Decided to spend the day looking at the key parts of Beijing and so decided to walk to Tian'anman Square. Just round the corner from our hostel we found another 'gym park' and so got to have a quick play. I guess they were added to the city in anticipation of the Olympic games but there were a few 'machines' that I couldn't work out how to use.
Getting into Tian'anman Square meant going through the eternal bag-scanner and pat-down but we seem to avoid any close scrutiny as foreigners. I didn't even have to hand over my lighter.
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The square itself is very big but the picture of Mao was smaller than I'd imagined it. I thought he'd cut a much more imposing figure. Matt wanted to see Mao's body at the Mausoleum but it wasn't open - apparently they need to take his body away to do essential maintenance every now and then.
They don't seem to encourage anyone to hand around and there's nowhere to sit at the square itself so after a walk around and a giggle at the policemen on segways and the fact that there were giant screens wich were actually set in stone, we pushed on to the neighbouring Forbidden City.
The Forbidden City covers quite an expansive area and houses some interesting buildings and relics. We couldn't be bothered with a guide and so after taking a look at the main stuff, we just spent time trying to explore some of the areas away from the well-trodden path. There were some nice courtyards with little museums to look around and some pretty trees. We saw lots of expensive and elaborate knick-knacks, including a few gold jewel-encrusted ear-cleaning spoons. There was also lots of jade but I'm not sure that I see the beauty of it. It just looks like soap.
On our way back we went into Jing Shan Park, where it's possible to climb a hill to a serious of elaborate pavilions which overlooks the Forbidden City and also gives pretty incredible views of modern Beijing. The sun was starting to set and we spent a long time watching it change colour, listening to a busker and observing people taking pictures. Matt even managed to hijack a lengthy posing session by a number of teenage girls.
The park was also the chosen suicide spot of Emporer Chongzhen, the last emporer of Ming dynasty. As well as causing quite a few social problems which led to many people having to turn to a life of crime, he was also responsible for starting an unecessary war, realising his mistake and then killing his wife and daughters (apart from one who escaped with just having her arm chopped off) before committing suicide with his eunuch mate by hanging himself from a tree there. We couldn't quite work out why but he seemed to be quite revered.
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