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,
