北京名胜古迹介绍及图片(英文版)Beijing's Famous Historical PicturesTemple of HeavenWithin Beijing's Tiantan Park is the Temple of Heaven, a "cult building" symbolizing the relationship bet ween heaven and earth, which has become one of China's most famous and important temples. Ming a nd Qing dynasty emperors came to the Temple of Heaven twice each year to pray for good harvests. The Temple of Heaven is enclosed behind the walled 667 acre Tiantan Park, to the south of the Forbidd en City. The Temple of Heaven complex was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1998.Temple of Heaven - Looking North from the South Chengzhen GateTemple of Heaven Layout & DesignAll of the structures in the temple complex are aligned on a north-south central axis, flanked by buildings to the east and west. The temple complex was constructed according to the dictates of feng shui, and in accordance with the ancient religious practices used in Nanjing, the historic capital of China.The round northern section of the temple represents heaven, with the Qiniandian or "Hall of Prayer for G ood Harvests" and its three concentric circular roofs as the focal point. The 'Hall of Prayer' temple sits at op a three-tiered marble balustrade decorated with dragon, phoenix, and cloud motifs.The Huangqiongyu "Imperial Vault of Heaven," with the Qiniandian in the backgroundAs with most Chinese temples and palaces, the emperor would always enter the Temple of Heaven com plex from the southern-most Zhaoheng Gate.Qiniandian "Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests"The Qiniandian was originally constructed in 1420, during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dyna sty. The original Qiniandian Hall of Prayer was made entirely of wood, destroyed by fire in 1889, and su bsequently rebuilt. Post and beam construction was used in both versions, and all joints were mortised t ogether without the use of fasteners or nails.Eastern "Long Corridor" entrance to the "Hall of Prayer for Goo d Harvests"The "Long Corridor" to the east of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (photo, above) was used to c arry slaughtered sacrificial animals from the "Divine Kitchen and Butcher House" to the temple alter. The covered walkway was designed to protect the sacrifice from being "stained" by the elements.Qiniandian interior and plan drawingsMathmatics and seasonal or celestial calculations play a major role in the design of the Qiniandian, with its roof of three concentric circles being supported by four massive wood columns that symbolize th e four seasons. Other aspects of the building's design equate to the twelve months of the year and twelv e hours in a day.Temple of Heaven - West Celestial GateSouth of the Qiniandian, through the Chengzhen Gate, is the Huangqiongyu or "Imperial Vault of He aven." The Huangqiongyu was originally constructed in 1530, and rebuilt 1572. This area also contains t he "Echo Wall" and Triple Sound Stones, with their peculiar acoustical qualities.Locals gather in the "Long Corridor" to play music or gamesFurther to the south is the "Circular Mound Alter" that is contained in a square area representing ear th. This alter was built in 1530 by Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. The Circular Mound Alter was us ed to worship heaven each year on the winter solstice.The "Hall of Prayer" balustrade - Looking south towards the Im perial Vault of HeavenDuring the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the Temple of Heaven complex was refurbished and enlarge d to make it more pure and holy than before.Temple of Heaven - Looking West at SunsetThe Summer PalaceBeijing's Yihe Yuan 'Summer Palace'The Summer Palace (aka Yihe Yuan or "Garden of Clear Ripples"), originally constructed in 1750, was built by Emperor Qianlong to celebrate his mother's birthday. During subse quent regimes the palace was used as a "pleasure garden" to escape the summer heat i n Beijing.The Summer Palace is located northwest of Beijing, around the man-made Kunming Lake. The lake covers approximately three-quarters of the 290 hectare Palace grounds. T here are three man-made islands on the lake that are meant to imitate the three celestial islands of the East China Sea.Foxiang Ge 'Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha' atop Longevity Hill on Kunming LakeKunming Lake's causeway was designed to emulate the West Lake "Su causeway" in Ha ngzhou The "Seventeen Arch Bridge" to the south-east of Kunming Lake links the "East Dyke" with South Lake Island.Longevity HillThe Foxiang Ge Tower, also known as the "Tower of Buddhist Incense," or "Tower of the Fragrance of the Buddha" is one of the most recognizable temples in China, and is a sym bol of dynastic power in ancient China. The tower sits atop Longevity Hill, where the first " Gold Mountain Palace" was built by Emperor Wanyan Liang during the Jin Dynasty (1115 to 1234).Stairway to the Foxiang Ge TowerDuring the Yuan Dynasty (1271 to 1368), Longevity Hill was renamed Weng Shan, m eaning "Jug Hill," for a jug filled with gold that was supposedly found on the hill.View of the 'Revolving Archives'The Empress Dowager Cixi, aka "Dragon Lady"In 1886, the Summer Palace was extensively remodeled and improved under the reign of the infamous Dragon Lady, also known as the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835 to 1908), w ho was the de-facto ruler of China (the "power behind the throne," "screen" or "curtain") d uring the Manchu Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911).View of Kunming Lake and the 'Seventeen Arch Bridge' from Foxiang Ge Tower - Zoom Cixi was buried at the Eastern Qing Tombs in Hebei Province, east of Beijing. As was cus tomary for the times, a giant Pearl the size of a "robin's egg" was placed in the Empress Dowager's mouth to protect her corpse from decomposition. In 1928 her tomb was ransa cked by Sun Dianying, a Kuomintang warlord. Cixi's body was desecrated, and it is rumor ed that some of her stolen jewels and her crown were given to Kuomintang leader Chian g Kai-shek who gifted them to his wife, Soong May-ling.The "Long Corridor"The 728 meter "Long Corridor" runs along the shore of Kunming Lake, from Foxiang Ge T ower to the Marble Boat. With its 14,000 ceiling paintings, the Long Corridor is considere d one of the longest painted galleries in the world.The 728 meter 'Long Corridor' and one of its 14,000 ceiling paintingsIn 1750, the Long Corridor was added to the Summer Palace by Emperor Qianlong s o that his mother could enjoy the gardens without fear of the elements.Long Corridor ceiling paintingsMarble BoatThe Summer Palace's "Marble Boat," also known as the "Clear and Peaceful Boat" was b uilt in 1755 as a symbol of stability for the empire of the Qing Dynasty. The boat was built with the idea that "Water can carry a boat, and it can capsize a boat," meaning that the Qi ng empire would never be toppled.The Marble BoatBoth the Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace (Yuan Ming Yuan), which was kno wn as the "Gardens of Perfect Brightness," were destroyed during the Anglo-French inva sion in 1860.Rebuilding Yihe YuanThe palace was rebuilt in 1886, and in 1888 the Summer Palace was renamed Yihe Yuan , meaning "Garden of Nurtured Harmony." Unfortunately, the harmony did not last long, a nd the palace suffered another devastating attack during "Boxer Rebellion" in 1900. Yihe Yuan was again rebuilt in 1902.The 41 meter high Foxiang Ge TowerWater Calligraphy (left) Bridge of Banana Plant (right)View of Yu Quan Hill and the Yu Feng Pagoda (center of photo)The Summer Palace was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1998. Dingling Ming TombsBeijing's Dingling Ming TombsThe Ming Tombs are located sixty kilometers northwest of Beijing in the Tianshou Mounta ins, near one of the restored sections of the Great Wall. Dingling is the burial grounds for thirteen of sixteen Ming Emperors spanning the 15th and 16th century.The entire Ming necropolis covers over 40 acres, and is approached via the 'Sacred Way, ' which is a long colonnade lined with stone statuary of animals and dignitaries.Dingling Tomb - Looking at the 'Hall of Eminent Favour'Zhu Di, known as the third Ming Emperor or the Yongle Emperor, was the first Ming E mperor to be buried at the Dingling in 1424. Zhu Di's mausoleum is called the Changling. The necropolis is also the final resting place for several of the Zhu Di's concubines and E mpresses, some of which were buried alive to accompany the Emperor on his journey int o the afterlife. The practice of entombing living concubines was abolished during the reig n of the Zhengtong Emperor in the mid 1400s.Dingling's Main Hall (left), Chang-Ling Tomb (right)Zhu Di, the emperor responsible for building the Forbidden City occupies the largest ma usoleum at the necropolis, which took 18 years to complete.The nephew of Zhu Di was the second Ming Emperor, but after fleeing from the empire, h e was never heard from again. There is no official record of his final resting place.The 'Soul Tower' of Dingling (left)The Dingling necropolis was completed in 1581, before the death of the Wanli Emper or, and thirteenth Ming ruler, Zhu Yijun. To commemorate its completion, Zhu Yijun held a feast at the complex to celebrate his upcoming internment.Excavation of the Dingling MausoleumThe only tomb to have been excavated at the necropolis was Dingling, or the 'T omb of Certainty,' which was occupied by Zhu Yijun, who died in 1619. His tomb was uncovere d in in 1956, after the discovery of a stone tablet with instructions to the location of the to mb.The Ming Emperor Zhu Yijun's CrownAlthough he ruled for over 40 years, Zhu Yijun was considered one of the most inept and/or corrupt emperors of the Ming Dynasty.Dingling Ming Tomb Jewelry CollectionZhu Yijun was originally entombed with his one and only Empress. Later, one of his c oncubines, Xiaojing, was elevated to Empress posthumously by her grandson and re-buri ed with the Emperor.The first Ming Dynasty Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, was not buried at Dingling, but in Nanji ng. There are three tombs which are opened to the public: the Wanli Emperor's tomb Din gling, the Yongle Emperor tomb, Changling, and the Longqing Emperor's tomb, Zhaoling.Zhaoling belonged to the 12th Ming Emperor, Zhu Daicheng, who was buried in 1572 wit h three of his Empresses. Zhu Daicheng, who was known as the Longqing Emperor, reig ned for only six years. The Zhaoling mausoleum was the first tomb to be fully restored to i ts original condition.Lama T empleBeijing's Yonghe Gong 'Lama Temple'The Lama Temple, also known as the Yonghe Gong Palace, Palace of Peace an d Harmony or Yong Hegong Lamasery, was constructed during the Qing Dynasty i n 1694. The palace was the home of Prince Yin Zhen, who was a son of Qing Dynas ty Emperor Kang Xi.The Yonghe Gong Lama Temple is located in the Dongcheng District, off of Yanghe gong Street east of the Gulou Hutongs. During the off-hours, the temple has a sere ne atmosphere, with the smell of incense permeating through the air and the distan t sound of monks chanting.When Prince Yin Zhen took the throne, the palace was divided into two parts. Half o f the residence was converted into a Buddhist 'lamasery,' and half remained the Im perial Palace. Prince Yin Zhen changed his name to Yong Zhen after being crowne d as Emperor in 1725, and his palace was thereafter referred to as the Yonghe Pala ce.The Yonghe Gong is a 'Yellow Hat' Tibetan Lamasery - one of the most famous Tibe tan Buddhist temples outside of Tibet itself, and the largest in the city of Beijing. T he 'Yellow Hat Sect' is part of the Geluk or Gelug school of Buddhism founded by T songkhapa in the 1400s.Yong He Gong Temple ArchitectureThe palace was laid out and constructed in the same manner as the Forbidden City, with the entrance on the south side, and the main buildings aligned along a n orth-south central axis. The T emple's ornate architecture is an eclectic mix represe nting the Han, Manchu, Mongol, and Tibetan building styles.The Yonghe Gong temple was declared a major historical relic of national significa nce in 1949, but was none the lest closed under Mao Zedong in the 1950s. The Lama Temple was reopened in 1981, and Buddhists from around China come to pray an d pay homage to the successive incarnations of the Dalai Lama.Hand-painted Tibetan pray er scrolls called "tanka" line many of the walls, which fe ature elaborately carved gold-covered Buddhas and portraits of the many Dalai La mas.In the main hall, there is a sixty foot (18 meter) tall Buddha statue that was carved out of a single piece of white sandalwood. This one of the Lama T emple's "three m atchless treasures."Lama Temple's South Entrance (left), Big Buddha (right)Unfortunatly, the serenity of the Yonghe Gong T emple belies the controversial state of affairs between China and the Dalai Lama's exiled government. When visiti ng a site such as this, one must remember that China is still a controlled society wi th an "officially sanctioned" media. As such, the underlying controversy surroundi ng certain historical locations is "masked" under a blanket of soothing and happy-sounding dogma that only tells half of the story.Tian'anmen SquareBeijing's Tiananmen SquareTian'anmen Square is etched into the memories of most Americans as a result of t he iconic photograph from 1989 of the lone man (aka "tank Man" or Wang Weilin) w ho stood down the Chinese People's Liberation Army's tanks during a student prot est for increased political freedoms. Those photos, by AP journalist Jeff Widener a nd Stuart Franklin of Magnum Photos, did more to change the Chinese government than the government will acknowledge.During the late 1980s, the Soviet Union's totalitarian regime was collapsing, an d the Chinese PRC (People's Republic of China) leadership under Deng Xiaoping s aw a wave of democracy sweeping across the communist world. Under Deng's wise leadership, the PRC realized that by brutally suppressing a democratic movemen t, they were risking an all-out revolution.The Zhengyangmen Gate (left) at the south end of Tian'anmen Squareand Qianmen Xidajie Blvd.Tian'anmen's History During the Ming DynastyIn 1403, the third Ming Emperor Yongle moved China's capital from Nanjing (then N anking) to Peking, which was renamed "Beijing," or "northern capital."The "Monument of the People's Heroes" in Tian'anmen SquareDuring the early Ming Dynasty, Beijing, which was also known simply as Jingshi, o r "capital," began to take shape. The City Wall, Forbidden City, and its southern-most Tian'anmen gate (photo at top of page) were also constructed.Tian'anmen Square - looking towards the Forbidden City's south Tian'anme n GateThe Tian'anmen south gate to the Forbidden City was completed in 1417. During th e Qing Dynasty in 1699, the gate was renovated and renamed "Tian'anmen," or "Ga te of Heavenly Peace."The Birth of Tian'anmen "Square"Until the late 1800s, the land to the south of Tian'anmen Gate was built up with imp erial state buildings, but the area was destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion in 1899 . It was subsequently cleared to produce the public square that later became know n as "Tian'anmen Square."People's Liberation Army (PLA) procession for the evening "flag lowering" Mao Zedong (aka "The Great Helmsman") was in favor of "modernization," and had a strong desire to erase China's Imperial past. During the Cultural Revolution, the Ming-era city walls were torn down, and the "Second Ring Road" was built in its pl ace. The Forbidden City was converted to the "Palace Museum," and its Tian'anme n Gate was given a new purpose as a PRC propaganda billboard.Under Mao's leadership, Tian'anmen Square and the adjacent Xichang'an Jie A ven ue became a staging-ground for military processions and May-Day parades, during which the government display ed the latest hardware and military might of the PLA. Opening of China Under Deng XiaopingWith the culmination of the student uprising in 1989, a tipping point had been reac hed in China. By the early 1990s, the PRC dramatically reversed its policy of Comm unist hegemony, and began to allow a blending of authoritarian totalitarianism and hyper-capitalism. Although China's economic experiment started in the Shenzhen " special economic zone" near Hong Kong, it soon spread across China like a wildfir e.This reversal of Mao's "great leap forward" turned out to be a positive change for t he Chinese government. The PRC government was embraced as being "forward lo oking" because it allowed enough economic freedom to placate the people. This re sult is quite different than what transpired in Eastern Europe, where intransigent g overnments became impotent, and were eventually overthrown.School children in costume at Tian'anmen SquareToday, Tian'anmen Square is a much different place than it was nearly two dec ades ago. Other than the looming image of Mao Zedong on the south gate of the F orbidden City, or the "waving Mao" wristwatches that the trinket sellers are hawkin g in the square, there is little influence remaining from the Cultural Revolution of 1 949 that was omnipresent in previous decades."Waving Mao" Wristwatch (left), Mao leads the proletariat at Tian'anmen's Mao Zedong Mausoleum (right)A common sentiment that you will hear from locals is that "Mao Zedong closed China; Deng Xiaoping opened China." While the PLA still maintains a watchful eye over the goings-on at Tian'anmen Square, it seems to be more about protecting to urists from pickpockets and scam-artists rather than suppressing political dissiden ts.The Qianmen Archery Tower and barbicanTian'anmen Square MapIn its present incarnation, Tian'anmen Square is the largest urban square in the wo rld, covering 440,000 square meters in the center of the city.Old China's Hutongs (Hottog)Beijing's HutongsOther than Beijing's big-ticket historical monuments, the Hutongs are the city's las t remaining connection with the past. Sadly, as the 2008 Olympics approach, that p ast is being erased as quickly as possible, but there are remaining pockets of the c harming and dilapidated structures that Westerners crave.The word "Hutong" dates back some 700 years, and is derived from the Mongolian word Hottog ,which translates as well" or "water well." Today's popular meaning w ould be closer to "back alley" or "back street," featuring narrow lanes that are typi cally no wider than 9 meters.Street life on the Xiaoqiaoli HutongInside what is left of Beijing's Hutong districts you will find narrow alleys and lanes that, with the exception of copious amounts of power lines, look much the same a s they did hundreds of years ago. Hutongs are laid out according to the dictates of feng shui, with streets running north-south or east-west.Traditional siheyuan alleyway (left), food stall (right)Hutong alleyways and lanes are created around siheyuan or "courtyards," each su rrounded by houses that form a family compound. Alleyways were built between e ach siheyuan to allow for air circulation and light passage (above left). These sihey uan courtyards face inward to protect against harsh winter winds and spring dust storms.The Hutongs of Beijing were originally built during the Yuan Dynasty from 1271 to 1368, but most of the remaining Hutongs were constructed during the Ming Dynast y and Qing Dynasty from 1368 to 1911.Hutong Life TodayAlthough Beijing's Hutongs are hundreds of years old, they are more than heritage or historical sites, as they remain functioning and vibrant communities. Hutong str eet-life is punctuated by shopkeepers selling their wares, street vendors selling tra ditional food, men gathering on a street-corner to play an impromptu game of card s, or the ever-present bicycle, which is still a popular mode of transportation.Bicycle repair shop in the Gulou (Drum Tower) and Zhonglou (Bell Tower) Hu tongMany of the best Hutongs for sightseeing are situated to the north-west of the Forb idden City, near BeiHai Lake, QianHai Lake and HouHai Lake, in the Gulou area. Th ese Hutongs are near the Zhonglou Bell Tower, and Gulou Drum Tower, off of Gulo udong Street.Bicycles are still a popular mode of transportation in the HutongsPerhaps the most ancient remaining Hutong in Beijing is the Zhuanta Hutong d ating back to the Yuan Dynasty. The Zhuanta or "Brick Pagoda Alley" Hutong is loc ated in the west of Beihai Lake near the Museum of Geology, on Xisi street.Street life in the Hutongs - Men playing mahjong or cards in the afternoon One of the common sights in the Hutongs are hanging bamboo cages, housing pet birds and crickets, an important cultural component within ancient China. Cricket CultureThe raising of crickets in China dates back nearly two thousand y ears, and Jing Zh e, or "the waking of the insects" was a climate forecasting tool used in ancient Chi nese agriculture. Throughout the Tang and Song Dynasties, crickets were prized b oth for their singing ability and, later, for their propensity to fight one another.Cricket breeding and raising is a status symbol in Beijing's hutongs, and the parap hernalia involved in the hobby is quite elaborate. Gambling on cricket fights is still a popular pastime in the hutongs, and wagers can sometimes be substantial.Jiu dao wan HutongThe jiu dao wan or Jiu wan, "Nine Turns" or Nine Bends," Hutong is located east of the Gulou Hutongs, near the Lama Temple. It is known for its preserved siheyuan courtyard homes.Demolished Hutongs hidden behind wallHou-Hai Bar AreaFamous for its local and expatriate nightlife, the Hou-Hai or "back sea" Bar Area is situated around Lake Houhai along the Yangfang Hutong, which is north-west of th e Forbidden City. Along Hou-Hai's "Left-Bank," bars line the street with lanterns an d colorful outdoor sofas, as well as rooftop seating with overstuffed sofas, to take advantage of the lake views and warm summer evenings.Hou-Hai Bar District along Lake Houhai's Yangfang HutongMost of the bars are concentrated around the Yinding or 'Silver Coin' bridge an d narrow canal that connects Houhai Lake to Qianhai Lake. A touristy diversion is t o take a rickshaw or "Pedi-Cab" ride through the Hutongs that surround the Hou-Hai area. Locals can be seen enjoying a romantic sunset boat-ride on the lake. 'Toba cco-Pipe' Street is also nearby, with its many shops selling traditional long-stemme d Chinese clay pipes.Hou-Hai Bar District - Rooftop SeatingBeer Bar in Hou-HaiThe Great Wall Of ChinaThe Wànli Chángchéng 'Long Wall' of ChinaDespite the popular Chinese misconception that the Great Wall "can be seen from t he moon," the wall is one of the greatest civil engineering projects in human histor y. The Chángchéng, or "long wall" is actually a series of walls spanning an incredib le 4,000 miles (6,400 km).Construction of the "Great Wall of China" began as early as the 5th century BC, but it was the Emperor Qin Shi Huang who is credited with the construction of signific ant sections of the wall between 220 BC and 200 BC. Under Qin Shi Huang's leader ship, China was unified, and the wall was built to minimize incursions from the Xio ngnu people of Mongolia, to the northwest of Beijing.Map of the Great Wall from the 1800sAlthough Qin Shi Huang did contribute profoundly to the Great Wall's construction , the totality of the wall's many parts were built over many successive dynasties, fr om the Chunqiu Shídài "Spring and Autumn Period," in the 8th century BC, to the t he late Ming Dynasty in the 1600s.Great Wall ConstructionThe wall is built along the southern edge of Inner Mongolia, stretching from Shanh aiguan, or " Pass of Mountain and Sea," in the Hebei province of northeastern Chin a, to Lop Nur in the southeastern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.The Great Wall - Administration BuildingsSeveral construction techniques were employed, depending on the natural resourc es at hand in a given geographic location. The wall is constructed primarily of ston e, or 'rammed earthen' blocks, or gravel filled between frames of timber.Watchtowers along the Great Wall near Juyongguan PassThe Manchu InvasionThe Great Wall was successful in preventing many attempts to invade China until t he early 1600s. The wall's unbroken success as an impenetrable defense-perimeter for China came to a bitter end in 1644.Renovated Sections of the Great WallAfter several unsuccessful attempts by the Manchurian army to breach the wall, a r ogue general named Wu Sangui opened the gates at Shanhai Pass in the Yan Moun tains, north of Bohai; allowing the advancing Manchu army to enter Beijing. The Mi ng Dynasty was defeated, and the Manchu led Qing Dynasty was ushered in.Juyóng-Guan Section of Great WallAlthough most of the original wall is in ruins, there are several sections that have b een restored to their original state. The most popular section of the wall is located about 50 kilometers north of Beijing, in the Guangou Valley, at Ju-Yong-Guan, or " Long Wall Mountain Pass." This section was built during the Qing Dynasty, under Emperor Qinshihuang.Looking down at Yuan Dynasty 'Cloud Platform,' or "Crossing Street Tower "(lower right)Other restored sections of the Great Wall are the Badaling section located in Yanqi ng County, 60 kilometers northwest of Beijing, and the Mutianyu section located in Huairou County, approximately 70 kilometers northeast of Beijing.。