Aloha to Beijing - Cloisonne Factory and Country Lunch

On our way to the Great Wall, we stopped by a cloisonne factory.   From Wikipedia (link),

Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects, in recent centuries using vitreous enamel, and in older periods also inlays of cut gemstones, glass, and other materials. The decoration is formed by first adding compartments (cloisons in French) to the metal object by soldering or adhering silver or gold wires or thin strips placed on their edges. 

By the 14th century this enamel technique had spread to China, where it was soon used for much larger vessels such as bowls and vases; the technique remains common in China to the present day, and cloisonné enamel objects using Chinese-derived styles were produced in the West from the 18th century.

These ladies have a special talent to create the "compartments" ... 

... and paint them for a beautiful effect! 

We purchased a small vase with the dragon (male) and phoenix (female), demonstrating balance.  I claimed it as my anniversary gift.  Below are larger vases that were tempting.

I can't imagine how long it would take to create this giant vase ...

... or this grandfather clock!

We stopped at a "country" restaurant to fortify ourselves for the Great Wall. 

I'm not a fan of green beans ... but these spiced beans were devoured by the entire family (even my kids who don't care for spicy food).

I also enjoyed the chicken with chestnuts ... 

... while the kids dined on sweet and sour pork.   Alas, no fortune cookies as they are an American creation.

Mahalo,

Kim in Korea

Aloha to Beijing - The Sacred Road

Day Three took us to the Sacred Road.   From Wikipedia (link),

The site of the Ming Dynasty Imperial Tombs was carefully chosen according to Feng Shui principles. According to these, bad spirits and evil winds descending from the North must be deflected; therefore, an arc-shaped area at the foot of the Jundu Mountains north of Beijing was selected. This 40 square kilometer area — enclosed by the mountains in a pristine, quiet valley full of dark earth, tranquil water and other necessities as per Feng Shui — would become the necropolis of the Ming Dynasty.

A seven kilometer road named the "Spirit Way" (Shéndào) leads into the complex, lined with statues of guardian animals and officials. 

Each animal is first depicted as "kneeling" to honor the passing of the emperor's casket.

The animal then stands to attention to guard the emperor's casket.

Above is the Shi; below is the Xiezhi.

From Cultural China (link),

Legend has it that xiezhi is a divine goat which, upon seeing a quarrel or fight, would reach out its horn to touch the side which is wrong. It is so upright that it never compromises its principle even if the wrong side is an emperor.  In his autobiography, Pu Yi, the last Qing emperor, also mentioned xiezhi by saying that the emperor had a statue of the mythological goat in front of his desk to remind himself that he should be fair and strict in handling state and political affairs.

The camel was vital to the Silk Road.

The elephant demonstrates strength ...

... enough to hold my family!

We posted by the standing elephant ...

...  just like Mao when he visited the tombs.

The emperors first used horses for polo, not battle.

 The statues were incredible,

considering their age, exposure to the elements, and survival through centuries of war.

We chuckled at the signs!

Mahalo,

Kim in Korea

Aloha to Beijing - House of Silk, Temple of Heaven, and A Special Boy

We stopped by the House of Silk ....

... and met a few silkworms!

We learned how to harvest silk and layer it for the perfect comforter!

We also watched this crafty lady weave beautiful tapestries!

I was a bit partial to the Great Wall scene ...

... but we settled on a table runner.    The guide treated us to a "local" lunch.  He helped us order dishes that were not too hot for our American palates.    The chicken with walnuts was delicious!

After lunch, we ventured to the Temple of Heaven.   From its website (link),

The Temple of Heaven is located in southern Beijing．It was first constructed in 1420, the 18th year of the reign of Ming emperor Yongle，and was extended and renovated during the reigns of Ming emperor Jiajing and Qing emperor Qianlong．It was the place where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would worship the god of heaven and pray for good harvest. Covering an area of 273 hectaresit is the largest architectural complex in the world for rituals to pay homage to heaven...

The temple of Heaven hosts a series of buildings with inner courts ....

... all in spectacular color!

After the garden tour, we wondered into the Tea House ...

... for the tea ceremony.  We bought several tea cups, tea tins, and the pee-pee boy.   He helps drinkers determine if their tea water is hot enough.   Check out this link for a great article on the tea ceremony and pee pee boy.

Mahalo,

Kim in Korea

Aloha to Beijing - Forbidden City

  
The reddish brown wall hides the beauty to come.  From Wikipedia (link),

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the centre of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.

Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 720,000 m2 (7,800,000 sq ft).  The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

Our guide noted that the color yellow is associated with the emperor, so the roofs were painted accordingly.

It truly is a city within a city.   With the national holiday, the city was thriving!

These Chinese children pose in front of the Shi (female) ... 

while Babbit and my boys pose in front of Shi (male).

Tourists explored every building ....

... while I enjoyed the architecture!

The turtle represents long life ... the dragon turtle is a positive ornament in Feng Shui.

David stands under the dragon head that serves as a rain run off.

The palace has several large urns to collect rain water in case of fire.   

In the garden, the emperor created an artificial hill to erect his own private retreat.

Walking along the Forbidden City's outer walls, we discovered another gate house ...

... and a modeling shoot using the gatehouse in the background.   The Forbidden City intrigues the locals and tourists alike.

Mahalo,

Kim in Korea