Majestic Palaces and Temples of Imperial China – Beijing, China
What is It- The New Summer Palace, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven are World Heritage Sites which are among the most popular places for tourists and residents to visit in Beijing. They capture the contrasting features of the final imperial era of China which came into existence during the Ming dynasty in the 14th century and continued until the end of the Qing dynasty over five centuries later. While the New Summer Palace and the Forbidden City show the grandness and excesses of the life enjoyed by China’s Emperor and the royal court since the middle ages, the Temple of Heaven illustrates the sacredness of the Emperor’s role in Chinese life.
New Summer Palace
The New Summer Palace is a good place to spend 2 or 3 hours of leisurely sightseeing and become oriented to the world of the emperors. The 750-acre complex includes the beautiful Kunming Lake where visitors can take boat rides and picnic on several islands. The palace itself is located to the north of the lake on a large hill overlooking the city. The numerous halls, pagodas, and rooms there were used by the imperial court for the conduct of state business, ceremonies, and relaxation during the summer months. One unique feature of the New Summer Palace is a "Marble Boat" about 100 feet long constructed at the edge of the lake and as you would expect it is made of marble and does not float. The most striking area of the palace is an ornate covered walkway known as the Long Corridor that stretches along the shore for a half mile and provides a cool and artistic resting place for the royal court and its guests. The corridor is painted with landscapes of the Chinese countryside. The many beautiful murals displayed on the Long Corridor remain well preserved.
The New Summer Palace was built by the Empress Dowager Cixi in the late 19th century to replace the original summer palace that had been plundered and destroyed by western troops during the Second Opium War in 1860. Cixi served as regent for her young son and ended up ruling China as the power behind the throne for almost 40 years. By the time of her death in 1908, China was entering an extended period of political and social upheaval, national awakening, war and revolution that would not be resolved until the founding of the People's Republic by the Communist Party in 1949.
Forbidden City
There are several other palaces and ceremonial temples in central Beijing that were used by the Emperors of China. Most prominent is the huge Forbidden City which was occupied by one of the Ming dynasty Emperors after being completed in 1426 and by 23 of his successors. The Forbidden City housed the Imperial Palace, the empire's governmental functions, and up to 10,000 members of the imperial court. It contained almost 100 different buildings including numerous courtyards, halls and reception areas which were restricted to high ranking officials and guests. Grand in scale and symmetrical in design, it was surrounded on all four sides by a wide moat. The enormity of the Forbidden City is somewhat offset by some beautiful statues and carvings, a rock garden, and temples, but the years have taken their toll so it can feel a bit shabby and cold as well.
Temple of Heaven
The third interesting vestige of imperial China worth seeing is the Temple of Heaven complex located several miles to the south in the middle of one of Beijing's most pleasant parks. Each year, the Emperor would leave the Forbidden City in a large procession and visit the Temple of Heaven for several days at the winter solstice to honor his ancestors and pray for a good harvest in the coming year. The most solemn part of these ceremonies would take place there in the rotunda-like Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. First built in 1420, it burned to ground after a lightning strike in 1889 and was rebuilt again thereafter.
Interesting Facts- The Temple of Heaven was first built in 1420 around the same time as the Forbidden City, but it burned to ground after a lightning strike in 1889 and was rebuilt again thereafter. A large portrait of Mao Zedong has been hung on the Tiananmen Gate at the main entrance of the Forbidden City since 1949.
How to Get Here - The Forbidden City is located at the center of Beijing across from Tiananmen Square and the National Museum near the commercial heart of the City. It is easy to walk or take a taxi to the main entrance from most hotels. In contrast, the New Summer Place is in the northwestern part of the city in what was once the countryside. However, it can be reached by subway ride or taxi and is easily located because of its size.
When to Go - Beijing can have oppressive heat in the summer which is why the emperor moved his family and court to the Summer Palace or the Tibetan style compound in the cool mountains of Chengde during the summer. For visitors, the months from late November to mid-March can provide some snow, rain and fog that seem to make the pollution more noticeable also. So overall, March to June, and September to November are the best months for visiting Beijing.