Impressions from the Southern Capital 南京: Weekend in Beijing

Brad and I joined a group of BYU China Teachers this weekend in Beijing. We took a high-speed train from Nanjing and arrived four and half hours later. The high-speed train is a great way to travel in China--so much better than flying! The second class seats are comfortable and reserved, and the train stations all have subways, that make getting around once you reach a city so much easier and less expensive than taking cabs from the airports. Even when you have your destination written out in Chinese, there's no guarantee that 1) the cab drive will even take you and 2) that he will take you to the right place. We met the group a half day late, because Brad and I both had to teach a night class, so we couldn't leave on Thursday. Unfortunately, that meant we missed the Tianamen Square and Forbidden City tours, but we were able to go there on our own on Sunday.

Getting ready to climb the Great Wall of China

We had been warned to expect a lot of smog in the city, something the world media is always reporting on. Much to our surprise and good fortune, the skies could not have been bluer nor the air clearer. It was perfect! We were glad we brought layers of clothing because it was a little cool.

When we arrived in Beijing Friday morning, we called the travel agent, Marvin Wu, who arranged the trip to figure out where the group was and between text messages in Chinese and handing Brad's phone to the cab driver to talk to Marvin, we set out into the city. We'd heard to be wary of cabs with no meters, because the driver will try to charge you anything they want. Thankfully, the cabs in the line at the train station are pretty legit, but we were definitely approached with offers in the station to get to a destination.

Our fellow climbers. The monks caused quite a stir!

After a wonderful lunch, we went to the Temple of Heaven, which is considered the most holy of Beijing's imperial temples. Built during Ming Dynasty (1420), once a year, at winter solstice, the emperors came here to worship Heaven and to pray for a good harvest. The harvest ceremony was combined with the emperor's worship of his ancestors. In ancient China the Emperor was regarded as the Son of Heaven, who administered earthly matters, representing heavenly authority. To be seen be showing respect to the source of his authority was extremely important. The temple was built for these ceremonies. The temple is complex of buildings in a huge garden city. The biggest building in the complex is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a circular building built with wood and no nails. Like so many things in China, the hall was burned down and rebuilt on the mid-nineteenth century.

From the Temple of Heaven we journeyed to the "Temple of Consumption" -- better known as the Pearl Market -- floor after floor of knock-off goods for sale. "Lady, lady. You want a Michael Kors purse, a suitcase, a Rolex watch, Dr. Dre headphones, Converse sneakers" -- the vendors beckoned us to their shops. There were pearls, too. If we even looked at an item, we were surrounded by sales people who had just the thing for you in any color you wanted. Then the bargaining begins -- a full contact sport in China. The vendor shows you the opening price on a calculator and then we countered. Everyone gets into the act, and we decided you don't compare what others paid, because you're either going to be excited that you bought it cheaper or disappointed that you paid more. Brad ended up with a new leather belt, and I bought a wonderful red Michael Kors bag. I know it has to be the real thing!

Brad ready to make it to the top.

The day ended with a performance of Chinese acrobats. Clearly a show for tourists, it ended up being very fun. The performers were amazing and entertaining as they demonstrated incredible agility and strength. The show ended with a huge ball on the giant stage, big enough for a motorcycle rider to get in and drive around. I've seen something similar at a state fair, but by the end of the act, there were eight motorcycles and riders driving around in the ball! Fun evening.

Just a few of words about the Beijing traffic! It is definitely a challenge. Hours must be spent trying to get anywhere in the city. I was grateful for a patient tour bus driver and good companions on the bus.

Day 2 began with a two-hour drive up into the mountains west of Beijing to visit the Great Wall of China. I've seen pictures, but they really don't prepare you for the magnitude and scope of the wall. Built originally to protect the country from invaders, the Wall has several different sections, which stretch about 5500 miles across China. Some parts date back to 200 BC, but portions still standing are from the Ming Dynasty. We visited a section called Mutianyu. Our guide gave us a couple of hours to climb the wall as far as we wanted, so Brad and I set out. We climbed and climbed, stair after stair. Many other visitors had the same idea so we were always surrounded by other climbers. Climbing stairs and walking everywhere in Nanjing the last two months had paid off. The views were spectacular looking up the mountain and back out at the vistas below. It's hard to imagine the hundreds of thousands of people it took to build the Wall and the estimated thousands who died building the Wall. Brad made it all the way to top. I waited a few hundred yards below when my legs started shaking. Coming down was also an adventure. The steep decline challenged the most in-shape thighs!

Another fellow climber. I felt so under dressed!

From the Great Wall we went to the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal park in China. It was built in the 1700s where the royal family could rest and entertain. Located about 10 miles from central Beijing, the Palace is located on Kunming Lake, where Dowager Empress Cixi controlled the country for almost 50 years. She was the power behind the throne, controlling her own son and nephew, who become emperors of China. She was known as "the concubine who launched modern China." Her legacy is a bit checkered, but her influence was unrivaled as China entered the 20th century. Judith Chang, who wrote Wild Swans, has just come out with a new biography on Empress Cixi (Empress Dowager Cixi), which is on my list. The Summer Palace was also the place where Mao Tse Tung waited in 1949, before his entrance into Beijing.

I particularly enjoyed this trip to Beijing because I could enjoy the food. (Our trip to western China, not so much!) We had reservations that night at a Beijing restaurant famous for its Peking duck. My experience with duck was limited so I wasn't sure what to expect. The duck was preceded by numerous other courses, and then the staff entered with the duck and sliced it right in front of us. The waiter served the slices, along with a special sauce (maybe plum), rice pancakes, and some sliced onion and cucumbers. He showed us how to put it together and we were off. It was delicious!

Looking back and seeing the Wall wind through the mountains.

Our last stop, on an already busy day, found us at the Beijing Summer Olympics center. It was evening and the perfect time to see the Bird's Nest (the Beijing National Stadium) and the Water Cube, the swimming venue for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The lights on these buildings were a perfect end to a wonderful day.

Sunday morning we made our way to Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City. Tianamen holds so much modern historical significance for everyone in the world except the Chinese. The events of 1989 mean very little to the people here and remembrances of the student-led demonstrations are not allowed. It was interesting to walk into the Square and see brigade after brigade of young soldiers marching in formation. No weapons, but a clear military presence. It is primarily the ceremonial center for events of the People's Republic of China. We walked across the street to the Forbidden City and took self-tour. The automated tour included an earphone and device which began working as you approached the buildings in the complex and stopped automatically when we walked on to another. It knew where we were! Freaky!

We made it to Tianamen!

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace for the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as the home of Chairman Mao, when he took power in 1949. The word ""Forbidden", referred to the fact that no one could enter or leave the palace without the emperor's permission. The "city" has 980 surviving buildings and is surrounded by a 26-foot wall and a 6-foot moat. After walking for some time, Brad and I had to laugh at the names of the buildings -- the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the Palace of Earthy Tranquility -- particularly as we were being pushed by the growing crowds of tourists. I wasn't feeling especially harmonious or tranquil. Another favorite -- the Hall of Mental Cultivation. We walked for almost two hours, and I know were didn't see a fraction of the "city." We definitely want to go back to see the Palace Museum.

The trip would not have been complete without another shopping opportunity. We met the rest of the group at the Silk Market where the phrase "lady, lady" is emblazoned in my brain. Then it was off to the airport for our return trip to Nanjing. Frankly, I preferred the train.