Seizing the Forbidden City
With the 60th anniversary of China becoming a communist republic approaching October 1, Claire Duffett took a jaunt around the country for the month of September, starting with Beijing. Nowhere does old and new China collide than in its Capital, and for the next five days, we'll share with you the most up-to-date tidbits on what to see and do, and how many yuan it will set you back.
The Forbidden City shows that Chinese penchant for the grandiose began centuries ago. From 1420 to 1624, 24 successive emperors surrounded themselves with concubines and eunuchs, thus populating the grounds of what is really a city in and unto itself with 980 buildings still standing.
On first inspection, it becomes evident how the Ming Dynasty got wrapped up in its self-made cocoon and lost track of what was going on outside those 26-foot-high, red walls, allowing enemy forces to eventually seize power in the 17th century.
The expansive, mazelike complex can require an entire day of exploring if you want to see the entire place. Tourists tend to congregate in front of the large, central buildings, so although there are thousands daily wandering the grounds, walking through the narrow alleys along the complex’s perimeter can take you away from the masses and into some interesting exhibits featuring ceramics and the like from days of yore.
The names of buildings tend to blend together—most have superlative names like Palace of Heavenly Purity and Palace of Earthly Tranquility—so bring a map to keep it all straight and read up on the history before visiting. Otherwise, you risk information overload. This place makes the Louvre look like a craft fair at our local town hall.
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