Trip - Beijing - Day 5 - Forbidden City 紫禁城

Good Morning Blog,

After yesterday headache episode, hope today will be a peaceful one and we will be going to visit the main tourist attraction - TianAnMen

Just like this wording above 德必有鄰。That explains a lot how we should be in our daily life.

子曰：「德不孤，必有鄰。」(《論語·裡仁第四》)
【註釋】
有品德的人，必有鄰居。表示有德的人，必有同類的人和他親近，絕不會孤獨無助。與「得道多助」義同。
【語譯】
孔子說：「有道德的人是不會孤立的，一定會有志同道合的人與他相處。」

Translate: (Best so far)
"With virtue there is no solitude; there is always company."
Better than Google Translation (What a joke)
"Germany not alone must be a neighbor."

Even though I felt lonely but now I don't. Thanks Heaven for sending reminder.

While waiting for taxi to arrive, let spend some time to admire the sun rise.

Am I damaging the whole picture scenery?

The taxi had arrived finally after a long wait but story didn't end, we also struck in the traffic for nearly 45 mins because streets around TianAnMen doesn't allow any vehicle to pick/drop anyone.

So we had to stop somewhere nearby then walked to the main gate

I can't get used to watch out for the traffic by checking our LEFT than RIGHT.

More pictures with the HuTong

Same as many thousand years ago

Rarely see such a big Willow tree.

Hmm... where we should walk to?

I saw a group of people at some distance away

OOO! Have you noticed something special about this tree? It has multi-colour tree bark

Before we are able to enter to the main gate of TianAnMen, we had to go through a strict security-check

Finally!

We reached the main entrance of TianAnMen

Wefie!

Selfie!

Okay! Let's enter to Forbidden City! (click here to read more)

A tall pillar erects near the entrance and doesn't know much about it; but it is nicely sculpted at least.

If you want free sharing about the history of this place, just stand nearly to any guided tour.

It is a clean and well maintained place

Entrance for more entrances

I should have brought my DSLR but I will capture at my best

PEOPLE is everywhere!

And... I spotted a moment when there is no one around to pose here. In fact, this area isn't suitable to walk across because this place was used to be decapitate area. So to respect the death, don't walk across.

so for me, It is my selfie moment

and forgive us for being naive.

Very well maintained structure.

We had come to another parade square - Court Order

It will be a perfect shot without people - they should place some people to dress up as soldiers so that we can sense the grandness of this place

This was where the Emperor will be standing in the center like a Chinese Chess

Impressive when there was no speaker and how can they hear him?

Beautiful sculpted dragon plates

Lucky my photographer found a place to capture the palace and us together - Great job!

Can you imagine - there is no nail used in the architecture

Be the Emperor... (feel the scene)

Looking down

As we entered deeper

Another similar square - Hall of Heavenly Purity

Hall of Honesty and Respect - Interesting name for a hall.

Longer staircases

I believe it should look better in many thousand years ago

Wefie again since my photographer found a great spot but where was my mother

Tried to capture a good individual shot myself but my auntie just stared at me awkwardly

Here - everyone was crowded and trying to take a picture of something...

What do you see? (trying to squeeze in)

I tried my best to zoom in and see... NOTHING! Too dark!

But it was a nice view to look at certain perspective with lesser crowd - to show you the scale of this place

Every structure here are skillfully crafted

Doraemon, please bring my DSLR here!

Managed to capture a closer view of an Emperor's seat in the Hall of Preserved Harmony

I don't know where we were - based on map online - we were between the Hall of Preserved Harmony and Gate of Heavenly Purity

Instead of Squarely setting, this one has a 45 degree wall

Something to break the norm

Just emo at the counter

FIGHTING for space at Hall of Heavenly Purity

I made it! I got the SHOT! Emperor Cheer!

Lucky the crowd were forgiving and allowed me to squeeze my fat body in, and complete my wish.

OOO you know what is this? This is where the Emperor and his many queens making babies room, another word - Queen's bedroom - Hall of Earthly Tranquility.

Next stop - we entered Imperial Garden and there are many...

gigantic and beautiful pine trees!

This lives like many centuries ago!

I can stand here and admire the trees for the whole day!

Will you too?

The feeling of touching this tree is so unique, like I have some special connection with it

Best to take together as a family including the tree.

Just love the smooth crack on the tree bark.

This one spreads its root like a pair of legs and I tried to be like it.

Just awe.

Many shelters in this Imperial Garden, if setup table and chairs can create a good HTHT session

and photo.

Sometimes I have wondered... Are those rock formation real?

I don't know who to ask or put into a question

One day I will know

While exploring places in Forbidden City, there are many thresholds. It was rude to step on this threshold...

We have to cross over, proper manner with respect.

OMG! We ended our tour too FAST, we exited!

We have yet explored the left and right wings of this city! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

oh well... what to do. Just treasure the moment.

To ease my mother and auntie, we spent some time to take pictures together while waiting for the rest to exit.

As compared to Harbin, Beijing is cold and only manage to freeze this water surface.

If it was frozen, I believe we will have more things to do at the exit.

Looking back at such grand palace, it had its own dark and stained history, due to in-benevolent emperors surrounded by scheming and 'craft-ive' people...

Oh well, can't go back anymore, if there is a chance, I will explore other wings in my next trip.

Finally they exited and a wefie time.

Next stop to BeiHai Park 北海公園

Jeff