different levels. all of the structures were connected with galleries and stone staircases. with its natural and ingenious combination of pavilions, a hall, galleries and rooms, the garden of complete spring serves as a fine model for other gardens. emperor qianlong frequently visited this compound. (along the lakeside by the marble boat) now we have returned from the back of longevity hill to the front. there is the famous marble boat. this structure is 36 meters in length and its body was made of marble. on top of it is a two storeyed structure. the floor was paved with colored bricks. all of the windows are inlaid with multi-colored glass and the ceiling was decorated with carved bricks. the drainage system channels rain water down through four hollow concrete pillars and into the lake through the mouth of dragon heads. according to a book written by emperor qianlong, the boat was used for enjoying the scenery and was supposed to be symbolic of the stability of the qing dynasty. halfway up the slope there stands the hall for listening to orioles . the ancient chinese liken the warble of an oriole to beautiful songs and melodies, hence the name of the hall which used to be a theater. now the hall is one of the most famous restaurants in china, featuring imperial dishes and desserts. it is a must for many foreign visitors to have lunch here when then come to beijing. more than one hundred heads of state worldwide have dined here and the late premier zhou enlai has held banquets here in honor of state guests. (sightseers who want to try the

restaurant can go boating after they eat. those who do not can go abroad right away. those who do not feel like taking the boat can stoll along the long corridor to the outside of the east gate).

(boating on kunmin lake) we are now going to enjoy the lakeside scenery from a pleasure boat. as a main part of the summer palace, kunming lake covers an area of 220 hectares, or three fourths of the combined space of this summer resort. this natural lake is more than 3500 years old. this lake was originally called wengshan lake. in 1749 emperor qianlong ordered the construction of qingyi garden, the predecessor of the summer palace. involving nearly 10,000 laborers, the lake was expanded and turned into a peach-shaped reservoir, the first of its kind for beijing. from 1990 to 1991, the beijing municipal government ordered the first dredging of the lake in 240 years .involving 200,000 men and hundreds of dredgers and other tools, a total of 625,600 cubic meters of sludge was dredged and 205 bombs dropped by the japanese during the anti-japanese war were removed. the summer palace set a precedent for sightseeing by boat. there used to be a large imperial flotilla, of which the “kunming merry dragon” was the most famous. it was

destroyed by the anglo-french allied forces in 1860. to make the tour of the summer palace a more pleasant one, a large pleasure boat “tai he ” (supreme harmony )was built. this double –decked boat is 37.09 meters long,8,59 meters wide and 10.49 meters high. it can travel at a speed of 9 kilometer per hour. small pleasure boats are also available to tourist. another major spot of interest on the western causeway is jingming (bright view ) hall. both its front and rear face the lake. this structure also features three two- storeyed halls of varying heights. our tour is drawing to a close as we approach the shore. today we only visited the major scenic areas of the summer palace. i have left other spot of interest for your next visit. i will show you out through the east gate. i hope you enjoyed today` s tour. thank you .good-bye and good luck.

天安门

Tian’anmen Rostrum

Tian’anmen( the Gate of Heavenly Peace), is located in the center of Beijing. It was first built in 1417 and named Chengtianmen( the Gate of Heavenly Succession). At the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was seriously damaged by war. When it was rebuilt under the Qing in 1651, it was renamed Tian’anmen, and served as the main entrance to the Imperial City, the administrative and

residential quarters for court officials and retainers. The southern sections of the Imperial City wall still stand on both sides of the Gate. The tower at the top of the gate is nine-room wide and five –room deep. According to the Book of Changes, the two numbers nine and five, when combined, symbolize the supreme status of a sovereign.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Tian’anmen was the place where state ceremonies took place. The most important one of them was the issuing of imperial edicts, which followed these steps:

1) The Minister of Rites would receive the edict in Taihedian( Hall of Supreme Harmony), where the Emperor was holding his court. The minister would then carry the decree on a

yunpan( tray of cloud), and withdraw from the hall via Taihemen( Gate of supreme Harmony)

2) The Minister would put the tray in a miniature longting( dragon pavilion). Beneath a yellow umbrella and carry it via Wumen( Meridian Gate), to Tian’anmen Gate tower.

3) A courtier would be invested to proclaim the edict. The civil and military officials lining both sides of the gateway beneath the tower would prostrate themselves in the direction of the emperor in waiting for the decree to the proclaimed.

4) The courtier would then put the edict in a phoenix-shaped wooden box and lower it from the tower by means of a silk cord. The document would finally be carried in a similar tray of cloud under a yellow umbrella to the Ministry of Rites.

5) The edict, copied on yellow paper, would be made known to the whole country.

Such a process was historically recorded as “ Imperial Edict Issued by Golden Phoenix”.

During the Ming and Qing dynasties Tian’anmen was the most important passage. It was this gate that the Emperor and his retinue would go through on their way to the altars for ritual and religious activities.

On the Westside of Tian’anmen stands ZhongshanPark( Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Park), and on the east side, the Working People’s Cultural Palave. The Park was formerly called Shejitan( Altar of Land and Grain), built in 1420 for offering sacrificial items to the God of Land. It was opened to the public as a park in 1914 and its name was changed in 1928 to the present one in memory of the

great pioneer of the Chinese Democratic Revolution.

The Working People’s Cultural Palace used to be Taimiao( the Supreme Ancestral Temple), where tablets of the deceased dynastic rulers were kept.

The stream in front of Tian’anmen is called Waijinshuihe( Outer Golden River),with seven marble bridges spanning over it . Of these seven bridges,historical records say the middle one was for the exclusive use of the emperor and was accordingly called Yuluqiao( Imperial Bridge). The bridges flanking it on either side were meant for the members of the royal family and were therefore called Wanggongqiao( Royal’s Bridges). Farther away on each side of the two were bridges for officials ranking above the third order and were named Pinjiqiao( ministerial Bridges). The remaining two bridges were for the use by the retinue below the third order and wre called Gongshengqiao( common Bridges). They anr the one in front of the Supreme Ancestral Temple to the east and the one in front of the Altar of land and Grain to the west.

The two stone lions by the Gate of Tian’anmen, one on each side were meant as sentries. They gaze toward the middle axis, guarding the emperor’s walkway. In front of the gate stands a pair of marble columns called Huabiao. They are elaborately cut in bas-relief following the pattern of a legendary dragon. Behind the gate stands another pair of similar columns. The story of

Huabiao may be traced to a couple of sources. One of the versions accredits its invention to one of the Chinese sage kings named Yao, who was said to have set up a wooden pillar in order to allow the ordinary people to expose evil-doers, hence it was originally called a slander pillar. Later it ws reduced to a signpost, and now it serves as an ornament.

The beast sitting on the top of the column is called” hou”, a legendary animal, which is said to have been a watcher of an emperor’s behaviour. He was doing such duties as warning the

emperor against staying too long outside the palace or indulging in pleasure and urging him to go to the people for their complaints or return in due time. Therefore, the two pairs of beasts were given the names” Wangjunhui”( Expecting the emperor’s coming back) and

“ wangjunchu”( Expecting the emperor’s going out) respectinvely.

In the old days, Tian’anmen, as a part of the Imperial City, was meant for important occasions. The two rows of chaofang( antechamber), on the sides behind the main gate, wre reserved for civil and military members of the government waiting for imperial audience and in front of the gate, were offices of imperial administration.

On October 1, 1949, chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed on Tian’anmen Rostrum the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Since then Tian’anmen has been the symbol of New Chine\a. Chairman Mao’s portrait is hung above the central entrance, flanked by two slogans:” Long Live the Great Unity of the Peoples of the World”. Today , the splendour of Tian’anmen attracts million of visitors from all over the world. The Rostrum on its top was opened in 1988 to the

public for the first time in its history. It offers a panoramic view of the Square and the city proper. Tian’anmen Square Situated due south of Tian’anmen, the Square has an area of 44

hectares( 109 acres) that can accommodate as many as one million people for public gatherings. It has witnessed may historical events in China’s modern history and is a place for celebrations on such festive days as international Labour Day on May 1st and national Day on October 1st. Around the Square are several famous buildings:

1 The Great Hall of the People

This is one of the largest congressional buildings in the world. Built in 1959, the hall consists of three parts: a 10,000-seat auditorium in the center, a banquet hall in the north wing facing Chang’an Street, with a seating capacity of 5,000, and offices for the Standing Committee of the National Peoples’ Congress of China in the south. In addition, thirty-four reception

chambers are named after various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly unde the Central Government, plus Hong Kong and Macao. Each is different from the other in decoration and furnishings to stress their local features.

2 The Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution

These two museums were also built in 1959. the museum of Chinese History houses a permanent

exhibition in four parts, covering the entire process of Chinese history spanning from 1.7 million years ago to 1919: 1) The Primitive Society( 1.7 million years ago to the 21st century BC);

2) The Slave Society(21st century BC to 476 BC.);

3) The Feudal Society(475 BC. To 1840 AD.);

4) The Semi-Colonial and Semi- Fedual Society(1840 to 1919.) The Museum of the Chinese Revolution covers the period from 1919 to 1949.

3 The Monument to the People’s Heroes the monument was built in memory of thousands of martyrs who died for the revolutionary cause of the Chinese people. Its construction began on August 1, 1952 and was not completed until 1958. in the form of an obelisk, the Monument as made of more than 17,000 pieces of tranite and white marble. The purple piece inlaid in the front of the Monument was brought from Qingdao, Shandong Province. It is 38 meters(124ft 8 in) high, the loftiest of its kind ever seen in the country. Not only is it an historic memorial for immortal heroes, but also it is an artistic work of excellent architectural value.

On the front side of the Monument is an engraved inscription in Chinese characters written by Chairman Mao Zedong, which reads” Eternal Glory to the People’s Heroes!”. On the back of the Monument is an article written by Chairman Mao, but in Chinese calligraphy by the late Premier Zhou Enlai.

At the top of the Monument are eight gigantic carved wreathes of such flowers as peony, lotus and chrysanthemum, symbolizing nobility, purity, and fortitude. At the base of the monument are eight marble reliefs depicting the Chinese historic events since 1840. They are:

1) The Burning of Opium in 1840:

2) The uprising of 1851 in Jintian, Guangxi;

3) The Revolution of 1911;

4) The May Fourth Movement of 1919;

5) The May 30th Movement of 1925;

6) The Uprising of 1927 in Nanchang, Jiangxi;

7) The War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression from 1937 to 1945;

8) The Victorious Crossing over the Yangtze River by the Peoples’s Liberation Army in 1949. This relief is flanked by two smaller ones—“ Supplying the Front” and “ Greeting the P.L.A.”. 4 Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum

Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Pepublic of China, passed away on Sepember 9, 197

6. In commemoration of this great man, a mausoleum began to be constructed in November 1976, and was completes in August the following year. The Mausoleum was officially opened on September 9, 1977.

The mausoleum is surrounded by four groups of sculpture. East of the northern entrance is the sculpture depicting the period of the New Democratic Revolution( 1919-1949), and west of it is the one signifying the great achievements of the Chinese people during the period of slcialist revolution and construction since 1949. The sculptures in front of the southern gate are figures of workers, peasants soldiers, intellectuals, technicians and children.

Inside the Mausoleum are three main sections: A white marble statue of Chairman Mao is mounted on a platform in the front lobby. On the wall behind the statue is a

24-metre-long( 79-foot-long) tapestry, a fine needlepoint work with beautiful landscapes of the country.

In the main hall there is a crystal coffin, in which Chairman Mao’s body lies stately with the Communist Party’s flag covering over him.

On the wall of the southern lobby, a poem by Chairman Mao and in his own calligraphy is inscribed in gold inlay. It expresses his full great expectations for the country.

Tian’ anmen Square has now completed its renovation after eight months’ hard work to welcome the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic in 1999.

天坛

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Welcome to the temple of Heaven. (After self-introduction) preserved cultural heritages of China. There are basically two kinds of visitors who come here: local pensioners who do exercises here in the morning and evening and sightseers both from home and abroad. All in all ,there are 12 million visitors very year. Now we are going to go along the route that leads to the alter. It will take roughly one hour. Mind you ,the emperor also walked along this route to pay tribute to the God of Heaven.

(Along the Southern Sacred Road leading to the Circular Mound Altar)

The largest group of architectures ever to be dedicated to Heaven ,the Temple of Heaven served as an exclusive altar for Chinese monarchs during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was decreed that rulers of successive dynasties would place altars in their own capitals to worship Heaven and pray for good harvest. But why ?

The ancient Chinese believed that Heaven was the supreme ruler of the universe and the fate of mankind ,and thus worshiping rites dedicated to Heaven came into being.

The Heaven the ancient Chinese referred to was actually the Universe, or nature. In those days, there were specfic rites of worship. This was especially true during the Ming and Qing dynasties when elaborate ceremonies were held.

The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 during the reign of Emperor Youngle of the Ming

Dynasty. Situated in the southern part of the city ,this grand set of structures covers an area of 273 hectares. To better symbolize heaven and earth ,the northern part of the Temple is circular while the southern part is square .The whole compound is enclosed by two walls, a square wall outside a round one. The outer area is characterized by suburban scenery, while the inner part is used for sacrifices. The inner enclosure consists of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and the Circular

Mound Altar.

(Along the Imperial Passage leading from the Southern Lattice Star Gate in front of the Circular Mound Altar)

the Circular Mound Altar is enclosed by two walls ,each containing four groups of Southern

Lattice Star Gate, each in turn consisting of three doors, with 24 marble doors altogether. Standing on the passage facing north, you will notice that with each pair of doors on is narrower than the other. This reflects the feudal hierarchy: the wider door was reserved for monarchs, while the narrower one was used by courtiers.

On the day of the ceremony ,the emperor would don his ritual costume and be ushered in by the official in charge of religious affairs. He ascended the three terraces in the forefront to pay tribute at the alter.

(Atop the Circular Mound Alter)

we are now on the top terrace of the Altar, or the third terrace .Each terrace has a flight of 9 steps. At the center of this terrace lies a round stone surrounded by 9 steps. At the center of this terrace lies a round stone surrounded by 9 concentric rings of stone. The number of stones in the first ring is 9, in the second ,18, up to 81 in the 9th ring. Even the number of carved balustrades on these terraces is a multiplee of 9. But why?

According to ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang were two opposing factors. Heaven and the odd numbers belonged to yang while the Earth and even numbers belonged to yin. Nine was the largest heavenly number accessible to man . What is more, the ancient people also believed that heaven consisted of nine layers and that the emperor` s abode was on the uppermost tier.

Once more look at the round stone in the center. The upper terrace is nine zhang (a Chinese unit of length, one zhang equals 3.3 meters ) in circumference ,while the middle is 15 zhang, the lower, 21 zhang. Classified as yang numbers, the sum of these numerals is 45 zhang which was meant to symbolized success. What is more, by applying the concept of odd numbers and strengthening nine and its multiples, the concept of heaven was thus illustrated and realized . The concept of nine will also be mentioned when we visit some other buildings.

Now I will give you a brief account of what happened here annually on the Inter Solstice. The memorial tablet dedicated to Heaven would be set up on the north side of the terrace, while tablets dedicated to the emperor `s ancestors would be enshrined on the flanks. The service would begin

around 4 o` clock in the morning. All of the lanterns would be lit .In the foreground, a sacrificial calf is being barbecued. On the square in front of the altar, the emperor, under heavy escort of nearly a thousand courtiers, princes of royal blood ,musicians, dancers and uniformed soldiers, would slowly ascend the altar to offer sacrifice and pray in honor of Heaven. When the service drew to a close ,the sacrifice offered in front of the memorial tablets would be incinerated .All of participants would watch the thick smoke rise upward as if they were seeing God off .Music and dancing would follow .In the end ,the emperor would return to the Forbidden City secure in the belief that he would be blessed and protected by Heaven until the next winter Solstice. It is interesting to note that ,the stone in the very middle of the altar was of major

importance ,since it was where the emperor used to stand to say his prayer. The stone ,which is known as the God`s heart Stone, is peculiar in that it is characterized by a specific acoustic phenomenon: it made the emperor` s voice clearer and louder, thus adding to the mystic

atmosphere of the service .You can try this out by yourself. (Proceed northward to pass through the Lattice StarGate)

(In front of the Gate of glazed tiles)

this structure is known as Heaven` s Storehouse. It is entered through the Gate of glazed Tiles. The roofing ,beams, and brackets are all made of glazed tiles or bricks. This is the only structure of its kind in china today .

the Heaven` s Storehouse was where memorial tablets dedicated to the gods were kept. Douglas Hurd, a former British foreigh secretary ,once said , “God attends to His affairs on the Cir4cular Mound Altar but stays here. ” Now let` s go in to to see it (Go through the left side door) (In the courtyard of Heaven` s Storehouse)

this is the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the main structure of Heaven` s Storehouse. It was built in 1530 and is 17 meters in height and 19 meters in diameter. The structure feature blue roofs topped by a gilded ball ,and carved wooden doors and windows. It is decorated with colored paintings. Founded on a 3-meter-hign round marble terrace ,the building also features a gigantic carved marble ramp laid in the stone staircase leading up to the front entrance.. The ramp is carved in “Two dragons Playing with a pearl ” design in relief. We will enter the main hall by going up the stone staircase on the eastern side.

(On the marble terrace of the main hall)

the arch of the hall is buttressed by 16 giant pillars on two rings. On top of the pillars there are gilt brackets supporting a circular caisson ,or covered ceiling .The ceiling is characterized by a golden coiling dragon design. The 8 pillar of the inner ring are painted scarlet and decorated with golden lotuses.

To the north of the hall there is a marble pedestal. Atop it ,up a wooden flight of 9 steps, is where the major tablet dedicate to Heaven was enshrined. On each flank four tablets are enshrined in honor of the ancestors of the Qing emperors. In the annex hall in hornor of the ancestors of the Qing emperors. In the annex halls in the courtyard, there are tablets dedicated to the deities of the sun, moon ,constellation, cloud ,rain, wind and thunder.

(Echo Wall and Triple –sound Stones)

Aside from exquisitely laid out architectures, Heaven` s Storehouse is also famous for two

structures with peculiar acoustic features, i. E. the Echo Wall and the Triple- Sound Stone. A mere whisper at any point close to the wall can be heard clearly on the other side, although the parties may be 40 or 50 meters apart. This is possible because the wall is round and hermetically constructed with smooth ,solid bricks.

In front of the steps leading away from the halls is the Triple Sound Stone. If you stand on the first stone and call out or clap your hands, the sound will echo once; on the second stone, the sound will be heard twice; and on the third stone, the sound will repeat three times. Hence the name. (Go out through the right door and stroll along the circular path northward)

(Nine-Dragon Cypress)

the Temple of Heaven is also famous for its cypress trees-there are more than 60,000 cypress trees in all ,among which over 4,000 are more than one hundred years old ,adding to the solemn atmosphere of the temple .This tall cypress was planted more than 500 years ago. Its thick branches and twisting trunk resembling nine coiling playful dragons; thus it is known as the

Nine-Dragon cypress. It is said that this tree was here to welcome the monarchs. Now it is here to welcome visitor from all over the world.

(In the south of Chengzhen Gate)

now we are back again on the Central Axis. This brick-arched gate is known as Chengzhen (Adopting Fidelity) .This gate is the northern gate of the Circular Mound Altar and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is situated at the extreme end of the

axis. It was used by the emperor in the first month of every lunar year for services dedicated to good harvest.

(On the Red Stairway Bridge)

entering the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, we set foot on a raised passage 360 meters long, which the emperor also took to proceed to the hall. This broad north-south walkway, called

Danbiqiao (Red Stairway bridge), connects the two sets of main building in the Temple of Heaven and constitutes a single axis.

The passage is divided into left, control and right paths by the cross arrangement of slabs. The central and the widest path is known as Heavenly Thoroughfare , which was reserved exclusively for God; nobody, including the emperor, was allowed to set foot onto it . The emperor used the path on the east ,which is known as the Imperial Walk. The ministers and princes used the one on the west .Interesting enough ,there is no walkway left for ordinary people. This is because the Temple of Heaven used to be off-limits to them.

Contrary to appearances, this walkway is not a bridge at all . But how so ? This road is 4 meters above the ground and there is a cavern underneath that was reserved for sacrificial oxen and sheep. The cattle were slaughtered at a slaughterhouse about 500 meters away and brought here for sacrifice. All in all ,it can be said this walkway did serve as bridge and can be looked upon as the first cloverleaf in Beijing.

Looking back at the thoroughfare, you may realize that this walk is gaining height toward its northern end. As people approach the architectural group of the Hall of Prayer for good Harvest, the flanking groves of cypress recede and perspective widens. Here you are in Heaven.

(Costume-Changing Terrace)

the marble terrace up ahead is called jufutai, or CostumeChanging Terrace. It is located to the east of the Red Stairway Bridge and covers a space of 25 square meters .IT has marble Slab

balustrades. The day before the service ,officials in charge would put up a yellow satin tent on the terrace for the emperor to change out of his yellow dragon robe into blue ceremonial clothes. After the service, the emperor would return to the tentand change back into his imperial robe before returning to the palace. (Proceed to the South Gate of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest) (At the Gate of Prayer for Good Harvest)

this structure is called the Gate of Pray for Good Harvest. We can catch a slight glimpse of the

central building ,the Hall of Prayer for Good harvest, though the colonnade of the Gate. A gigantic and lofty group of buildings, the complex includes the Gate of Prayer for Good Harvest, the hall of prayer for good harvest, eastern and western annex halls ,the Huanqian (Imperial heaven) Long corridor, Heaven Kitchen, slaughterhouse, etc.

the annex halls were symmetrically built on a 1.5-meter-hignbrick-and-marble terrace ,to set off the loftiness and magnificence of the main hall .This unique building ,38 meters in height, is

characterized by a cone-shaped structure with triple eaves and a top that is crowned by a gilt ball. The roofing is made of blue glazed tiles, the color of the sky .Underneath the roof, the beams and bracket are decorated with colored paintings. The base of the structure is a triple-tiered, circular marble terrace. At a distance, the terrace looks like a gigantic, spiraling cloud with the structure perched on top of it .

Today the hall of prayer for good harvest is the hallmark of Beijing, which enjoys a prolonged history of civilization.

(At the base of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest)

The base of the hall is a triple-tiered, circular marble terrace, which is 90 meters in diameter and 6 meters in height ,covering a space of 4,000 square meters. Meticulous accuracy was given to the layout of the structure. In the middle of each three-tiered flight of stairs, there is a giant marble ramp carved in cloud, dragon and phoenix designs. To set off the ramps, the top of the balustrades and downpipes are designed with corresponding floral scrolls. In southern part of each tier, a

gigantic bronze incense burner is placed. Sandalwood was burnt in them when rites were observed. (In front of the hall of Prayer for good harvest)

climbing up this marble terrace, we see the main hall ,a masterpiece of ancient China. Looking up you will see the caisson, or covered ceiling, characterized by complex designs of dragons and phoenixes. In and out , the hall is decorated with colored drawing of dragons and phoenixes.

Without the use of steel ,cement and nail, and even without the use of big beams and crossbeams, the entire structure is supported by 28 massive wooden pillars and number of bars, laths, joints and rafters. The four central pillars, called the dragon-Well Pillars, are 19.2 meters high and painted with designs of composite followers, representing the four season. There are two rings of 12

scarlet pillars each. The inner ring represents the 12 months and the outer rings the 12 divisions of the day and night .Between the two rings there are 24 partitioned spaces to mark the solar terms of

the Chinese lunar year. The pillars, 28 in number, also represent the 28 constellations in the universe- the ancient Chinese believed that there were 28 constellations that made up the sky. The center of the stone-paved floor is a round marble slab, which is 88.5 centimeters in diameter. Interestingly, the slab features natural black and white veins, corresponding to the dragon-phoenix design on the ceiling. This particular slab is known as the Dragon-phoenix stone and is regarded as a treasure inseparable from the hall.

The furnishings within the hall are placed in their original positions dating back to when Emperor Xianfeng ruled .In the forefront and above the throne are enshrined tablets in commemoration of Heaven. On either table on each side tablets of the emperor` s ancestors were placed. Each tablet is fronted by an altar. A total of 24 kinds of offering were made on it ,including soup, wine, assorted cereals, and a calf.

The sacrificial rites were observed in the wee hours of the morning, sometime in the first month of the Chinese lunar year. Because it was still dark, candles, lanterns and torches were lit. This lighting coupled with the incense being burnt inside the hall ,helped make the ceremony both grand and mystical.

By the time the service began,207 musicians and dancers would be performing on platforms outside the hall. The emperor, in his blue sacrificial robe and with an air of piety and sincerity, would walk slowly into the hall, kowtow, and offer wine and prayer in hornor of the deities and his ancestors. All of the offerings would then be taken to incinerators on the eastern side of the gate of prayer for Good Harvest. With this we conclude our visit to the Temper of Heaven. The feudal monarchs and their sacrificial rites have long vanished in history .However, this group of magnificent and lofty structures remain as a fine testament of the ancient Chinese` s ingenuity and as one of the cultural heritages of mankind.

(On the Long Corridor)

From the Eastern Gate of the hall of prayer for good harvest, we have now enter a 300-meter-long corridor. Consisting of 72 sections, this corridor served as a connecting building between the Slaughterhouse. Heaven Kitchen, and the main hall ,It is said that this once served as a sacrificial food production line. Flanking the corridor are shopping stalls. You may find some souvenirs for your family and friend there.

Well ,that is all for this tour. Thank you for your attention. I look forward to your next visit. Good luck and bon voyage.

十三陵

At a distance of 50 km northwest of Beijing stands an arc-shaped cluster of hills fronted by a small plain. Here is where 13 emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) were buried, and the area is known as the Ming Tombs.

Construction of the tombs started in 1409 and ended with the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. In over 200 years tombs were built over an area of 40 square kilometres, which is surrounded by walls totalling 40 kilometres. Each tomb is located at the foot of a separate hill and is linked with the other tombs by a road called the Sacred Way. The stone archway at the southern end of the Sacred Way, built in 1540, is 14 metres high and 19 metres wide, and is decorated with designs ofclouds, waves and divine animalsBeijing served as the national capital during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Unlike Ming and Qing rulers who all built massive tombs for themselves, Yuan rulers left no similar burial grounds. Why the difference? This has to do with people's different views on death. Beijing nomads came from the Mongolian steppe. Mongols who established the Yuan Dynasty held the belief that they had come from: earth. they adopted a simple funeral method: the dead was placed inside a hollowed nanmu tree, which was then buried under grassland. Growth of grass soon left no traces of the tombs. By contrast, during the Ming Dynasty established by Han Chinese coming from an agricultural society in central China, people believed the existence of an after-world, where the dead "lived" a life similar to that of the living. Ming emperor, therefore, has grand mausoleums built for themselves. Qing rulers did likewise. Stone Archway

The stone archway at the southern end of the Sacred Way, built in 1540, is 14 metres high and 19 metres wide, and is decorated with designs of clouds, waves and divine animals.

Well-proportioned and finely carved, the archway is one of the best preserved specimens of its kink in the Ming Dynasty. It is also the largest ancient stone archway in China.

Stele Pavilion

The Stele Pavilion, not far from the Great Palace Gate, is actually a pavilion with a double-eaved roof. On the back of the stele is carvedpoetry written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty when he visited the Ming Tombs

Sacred Way

The Sacred Way inside the gate of the Ming Tomb is lined with 18 pairs of stone human figures and animals. These include four each of three types of officials: civil, military and meritorious officials, symbolizing those who assist the emperor in the administration of the state, plus four each of six iypes of animals: lion, griffin, camel, elephant, unicorn and horse.

Yongling Tomb

Yongling, built in 1536, is the tomb for Emperor Shizong, Zhu Houcong (1507-1566). He stayed in power for 45 years.

Dingling Tomb

The Dingling Tomb is the tomb of Emperor Wanli (reigned 1573-1619), the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, whose personal name was Zhu Yijun, and of his two empresses, Xiao Duan and Xiao Jing. The tomb was completed in six years (1584-1590), it occupies a total area of 1,195 square meters at the foot of Dayu Mountain southwest of the Changling Tomb.

Maoling Tomb

Emperor Xianzong, Zhu Jianshen, and his three empresses are entombed within Maoling. Zhu Jianshen (1447-1487) was the first son of Emperor Yingzong. He stayed in power for 22 years.

We have covered some of the most significant tombs of the 13 Ming tombs in the tour. If you are also interested in the other tombs, the best way is to come and experience yourself.

Changling Tomb

Changling is the tomb of emperor Yongle (reigned 1403-1424), the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty whose personal name was Zhu Di, and of his empress. Built in 1413, the mausoleum extends over an area of 100,000 square metres. The soul tower, which tells people whose tomb it is, rests on a circular wall called the "city of treasures" which surrounds the burial mound. The "city of treasures" at Changling has a length of more than a kilometre.

Underground Palace

The underground palace at Dingling Tomb consists of an antechamber, a ceniral chamber and a rear chamber plus the left and right annexes. One of the pictures shows the central chamber where the sacrificial utensils are on display. Two marble doors are made of single slabs and carved with life-size human figures, flowers and birds. More than 3,000 articles have been unearthed from the tumulus, the most precious being the golden crowns of the emperor and his queen.