Amateur Adventures #52: Travels around Beijing - Tiananmen Square
Hey Steem Dudes and Dudettes!
Today's travels have a bit more of a sombre feel as we visit Tiananmen Square and its place in both the western and Chinese psyche
Tiananmen Square. For most westerners, at least those who remember the events of June 4th 1989, its a symbol of the absolute power a government can have over their people and the lengths they will go to keep it.
The photo that we see as synonymous with Tiananmen Square, is of course banned in China
Source
And the events of 4th June 1989 remain almost unknown, viewed as urban myth or western propaganda.
Discussion of those events, which outside of China are recognised as a massacre, is still taboo on the Chinese mainland. In fact our guide - in his early 20s, shared with us that most of his friends didn't believe it happened, and that he was brainwashed by his western clients. That denial of these events is still prevalent in China begs belief.
I've always been one for discussing the history of a place when I visit, but a visit to Tienanmen square is more solemn, and opinions best lest unvoiced. For those that believe there is a fear that they may be overheard and suffer the consequences.
Instead, conversation in the square is frivolous, light and mostly irrelevant.
Blue sky abounded on the day we visited Tiananmen square - not an ounce of smog to be seen or breathed. Incongruous with my feelings of the place.. and I was a little miffed the sunny days hadn't come on our visit the previous day to the Summer Palace where I felt it would have been much more appropriate!
Our visit to the square coincided with National Holiday - Chinese National Day and Golden Week, which is the memorial for the founding of the Peoples republic of China. During this time thousands come to see Mao lying in state.
The leader who's legacy was to end the Cultural revolution with his autocratic and totalitarian rule, and no thought to the economic and social fabric of the country. Yet conversely, he modernised the country, promoted the status of women and improved education and health care. He built China into a true world power.
His wishes were to be cremated - but even a dictator, once they have passed on, doesn't get a say. Instead his body was embalmed and placed in a mausoleum where people can view it today.
Needless to say, we didn't join the queue that snaked around and around the square.
The square itself, is simply that.. a really big square in fact is considered one of the largest public squares in the world. A westerners fascination is of course the events of 1989, and the Chinese come to celebrate different nstional holidays and pay respects to Mao, who seems to be almost universally loved in China. Whether genuinely or out if fear I'm unsure. Apart from that there are some significant buildings and the flag raising and lowering ceremonies that take place.
Beijing Tiananmen Tower - The Gate of Heavenly Peace - sits at the northern end of the square, it's five archways providing passage for people in and out of the square. The tower is a beautiful traditional double eaved building atop a platform.
To the west sits the Great Hall of The People - which is the meeting place of the national peoples congress - China's version of paliament.
On the eastern side of the square sits the National Museum of China.
A giant centerpeice of flowers is constructed in the square each year to celebrate National Holiday. The basket is made from traditional Beijing flowers such as pink petunias, yellow chrysanthemums, scarlet sage, maidenhair and stringy stonecrop.
Finally near Mao's mausoleum stands The Monument to the People's Heros There are eight white marble sculptures on the monument seat: including a series of important historical events, such as Opium burning in Humen, the Jintian Uprising and the Wuchang uprising.
I've been told the square is really a site to see at night time, though sadly we didn't get the opportunity. In fact the square was simply the starting point for touring our next major site - one I was looking forward to immensely - The Forbidden City.
Tune in next time when I show you around The Forbidden City
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!steemitworldmap 39.90905300000003 lat 116.39769000000001 long Tiananmen Square - D3SCR
Nicely done Shelly. A bit of historical info to put it all in context and I love that photo with the tanks. What a champion.
It is an interesting place I hope to get to one day.
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What an amazing view. You went on the best worst day you could go! We didn't have crowds anywhere near that size. In fact, there was fairly light traffic. And it was overcast and smoggy like every other day in Beijing. The blue in your photos is amazing. I never got to see that side of Beijing.
It was rather special. A rain storm came through and settled everything. Was great when we visited the Great Wall. The one place i would have loved to see in a sunny day was the Summer Palace. But i am grateful we fid see some blue!
Every peice of advice we read was dont travel to China in golden week. Something like 700 million people move around china that week! I think we came across most of them. You should see the photos in my post from yellow mountain. (Way back) the walkways that hang off the side of the cliff were shuffle room only. It freaks everyone out lol!
No doubt. And no thank you. I’ll stick to open ground.
Hello Shelly lovely work informative as well as Adventurous