August 20th. Our second day in Beijing was a Sunday. We met Hao Shifu about half past 8am and gave him a map to a business building where our church meets in Beijing. It was interesting to meet for church in a large boardroom with leather office chairs. After church we feasted on Chinese dumplings at a restaurant for lunch, then met Hao Shifu who took us to Tiantan, the Temple of Heaven.
On our way to the Temple of Heaven:
All three of us girls happened to wear matching black dresses today. Cole had to take a picture of us walking together. We looked like triplets! We discovered that busy tourist attractions in Beijing will charge you for everything. Not only must you purchase tickets to enter the main gates, but you must pay admission (again) to enter the temple. Since the temple was under construction anyway, we decided to walk around the gardens and admire the temple from afar.
Tiantan was built in 1420 and was a place of ritual for emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Emperors came to the Temple of Heaven once a year to worship ancestors and pray for a good harvest in the coming year. The gardens in which the temple is surrounded is one of the city’s most beautiful and is a favorite among both locals and visitors.
Next we planned to visit the Forbidden City, but sadly we arrived too late. Doors to the city close at 4 pm and we would need a couple of hours to tour the entire premise. We planned to come back tomorrow morning.
The famous painting of Chairman Mao on the Forbidden City:
Above the main gate we saw a little emperor waving goodbye to the crowd below:
Through the heavy doors of the Forbidden City, you see the monument at Tiananmen Square across the busy street. Behind the monument, is the Mao Mausoleum where Mao Zedong’s preserved body is on display.
The Forbidden City from Tiananmen Square:
It was a nice Sunday in Beijing. We enjoyed strolling and visiting the sights. Tomorrow is another exciting day!
