From Ming to Mao

Hello, friends. So the last time I started writing this post I was interrupted and forgot to save what I had written. So I'm rewriting the whole thing. A tad irksome but for you, my dear reader, I'll move mountains. Anyway, this past week my fellow homestay friend Clare and I went to the heart of Beijing, Tian'an Men Square. It is difficult to describe the atmosphere of Tian'an Men. It is the most important square mile block of land in all of China. On it's left side sits the headquarters of the Communist Party, the highest seat of power in all China. Right in front is the former seat of power for Imperial China, the Forbidden City. And right in the center is the final resting place of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong. In the square, security is tight. One has to walk through a security check point before entering, and nothing that resembles a memento (such as flowers) can be brought in. China has done its best to keep the 1989 student demonstration hidden from its people. And when entering Tian'an Men Square, this desire becomes apparent. Stationed every hundred yards or so is guard, there to maintain order, but I suspect mainly to stop anyone one stupid enough to try and pose for a picture with their hand raised to stop an invisible tank. Regardless, one got the idea that this was not the place for jokes. So with that in mind, Clare and I set off to see Mao Zedong's mausoleum. Now, the Mao-soleum is a huge building, about 10 to 15 stories high, and from what I gather,it contains four rooms. Outside there is a stand where you can buy white roses to give to Mao. Inside there is an entry room with a larger than life statue of Mao sitting cross-legged in an armchair. This is place where you place your flowers. Then you are ushered into a hallway and divided into two lines before entering the viewing chamber. The chamber is small with walkways on either side. In the middle, surrounded by bullet proof glass and four armed guards, sits the open casket containing the Late Chairman. Staff rushes visitors through to the next room, which is just a small gift shop containing Mao memorabilia and then there's an exit. All in all the visit takes about ten minutes. After the Mao-soleum, Clare and I put our history caps on headed for the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City, or Palace Museum (as the Chinese call it), was home to 24 Ming and Qing emperors. It is also the quintessential model of traditional Chinese architecture. Yet most of the palace's treasures are no longer there. During the founding of the PRC, Mao declared a cultural revolution. As a result many of the ancient works of art and literature were destroyed. Yet fortunately, the opposing party led by Chiang Kai'shek saved as many cultural relics as possible and fled with them to Taiwan. So if one wants to see the greatest collection of ancient Chinese artifacts today, he must travel to Taipei and visit Taiwan's National Palace Museum. However, for Clare and I, while we appreciate Chinese history, we mainly were interested in taking fun photographs. The Forbidden City is always filled with tourists and tour groups. However, if a visitor decides to forgo an audio guide and tour group, the city's true wonders can be found. What we enjoyed the most were not the grand halls of the central complex, but rather stumbling upon empty courtyards and allyways discovering parts of the palace most visitors don't see. It was moments like that, away from all the noise of other tourists, that one felt the ancient city come alive. Not to mention, spots like that served as good places to take cheesy Kung Fu photos. What can I say? I'm a kid at heart.