Beijing, China

January 28: Lunar New Year is the most celebrated yearly event in Asia. It is a time where families come together to make wishes for the new year and celebrate the past. Where else could you truly experience Lunar New Year or the Chinese New Year than in China's capital - Beijing. Stef, Kelly, their two co-workers Mark and Wes and 56 other foreigners from Busan and surrounding areas took part in Kangsan Travel's (the English speaking travel agency in Busan) all-inclusive package to Beijing, China.

We met our group at the airport and less than 4 hours later we had arrived in Beijing. The Chinese script and the red lanterns were the first things to catch our eyes as we traveled through the city on our luxury bus, fully equipped with a fabulous english-speaking Chinese tour guide named Jason and a weird screeching sound from under the bus that never wanted to quit. Beijing has over 14 million people making it the second largest city in China next to Shanghai. It is the country's capital and it's english-speaking level is sub-par compared to the other asian countries.

Temple of Heaven: The first stop was where only the Emperor of China was able to go to get closesr to God. The large circle in the middle of an enclosed square had historic references to the Emperor's number - 9. There were 9 steps up to the next level and 9 blocks extending outwards from the very middle the entire way around. The centre was a small raised circle where the Emperor would stand and make his wishes for his country. This point is said to be the highest point in all of China and where you can be the closest to the heavens. Nobody except for the Emperor was to command this spot and it was amazing to be able to stand where he once did and be the closest in all of China to the heavens above.

Mongolian BBQ: Many of the restaurants we ate at served food at 10-person tables with a lazy-susan in the middle. We received our first taste of Mongolian food which included meat skewers, vegetables in delicious sauces, egg soups, and of course rice. We met 5 really cool people from Ulsan (about 45 minutes from Busan) and we ended up spending the rest of the trip hanging out and having a wicked time. It was at this dinner that the fireworks (details below) began.

Acrbatic Show: We were treated to a real Chinese art form - acrobatics. Ranging in age from 12 to 21 - a cast of acrobats amazed us with their incredible flexibility and astounding strength. Highlights included two men that could balance themselves on each other in numerous ways and even jump up and down pillars upside down, on one hand, and switching hands mid-way. Chinese spinning plates, ball-balancing, glass chandelier balancing, putting 14 people on 1 bike, and work with large sheets (spinning themselves upwards and dropping themselves) was breath-taking. A fantastic show!

The Hotel & Fireworks: We stayed at the Holiday Inn Central Plaza Beijing. To our surprise the hotel was incredible, the sheets and pillows were heavenly the rooms were awesome! Not to mention they had a killer American-style breakfast buffet! So we lived it up..the first night we had some drinks with our new friends and then headed back to our room where we put on some robes, ordered room service and watched hours and hours of amazing fireworks dance in the sky to bring in the year of the dog. Happy New Year!!!

January 29th: Day two of our trip started at 6:30 am and continued as follows:

Jade Carving Factory: Jade is considered by the Chinese to be the most important type of raw material in existence, even more so than gold. That's because it takes many years to find, transport, and develop into jewelry and other items. We received a lesson about how to distinguish real jade from fake jade and it basically comes down to when you holdl it up to the light there should be no air bubbles in it and when you hit the jade there should be a high pitch/clear sound. We saw jade carvers in the shop and were set free in the shop to test and buy jade. We bought Family Ball's which are carved from one piece of jade from the inside out and encompass 4 balls that can move independently. It represents that although family can be apart and moving independently they are still inside the family, and will always be connected.

The Great Wall of China: One of the 7 Wonders of the World - there was pure excitement running through our bus as we headed 45 minutes from the city towards our next adventure. It was at the West Gate of the Wall where we spent 1.5 hours climbing up steep shallow stairs, pausing at every watch-tower to gaze out at the out-stretched wall that ran off farther than we were able to see. The trek was tiring but well-worth it. When we reached the top the sun came out from behind the clouds and we celebrated our climb with our fellow tour-members. Words cannot describe what we saw but we can say that it was the most overwhelming/amazing experience we have ever had.

History of the Wall: The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was enlisted in the World Heritage by UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus stretching approximately 6,700 kilometers (4,163 miles ) from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years, some of the section of the great wall are now in ruins or even entirely disappeared.

The construction of the Great Wall began between the 7th and 8th centuries B.C. when the warring states built defensive walls to ward off enemies from the north. It was only a regional project then. Until the Qin Dynasty, the separate walls were joint together and consequently it stretched from east to west for about 5000 thousand kilometers and served to keep nomadic tribes out. The Wall was further extended and strengthened in the succeeding dynasties. Especially during the Ming dynasty when the northern nomadic ethnic groups became very powerful, the Ming rulers had the Wall renovated 18 times. As a result, not the remains from the Qin dynasty were restored, but some 1000 kilometers were constructed to a full length of 6,700 kilometers.

The original wall took about ten years to finish and the wall stretched from Linzhao (in the eastern part of today's Gansu Province) in the west to Liaodong (in today's Jilin Province) in the east. The wall not only served as a defence in the north but also symbolized the power of the emperor during the Qin Dynasty. The present Great Wall is mainly remains from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) where its main purpose was to prevent attack from the north (Mongolians).

Lunch & Cloisonne Art Tour: Before lunch we got a tour of the Cloisonne factory(a type of vase). The guide showed us each step in the process, including the time consuming hand carving, detailed painting and the incredible attention to detail, a lengthy process that makes each and every masterpiece one of a kind. Cloisonne, named as enamelware, originated in Beijing during theYuan Dynasty and prevailed during the Jingtai period (1450-1456) of theMing Dynasty. It's typically called :Blue of Jingtai" as blue was the dominant color used for enameling. Cloisonne ware was only used for the royal families because it was the symbol of authority and status. Cloisonne is the everlasting art and loved by the people of the world. After lunch and a taste of China's soju or saki ( a.k.a. Hell in a bottle) we browsed the huge show room filled with various examples of the colorful art.

The Ming Tombs: 50 kilometers northwest from Beijing City lies the Ming Tombs - the general name given to the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. The Chinese believed the existence of an after-world, where the dead "lived" a life similar to that of the living, Ming emperors, therefore, had grand mausoleums built for themselves. Each tomb is located at the foot of a separate hill and is linked with the other tombs by a road called the Sacred Way. The stone archway at the southern end of the Sacred Way, built in 1540, is 14 metres high and 19 metres wide, and is decorated with designs of clouds, waves and divine animals. Our guide explained to us a little bit about Feng Shui, The Chinese believed that the best place to rest was between a mountain and a body of water, so all the tombs were build with mountains behind and water in front.
We saw the Dingling Tomb, the tomb of Emperor Wanli (reigned 1573-1619), the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, whose personal name was Zhu Yijun. The tomb was completed in six years (1584-1590), it occupies a total area of 1,195 square meters at the foot of Dayu Mountain southwest of the Changling Tomb.
We also saw the Changling tomb, the tomb of emperor Yongle (reigned 1403-1424), the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty whose personal name was Zhu Di. Built in 1413, the mausoleum extends over an area of 100,000 square metres. The soul tower, which tells people whose tomb it is, rests on a circular wall called the "city of treasures" which surrounds the burial mound. The "city of treasures" at Changling has a length of more than a kilometre.

We wandered around the tombs and walked through a museum higlighting a collection of artifacts from the 13 Emperors. There were colorful silk robes, crowns, jewlery and pottery. The room was held up by enormous wooden pillars, each made from a single tree trunk. And in the middle of the room was a huge statue of an Emperor.

The Tea Shop "Dr. Tea": Chinese people are believed to have enjoyed tea drinking for more than 4,000 years. Legend has it that Yan Di, one of three rulers in ancient times, tasted all kinds of herbs to find medical cures. One day,as he was being poisoned by some herb he had ingested; a drop of water from a tea tree dripped into his mouth and he was saved.
Tea tasting has cultural meaning. All to show the ultimate goal of Chinese culture: the harmonious unity of human beings with nature.
We arrived at the tea house and were taken into a small room where we were given a presentation about various types of tea and there effedcts on the body, we also got to try them all. Each tea had a medicinal purpose for example the white tea is good for dispelling the effects of alcohol and nicotine and also acts on colds coughs and sore throats, whereas the Jasmine tea can drive away summer heat and improve eyesight, as well as shake off drowsiness and relieve headache. We bought assortment of tea and the highlight was receiving a free pee-pee boy ( a little clay boy who only pees when the water temperature is just right ensuring the perfect cup of tea).

The Legend Of KungFu: At 7:30pm we entered the Red Theater for "The Most Exciting Kungfu Show in the World" despite our shitty seats the show was incredible. It was a musical taking place in an acient temple where we encounter a little boy. Through practicing KungFu and Zen he becomes a master and finally after many obstacles reaches the sacred goal of enlightment. The show was put on by real Kungfu monks and had dance, music and real martial arts all mixed into an incredible story without a single word. The show left us all speechless as we headed back to the hotel to relax with a massage and some more room service. Good thing everything in China costs were pennies! Goodnight!

January 30th: Day three of our trip started bright and early...

The Summer Palace: The Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden in the world occupying an area of about 300 hectares. It is a veritable museum of classical Chinese garden architecture. The initial construction of the Summer Palace began in 1750, commissioned by Emperor Qinglong as a gift for his mother's birthday. The construction took 15 years to complete. The plundering of foreign troops in 1860 destroyed most of the buildings, but they were renovated in 1888 by Empress Dowager Cixi. The name in Chinese, Yiheyuan, means "garden of restful peace." It served as a suburban pleasance for emperors, a place in the countryside yet near the capital.
We walked around the grounds, played on the frozen lake and admired the 150 meter long 17 Arch Bridge which was built in 1750 by the Qing emperor Qianlong. It links the eastern edge of Kunming lake with the Dragon King Temple on Nanhu (or Penglai) islet, the rationale behind the span having 17 arches has to do with Chinese numerology. The number eight is a homonym for luck or wealth in Mandarin Chinese. The ninth arch, the largest, is considered the number most auspicious for emperors, thus the Son of Heaven is symbolically positioned in the middle of good fortune on both sides. The span is partially patterned after the famed Marco Polo Bridge in southwest Beijing. There are 544 stone lions on the railings.

The Pearl Factory: Nearby to the Summer Palace was the Pearl Factory. Inside we were given a demonstration of how to get pearls from an Oyster. She took a large live oyster from the tank, cracked him open (killing him), and showed us that each oyster contains not 1 pearl like most of had guessed but around 40 pearls. It was incredible! We were also guided about how to distinguish real pearls from fake pearls. Basicallyif you rub two pearls together and you hear a gritty sand sound then it's real and if you rub two pearls together then wipe the pearls on your hand a light powder should transfer from the pearl onto your hand. We were also surprised to find out that real pearls come in white, pink, black and even a purple color!

Tiananmen Square: Another highlight of our tour was the famous Tian Men Square, which is adjacent to one of the gates of the Forbidden City.

It is on the southern edge of the Inner or Tatar City. The square, named for its Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen), contains the monument to the heroes of the revolution, the Great Hall of the People, the museum of history and revolution, and the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall. Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic in the square on Oct. 1, 1949, an anniversary still observed there.

A massive demonstration for democratic reform, begun there by Chinese students in Apr., 1989, was brutally repressed on June 3 and 4. It was initiated to demand the posthumous rehabilitation of former Communist Party Chairman Hu Yaobang. The government was tolerant until after his funeral; then Deng Xiaopang denounced the protests. The demonstrators were joined by workers, intellectuals, and civil servants, until over a million people filled the square. General Secretary Zhao Ziyang expressed sympathy, but lost out to Deng, who supported the use of military suppression. Martial law was declared on May 20. The protesters demanded that the leadership resign, but the government answered on the nights of June 3 and 4 with troops and tanks, killing thousands to quell a "counterrevolutionary rebellion." Zhao was dismissed and a number of the student leaders were arrested.

In the middle of the big Tiananmen Square, there is a big monument. It is the Monument to the People's Heroes (Renmin Yingxiong Jinianbei). The monument is 37 metres high and made of granite. On it is an inscription of Mao Zedong: The People's Heroes are immortal.

We walked around the enormous square in absolute awwwwww...we bought ourselves some chinese flags and continued on our way throught the gate to the forbidden city.

Forbidden City: Lying at the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City, called gugong, in Chinese, used to be the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is called the Palace Museum now. It lies 1 kilometer north of the Tian'anmen Square, with its south gate, the Gate of Devine Might (Shenwumen), facing the Jingshan Park. 960 meters long and 750 meters wide, the world largest palace complex covers a floor space of 720,000 square meters, having 9,999 buildings. The rectangular city is encircled in a 52-meter-wide, 6-meter-deep moat and a 10-meter-high, 3,400-meter-long city wall which has one gate on each side.

Until 1924 when the last emperor in China was driven out of the Inner Court, 14 emperors of the Ming dynasty and 10 emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned here. Construction of the palace complex started in 1407, the 5th year of the Yongle reign of the third emperor of the Ming dynasty, and was completed 14 years later in 1420. It was said that a million workers including 100,000 artisans were driven into the long-term hard labor (24 hours a day for 14 years).

Since yellow is the symbol of the royal family, it is the dominant color in the Forbidden City. Roofs are built with yellow glazed tiles; decorations in the palace are painted yellow; even the bricks on the ground are made yellow in special process. However, there is one exception. Wenyuange, the royal library, has a black roof. The reason is that it was believed black represented water then and could extinguish fire.

After walking two hours through this enormous complex some of our tour-mates were pleased to see that even the Forbidden City had a Starbucks! (the only outside business to have made its way inside the walls). It was also interesting to note that once you entered the Forbiddeen City you could not leave - so the Emperor who had thousands of women at one time was required to house these women even after he died.
There were three main parts to the city. The first was the administration:the place where the emperor met with his political guestsfor business. The second part was the living quarters and the third was an incredible garden. What an incredible place!

Beijing Duck: Beijing is known for their duck and we were able to taste this glazed delight for lunch. It was tasty and genearlly served by wrapping a thin rice paper filled with veggies and a tangy sauce around the duck and eaten with your hands. Yummy!

Yashiu Market: We were skeptical when they said we were going to spend 3 hours at this indoor market but once we walked in we were amazed at the thousands of booths filled to brim with everything from Abercrombie sweats to North Face jackets to silk tablecloths. We bought 2 North Face jackets for 34$ (fully lined and even with a zip-out fleece), silk tablecloths, huge Chinese script scrolls, D&G shirts, and somuch more! If we had planned it better and brought more money we would have bought TONS more but our Visa's and Debit Cards were not working and you cannot change Korean money anywhere in China. Basically, we were in a shopping heaven with no money...every woman's nightmare! Guess we have to go back!

Reflexology: Our day ended with amazing 1.5 hour reflexology massages delivered right to our room. For a mere $20 each we had two masseuses give us traditional reflexology massages , which even included a foot soaking leaving us feeling ...well...'relaxed' after a long day. To top it off we ordered room service before packing up our things for our early departure the next morning.

Our flight left at 8:30 am which meant our wake up call was at 5am. We said good-bye to China (for now) and returned to Korea having felt that this was the best trip we have ever taken (although we say that every time we go away!) Happy Lunar New Year! We love China!!!