China

CHINA THROUGH THE YEAR 47

National day, well-drilled troops on the march

9TH LUNAR MONTH an International Folk Song New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
and Arts Festival has been Overshadowed by the
National Day (Oct 1) A great held in Nanning. massive Chinese New Year
rush of holiday-making takes celebrations that take place
place during this week-long 11TH LUNAR MONTH later in January or February,
break. Parades celebrate the but it is still a recognized
founding of the PRC in 1949. Winter Solstice Chinese public holiday.
Double-ninth (Chongyang) astronomers identified this
Festival (Oct) Double nine day as early as the Han PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
signifies double yang (in the period. Historically, it has
yin-yang duality), connected been an important festival, New Year’s Day (Jan 1)
with male assertiveness and though less so now. In the Chinese New Year or
strength. Traditionally, north, people often eat Spring Festival Jan
people do symbolic things dumpling soup or dumplings 28–30 (2006); February
like climb to high places, on this day to keep them 8–10 (2007)
carry a sprig of dogwood, warm. In the south, people International Labor
and drink chrysanthemum may eat red-bean and sticky Day (May 1–3)
wine to drive away evil rice to drive away evil spirits. National Day (Oct 1–3)
spirits at this festival, though Christmas Day (Dec 25)
it’s not observed everywhere. Although only a tiny number Weekend Shifting
of the population is The weekends (Sat, Sun)
WINTER (NOV–JAN) Christian, the commercial before and after the May
side of this celebration has and October holidays are
THIS SEASON BRINGS a drop taken off with Christmas often shifted from year to
in temperatures and relief trees and Shengdan Laoren, year toward the 3-day
from the humidity in the a Chinese version of Father block to allow for a
south, while central and Christmas, seen as a popular continuous run of 7 days’
northern regions usually image. It’s a public holiday holiday. To add to the
experience bitter winters. The in Hong Kong. confusion for visitors, the
main traveling season is over exact days of the holiday
but everyone enjoys the 12TH LUNAR MONTH are usually not finalized
lengthy preparations for the until shortly beforehand.
Chinese New Year at home. Corban Festival (Dec/Jan) You may wish to avoid
Celebrated in Xinjiang, traveling during this
10TH LUNAR MONTH Ningxia, and among Hui period because many
people across China, this is a facilities are closed and
Zhuang Song Festival Muslim festival remembering domestic travel can be
(Nov) The Zhuang minority Abraham’s last-minute very difficult. It is best
in Guangxi have their own reprieve to sacrifice a goat to try and confirm the
distinctive folk-song and instead of his son. Animals exact dates with a travel
dance tradition. Since 1999 are slaughtered for a feast, agent beforehand.
with singing and dancing.

48 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

The Climate of China

WITH MANY DIFFERENT CLIMATE ZONES across its vast
landmass, China experiences all extremes of
weather ranging from the hot, wet summers and warm
winters of the sub-tropical southwestern coast and
high temperatures of the Turpan Depression to the
cool summers and long, dry winters of its
mountainous regions. Rainfall is sparse in the arid
northern uplands and the near-Siberian northeast
but plentiful in the humid south and east.

URUMQI The top of Hua Shan, Shaanxi

28/82

° C/F 16/61
14/57

10/50 Ürümqi •

2/36 -1/30 -11/12
0 -22/-8

7976
hrs hrs hrs hrs

38 18 43 15
mm mm mm mm

month Apr Jul Oct Jan

KEY C HI

Hot wet summer, warm Lhasa • Chengdu
dry winter
Kunming •
Warm summer, cool winter

Hot wet summer, cool dry
winter

Hot wet summer, cool
misty winter

Cool dry summer, cold
windy winter

Hot wet summer,
cold dry winter

Warm summer, cold
dry winter

Hot dry summer, long cold
dry and windy winter

CHENGDU

LHASA 30/86 KUNMING

22/72 20/72 21/69 24/75 24/75

23/73 ° C/F 13/56 15/58 20/68
10/50
° C/F 16/61 17/63 17/63 15/59
12/54
° C/F

9/48 0 9/48
7/45

1/34 1/34
0
0

-10/14 4522
hrs hrs hrs hrs
6 2 10 6 9557
hrs hrs hrs hrs 48 230 42 5 hrs hrs hrs hrs
mm mm mm mm
5 122 13 0 27 205 89 12
mm mm mm mm month Apr Jul Oct Jan mm mm mm mm

month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan

CHINA THROUGH THE YEAR 49

Average monthly XI’AN HARBIN
maximum
temperature 32/90

Average monthly 28/82
minimum
temperature 20/68 22/72 20/68

Freezing point 18/64

Average daily ° C/F 10/50 ° C/F 13/55 11/52
hours of sunshine 9/48 5/41

Average monthly 0 0 -1/30
rainfall -4/25 -1/30 -12/10

-25/-13

6744 8976
hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

50 93 66 7 15 137 19 2
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm

month Apr Jul Oct Jan • Harbin month Apr Jul Oct Jan

BEIJING

31/88

• Beijing • Dalian 21/70 21/70 20/68
° C/F
Datong •
7/45
• Tianjin 0 6/43
1/34

YELLOW -10/14
SEA
Lanzhou 8787
hrs hrs hrs hrs
•
17 243 16 4
Xi’an mm mm mm mm

• month Apr Jul Oct Jan

N A Nanjing • Shanghai
•
• Hangzhou
• • Ningbo

• Wuhan

• • Nanchang EAST CHINA SHANGHAI
•Changsha SEA
Chongqing 32/90

Guiyang 23/73 23/73

• 19/66

° C/F 14/57
10/50 8/46

Guangzhou 1/34
0
•

• •

Nanning Hong Kong

SOUTH CHINA HONG KONG 5764
SEA hrs hrs hrs hrs
31/88
26/79 27/81 94 147 71 48
24/75 mm mm mm mm
° C/F
month Apr Jul Oct Jan
13/55
0 km 250
0 0 miles 250

4875
hrs hrs hrs hrs
137 381 114 33
mm mm mm mm
month Apr Jul Oct Jan



INTRODUCING CHINA 51

THE HISTORY OF CHINA

CHINA BOASTS one of the longest single unified civilizations in
the world. Its history is characterized by dramatic shifts in
power between rival factions, periods of peace and prosperity
when foreign ideas were assimilated and absorbed, the disintegration
of empire through corruption and political subterfuge, and the cyclical
rise of ambitious leaders to found each new empire.

FIRST SETTLERS Elaborate bronze food and

From around 8000 BC, wine vessels were used both

settlements of populations for banqueting and for

based on a primitive making ancestral offerings.

agricultural economy Inscriptions on oracle

began to emerge in the bones provide the first

eastern coastal regions and evidence of writing dating

along the rich river deltas from around 1300 BC.

of the Yellow River, the In 1066 BC, the Zhou

Yangzi, and the Wei. These seized power, establishing their

civilizations focused on western capital at present-day

hunting, gathering, and fishing, Xi’an. The Western Zhou initially

and the cultivation of millet sustained many of the traditions

in the north and rice in Yangshao pottery of the Shang, but later reor-

the south. Each civilization amphora ganized the political system,

is notable for its own and replaced the use of

distinct style of pottery, such as oracle bones with inscriptions on

the bold earthenware of the bronze and, later, writing on silk

Yangshao (5000–3000 BC) and the and strips of bamboo.

black ceramics of the Longshan The Eastern Zhou (771–221 BC) is

(3000–1700 BC). divided into the Spring and Autumn

period (771–475 BC) and the

BRONZE AGE CHINA AND THE Warring States period (475–221 BC).

FIRST KINGDOMS The Eastern Zhou period was

The first dynasty in China was dominated by political conflict and

founded by the Shang around 1600 social unrest, as rival factions

BC. The Shang lived in large, jockeyed for power. It also saw eco-

complex societies and were the first nomic expansion and development

to mass-produce cast bronze. Power as the use of iron revolutionized

centered on the ruling elite who agriculture. It was in this climate of

acted as shamans of a sort, unrest that the philosophical

communicating with their ancestors ideologies of Confucianism, Daoism,

and gods through diviners. and Legalism emerged.

TIMELINE 5000–3000 BC 2200–1600 BC 1300 BC First writing
Yangshao culture Existence of semi-
8000– 6500 BC based around the mythical first on oracle bones
Neolithic period Wei river dynasty, the Xia 475–221 BC

c. 551–479 BC Eastern Zhou:
Life of Confucius Warring States

8000 BC 6000 BC 4000 BC 2000 BC 1000 BC 500 BC

6500–5000 BC 1600–1050 BC 771–476 BC 513 BC
Earliest Foundation of Eastern Zhou: First mention
Shang dynasty Spring and of iron casting
settlements in Autumn
northern China 1066 –771 BC Power period
seized by Zhou
Bronze food vessel, Shang

Detail from “The First Emperor of the Han Dynasty Entering Kuan Tung” by Song painter Chao Po Chu

52 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

Dynasty Timeline SHANG DYNASTY

CHINA WAS RULED by a succession 1600–1050 BC
of dynasties, broken by periods
of fragmentation and civil war. The The Shang dynasty marked the
emperor’s authority was divinely emergence of Bronze Age
assigned through a mandate of heaven China and palace culture. A
and was thus unlimited. Leaders of semi-divine king acted as a
succeeding dynasties claimed that the shaman and communicated
previous leadership had displeased with the gods.
the gods and had therefore had its
heavenly mandate withdrawn. Bronze tripod food
vessel, Shang

WESTERN HAN EASTERN HAN

206 BC–AD 9 AD 25–220

Gaodi 206–195 BC Guang Wudi 25–57 Chongdi 144–145
Huidi 195–188 BC Mingdi 57–75 Zhidi 145–146
Lu Hou 188–180 BC Zhangdi 75–88 Huandi 146–168
Wendi 180–157 BC Hedi 88–106 Lingdi 168–189
Jingdi 157–141 BC Shangdi Xiandi 189–220
Wudi 141–87 BC Andi 106
Zhaodi Shundi 106–125
Xuandi 87–74 BC 125–144
Yuandi 74–49 BC
Chengdi 49–33 BC Broken terracotta heads
Aidi 33–7 BC found at Jingdi’s tomb
Pingdi
Ruzi 7–1 BC
1BC–AD 6

AD 7–9

TANG (see pp56–9) FIVE DYNASTIES & TEN KINGDOMS

618–907 907–960

Gaozu 618–626 Jingzong 824–827 Based north of the Yangzi, five successive
Taizong 626–649 Wenzong 827–840 dynasties swiftly usurped one another, with
Gaozong 649–683 Wuzong 840–846 no dynasty lasting for more than three reigns.
Zhongzong 684, 705–710 Xuanzong 846–859 The Ten Kingdoms to the south went through
Ruizong 684–690, Yizong 859–873 a similarly turbulent period.
710–712 Xizong 873–888
Wu Zetian 690–705 Zhaozong 888–904 Throughout this period and most of the
Xuanzong 712–756 Aidi 904–907 Song dynasty, the northern frontiers were
Suzong 756–762 dominated by the semi-nomadic Liao dynasty
Daizong 762–779 (907–1125) in the east, and by the Western
Dezong 779–805 Xia (990–1227) in the west. In 1115, the Liao
Shunzong were overthrown by the Jin (1115–1234), who
Xianzong 805 forced the Song southwards in 1127.
Muzong 805–820
820–824

Sancai-glazed dancing
tomb figures

YUAN MING

1279–1368 1368–1644

Genghis Khan (1162–1227) Ayurbarwada 1311–1320 Hongwu 1368–1398 Longqing 1567–1572
united numerous Mongol- Jianwen 1399–1402 Wanli 1573–1620
speaking tribes and Shidebala 1321–1323 Yongle 1403–1424 Taichang
captured Beijing in 1215. Hongxi Tianqi 1620
His son, Kublai, completed Yesun Temur 1323–1328 Xuande 1425 Chongzhen 1621–1627
the conquest of China by Zhengtong 1426–1435 1628–1644
finally defeating the Tugh Temur 1328–1329, Jingtai 1436–1449
Southern Song in 1279. Tianshun 1450–1457
1329–1333 1457–1464
(Zhengtong)
Khoshila 1329 Chenghua 1465–1487
Hongzhi 1488–1505
Toghon Temur 1333–1368 Zhengde 1506–1521
Jiajing 1522–1567
Kublai Khan 1279–1294

Temur Oljeitu 1294–1307

Khaishan 1308–1311

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 53

WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY EASTERN ZHOU DYNASTY QIN DYNASTY

1066–771 BC 770–221 BC 221–206 BC

The Zhou founded their capital Spring and Autumn Qin Shi Huangdi 221–210 BC
at Chang’an (Xi’an). They con- 770–475 BC
tinued some Shang traditions, Er Shi 210–207 BC
but reorganized the political Warring States
system, dividing the nobility 475–221 BC Statue of
into grades. The feudal system attendant from
of the Western Zhou broke The Zhou dynasty ruled at its the tomb of Qin
down after the capital was eastern capital of Luoyang along- Shi Huangdi
sacked and the king slain. side numerous rival states. This
long period of almost constant
warfare was brought to an end
when the Qin emerged victorious.

PERIOD OF DISUNITY SUI

220–589 581–618

China was divided into the warring Wei, Wu, China was once more
and Shu kingdoms. The Wei briefly re-united united by the short and
China under the Western Jin (280–316), the decisive rule of the Sui.
first of the six Southern Dynasties (280–589),
with the capital at Jiankang (Nanjing). Wendi 581–604
Yangdi 604–617
The north was ruled by a succession of ruling Gongdi 617–618
houses – the 16 Kingdoms (304–439).
Emperor Wendi’s
The nomadic Toba Wei set up the Northern flotilla on the
Wei dynasty, the first of five Northern Grand Canal
Dynasties (386–581) with a capital first at
Datong, then at Luoyang.

NORTHERN SONG SOUTHERN SONG

960–1126 1127–1279

Taizu 960–976 Shenzong 1068–1085 Gaozong 1127–1162
Taizong 976–997 Zhezong 1086–1101 Xiaozong 1163–1190
Zhenzong 998–1022 Huizong 1101–1125 Guangzong 1190–1194
Renzong 1022–1063 Qinzong Ningzong 1195–1224
Yingzong 1064–1067 1126 Lizong 1225–1264
Duzong 1265–1274
Gongzong
Duanzong 1275
Bing Di 1276–1278

1279

Painting by QING (see pp432–3)
Emperor Huizong
1644–1911 1644–1661
Emperor Zhengde’s love of leisure led 1661–1722
to a relaxation of imperial control Shunzhi 1723–1735
Kangxi 1736–1795
Yongzheng 1796–1820
Qianlong 1821–1850
Jiajing 1851–1861
Daoguang 1862–1874
Xianfeng 1875–1908
Tongzhi 1909–1911
Guangxu
Pu Yi

Imperial dragon detail on the back
of a eunuch’s official court robe

54 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

FOUNDATION OF IMPERIAL CHINA would form the basis of indigenous

The Warring States Period was finally Chinese belief (see pp30–33).

brought to an end as the Qin emerged The Han empire expanded with

victorious. In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huangdi regions of Central Asia, Vietnam, and

pronounced himself the first emperor Korea being brought under Chinese

of China and ruled over a short yet control. In 138 BC, General Zhang

decisive period of history. The Qin Qian was sent to establish diplo-

state was based on the political matic links with Central Asia and

theories of Legalism which esta- returned with tales of rich pastures

blished the role of the ruler as and “heavenly horses.” The fine

paramount and espoused a thoroughbreds of Ferghana

system of collective respons- were traded in exchange for

ibility. Following unification, Chinese silk, starting the flow

Qin Shi Huangdi conscripted of goods along the fabled

thousands of workers to join Silk Road (see pp464–5).

together the defensive walls Han rule was briefly inter-

to the north, creating the rupted as Wang Mang seized

Great Wall. He standardized power in AD 9, only to be

the system of money, and restored by Guang Wudi

weights and measures, and (r. AD 25–57), who establish-
laid the foundations for a legal Archer from Qin ed the Eastern Han capital in
system. A ruthless ruler, Qin Terracotta army Luoyang. Once more, the

Shi Huangdi died in the belief that Han expanded Chinese territory.

his famous terracotta army would Paper was by now in use for much

protect him in the afterlife from his official documentation and the first

numerous enemies. Chinese dictionary was produced.

The founding of the Han Dynasty Buddhism began its spread to China

(206 BC–AD 220) heralded a “golden with the first Buddhist communities

age” in Chinese history. Emperor being established in Jiangsu province.

Gaodi (r. 206–195 BC) estab-

lished the capital of the

Western Han (206 BC–AD 9) at

Chang’an (Xi’an), and retained

much of the centralized

administration established by

the Qin. Subsequent emperors

developed the civil service

examination to select able men

for state office. Han society

was founded on the principles

propounded by Confucius,

and the Confucian classics

formed the basis of the civil

service examination. Daoism

and yin-yang theory coexisted

with ancestor worship and Chariot and footmen, impressed into a tomb’s brick, Han

TIMELINE

213 BC Burning of 206 BC–AD 9 c. 139–126 BC Official envoy Zhang Bronze c. 100 First dictionary
the books as part Western Han Qian establishes first diplomatic horse and Shuo Wen produced
of process of capital established and trading links of Silk Road rider, Han with more than 9,000
“unification” at Chang’an (Xi’an) characters
AD 2 First known census:
57,671,400 individuals AD 100

200 BC 100 BC 0

221–206 BC 165 BC First official 25–220 Eastern 65 First mention of
Founding of Qin examinations for the Han Dynasty Buddhist community
dynasty under first selection of civil servants capital at established at court of
emperor, Qin Shi Luoyang Prince Ying of Chu
Tomb figure, Qin
Huangdi

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 55

Sui emperors Yangdi and Wendi in a detail from “Portraits of the 13 Emperors” by Tang painter Yen Li Pen

PERIOD OF DIVISION Jiankang (Nanjing). In a climate of

From the rule of Hedi (r. AD 88–105), relative stability, the south became

the Eastern Han declined. Civil war the economic and cultural center as

finally split the country in 220. The the population shifted to the Yangzi

next 350 years were characterized by delta. Philosophy and the arts

almost constant warfare as China was flourished alongside a renewed

ruled by over 14 short-lived dynasties interest in Daoism and a growing

and 16 “kingdoms.” interest in Buddhism.

China was divided into the Northern

and Southern Dynasties (265–581), UNIFICATION AND STABILITY

each region taking on its own distinct Following military successes against

character. Foreign peoples took control the Liang and the Chen, the Northern

of the North, such as the Toba branch Zhou general Yang Jian (541–604) pro-

of the Xianbei who founded nounced himself emperor

the Northern Wei in 386. of all China and founded

These rulers were recep- the Sui Dynasty in 589.

tive to foreign ideas and This brief but significant

religions, creating some of dynastic rule established

the finest Buddhist cave political and social sta-

complexes first at Yungang bility. He undertook an

(see pp132–3), near their extensive program of works

capital in Datong, and from including extending the

494, at Longmen (see pp154– Apsara from Buddhist Great Wall and the begin-
5), when they moved their cave, Northern Wei nings of the Grand Canal.
capital to Luoyang. The second emperor, Yangdi

As foreign invaders took control of (569–618), restored diplomatic rela-

the North, the Han Chinese retreated tions with Japan and Taiwan and

south to establish their new capital at extended trade to Central Asia.

190 Communications with 310 Massive Colossal 589–618 Sui Dynasty,
central Asia are cut exodus of Buddha at initiated by Wendi’s
Chinese upper Yungang
late 3rd c. Renewed classes to South reunification of China
interest in Daoism Caves,
Northern Wei
200
300 400 500 600

220 Civil 265–581 China divided 386–535 Northern Wei, c. 6th C c. 7th C
war breaks into Northern and first of the ruling houses First true Woodblock
out between Southern dynasties to adopt Buddhism porcelain printing first
the kingdoms produced used in China
of Wei, Shu,

and Wu

56 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

Tang Dynasty Tang rule AD 750

THE TANG DYNASTY IS WIDELY regarded as one of
China’s golden ages, characterized by economic
prosperity, territorial expansion, and political stability.
During this period China reached its largest size to
date: from Korea to Vietnam and across Central Asia to
southern Siberia. Trade flourished by land and sea,
stimulating the flow of luxury goods between East and
West. Foreign religions were tolerated and Buddhism
gained popular and imperial patronage.
The arts and literature of the Tang are
still considered to be among China’s
finest, notably the famous poets Li
Bai and Du Fu.

This pottery figure, The similar
decorated in three- figures carry
typical attributes
color or sancai glaze, of Avalokitesvara:
depicts life along this one holds a
flower; the other
the Silk Route. Mer- a vase and a
chants and pilgrims sprig of willow.

traveled the
legendary route
bringing with them
objects crafted in

gold and silver,
textiles, exotic foods,

and fine horses.

Foreign envoys,
including Koreans (the
figure on the right) and
westerners (standing
next to the Korean),
traveled to the Tang
court for delegations
and giving tribute, as
seen in this tomb mural.

Ample, draped robes,
typical of Tang style

This silver cup, part
of a hoard of buried
treasure dug up in
1970, shows distinct

western influence,
although the relief decoration
is lavishly Tang.

Chang’an’s (Xi’an’s) elaborate city walls
enclosed a population of one million by
the seventh century, making Chang’an the
largest city in the world. The cosmopolitan
capital was populated by Sogdians, Turks,

Uighurs, Arabs, and Persians.

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 57

Emperor Taizong (r. 626–49) was a
great military strategist, strengthening
border protection and establishing

diplomatic and trade links with
foreign nations. An overhaul of
the civil service examination
system lead to greater social
mobility and contributed to
stable government.

Inscriptions were written Wu Zetian (r. 690–705), the
for wealthy donors who only empress in Chinese history,
commissioned paintings manipulated her weak husband,
on behalf of themselves Emperor Gaozong, and ruthlessly
or loved ones in order to eradicated her opposition. Despite
accrue religious merit.
her scandalous nature, she
Avalokitesvara, one became a strong ruler and
of the most popular brought peace and prosperity.
bodhisattvas, is identified
by the Amitabha Buddha
in his crown.

Emperor Xuanzong
(r. 712–56) or
Minghuang, the
Brilliant Emperor,
ruled over a glorious
period. A great
scholar and patron of
the arts, he poured his
wealth into temple
construction and
founded the Academy
of Letters (Hanlin-
yuan) in 754 .

DUNHUANG SILKS AN EMPEROR’S LOVE AND DEMISE

During the Tang Dynasty, In his later years, the Xuanzong emperor
Buddhism gained popular and im- increasingly neglected his official duties as
perial support, particularly under he became infatuated with his
the rule of the devout Wu Zetian. concubine, Yang Guifei. Intrigue and
Buddhist communities became factions at court bred instability and
important centers for the transla- in AD 750, General An Lushan,
tion of sutras and the production half Sogdian half Turkish by
of Buddhist arts, such as the fine descent, seized control of the
silk paintings of Dunhuang. northeastern frontier. In 755 An
Lushan stormed the capital forcing
the court to flee for Sichuan. As
they reached Mawai, Xuanzong’s
troops mutinied and demanded the
emperor hand over Yang Guifei. She
was strangled before his eyes, and the
tragic story of their love affair has been
immortalised by poets. Although An
Lushan was eventually defeated, the
Tang dynasty fell into decline.

Yang Guifei’s plump figure became

a classic sancai form

58 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

GLORY OF THE TANG semi-nomadic people, the Ruzhen

The Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) (Jurchen).With the support of the

marks a high point in Chinese history Northern Song, the Ruzhen took

(see pp56–7). During this golden age, control of the north and founded the

China enjoyed an Jin dynasty. The Liao were forced

extended period of westwards to the region of the

peace and prosperity. Tian mountain range in

The arts flourished present-day Xinjiang, where

and were enriched by they established the

foreign styles, motifs, Western Liao (1125–1211).

and techniques such as The rest of northwest

silverworking. Foreign China was dominated by

religions, such as Nestorian the Western Xia, a Tibetan-

Christianity, were toler- related people who recognized

ated and co-existed Sancai glazed horse, Tang the Liao as their overlords.

alongside native Daoism

and Confucianism. Woodblock printing FIVE DYNASTIES AND

was invented by the Chinese some TEN KINGDOMS (907–960)

time during the 7th century and While the north of China was

hastened the spread of Buddhism. dominated by the insurgence of semi-

Following the An Lushan rebellion nomadic peoples from the steppes

of 755, the Tang became increasingly regions, the south was ruled by a series

inward looking. The great Buddhist of short military dictatorships. The

persecution of 841–46 was sympto- Song Dynasty was founded in 960 by

matic of a dynasty in decline, which Zhao Kuangyin, a military comman-

finally fell in 907. der of the later Zhou (951–960),

whose imperial name became Shizong.

THE LIAO DYNASTY (907–1125) In the Yangzi delta and regions to the

The Liao dynasty, which at its larg- south, the Ten Kingdoms existed in

est covered much of Mongolia, relative peace and stability and were

Manchuria and northern China, was reunited by the Song in 979.

ruled by semi-nomadic

and pastoral people,

the Qidan. The Liao

maintained a dual

administration, Qidan

and Chinese, and even

a prime-ministership,

to ensure the survival

of their own customs

and traditions whilst

utilizing the efficiency

of Tang structures

of government. In

1115, the Qidan were

overthrown by another Painting of an official celebrating, Five Dynasties (923–938)

TIMELINE

618–907 690–705 755–763 An Lushan 806 Earliest dated 907–60 Period of 10th c.
Tang dynasty Empress Wu rebellion drives printed manuscript, division known as Gunpowder
heralds new Zetian rules as the Diamond Sutra Five Dynasties and and firearms
golden age first empress of emperor and court first used
China from Chang’an to Ten Kingdoms
Sichuan
700 800 850 900
750
806–820 First 907–1125 Qidan people
661 Chinese 705 bankers’ bill rule northeastern China as
administration Famous
poet Li 770 Death of the Liao dynasty, making
in Kashmir, Bai born great poet Du Fu Beijing their southern capital
Bokhara and
the borders of Tang silver
eastern Iran

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 59

THE SONG DYNASTY (960–1279)

The Song presided over a period of

cultural brilliance and unprecedented

growth in urban life during which the

social makeup of China funda-

mentally changed. Less territorially

ambitious than the Tang, the Song

stimulated economic development

through improved communications

and transport. New industries based

on mass production began to emerge,

notably the porcelain industry based in

Jiangxi province. During the Southern

Song, China underwent an industrial

revolution producing quantities of raw

materials such as salt and iron on a

scale that would not be seen in

Europe until the 18th century.

In this buoyant economic climate a Illustration of Song Emperor Huizong, r. 1101–1125

new middle-class emerged, stimul-

ating demand for the new range of Northern Song capital at Bianliang

consumer goods. Power shifted from (Kaifeng), capturing emperor Qinzong

the aristocratic elite to government and forcing the court to flee south-

bureaucrats, who spent their spare wards. The capital of the Southern

time practicing the arts of poetry, Song (1127–1279) was established at

calligraphy, and painting. Collecting Lin’an (Hangzhou) south of the Yangzi.

and connoisseurship led to an artistic

renaissance and the founding of the JIN DYNASTY (1115–1234)

first Imperial collections. Emperor The Jin were a semi-nomadic

Huizong was a great patron of the Tungusic people originating from

arts who used ancient precedents and Manchuria. War with the Song and

values to buttress his own position. persistent attacks from the Mongols

Neo-Confucianism and resulted in a weakening

a renewed interest in of the Jin state which

Daoism marked a return by the early 13th

to indigenous beliefs century formed a buffer

and traditional structures state between the Song

of power. in the south and the

The Northern Song Mongols in the north.

repeatedly came under In 1227, Mongol and

attack from the Western Chinese allied forces

Xia in the northwest defeated the Jin and

and the Jin in the Early movable type, Song in 1234 the Jin emperor

northeast. Only 12 years committed suicide.

after joining forces with the Song The Jin state was integrated into the

against the Liao, the Jin invaded the Mongol empire.

960–1126 Northern Detail of 1127–1279 Southern 1154 First issue 1206–1208
Song reunites China painting by Song dynasty with of paper money Song and
and bases capital at emperor (Jin) Jin at war
Bianliang (Kaifeng) Huizong capital at Hangzhou,
after being forced 1150 1200
950 1000 1050 south by the Jin

990–1227 Western 1100
Xia people establish
kingdom dominating 1041–8 First attempts 1115–1234 Jin 1214 Jin move
at printing with dynasty founded capital from Beijing
northwest China movable type in northeast China
forcing Liao to Kaifeng in
1090 First attested use of westwards Henan province
compass on Chinese ships

60 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

MONGOL RULE (1279–1368) Italian merchant spent 21 years in the

The Mongol leader Genghis Khan service of Kublai and his court.

(see p471) united the various Mongol- The Mongols ruled through a military

speaking tribes of the steppes and in type of government, in contrast to the

1215 conquered northern China. He bureaucratic civil service established

divided his empire into four king- by the Chinese. Although Chinese

doms, each ruled by one of his and Mongol languages were both

sons. His grandson Kublai Khan used for official business, the

(r. 1260–94), ruler of the eastern Chinese were not encouraged to

Great Khanate, finally defeated take up official posts. Muslims

the Southern Song in 1279 and from Central and Western Asia

proclaimed himself emperor took their place, and the

of the Yuan dynasty. China Chinese increasingly retreat-

now became part of a vast ed from official life.

empire which stretched As there were no clear

from the East China Sea rules for succession, civil

across Asia as far as Poland, war broke out in 1328 be-

Hungary, and Bohemia. Two Buddhist deity, Yuan tween Mongol nobles. The

capital cities were maintained secret societies of the Red

at Dadu or Khanbalik (present-day Turbans and the White Lotus led

Beijing) and Yuanshangdu (Xanadu). peasant rebellions and in 1368

The Silk Routes opened once more, General Zhu Yuanzhang forced the

connecting China to the Middle East Mongols out of China, becoming the

and Medieval Europe. Direct contact first emperor of the Ming dynasty.

was now made for the first time

between the Mongol court and MING DYNASTY (1368–1644)

European diplomats, Franciscan The Ming (literally “brilliant”) dynasty

missionaries, and merchants. Accord- was one of the longest and most stable

ing to the writings of Marco Polo, the periods in China’s history. The founder

of the Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, rose from

humble beginnings to become a strong

militarian, ruling as emperor Hongwu

(“vast military accomplishment”).

During his reign, Hongwu introduced

radical changes to both central and

local government which he made

binding on his successors. The

emperor’s role became more autocratic

as Hongwu dispensed with the

position of Prime Minister, taking

direct responsibility for overseeing all

Six Ministries himself.

Hongwu appointed his grandson to

be his successor. Upon his death, his

son the Prince of Yan, who controlled

Genghis Khan (c.1162–1227), Persian miniature the region around Beijing, led an army

TIMELINE

1215 1234 Jin emperor Mongol on 1368–1644 Ming 1403
Mongols commits suicide horseback Dynasty, founded by Construction of
capture and Jin integrated rebel leader General
Beijing into Mongol empire 1300 Great Walls in
Zhu Yuanzhang North China
1250 1279–1368 Kublai
Khan defeats Southern 1350 1400
Song and rules China
1227 Genghis Khan as emperor of the 1328 Civil war Jade elephant,
dies, having united Yuan dynasty breaks out Ming
various Mongol- between Mongol
speaking tribes of nobles
the steppe

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 61

The existing battlements of the Great Wall, reinforced and joined together during the Ming dynasty

against his nephew, taking Nanjing reached as far as the east coast of

and proclaiming himself emperor Africa. In 1514 Portuguese traders first

Yongle (“Eternal Joy”). Yongle landed in China, purchasing tea which

(r. 1403–24) moved the capital to his had become a fashionable drink in

power base in Beijing where he European society. Porcelain provided

created a new city based on tradi- ballast for the ships, and other luxury

tional principles of Chinese city items were brought back along with

planning. At its core lay the the cargo. Trade was dominated by the

Forbidden City (see pp86–9), Dutch in the 17th century, only to

the imperial palace and offices be surpassed by the British a

of government, surrounded by hundred years later. Jesuit mis-

a grid system of streets, with sionaries who arrived in the

four imperial altars at the 15th century claimed few con-

cardinal points. The entire city verts but gained access to the

was walled to provide both emperor and the inner court.

protection and enclosure. In The arts thrived under

1421, Beijing became the official emperor Xuande (r. 1426–35),

capital and would remain so an artist and poet, who patronized

until the present day. The Great Wall the arts, notably the porcelain indus-

was reinforced, extended, and faced try at Jingdezhen. In literature, the

with brick during the Ming. late Ming is noted for its great dramas

By the 15th century, China had and classical novels, such as Journey

become a significant maritime to the West (see p29). Philosophy

power, its ships dwarfing those of of the time reinforced the neo-

contemporary Europe. Blue Wedding jewelry, Confucianism of the Song.
Ming
and white porcelain, silk, and The late Ming was domin-
other luxury items were in ated by peasant uprisings,

high demand in the foreign markets incursions by Japanese pirates and

of Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Mongolian tribes, and excessive

Middle East. Yongle sent six maritime eunuch power. Rebellions within

expeditions under the Muslim China eventually joined with external

eunuch admiral Zheng He which forces to end Ming rule.

1426–35 Xuande emperor 1514 Portuguese 1573–1620 Wanli reign 1620 Emperor
becomes first Ming land in China begins well but dynasty Taichang
emperor to patronize declines as emperor takes poisoned by
the arts extensively becoming the first little interest in duties eunuchs
Europeans to import Gilt bronze
1450 1550 1600
tea and porcelain bowl, Ming
1570
1500 Popular
novel Xi Yu
1420 Construction c.1505 Later Ming 1538 Jesuit Father Ji (Journey 1600s Dutch 1601 Jesuit
of the Forbidden monarchs neglect Matteo Ricci to the West) dominate missionary Matteo
City in Beijing duties of government published Ricci settles in
completed and eunuch power enters southern European trade Beijing
China and begins with China
increases missionary duties

62 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

QING RULE (1644–1911) age. An ambitious ruler, Qianlong

The Manchu leader Nurhachi was determined to extend China’s

established the Later Jin in 1616, borders beyond those of the Tang,

organizing the scattered tribes of the personally leading campaigns to

north into eight banner units (see Burma, Vietnam, and Central Asia.

pp432–3). In 1636, the Manchu During the 18th century, con-

ruler Abahai changed the name tact with the west increased

to Qing, literally “pure,” and pre- through Jesuit missionaries and

pared the way for the trade. By the mid-18th

capture of Beijing in 1644. century, the Chinese

Under Manchu control, sought to control trade by

China was once more refusing all official

ruled by a foreign contact with westerners

people. The Manchus and opening only Canton

were keen to adopt the to foreign merchants.

Chinese method of rule, Pressure from European

encouraging Chinese embassies increased as

scholars into the service the British sent Lord

of the new empire. Dual Macartney in 1792–94 to

administration at national Emperor Kangxi, r. 1661–1722 establish diplomatic

and provincial levels relations and open China

meant Manchu and Chinese to trade. China refused to grant a

bureaucrats worked side by side single concession to the British.

using first Manchu and later Chinese

as the official languages of govern- THE DECLINE OF THE EMPIRE

ment. Despite close interaction of The 19th century is one of the most

Manchu and Chinese, the ruling turbulent periods of Chinese history,

Manchus were keen to maintain a as internal uprisings, natural disasters,

distinct separation, protecting Manchu and the relentless encroachment of

privileges and cultural traditions. the West culminated in the end of the

The first emperors of the Qing were empire. A succession of weak rulers

enlightened rulers who presided over were manipulated and controlled by

one of largest and most

populous countries in the

world. The territorial aspir-

ations of emperor Kangxi

(see p122) brought the

regions of Central Asia and

southern Siberia once more

under Chinese control.

Kangxi was succeeded by

emperor Yongzheng. It was

his fourth son, emperor

Qianlong, “Lasting Emin-

ence,” (r. 1736–96) who

heralded another golden Lord Macartney’s massive entourage arriving at Qianlong’s tent

TIMELINE

1644–1800 Military expansion 1723–1735 Kangxi’s son Emperor Shunzhi, r. 1644–61
into Central Asia and Siberia; Yin Zhen seizes power
colonization of new territories ruling under name of 1747 Qianlong builds
Yunnan and Xinjiang emperor Yongzheng Yuanming Yuan (see
p106) in western style
1650 1675 1700 1725
1750

1644–1911 1650 First 1662–1722 Rule of 1736–1795 Qianlong, a great 1757
Manchus Catholic Kangxi emperor. patron of the arts, rules over Chinese
establish church in Appoints Jesuits to run restrict all
Beijing Board of Astronomy another golden age foreign trade
Qing dynasty to Canton

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 63

In 1900 the Boxers allied

with imperial troops and

attacked the foreign lega-

tions in Beijing (see p433).

An eight-nation army

defeated the onslaught, and

Cixi fled to Xi’an, blaming

everything on the emperor.

The Chinese government

paid once more for the loss

of life and Cixi returned to

Beijing until her death in

1908. The child emperor Pu

Yi lived in the Forbidden

A merchant testing tea quality in a Cantonese warehouse City as the last emperor until

his abdication. On 1 January

the Dowager Empress Cixi, who 1912 the Republican leader Sun Yat

ruled for much of the late Qing from Sen inaugurated the Chinese Republic.

“behind the curtain.” The Taiping

Rebellion of 1850–64 (see p422) FROM EMPIRE TO REPUBLIC

devastated south and central China. In the final years of the empire, many

Western powers, frustrated by the Chinese intellectuals recognized the

reluctance of the Chinese to open to need to modernize. Supporters of the

foreign trade, brought the Chinese Reform Movement of 1898 pro-

under increasing pressure. Keen to pounded the adoption of western tech-

protect the trade of opium from their nology and education, and, following

colonies in India, the British the Boxer Rebellion, a number of

engaged in the first Opium reforms were adopted. Elected

War (1840–42), which regional assemblies were set

culminated in the Treaty of up, further undermining

Nanjing, resulting in the the power of the Qing. In

opening of four new 1911 the empire collapsed

ports to trade, the completely. Sun Yat Sen

payment of huge indem- (see p297) was elected

nities, and the ceding of provisional President of

Hong Kong to Britain. China, but was soon forced

Following the Arrow War to resign in favor of general

(Second Opium War) with Yuan Shikai, who sought to

Britain and France (1856) the become emperor. Yuan was

European forces divided forced to back down when

China into “spheres of Sun Yat Sen, 1866–1925 governors revolted and he

influence” – the British died soon after in 1916.

strongest along the Yangzi and China then came under the control of a

Shanghai, the Germans controlling series of regional warlords until it was

Shandong province, and the French united once more with the founding of

controlling the borders with Vietnam. the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

1796–1805 White 1816 Lord Amherst 1851–64 1856–58 Arrow 1898 Emperor 1900 Boxer
Lotus Rebellion leads British envoy Taiping War (Second Guangxu uprising
seeking to open Opium War) with
damages prestige and China to trade Rebellion Britain and France imprisoned by
wealth of dynasty Empress Cixi

1775 1800 1825 1850 1875 1900

1792–94 Lord Macartney leads 1861 Empress Cixi’s nail 1908 Death
embassy to Beijing and Dowager Cixi covers of Empress
unsuccessfully attempts to establish begins “rule from Dowager
trade relations with England behind the screen” Cixi

Jade pendant, 1840–42 First Opium War with Great Britain 1894 Sino-
Qing Japanese war

64 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

The Cultural Revolution

IN 1965, MAO ZEDONG set in motion a chain Children were encouraged to
of events that were to unleash the turmoil take part in the Revolution. Their
now known as the Cultural Revolution. enthusiasm led to the destruction
Having socialized industry and agriculture, of family photographs and pos-
Mao called on the masses to transform sessions. In some cases, children
society itself – all distinctions between manual denounced their own parents.
Actor in and intellectual work were to be abolished
opera and class distinction disappear. The revolution
reached its violent peak in 1967, with the Red Guards
spreading social unrest and disintegration. The PLA
finally restored order, but the subsequent years were
characterized by fear, violence, mistrust, and betrayal.

THE RED GUARD

Mao appealed to students to form the Red
Guard, in whom he entrusted the fate of the
revolution. The movement rapidly gathered
momentum and the Red Guard, who raised Mao

to godly status, traveled China spreading
Mao Zedong Thought, smashing remnants of the
past, vandalizing temples, and wreaking havoc.

Mass public meetings were held as part of the
Socialist Education Movement, a precursor of the
Cultural Revolution intended to reverse “capitalist”
and “revisionist” tendencies perceived in social and
economic life. Everyone was required to attend.

An injured cadre is carried away after The Little Red Book
being denounced. Shamings became the was essential to the
bench mark of public meetings. Many Red Guard and issued
politicians and teachers were paraded to every soldier under
and accused, leading to job loss and, in Lin Biao’s command.
some cases, suicide.

Demonstrating their opposition to
Soviet-style communism and their
support for Maoism, Red Guards

change a Beijing street sign in front of
the Soviet Embassy from East Yangwei
to Fanxiu Lu (Anti-revisionism Road).

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 65

Model operas were the pet

project of Mao’s third wife,

Jiang Qing. She set about

creating a politically correct

revolutionary culture.

Many artists and

intellectuals were sent

to the countryside for

Lin Biao spread the study of the re-education.

“Thoughts of Mao” and compiled the Little

Red Book which became obligatory reading

for his army recruits. As head of the PLA,

Lin Biao provided essential military backing

and was Mao’s named successor. He died in

a plane crash over Siberia in 1971 amid

rumors of an imminent usurpation.

May 7 Cadre Schools were set up by the central
government in 1968. 100,000 officials plus 30,000
family members were sent to perform manual
labor and undergo ideological re-education. An
unknown number of lower-ranking cadres were
sent to thousands of other cadre schools.

Liu Shaoqi (right),
president from 1959–
66, was one of a
number of high officials
to be denounced,
imprisoned, and
paraded in “struggle
rallies.” He died from
his experiences.

GANG OF FOUR

The Gang of Four, as they became known, orchestrated
attacks on intellectuals and writers, high officials, the
party, and the state and were responsible for some of
the worst excesses of the Cultural Revolution. Zhang
Chunqiao, critic and propagandist, Yao Wenyuan,
editor-in-chief of Shanghai Liberation Army Daily,
Wang Hongwen, a young worker and Mao’s third
wife Jiang Qing, an ex-film star, dominated the
political center unchallenged until Mao’s death in 1976.
Millions of Chinese citizens watched their televised
trial in 1980–81. Jiang Qing, who was singled out by
propagandists and became one of the most hated
figures in China, was defiant until the end, railing
against her prosecutors throughout the trial. She took Lynched effigies of members of the
her life in 1991, while still serving her life sentence. Gang of Four hanging from a tree

66 I N T R O D U C I N G C H I N A

Long March (see pp256–7). Yan’an,
where the march ended, became the
new Communist Party headquarters
and would remain so until 1945.

JAPANESE ATTACK

Domestic turmoil laid China open to

attack, and in 1931 the Japanese occu-

pied Manchuria, founding the puppet

state of Manchukuo and placing the

last Qing emperor, Pu Yi, at its head

Chiang Kai Shek (1887–1975), leader of the KMT (see p446). By 1937 the Japanese had

occupied much of northern China,

COMMUNISTS AND NATIONALISTS Shanghai, and the Yangzi valley ruth-

After the fall of the empire, the political lessly taking cities, wreaking death and

landscape changed dramatically and devastation. The Japanese were finally

became dominated by two forces, the driven from Chinese soil in 1945, and

Nationalist Party or Kuomintang China was plunged into civil war.

(KMT) and the Communist Party,

founded in 1921. The Nationalists were THE EAST IS RED

led first by Sun Yat Sen from his power By 1947, the Communist policy of land

base in Guangzhou, then by General reform was reaping rewards, gaining

Chiang Kai Shek who seized power in them the support of people in the

1926. In 1923 the two Parties formed a countryside. In 1948–9, the Commu-

“united front” against the warlords, but nists made decisive victories, capturing

in 1926 the Communists were expelled arms and land from the KMT. On

from the KMT. Chiang Kai Shek led 1 October 1949 Chairman Mao pro-

his army to Nanjing where he tried to nounced the founding of the People’s

establish a Nationalist capital, and Republic of China in Beijing. Chiang

betrayed the Communist-led workers Kai Shek fled to Taiwan, establishing

of Shanghai who were massacred by a Nationalist government and taking

underworld gangsters. The

Communists were driven

underground and Mao Zedong

retreated to the countryside.

High in the mountains of

Jiangxi province, Mao and

Zhu De founded the Jiangxi

Soviet in 1930. From this inac-

cessible base, the communists

began to redistribute land to

the peasants and institute new

marriage laws. In 1934, Chiang

Kai Shek drove the commun-

ists from the area, forcing Mao

to embark on the legendary Communist poster depicting Mao surrounded by the masses

TIMELINE

1912 Abdication 1921 Founding of the 1937 Japanese 1945 End of World
of emperor Pu Yi Chinese Communist Party take much of War II; Japan defeated
marks the end of northern China
Imperial China 1935 Mao becomes leader of 1947 Civil War breaks
Chinese Communist Party 1940 out in China
1910
1920 1930 1950

Last 1926 Chiang Kai 1934 Mao leads the Red 1951–2 Rural co-
Emperor Shek seizes Army on Long March ops established

Pu Yi leadership of 1931 Japanese invasion 1949 Mao proclaims
National Party of Manchuria founding of People’s
Republic of China

THE HISTORY OF CHINA 67

with him many 4 June 1989 the

Imperial treasures. democracy move-

In the early years ment called for

of the People’s political reform and

Republic, the an end to corrup-

Chinese worked hard tion, but was brutally

to rebuild agricul- suppressed in

ture and industry in Tian’an Men Square.

a country devastated Whilst many students

by 100 years of and intellectuals fled

turmoil. New laws Zhou Enlai (see p250) with President Nixon abroad, others re-

sought to redress in- main incarcerated in

equities of the past, redistributing land China’s jails. Deng Xiaoping pressed on

and outlawing arranged marriages. In with economic reform, and the 1990s

1957 the party launched the Hundred saw the opening of Special Economic

Flowers Movement which initially Zones and stock exchanges in most

encouraged freedom of expression. major cities. By 1992, China’s economy

Unprepared for the storm of criticism, was the third largest in the world.

the Party promptly branded intellect- The unprecedented rate of economic

uals as “rightists” and sent them to growth in the 1990s was matched by

the countryside for re-education. Frus- the transformation of the landscape as

trated with the slow rate of change, traditional build-

Mao launched the Great Leap Forward ings made way

in 1958. Large communes providing for modern high-

food and childcare replaced the family, rises. The former

releasing manual labor and improving colonies of Hong

productivity. But unrealistic product- Kong and Macau

ivity targets and the falsification of were returned to

statistics concealed the disastrous China and for-

effect of Mao’s experiment. Agricultural eign investment

failure coupled with natural disasters flooded in. Entre-

resulted in the starvation of millions. preneurs pros-

Having reformed agriculture and in- pered, and the

dustry, Mao sought to transform culture Communist Party

and launched the Cultural Revolution has been keen to

in 1965 (see pp64–5). The excesses of attract this new

the period were over by 1971, but class into its

the country was tightly controlled ranks. Disband-

and directed until Mao’s death in 1976. ing the state Traders at the Stock

Deng Xiaoping emerged as leader, economy has also Exchange of Hong Kong

implementing economic reforms which spawned inequi-

returned land to the peasants and ty, and the gap between rich and

encouraged greater economic freedom. poor grows increasingly wider. China

The economic liberalization of the today enjoys many of the benefits of

1980s stimulated the economy but was modern society and suffers from its

unmatched by political freedom. On familiar afflictions.

1958 Radical Little Red 1976 Mao dies and Cultural 1993 Jiang Zemin 2001 China admitted
reform of the Book Revolution brought to an end becomes president; as member of World
Great Leap construction of Trade Organisation
Forward 1970 1978 Deng Xiaoping Three Gorges Dam
emerges as leader begins
1960
1980 1990 2000

1965 Mao 1971 1972 1980 Televised 1989 1997 Hong 2003 Chinese
launches Cultural Mao’s heir President trial of Gang of Democracy Kong handed launch first
Nixon is first Four movement back to China; manned
Revolution Lin Biao American suppressed in Macau, two spacecraft; Hu
killed in president to Tian’an Men years later Jintao becomes
visit China Square president
plane
crash



BEIJING &
THE NORTH

INTRODUCING BEIJING & THE NORTH 70–77
BEIJING 78–119

HEBEI, TIANJIN & SHANXI 120–139
SHANDONG & HENAN 140–159
SHAANXI 160–171

70 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Beijing & the North
at a Glance

THREADED BY THE YELLOW RIVER and the Great Wall, Practicing tai ji quan, Temple
China’s north encompasses the six provinces of of Heaven, Beijing
Hebei, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, and
Shaanxi, as well as Beijing, the nation’s capital. From •
this vast domain, six ancient capitals governed
China, leaving behind a wealth of dynastic sites, such DATONG
as Beijing’s magnificent Forbidden City, the Terracotta
Warriors near Xi’an, and the Buddhist carvings at
Longmen and Yungang. The region’s religious sites
include the Daoist peaks of Hua Shan and Tai Shan,
the Buddhist Wutai Shan, and the Shaolin Temple.
Along the coast are the ports of Tianjin and
Qingdao, preserves of European architecture, and
Shanhaiguan, where the Great Wall meets the sea.
208 207Yello
2River (Huang He)
w
6
TAIYUAN

•

PINGYAO •

Vividly painted cave interior at the Yungang • YANAN •
Caves, Shanxi
• CHANGZHI
Yinchuan
LINFEN
08
108
1 LUOYANG • •

Lanzhou • 207LINGBAO •ZHENGZHOU

BAOJI •

31 XI’AN •

HANZHONG • 210 SHANGZHOU
• SHIQUAN
31

•

NANYANG

GETTING AROUND Laohe Kou

Beijing has good air, rail, and bus KEY
links to the surrounding region. There are
daily flights to Xi’an, Luoyang, Qingdao, Kaifeng, National highway
and Zhengzhou. Express trains link Beijing directly with all the Major road
region’s large cities, while many smaller towns are served by Minor road
slower trains. Tianjin is a major north-south rail junction. There Mountain area
is also a comprehensive long-distance bus service, while faster
private buses ply the popular tourist routes.

INTRODUCING BEIJING & THE NORTH 71

Chifeng

Sanggan He BEIJING • BEIJING

• CHENGDE HEBEI, TIANJIN
&SHANXI
SHANHAIGUAN
SHANDONG
• &HENAN

BEIDAIHE SHAANXI

•

TIANJIN

•

Bo Hai

SHIJIAZHUANG • YANTAI • •
309
• CANGZHOU WEIHAI

6 DONGYING
Yello
er •
10
308 206 2
JINAN • WEIFANG • 204

TAI SHAN • QINGDAO

• 04 0 km 100

ANYANG QUFU

Riv •
w
327 0 miles 100

• 310 Lianyungang SEE ALSO

KAIFENG SHANGQIU • Where to Stay pp554–9
• Where to Eat pp582–6

•

106 Xuzhou

Hefei
Wuhan

The imposing Great White Dagoba at Tayuan Si, Wutai Shan, Shanxi

72 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

A PORTRAIT OF BEIJING
& THE NORTH

THE YELLOW RIVER, THE WELLSPRING of Chinese culture and
civilization, carves a course through the country’s parched
northern terrain, the historic homeland of the Han Chinese
and location of the most significant monuments. Thus most visitors to
the Middle Kingdom usually concentrate on these historic sites,
beginning with the nation’s capital, Beijing.

For millennia, the Yellow River region’s vulnerable position so

(Huang He) has nurtured the close to the border with Inner

communities strung along its Mongolia and erstwhile

banks while sporadically washing Manchuria. Although the Great

away their settlements. The great Wall was built as a defensive

river flows through the provinces fortification, it could not prevent

of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, and the hordes of nomadic tribes, the

Shandong, often forming a natural so-called “barbarians,” from

boundary between provinces. It entering China.

also features in the names of Neolithic finds and

Henan (South of the River) Defender of the archeological sites wrote the

and Hebei (North of the River). Buddha, Longmen province of Henan into the

In its long and looping journey earliest pages of Chinese

it traverses a land rich in historic sights history. Here, South of the Yellow

and cities, before spilling into Bo Hai River, Luoyang and Kaifeng are two of

(Bo Sea), north of the sacred mountain, the country’s most important dynastic

Tai Shan. Occasionally, it comes across capitals; another ancient city, Anyang,

the vestiges of that other barrier, the was capital of the Shang dynasty.

Great Wall. Now a largely disintegrating However, it is Xi’an in Shaanxi

bastion, the wall crawls across the face province that is more eclipsed by its

of North China, a reminder of the past than any other ancient capital.

The Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha overlooking Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace, Beijing

INTRODUCING BEIJING & THE NORTH 73

The modern skyline of Qingdao, Shandong Province on China’s east coast

Xi’an’s most magnificent treasures are contrast with landlocked Shanxi’s

the Terracotta Warriors (see pp168–9), mineral-rich terrain. Both provinces are

created to guard the tomb of Qin Shi heavily industrialized but there are still

Huangdi, the Qin emperor who unified many sights that demand attention,

China. However Xi’an reached such as the Buddhist

its zenith during the Tang monastery of Chongshan Si

dynasty (see pp56–7), pros- (see p137), the holy mountain

pering because of its position Tai Shan, and the port of

at the eastern end of the Silk Tianjin, Hebei’s former capital.

Road. The Grand Mosque and Despite modernization, Tianjin

sizable Muslim population has preserved its European

testify to Xi’an’s cosmopolitan architecture, a legacy of its

grandeur during that time. past as a foreign trading post.

Toward the end of the 13th The Buddhist sculptures at

century, the Mongol Kublai the UNESCO World Heritage

Khan established Beijing as Site of the Longmen Caves in

his capital. But it was only in Lighting incense sticks Luoyang (see pp154–5) are

1407, when the Ming Beijing’s Lama Temple remarkable while Shandong is

emperor Yongle moved his best known for Qufu, the

seat of power here, that Beijing birthplace of Confucius, the eminent

achieved imperial status. Still organized philosopher-sage, whose teachings,

along its grand Ming and Qing dynasty which greatly influenced Chinese

lines, it is a city of straight, wide boule- culture, are acceptable once more.

vards and narrow, winding alleys

around an ancient palatial core, the

Forbidden City. The temples and

palaces are today complemented by

slick shopping streets and the com-

mercial buzz of a people coming

into their own in the 21st century.

The two adjoining provinces of

Hebei and Shanxi are griddles in

summer and iceboxes in winter,

although Hebei’s eastern seaboard

towns benefit from cooling sea

breezes. Shanxi, on the other hand,

is sometimes affected by seasonal

sand storms blowing in from the

Gobi Desert. Hebei’s fertile soil and The kind of scenery that has inspired Chinese poets and
productive agrarian economy artists for thousands of years, Hua Shan, Shaanxi

74 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Beijing Opera

ONE AMONG MANY HUNDREDS of local
operas across China, Beijing Opera
began in the Qing dynasty. It is said that

Emperor Qianlong (r.1736–96), on a tour

of the south, was rather taken by the

operas of Anhui and Hebei and brought

Souvenir these troupes back to Beijing, where a
mask
new form of opera was established. The

Guangxu emperor and Dowager Empress

Cixi were also keen devotees and helped develop the

art form. Beijing Opera has proved remarkably resilient, Emperor Qianlong, credited
with starting Beijing Opera
surviving the persecution of actors and the banning of

most of the plays during the Cultural Revolution.

BEIJING OPERA

Visually stunning and with a distinct
musical style, the plays are based on
Chinese history and literature. Beijing

Opera is a form of “total theater”
with singing, speech, mime, acrobatics,

and symbolic visual effects.

Monkey is one
of the favorite
characters – clever
resourceful and
brave. He appears
in Chinese classic
literature (see p29).

The colors of the painted
faces symbolize the individual
character’s qualities. Red, for
example, represents loyalty
and courage; purple, solemnity
and a sense of justice; green,
bravery and irascibility.

Riding a horse is The acrobatics of Beijing opera combine
represented by raising a graceful gymnastics and movements
tasselled horsewhip. Other from the martial arts. Training is
actions and movement on notoriously hard. The costumes are
designed to make the jumps seem more
the stage are similarly spectacular by billowing out as they spin.
stylized rather than realistic.

INTRODUCING BEIJING & THE NORTH 75

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Despite the dramatic visual elements of Beijing

Opera, the Chinese say that they go to “listen” to

opera, not to see it. The importance of the musical

elements should not therefore be underestimated.

Typically six or seven instrumentalists accompany

the opera. The stringed instruments usually

include the erhu or Chinese two-stringed violin, Gong

sanxian or three-stringed lute, and moon guitar, or

possibly pipa (traditional lute). The main function of the

instruments is to accompany the singing. Percussion instru-

ments include clappers, gongs, and drums. These are used

largely to punctuate the action; movement and sound

are intimately linked. Wind instruments also sometimes

feature, such as the Chinese horn, flute, and suona. Suona Pipa Erhu

Mei Lanfang was the foremost
interpreter of the female role type or
dan during the opera’s heyday in the
1920s and 1930s. Traditionally all
female roles were played by male
actors, although that has now changed.

Sheng: these may be Chou: with a THE FOUR MAIN ROLES
young or old, with white patch on
beard or without. his face, the chou There are four main role types in
is usually dim Beijing opera: the sheng (male) and
Dan: there are but amusing. dan (female) roles have naturalistic
six parts within
this role from make-up. The jing or
virtuous girl to “painted faces,” in contrast,
old woman. have stylized patterned,
colored faces, while the

chou are comic characters.

Jing: the most striking
looking, they also have the

most forceful personality.

76 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Regional Food: Beijing & the North

C OMMUNITIES DEVELOPED beside the Yellow River before Chinese leaf also known
6000 BC, but it is not until about 1500 BC, when as Tianjin cabbage
written records started, that a picture of the dietary
habits of the ancient Chinese becomes clear. They kept
pigs and grew millet, wheat, barley, and rice and even
fermented their grain to make alcoholic beverages.
Later (around 1100 BC), soybeans were added to the
Chinese diet, soon followed by by-products such as soy
sauce and beancurd (tofu). Beijing never had a distinctive
cuisine of its own, but as the center of the empire it imported
elements and influences from a variety of sources.

expensive ingredients – SHANDONG
shark’s fin, bird’s nest soup,
and abalone, all imported AS THE BIRTHPLACE and home
from the south – feature as of Confucius, the cuisine
well as artistic presentation of Shandong is generally
and poetic names. Beijing regarded as the oldest and
cuisine can be summed up best in China. Shandong has
as the distillation of the produced the largest number
creations of generations of of famous master chefs, and
Imperial Palace chefs over it is even said that the iron
almost a millennium. wok originated here as well.

Marinated, Steamed
roast duck pancakes

Candied apples on the street, a
feature of northern cuisine

THE PALACE KITCHEN

KUBLAI KHAN made Scallions
Beijing the capital in
1271 and brought simple Sliced Special duck
Mongolian influences to the cucumber sauce
northern Chinese cuisine –
lamb, roasting, and the hot A whole Peking duck with traditional accompaniments
pot. Prior to that, the national
capitals had been centered
around the Yellow River valley
in Xi’an, Luoyang, or Kaifeng.
Elaborate preparation and

REGIONAL DISHES AND SPECIALTIES Mu Shu Pork: stir-fried tiger
lily buds, scrambled egg, black
Peking duck – an Imperial meal – must be fungus, and shredded pork –
the best known dish in north Chinese cuisine. eaten with pancakes.
The duck, a local Beijing variety, is carefully
dried, and then brushed with a sweet

marinade before being roasted over fragrant
woodchips. Finally it is carved by the chef
and eaten wrapped in pancakes with a
special duck sauce, slivered scallions, and
cucumbers. To accompany the duck, diners
Duck pears – like might also be served duck liver pâté, and
a duck’s head duck soup to finish. Another specialty of
the region is Mongolian Hotpot; a simple
one-pot dish which suited the nomadic way of life. Other
regional specialties are made with local resources – carp
from the Yellow River, king prawns and yellow croakers
from the coast of Shandong, and not forgetting the
aromatics – garlic, leeks, and scallions.

INTRODUCING BEIJING & THE NORTH 77

When we talk of Beijing Some of the wide variety of foods on display at a night food market
cooking, we really mean
Shandong food. As one of nature in many aspects of its ON THE MENU
the most important agricultural daily life, particularly that of
areas of China, Shandong Russian and Japanese Drunken Empress Chicken
supplies Beijing with most of influences, hence you will Supposedly named after Yang
its food; its main crops are find a large number of beef Guifei, an imperial concubine
wheat, barley, sorghum, and lamb dishes here. overly fond of her alcohol.
millet, and corn as well as
soybeans and peanuts.
Additionally, fisheries are
widely developed along the
Yellow River and the north
China coast, particularly the
rocky Shandong peninsula
where the specialties are fish,
prawns, shellfish, abalones,
sea slugs, and sea urchins.
Fruits are also a Shandong
specialty, and wines and
beers – especially the famous
Tsingtao beer (see p146) –
are exported worldwide.

MONGOLIAN & Stir-fried Kidney-flowers
MUSLIM CUISINE These are actually pork
kidneys criss-cross cut into
The art of pouring tea, shown THE CHINESE Muslim school “flowers” and stir-fried with
in a Beijing restaurant of cooking derives mainly bamboo shoots, water
from the Hui, the Uighur, and chestnuts, and black fungus.
TIANJIN the Mongolian minorities. The
Hui are distributed throughout Fish Slices with Wine Sauce
THE THIRD largest city of China, but their traditional Deep-fried fish fillet braised in
China after Shanghai and area of settlement is in the a wine sauce.
Beijing, Tianjin occupies a north. The Uighur are mainly
rather unique position in in the northwest, while the Phoenix-tail Prawns
Chinese cuisine. As a treaty Mongols are traditionally King prawn tails coated in
port, Tianjin has over the nomadic and spread through- batter and bread crumbs, then
years acquired a cosmopolitan out the north. As Muslims deep-fried.
they do not eat pork, so
beef, lamb, and mutton Lamb in Sweet Bean Sauce
cooked on skewers are Tender fillet of lamb sliced and
important foods in their daily cooked in sweet bean paste
diet. Hand-made noodles with vinegar to give it that
and flat breads also feature. classic sweet and sour taste.

Hot Candied Apples
A popular Chinese dessert.

Lamb & Scallions: sliced Mongolian Hotpot: thinly Sweet & Sour Carp: the
lamb rapidly stir-fried with sliced lamb, vegetables, and quintessential Shandong
garlic, leeks or scallions, noodles dipped in boiling dish traditionally made
and sweet bean paste. water and an array of sauces. with Yellow River carp.



BEIJING & THE NORTH 79

BEIJING

THE CAPITAL OF THE People’s Republic of China is one of the
world’s largest cities with a population of over 14 million.
Beijing first became an imperial capital during the Mongol
Yuan dynasty (1279–1368), and both the Ming and Qing emperors
ruled from the Forbidden City at its heart. Today, an all-pervading
spirit of change has added an exciting new dimension to the city.

Expanding in concentric rings and the 2008 Olympics.
from the Forbidden City at its Beijing is a microcosm of
core, the grid-like layout modern China and all its
of modern-day Beijing
still echoes its Ming contradictions, a
dynasty blueprint. Old bustling mix of afflu-
Beijing survives in ent shoppers, trendy
its temples, palaces, youths, beggars, and plain-
and old alleyways (hutong) clothes police. Bars and cafés
that crisscross the city outside the proliferate, and entertainment
second ring road, which itself charts options range from traditional Beijing
the loop of the demolished City opera and spectacular acrobatics to
Wall. Within this ancient outline are modern jazz and even raucous
huge avenues, vaulting flyovers, punk clubs. And in the capital’s
towering skyscrapers, shopping many restaurants, China’s diverse
malls, and the vast expanse of cuisine can be sampled across its
Tian’an Men Square. The city that range – from the fierce spices of
the 13th-century Mongol warlord Sichuan to the dainty morsels of
Genghis Khan once put to the torch Cantonese dim sum. On the roads,
is undergoing a new, dramatic the city’s army of bicycles may be
facelift, as a result of a culmination under pressure from the huge influx
of a quarter-century of reform, the of new cars, but for the time being
pressures of a growing population, pedal power is still one of the best
ways to get around Beijing.

Pleasure cruise on Kunming Lake, Summer Palace
Red flags flying next to Zhengyang Men, Tian’an Men Square

80 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Exploring Beijing

BEIJING’S MOST significant sights and districts are • BEIJING
marked on this map. At the core is the Forbidden
City, with Tian’an Men Square and Qian Men to the LOCATOR MAP
south, and the shopping district of Wangfujing to its
east. North of the Forbidden City stand the Drum and See Map pp70–71
Bell Towers and farther northeast is the Buddhist
Lama Temple. North of Beihai Park, the Mansion of XUEYUAN NAN LU
Prince Gong stands in a historic hutong quarter, the
old alleyways that riddle the city. To the south, Tian
Tan, known as the Temple of Heaven, is a majestic
example of Ming dynasty design. Beijing’s environs
are also dotted with sites including the magnificent
Great Wall and the scenic Ming Tombs.

KEY DAHUISI LU SIDAOKOU LU D XIZHI MEN BEI DAJIE WENHUIYUAN LU
DALIUSHU LU
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see pp82–3 UEYUAN ZHONG GUANCUN NAN DAJIE ESHENG MEN XI DAJIE
k International airport £ qXIZHI MEN NEI DAJIE
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BEIJING 81

SIGHTS AT A GLANCE

Historic Buildings, Sites & Tian’an Men Square pp82–3 1 Temples, Churches &

Neighborhoods Underground City 3 Mosques

Ancient Observatory u Yuanming Yuan k Confucius Temple w

Chuandixia . Cow Street Mosque a

Dazhalan & Liulichang 4 Museums & Galleries Dong Yue Miao r

Drum & Bell Towers 0 Beijing Natural History Fayuan Temple s

Eastern Qing Tombs v Museum o Great Bell Temple l

Forbidden City pp86–9 6 National Art Museum of Lama Temple q

Great Wall of China China t Miaoying Temple White

pp106–9 c Chinese Military History Dagoba g

Mansion of Prince Gong 9 Museum f South Cathedral 5

Marco Polo Bridge b Southeast Corner Tanzhe Temple n

Ming Tombs pp104–5 x Watchtower i Temple of Heaven pp96–7 p

Peking Man Site m White Clouds Temple d

Qian Men 2 HEPINGLI XI JIE

Summer Palace pp100–2 j e Areas of Natural Beauty
Shidu ,
q Jqishu Jishuitan DI TAN
tt Shops & Markets
Anding Men PARK Wangfujing Street y

q q Yonghe Gong

DESHENG MEN q ANDING MEN ANDING MEN DONG DAJIE DONG
DONG DAJIE XI DAJIE ANDING MEN NEI BEI
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Bei Hai Park 8
t Beijing Zoo h
Di Tan Park e
XINJIEKOU 0 GULOU DONG DAJIE DONG ZHI MEN NEI DAJIE Dong Zhi Men Jing Shan Park 7
NAN DAJIE Bus Terminal Xiang Shan
XINJIEKOU DI'ANMENWA I N DONG ZHI MEN
NAN DAJIE DAJIE NAN LUOGU NAN DAJIE Park z
9 XIANG Dong Si Shi Tiao
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DAJIE

4 XIANYUKOU JIE DONG XING- • Street Finder pp114–19
LONG JIE • Where to Stay pp554–6
JIE • Where to Eat pp582–4
Q QIANSUNGONG- DAZHALAN ZHUSHIKOU DON G DAJIE
Y YUAN HUTONG
HUFANG LU ZHXUI SHDIAKJOIEU
LUOMLUOMASHI
DA DAJIE

HUTONG TIAN TAN LU
CAISHIKOU
YONG'AN LU Friendship TIAN TAN GETTING AROUND
HUTONG Hospital GONG YUAN
a A system of ring roads encircles the city center,
and the best way to explore this area is by taxi,
NANHENANHENG DONG JIE BEI WEI LU o
ZIXIN LU YONGDING MEN NEI
@ DAJIE TIAN TAN DONG LU

TAO TAORANTING LU Tianqiao by subway, or by bicycle (see pp632–3). The
Bus Terminal bus service, though extensive, is generally slow
p and overcrowded. Organized tours are another
TAIPING JIE
Taoranting option for a quick overview of the sights. Most
Hu hotels and agencies operate tour buses for

O N GDBO N G B I N H E LU YONGDING MEN DONG BINHE LU visiting sights outside Beijing, although hiring
a taxi for the day allows for greater flexibility.

82 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Street-by-Street:Tian’an Men Square 1

TIAN’AN MEN GUANGCHANG – the Square of Cyclists along Chang’an Jie
the Gate of Heavenly Peace – is a vast
open concrete expanse at the heart of
modern Beijing. With Mao’s Mausoleum at
its focal point, and bordered by 1950s
Communist-style buildings and ancient
Chairman gates from Beijing’s now levelled city walls,
Mao the square is usually filled with visitors
strolling about as kites flit overhead. The square
has also traditionally served as a stage for popular
demonstrations and is most indelibly associated with
the student protests of 1989 and their gory climax.

Great Hall of the People
Seat of the Chinese legislature, the vast
auditorium and banqueting halls are open
for part of the day except when the
National People’s Congress is in session.

QIAN

MEN

DAJIE

. Qian Men
Also called Zhengyang Men, this
tower formed a double gate along
with Jian Lou. It now houses a
museum on the history of Beijing.

Jian Lou or Arrow Tower,
like Zhengyang Men, was first

built in the Ming dynasty.

. Mao’s Mausoleum
Flanked by revolutionary statues, the
building contains the embalmed body
of Chairman Mao. His casket, raised

from its refrigerated chamber, is on
view mornings and afternoons.

BEIJING 83

. Tian’an Men BEIJING
Mao proclaimed the
Tian’an Men
founding of the Square
People’s Republic of
China on 1 October
1949 from this Ming
dynasty gate, where

his huge portrait
still remains.

LOCATOR MAP

See Street Finder Map 2

0 meters 200
0 yards 200

CHANG~AN The national flag
is raised at dawn
and lowered at
dusk every day.

JIE

Bags, coats, and cameras China National Museum
must be left here before Built in 1959, this building was
visiting Mao’s Mausoleum. originally home to the Museum of
Chinese History and the Museum
Monument to the of the Revolution, now merged.
People’s Heroes The same exhibits are on display
Erected in 1958, the granite (and the same propagandist lens).
monument is decorated with The halls also host exhibitions
bas-reliefs of episodes from from other world class museums.
China’s revolutionary history
and calligraphy from STAR SIGHTS
Communist veterans Mao
Zedong and Zhou Enlai. . Mao’s Mausoleum

. Qian Men

. Tian’an Men

84 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Underground
City 3

62 Xi Damochang Jie. Map 4 D2.
q Qian Men. § (010) 6702 2657.
# daily. & 6 (flash required).

AT THE HEIGHT of the Sino-
Soviet rift in the 1960s,
Mao Zedong gave orders to

carve out a vast network of

bombproof tunnels beneath

Beijing. Work on this

subterranean hideaway was

done by hand, and the

Zhengyang Men, Qian Men – part of Beijing’s central fortifications resulting maze of tunnels was

equipped with weapons,

Qian Men 2 The 125 ft (38 m) high Jian hospitals, and large stocks of
Lou (Arrow Tower), originally water and food. Most of the

built in 1439, has 94 windows labyrinth’s entry points are

Qian Men Dajie. Map 3 C2. q Qian that were used for shooting hard to find, but the one most
Men. # 8:30am–4pm daily. & arrows. Both the Jian Lou and easily accessible is on Xi
Zhengyang Men were badly Damochang Jie, an alley

damaged by fire during the southeast of Qian Men.

QIAN MEN OR the Front Gate Boxer Rebellion (see p433). In Guides show visitors around
consists of two towers, 1916, the enceinte, a semi- a circuit of dank tunnels,

Zhengyang Men, on the circular wall that where signs

southern edge of Tian’an Men connected the two illustrate the

Square, and Jian Lou just towers, was earlier functions

across Qian Men Dajie to the demolished to of rooms, and

south. Zhengyang Men (Facing make way for a War Hospital sign, point the way to

the Sun Gate ) was the most road. Jian Lou is Beijing Underground City surface landmarks.

imposing of the nine gates of now closed to the Unlit passageways

the inner city wall that divided public. Across the road to the branch off from the main

Beijing’s imperial quarters in east, the Old Railway Station circuit, but many are either

the Forbidden City from the was built by the British and damaged or blocked, and it is

“Chinese City,” where, during now houses a number of dangerous to wander off

the Manchu Qing dynasty, the shops. The surrounding area alone. Old ventilation shafts

Chinese inhabitants lived. comprises the city’s old shop- and flood-proof doors can be

Rising 131 ft (40 m), the ping district, with alleys filled seen. Rumor has it that a

gate stands on the north- with specialty stores. Numer- tunnel once connected the

south axis that runs through ous silk and cloth shops, food Zhongnanhai, the Communist

Tian’an Men and the stalls and cinemas make it a Party Headquarters, to the

Forbidden City. Its museum lively area worth exploring. Western Hills, 12 miles (20

has dioramas of the old city km) west of the city, for the

walls, and photographs of P Zhengyang Men evacuation of China’s leaders

Beijing’s old streets. § (010) 6525 3176. # daily. & in the event of an emergency.

BEIJING’S CITY WALLS

The earliest defensive walls around Beijing (then called Arrow Gate of Qian Men, Inner Wall
Yanjing, later Zhongdu) were erected in the Jin dynasty
(1115–1234) and modeled on the wall around Kaifeng (see
p150). The Mongol Kublai Khan rebuilt Zhongdu, naming it
Dadu, and encompassed it with a 19-mile (30-km) wall. It
was only during the Ming era (1368–1644) that the walls
took on their final shape of an Outer Wall with seven gates,
and an Inner Wall with nine gates. The magnificent Inner
Wall was 38 ft (11.5 m) high and 64 ft (19.5 m) wide. The
walls and most of their gates were unfortunately demolished
in the 1950s and 60s to make way for roads. Of the inner
wall, only Zhengyang Men and Desheng Men survive, while
the outer wall retains only Dongbian Men (see p95). The old
gates live on as place names on the second ring road, and as
the names of stations on the Beijing Underground Loop line.

BEIJING 85

Shop selling Communist memorabilia, Dazhalan Jie underground station, on the
site of Jesuit Matteo Ricci’s
Dazhalan & Ruifuxiang, on the right-hand former residence. Ricci was
the first Jesuit missionary to
Liulichang 4 side of Dazhalan, dates from reach Beijing. Arriving in
1893 and is renowned for its 1601, he sent gifts of
European curiosities such as
silks and traditional Chinese clocks, mathematical instru-
ments, and a world map to
garments. On the south side the Wanli emperor, thus
gaining his goodwill, and was
Map 3 C2. q Qian Men. of Dazhalan Jie is the Chinese eventually given permission
to establish a church.
SOUTH OF QIAN MEN are the medicine shop Tongrentang
narrow and lively hutong Pharmacy, which has been in Like many of China’s
churches, this restored
(see p91) of the old Chinese business since 1669 and building has suffered much
devastation. Construction first
quarter. The inner city wall enjoyed imperial patronage. began in 1605, and it
subsequently burned down in
and its gates separated the On the same side of the road, 1775. It was rebuilt a century
later, only to be destroyed
“Inner City” containing the the Zhangyiyuan once again during the Boxer
Rebellion of 1900. The
imperial quarters of the Chazhuang or Zhangyiyuan cathedral was rebuilt in 1904.
Also known as St. Mary’s
Manchu emperors from the Teashop has been supplying Church, it is the city’s largest
functioning Catholic
“Chinese City,” where the fine teas since the early 20th cathedral, and has regular
services in a variety of
Chinese lived apart century. To the west of languages including Chinese,
English, and Latin. Service
from their Qing Dazhalan Jie, Liulichang timings are posted on the
noticeboard. A small gift shop
overlords. Today, Jie, with its restored is located near the south gate.

the district buzzes buildings and many Stained glass at the South
Cathedral (Nan Tang)
with shops, stores, is a

cinemas, and fascinating place

restaurants. to wander

Running west off around. It has

the northern end everything from

of Qian Men ceramics, bric-à-

Dajie is Dazhalan brac, paintings,

Jie, whose name lacquerware,

“Big Barrier and antique

Street” refers to Cyclists on restored Chinese books

the now- Liulichang Jie to Cultural

demolished gates Revolution-era

that were closed every night memorabilia. However,

to fence off the residents from beware of so-called “antiques”

Qian Men and the Inner City. which should be judiciously

The area was damaged during examined before buying.

the Boxer Rebellion and later

restored. There are hutong South Cathedral 5
tours by rickshaw – drivers just

wait in the street in Dazhalan.

The area is a great place for

browsing, and has several 141 Qian Men Xi Dajie. Map 3 A2.

quaint Qing-era specialty Q Xuanwu Men.

shops. Located down the first

Talley on the left from Dazhalan HE FIRST CATHOLIC church to
be built in Beijing, South
Jie is the century-old pickle
shop Liubiju, selling a vast Cathedral (Nan Tang) stands

array of pungent pickles. close to the Xuanwu Men

86 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Forbidden City 6

FORMING THE VERY HEART OF BEIJING, the
Forbidden City, officially known as the
Palace Museum (Gugong), is China’s most

Decorative wall magnificent architectural complex and was
relief
completed in 1420. The huge palace is a
compendium of imperial architecture and

a lasting monument of dynastic China from which 24

emperors ruled for nearly 500 years. The symbolic center Chinese Lions
Pairs of lions guard the
of the Chinese universe, the palace was the exclusive entrances of halls. The
male is portrayed with a
domain of the imperial court and dignitaries until the ball under his paw, while
the female has a lion cub.
1920s. It was fully opened to the public in 1949.

Storehouses

Offices of
the imperial
secretariat.

. Golden Water
Five marble bridges, symbolizing the five
cardinal virtues of Confucianism, cross the
Golden Water, which flows from west to east
in a course designed to resemble the jade
belt worn by officials.

OUTER COURT

At the center of the
Forbidden City, the
Outer Court is easily
its most impressive
part. Most of the
other buildings in
the complex were
there to service this
city within a city.

Meridian Gate Gate of Supreme Harmony
From the balcony the emperor Originally used for receiving visitors, the 78-ft
would review his armies and (24-m) high, double-eaved hall was later used for
perform ceremonies marking banquets during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912).
the start of a new calendar.

BEIJING 87

. Marble Carriageway VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
The central ramp carved
with dragons chasing North of Tian’an Men Square.
pearls among clouds was Map 1 C5. § (010) 513 2255.
reserved for the emperor. # Apr–Oct: 8:30am–5pm daily;
Nov–Mar: 8:30am–4:30pm daily.
Hall of Preserving &=89-
Harmony ∑ www.dpm.org.cn

Bronze cauldrons Gate of
were filled with water Heavenly
in case of fire. Purity

Hall of Middle
Harmony received
the emperor before
official ceremonies.

Imperial
sundial

. Hall of Supreme Harmony
The largest hall in the palace, this was
used for major occasions such as the
enthronement of an emperor. Inside the
hall, the ornate throne sits beneath a
fabulously colored ceiling.

Roof Guardians DESIGN BY NUMBERS Palace door with a
An odd number of these lucky number of studs
figures, all associated with The harmonious principle of yin and
water, are supposed to protect yang is the key to Chinese design.
the building from fire. As odd numbers represent yang (the
preferred masculine element
STAR FEATURES associated with the emperor), the
numbers three, five, seven, and the
. Golden Water ultimate odd number – nine, recur
in architectural details. It is said that
. Marble Carriageway the Forbidden City has 9,999 rooms
and, as nine times nine is especially
. Hall of Supreme fortunate, the doors for imperial use
Harmony usually contain 81 brass studs.

88 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Exploring the Forbidden City temples, and halls as well as a
rock garden and ancient trees.
ASHORT DISTANCE NORTH through the Gate of Heavenly On the west and east sides of
Purity lies the Inner Court with three impressive the garden are the charming
inner palaces. Further on through the Imperial Flower Thousand Autumns Pavilion
Garden stands the Shenwu Gate, the north gate of the and Ten Thousand Springs
Forbidden City, an exit from the palace that leads to a Pavilion, each topped with a
walk across to Jing Shan Park (see p90). On the circular roof. Positioned
western and eastern flanks of the Inner Court, it is also centrally in the north of the
possible to explore numerous halls, some of which garden, the Hall of Imperial
house museum collections (entry fee payable). Peace formerly served as a
temple, and, on top of the
lofty rockery in the northeast
of the garden, the Imperial
View Pavilion rises with long
views over the gardens and
beyond. During the Qing
dynasty, sacrifices were
performed in the gardens on
the seventh day of the
seventh lunar month (China’s
equivalent of Valentine’s Day)
by the emperor, empress, and
imperial concubines to a pair
of stars that represent lovers.

P Eastern Palaces

On the east side of the Inner

Court lies a much closer knit

series of smaller palaces and

The Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns in the Imperial Gardens courtyards formerly used as

the residences of imperial

P The Inner Court P The Imperial Gardens concubines. Nowadays, some

Beyond the Hall of Preserving The Imperial Flower of these areas serve as

Harmony (Outer Court) lies a Garden, north of the three museums of jade, paintings,

large but narrow courtyard inner palaces and the Gate of enamels, and antique

with gates leading to the open Earthly Tranquillity, dates from collectibles, including the

areas east and west of the the reign of the Ming Yongle impressive Clock Exhibition

Outer Court and a main gate, emperor. It is symmetrically Hall (housed in the Palace of

the Gate of Heavenly Purity, laid out with pavilions, Eternal Harmony) with its

leading to the Inner Court.

Here lie three splendid

palaces, mirroring those of

the Outer Court but on a

smaller scale. The double-

eaved Palace of Heavenly

Purity was used as the

imperial sleeping quarters and

for the reception of officials.

It was here that the last Ming

emperor, Chongzhen, wrote

his final missive in red ink,

before getting drunk, killing

his 15-year-old daughter and

his concubines, and then Imperial five-clawed dragons on a glazed Nine Dragon Screen

hanging himself on Jing Shan CHINESE DRAGONS
(see p90), just north of the

palace, as peasant rebels The Chinese dragon is a curious hybrid of sometimes many
swarmed through the capital. animal parts – snake’s body, deer horns, bull’s ears, hawk’s
Beyond lie the Hall of Union, claws and fish scales. Endowed with magical characteristics,
used as a throne room by the it can fly, swim, change into other animals, bring rainfall
empress, and the Palace of and ward off evil spirits. The five-clawed dragon represented
Earthly Tranquillity, the the power of the emperor, and therefore could only adorn
living quarters of the Ming his imperial buildings. The Chinese dragon is a beneficient
empresses. During the Qing beast offering protection and good luck, hence its depiction
dynasty, the hall was used for on screens and marble carriageways, and its significance,
Manchurian shaman rites, even today, in festivals such as Chinese New Year.
including animal sacrifice.

BEIJING 89

THE FORBIDDEN CITY

e r e 1 Gate of Heavenly Purity

6 2 Palace of Heavenly Purity
5 3 Hall of Union

4 7 q 4 Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
3 8 0 5 Imperial Flower Garden
6 Hall of Imperial Peace
2 7 Palace of Eternal Harmony
w

1 8 Palace of Abstinence

9 9 Nine Dragon Screen

0 Imperial Zenith Hall

q Palace of Peaceful Longevity

w Hall of Mental Cultivation

e Arrow Tower

r Gate of Divine Prowess

0 meters 300

KEY 0 yards 300

Imperial buildings

e e Area illustrated (see pp86–7)

sizeable and fascinating P Western Palaces P The Palace Walls

display. Note that these are Much of the western flank of The wall around the Forbidden

occasionally moved to other the Forbidden City is closed City is marked at each corner

halls and at some an entry to visitors, but the halls by an elaborate Arrow Tower,

fee is payable. Among west of the three notable for its many eaves. The

the collection are inner palaces are northern gate of the palace is

elaborate Chinese, accessible. The called the Gate of Divine

British, and Hall of Mental Prowess or Shenwu Men, and

French Cultivation served as a combined bell and

timepieces, was used by drum tower. The palace wall

donated or Yongzheng (see was enclosed within a moat

collected by Qing p109) for his and another wall ran around

emperors. In the residence, rather the grounds of the Imperial

southeast of the Tile relief by the Hall of than the Hall of City. Beyond this lay the inner

inner court is Mental Cultivation Heavenly Purity, and outer city walls of Beijing.

the Palace of where his father, Damaged in the 1950s and

Abstinence, where the Kangxi, had lived for 60 years. 1960s, only a few parts of the

emperor fasted before The East Warm Chamber of Imperial City wall survive,

sacrificial ceremonies. Further the Hall of Mental Cultivation while the city walls have all but

southeast stands a beautiful was the site of the formal vanished. However, the wall

Nine Dragon Screen, a 100- abdication by Henry Pu Yi, of the Forbidden City and its

ft (31-m) long spirit wall the last emperor, on February four gates have survived intact

made from richly glazed tiles 12, 1912 (see p446). and can still be admired.

and similar to the screen in

Beihai Park (see p90). Screens

were used to shield areas from

sight and allow visitors to

make themselves presentable.

The screen leads on to the

jewelry displays housed in a

series of halls in the northeast

of the complex, including the

Imperial Zenith Hall and

the Palace of Peaceful

Longevity. These halls contain

an array of decorative objects

and tools used by the emperor.

Northwest of the Palace of

Peaceful Longevity is its

flower garden, a tranquil strip

of rockeries and pavilions. One of four arrow towers at each corner of the palace wall

90 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

89-ft (27-m) long spirit wall
made of colorful glazed tiles.
Depicting nine intertwining
dragons, it was designed to
obstruct evil spirits. The Xiao-
xitian Temple lies to the west.

Mansion of Prince
Gong 9

Bei Hai with Jing Shan’s summit in the background 17 Qianhai Xi Jie, Xicheng.
Map 1 B3. q Gulou. § (010) 6616
8149. # 8:30am–5pm daily. &

Jing Shan Park 7 with several pavilions and BEIJING’S MOST complete
halls, but the highlight of example of a historic
1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng. Map 1 C4. any visit is the superb view mansion is situated in a
q Tian’an Men Xi. § (010) 6404 of the Forbidden City from charming hutong district west
4071. # daily. &ˆ the hill’s Wancheng Ting of Qian Hai. It was supposedly
(Wancheng Pavilion). the inspiration behind the
residence portrayed by Cao
SITUATED ON Beijing’s north- Bei Hai Park 8 Xueqin in his classic 18th-
south axis, Jing Shan Park century novel Dream of the
has its origins in the Yuan Red Chamber (see pp28–9).
Built during the reign of the
dynasty (1279–1368). Its hill 1 Wenjin Jie, Xicheng. Map 1 C4. Qianlong emperor, the house
is extensive and its charming
was created from earth that q Tian’an Men Xi. § (010) 6403 garden is a pattern of open
corridors and pavilions,
was excavated while building 1102. # daily. & dotted with pools and gate-
ways. Originally built for
the palace moat during the Heshun, a Manchu official
and the emperor’s favorite,
reign of the Ming Yongle AN IMPERIAL garden for the residence was appropriated
emperor. In the early years more than 1,000 years, by the imperial household after
he was found guilty of using
of the Ming dynasty it was Bei Hai Park was opened to regal motifs in his mansion
design. It was later bequeathed
known as Wansui Shan the public in 1925. Filled to Prince Gong in the Xianfeng
emperor’s reign (r.1851–61).
(Long Life Hill), but was with artificial hills, The house is popular with tour
groups, so early morning is the
renamed Jing Shan pavilions, and temples, best time to visit and after-
wards, the local hutong can
(View or Prospect Hill) it is associated with be explored. In summer,
Beijing opera is performed
in the Qing era. Foreign Kublai Khan, who in its Grand Opera House.

residents also referred redesigned it during Elaborate arched gateway,
Mansion of Prince Gong
to it as Coal Hill (Mei the Mongol Yuan

Shan), supposedly dynasty. The

because coal was Tuancheng (Round

stored at the foot of City), near the south

the hill although White Dagoba, Bei entrance, has a huge,

other theories exist. Hai Park decorated jade urn

Until the fall of the belonging to him.

Qing, Jing Shan was linked to The park is named after its

the Forbidden City and was extensive lake, Bei Hai,

restricted to imperial use. The whose southern end is bor-

hill’s purpose was to protect dered by the inaccessible

the imperial palaces within Zhongnanhai, the Communist

the Forbidden City from Party Headquarters. In the

malign northern influences, middle of Bei Hai, Jade Island

which brought death and was supposedly made from

destruction according to the earth excavated while cre-

classical feng shui. However, ating the lake. It is topped by

it failed to save the last Ming the 118-ft (36-m) high White

emperor Chongzhen, who Dagoba, a Tibetan-style stupa

hanged himself from a locust built to honor the visit of the

tree (huaishu) in the park in fifth Dalai Lama in 1651.

1644, when rebel troops Beneath the huge dagoba,

forced their way into Beijing. Yongan Si comprises a series

Another tree, planted after the of ascending halls. The lake’s

original tree was cut down, northern shore has several

marks the spot in the park’s sights, including the massive

southeast. The park is dotted Nine Dragon Screen, an

BEIJING 91

Beijing’s Courtyard Houses

AT FIRST GLANCE, Beijing seems most are now state-owned. The
a thoroughly modern city, hutong are very easy to find, try

but a stroll through the city’s the alleyways between the main

alleyways (hutong) reveals the streets south of Qian Men, or

charm of old Beijing. These around Hou Hai and Qian Hai.

hutong – weaving across much The modernization of Beijing

of central Beijing – are where has destroyed many traditional

many Beijing residents Washing the siheyuan, but some have been
laundry in public
(Beijingren) still live. Typically cleaned up and have again
running east to west, hutong become homes. A few have

are created by the walls of courtyard been converted into hotels (see

houses (siheyuan). Formerly the pp554–6), allowing the visitor a closer

homes of officials and the well-to-do, look at this disappearing world.

The main hall was the Crowded courtyards
most northerly and As space became an issue in Beijing,
usually reserved for additional buildings filled in the large
the eldest of the family, courtyards. Several families may be
such as the grandparents.
living together in one siheyuan.

The open Wall adds privacy and
courtyard keeps out spirits
lets in both the as they are un-
sunlight and the able to turn
wind and cold. corners.

The number of halls Entrance is at the
and courtyards determines southeastern corner as
the grandeur of the prescribed by feng shui.
residence.
Social housing
Walls were important to the With several families living
Chinese psyche – even in the together, a strong community
secure capital, they felt the
need to retreat behind them. spirit is fostered, while the
hutong outside becomes an

extension of the home.

Typical Beijing hutong
You can take organized rickshaw tours
of the hutong, sometimes with a visit to the
Mansion of Prince Gong (see p90), but it
can be more fun to explore them by yourself.

92 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Lama Temple q

12 Yonghe Gong Dajie, Dongcheng.
Map 2 E2. q Yonghe Gong.
§ (010) 6404 4499. # daily. &

A view of the Bell Tower from Beijing’s Drum Tower BEIJING’S MOST spectacular
temple complex, the Lama
Drum & Bell drums there. The one large Temple (Yonghegong) was
Towers 0 and 24 smaller drums were constructed during the 17th
beaten to mark the hours of century and converted into a
Northern end of Di’an Men Wai Dajie, the day. According to the Tibetan lamasery in 1744. Its
Dongcheng. Map 1 C2. q Gulou. official Chinese accounts, the five main halls are a stylistic
§ (010) 6401 2674. # daily. & original drums were destroyed blend of Han, Mongol, and
by the foreign soldiers of the Tibetan motifs. The first hall
LOCATED ON THE north-south international army that has a traditional display – the
meridian that bisects the relieved Beijing during the plump laughing Buddha,
Forbidden City and Tian’an Boxer Rebellion (see p433). Milefo, is back-to-back with
Men Square, the Drum Tower Wei Tuo, the Protector of
(Gu Lou) rises up from a A short walk north of the Buddhist Doctrine, and
historic Beijing hutong district Drum Tower, the Bell Tower flanked by the Four Heavenly
(see p91). The squat structure (Zhong Lou) is an edifice Kings. Yonghe Hall beyond
seen today was originally from 1745, which replaced an has three manifestations of
built in 1420 during the reign earlier tower that had burnt Buddha, flanked by 18
of the Ming Yongle emperor. down. Suspended within the luohan – those freed from the
Visitors can clamber up the tower is a 15-ft (4.5-m) high cycle of rebirth. Even farther
steep stairs to look out over and 42-ton (42,674-kg) bell, back, the Tibetan-styled
the city and inspect the 25 that was cast in 1420. During Falun Hall or Hall of the
Spring Festival (see pp42–3), Wheel of Law has a statue of
visitors can pay to ring the Tsongkhapa, the founder of
bell for good luck. the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan
Buddhism (see pp522–3).

The highlight, however, is
encapsulated within the
towering Wanfu Pavilion
(Wanfu Ge) – a vast 55-ft
(17-m) high statue of Maitreya
(the Future Buddha), carved
from a single block of

The striking main gateway of the colorful Lama Temple

BEIJING 93

passed the imperial civil Dong Yue Miao r
service exams. Additional

stelae are propped up on the

backs of bixi (mythical cross 141 Chaoyang Men Wai Dajie,
Chaoyang. Map 2 F4. q Chaoyang
between a tortoise and a Men. § (010) 6551 0151.
dragon), within pavilions sur- # Tue–Sun. &
rounded by cypress trees. On
a marble terrace in the main

hall are statues of Confucius

and some of his disciples. ON BEIJING’S eastern side
near the Workers’
Di Tan Park e Stadium, the mesmerising
Dong Yue Miao takes its

name from the Daoist Eastern

Peak, Dong Yue, also known

North of the Lama Temple, as Tai Shan (see pp144–5).

Dongcheng. Map 2 E1. It is fronted by a fabulous

q Yonghe Gong. # daily. & glazed Ming dynasty paifang

Statue of Confucius at the main inscribed with the characters
entrance, Confucius Temple
AN IDEAL PLACE TO stroll “Zhisi Daizong,” meaning
sandalwood. The splendid
exhibition of Tibetan Buddhist amidst trees, Di Tan Park “offer sacrifices to Mount Tai
objects at the temple’s rear
includes statues of the deities was named after the Temple (Tai Shan) in good order.”
Padmasambhava (Guru
Rinpoche), and the Tibetan of Earth (Di Tan), which was This colorful and active
equivalent of Guanyin,
Chenresig, alongside ritual the venue for imperial sacri- temple, dating to the early
objects such as the sceptre-
like dorje (thunderbolt) and fices. The park’s altar (Fangze 14th century, was restored
dril bu (bell), symbols of the
male and female energies. Tan) dates to the Ming at considerable cost in 1999,
Few captions are in English.
dynasty and its and is tended by Daoist
Confucius
Temple w square shape monks. The main courtyard

13 Guozijian Jie, Dongcheng. represents the earth. leads into the Hall of Tai
Map 2 E2. q Yonghe Gong.
§ (010) 8401 1977. # daily. & Under the Ming, five Shan, where there are

ADJACENT TO the Lama main altars were statues of the God of
Temple, the Confucius
Temple is the largest in China established at the Tai Shan and his
outside Qufu, the
philosopher’s birthplace in city’s cardinal points attendants. The
Shandong province (see
p142). The alley leading – Tian Tan (Temple greatest attractions
to the temple has a fine
pailou (decorative archway), of Heaven) in the here are over 70
few of which survive in
Beijing. First built in 1302 south, Di Tan in the “Departments,”
during the Mongol Yuan
dynasty, the temple was north, Ri Tan filled with vivid
expanded in 1906 in the
reign of Emperor Guangxu. (Temple of the Daoist gods and
It is a tranquil place that
offers respite from the city’s Sun) in the east, Guardian at entrance, demons, whose
bustle. Around 200 ancient
stelae stand in the silent Yue Tan (Temple Dong Yue Miao functions are
courtyard in front of the
main hall (Dacheng Dian), of the Moon) in the explained in
inscribed with the names of
those who successfully west, and Sheji Tan (Temple of English captions. In Daoist

Land and Grain) in the center. lore, the spirits of the dead

Mirroring ancient ceremonies, go to Tai Shan, and many

a lively temple fair (miaohui) Departments dwell on the

is held during the Chinese afterlife. The Department

New Year (see pp42–3), to for Increasing Wealth and

welcome the spring planting Longevity, for example,

season and appease the gods. offers cheerful advice.

Corn laid out to form Chinese characters, temple festival, Di Tan Park

94 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

National Art city’s most important churches,

Museum of it has recently been restored
China t at a cost of US$2 million. It
was built on the site of the

former residence of Jesuit

Adam Schall von Bell

1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district. Map (1591–1669) in 1655, and has
2 D4. q Wangfujing. § (010) 6401 been rebuilt a number of
6234. # daily, last entry 4pm. & times after being successively
destroyed by earthquake, fire,

HOSTING A number of and then during the Boxer
exhibitions of Chinese Rebellion. It is fronted by an

and international art, as well open courtyard and an arched

as occasional photographic gateway. One of the best times

displays, the National Art to view the church is at night,

Museum of China (Zhongguo when it is illuminated.

Meishuguan) has 14 halls

spread over three levels. This The imposing façade of St. Joseph’s The Ancient

quite ordinary building holds Church, Wangfujing Street

an exciting range of Chinese Beijing. The street has a lively Observatory u
modern art, which suffers less

censorship than other media, mixture of pharmacies,

such as film or literature. laundry and dyeing shops,

Magazines such as Beijing as well as stores selling silk, Map 4 F1. q Beijing Zhan.

Talk and That’s Beijing carry tea, and shoes. § (010) 6524 2202. # 9am–4pm

details of current and However, the street’s daily. &

forthcoming exhibitions. highlight is the Night

Market, with its BEIJING’S ANCIENT
observatory (Gu
Wangfujing Street y endless variety of Guanxiangtai)
traditional

Chinese snacks, stands on a platform

including skewers alongside a flyover

Map 4 D1. q Wangfujing. Night of beef, and more off Jianguo Men Nei

Market # 5:30pm–10pm daily. St. exotic morsels Dajie. Dating to

Joseph’s Church § (010) 6524 0634. such as scorpions. 1442, it is one of

# early morning during services. Other offerings the oldest in the

include pancakes, world. A Yuan

BUSTLING Wangfujing Street fruit, shrimps, squid, dynasty (1279–1368)
(Wangfujing Dajie), Beijing’s flat bread, and more. observatory was

main shopping street, is filled The Wangfujing also located here,

with department stores and Snack Street, south but the structure

giant malls such as the Sun of the Night Market, Ecliptic armillary that survives today
Dong’an Plaza (see p112). also has a range of sphere, Ancient was built after the

Everything from curios, objets colorful restaurants. Observatory Ming emperors

d’art, antiques, clothes, and The impressive relocated their cap-

books are available here. The triple-domed St. Joseph’s ital from Nanjing to Beijing.

huge Foreign Language Church, known as the East In the early 17th century, the

Bookstore is a good place to Cathedral, is situated at 74 Jesuits, led by Matteo Ricci

buy a more detailed map of Wangfujing Dajie. One of the (1552–1610) and followed by

Adam Schall von Bell,

impressed the emperor and

the imperial astronomers with

their scientific knowledge,

particularly the accuracy of

their predictions of eclipses.

The Belgian Jesuit Father

Verbiest (1623–88) was

appointed to the Imperial

Astronomical Bureau, where

he designed a set of astro-

nomical instruments in 1674.

Several of these were appro-

priated by German soldiers

during the Boxer Rebellion of

1900, and were only returned

after World War I. A collection

of reproduction astronomical

Delicious street food at the Night Market, Wangfujing Street devices lie in the courtyard on

BEIJING 95

Beijing Natural
History Museum o

126 Tianqiao Nan Dajie, Chongwen.
Map 3 C4. q Qian Men.
§ (010) 6702 4431.
# 8:30am–5pm daily. &

The atmospheric Red Gate Gallery, Southeast Corner Watchtower HOUSED IN an enormous
1950s building covered in
the ground floor, some dec- can walk along the short but creepers, this museum is the
orated with fantastic Chinese impressive stretch of attached largest of its type in China,
designs including dragons. wall to admire the towering with about 5,000 specimens
Steps lead to the roof, where bastion, pitted with archers’ arranged into three collections:
there are impressive bronze windows, and look down on zoology, paleontology, and
instruments, including an the city below. The walls of botany. The most interesting
azimuth theodolite, used to the tower are engraved with collection is found in the
measure the altitude of celes- graffiti left by soldiers of the Paleontology Hall which
tial bodies, and an armillary international army that mar- displays a selection of the
sphere, for measuring the co- ched into the city to liberate dinosaurs and prehistoric
ordinates of planets and stars. the Foreign Legations during animals that populated China
the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. between 500 million and one
Southeast Corner Watchtower million years ago. Exhibits to
(Dongbian Men) Within its splendid, look out for include the large-
cavernous interior, accessed handed Lufengosaurus from
Southeast Corner from the battlements, the the early Jurassic period, and
Watchtower i rooms reveal enormous red a skeleton of the spine-nosed
wooden columns and pillars, Qingdaosaurus (Tsintaosaurus
crossed with beams. The Red spinorhinus), from the late
Gate Gallery, one of Beijing’s Cretaceous period, whose
most appealing art galleries, is skull sported a horn-like
situated within this superb crest. The zoology section
setting on levels 1 and 4. displays an abundance of
Originally founded in 1991 by marine, bird and plant life to
an Australian who came to explain and illustrate the
Beijing to learn Chinese, the course of evolution from
gallery exhibits works in simple aquatic to far more
a variety of media such as complicated land-based
inks, oils, acrylic, lithographs, forms. There is a also a
collages, and photography, by display devoted to human
up-and-coming contemporary evolution, however, many of
Chinese and foreign artists. the braver visitors head for
The gallery also runs an artist- the basement that houses a
in-residence program and macabre display of cross-
forthcoming exhibitions are sections of human cadavers,
listed on the gallery’s website. pickled corpses, limbs, and
organs. The botany collection
is less impressive but also
much less disturbing.

Off Jianguo Men Nan Dajie, Chongwen.
Map 4 F2. q Beijing Zhan.
Red Gate Gallery § (010) 6525
1005. # 10am–5pm daily. &

For exhibition details visit

www.redgategallery.com

ASHORT DISTANCE south of the Dinosaur skeletons in the Palaeontology Hall, Natural History Museum
Ancient Observatory, an
imposing chunk of the Beijing
City Walls (see p85) survives
in the form of the 15th-
century Southeast Corner
Watchtower (Dongbian Men).
After climbing onto the Ming
dynasty battlements, visitors

96 B E I J I N G & T H E N O R T H

Temple of Heaven p

COMPLETED DURING the Ming dynasty,
the Temple of Heaven, more
correctly known as Tian Tan, is one of

the largest temple complexes in China

and a paradigm of Chinese architectural

Gate to the balance and symbolism. It was here
Round Altar
that the emperor would make sacrifices
and pray to heaven and his ancestors at

the winter solstice. As the Son of Heaven, the

emperor could intercede with the gods, represented Qinian Dian, where the emperor
prayed for a good harvest
by their spirit tablets, on behalf of his people and
Name plaques are
pray for a good harvest. Off-limits to the common often written in the
calligraphy of an
people during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperor.

Temple of Heaven is situated in a large and pleasant

park that now attracts early morning practitioners of

tai ji quan (see p273).

THE TIAN TAN COMPLEX Circular roof
symbolizes
The main parts of the temple complex are all connected the sky.
on the favored north-south axis by the Red Step Bridge
(an elevated pathway) to form the focal point of the park.
The Round Altar is made up of concentric rings of stone
slabs in multiples of nine, the most auspicious number.
The circular Echo Wall is famed for its supposed ability to
carry a whisper from one side of the wall to the other.

1 Hall of Prayer for Triple gates for emperor (east),
Good Harvests officials (west) and gods (center)

2 Red Step Bridge
3 Echo Wall
4 Imperial Vault of

Heaven
5 Round Altar

1

2 Imperial Vault of Heaven, store Red is an
for the spirit tablets of the gods imperial color.
3
4 The Round Altar, site of the Dragon and phoenix
emperor’s sacrifice motifs inside and out
5 represent the emperor
and empress.
KEY
STAR FEATURES
Area illustrated
. Caisson Ceiling
. Dragon Well Pillars