Beijing III: Tackle the basics

by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

On our third day in Beijing, we took a taxi to Tiananman Square and the Forbidden City.  When you take a taxi you must have your present location as well as your destination written in Chinese so you can get to where you are going and return to your hotel. (Hotels provide this information as a regular and necessary part of their service.)  Taxi drivers speak no English at all!  Even with it written in Chinese, some drivers will refuse the fare because it is not enough.  That is, they would prefer waiting for customers going a longer distance so they can make more money.  For example, at the Silk Market, we were refused service back to our Beijing Marriott City Wall Hotel by six taxi drivers before we found a seventh to return us to the hotel.
   
Also, before this trip by taxi, we were warned several times about taxi pirates.  Reliable taxis, we were told, had four characteristics: 1) they must be of a Hyundai make, 2) they must have a “B” as a prefix on their license plate, 3) they must display the driver’s taxi-license number prominently on the dashboard, and 4) they must be metered.  I explain all of this for the following reason.
   
At the Silk Market, visited on the first day we were in Beijing, after being refused service by six legitimate taxi drivers, we were asked if we wanted a ride by a fellow who came up to us.  We asked to see his taxi, and with him we walked over to a nearby street, where he showed us a white van parked a short distance away.  Obviously — given the four characteristics listed above — we said, “No, thank you.”
   
I realize this sounds like making a mountain out of a mole-hill; however, when given the four characteristics listed above, we were told of rickshaw drivers who will throw passengers’ directions away, take them to a remote location, and demand an exorbitant price.
   
We talked to one couple at the hotel who were charged 50 RMP (about $7.00 U.S.) For the same trip for which we paid less than 20 RMP (about $3.00 U.S.) — going from the Silk Market back to the hotel.  This certainly merits listing pirates as the fifth problem this city needs to solve if it wants to be “user/tourist friendly.”  Get rid of the pirates!  Take care of the basics!
   
We traversed the massive Tiananman Square walking north in the direction of a large picture of Mao on the front wall of The Forbidden City.  The square was full of people milling around, and there were numerous light poles to illuminate the area at night.  On each of the poles, there were a minimum of 3 security cameras focused on the crowds.  Also, the place was teeming with police, and we saw at least 3 groups of about 25 soldiers each, coming or going from the square in formation, just in our half hour or so there.  We did not feel intimidated in the least, but we were aware of the tight, ever-present, security.  (We did not visit the Mao mausoleum housed on the Square.  The website ChinaTravelTourGuide describes the mausoleum: “The Chairman Mao's Mausoleum stands in the south of the Tian'anmen Square, between the Monument to the People's Heroes and the Zhengyang Gate. The Memorial Hall is to memorialize the founder and first Chairman of the People's Republic of China. It provides people with a place to show their respects to Chairman Mao.”)
   
At the far northern end of Tiananmen Square and facing it lies the Forbidden City, and we entered with throngs of people through the Tiananmen Gate.  Many people (like us) were wondering if our gate was the right one.  Through the first set of gates, we then wandered along to and through a second set (without a ticket and still wondering if we were correct).  Finally, there were ticket offices on either side of the wide terrace walkway, and we purchased two at 400 RMB ($59.07 U.S. for both of us) which included the Palace Museum.
   
When we walked through the “Southern Gate” — a huge, massive pagoda-like structure where they tore off the top portion of our tickets — we just continued walking straight ahead.  (Incidentally, most of the visitors to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are Chinese.  There are very few caucasians, and we saw no tour with only Americans, although we came upon 3 couples (out of thousands of people) who had an English-speaking guide in one of the many museums lining the large squares throughout the “City” structures.)
   
At AsianArtMall.com a portion of the description includes this paragraph: “The Forbidden City, ( so named because common people were forbidden to enter ) was indeed a city. Over 800 buildings containing 8,886 rooms, and  covering 250 acres. The entire complex is surrounded by a 32 foot high wall which is protected by a 165 foot wide drainage ditch forming a mote. The city is only accessible by entering through one of four gates which span the water.”
   
One of the features of Chinese culture pointed out by our previous tour guide, Michael Ye, and revealed over and over in what we observed, was all the meaning the Chinese people give to colors, symbols, animals, and mythical creatures.  At AsianArtMall.com some of the many symbols are explained.  Michael pointed out that with a culture that dates back over 5,000 years, many of the philosophical beliefs have been handed down through generations, and although he (Michael) may be a progressive young person with modern ideas, he is a traditionalist when it comes to beliefs in all the symbolism.
   
All of the 800 buildings (originally built between 1406 and 1420) have been rebuilt more than six times throughout the centuries because of fires.  They are decorated in bright, clean colors of yellow, red, green, and blue often with gold-plated highlights, however, as pointed out at the AsianArtMall.com website, “With the color yellow being the symbol for the royal family, you will find it to be dominant throughout the City.  For example, the roofs have yellow glazed tiles, palace decorations are painted yellow, and the bricks found outside are yellow.”  All the buildings that can be seen today are post-18th-century.
   
The Forbidden City was home to 24 different Chinese emperors, and it is the best-preserved collection of ancient architecture in China.  Because of its place in history, importance, impressiveness, and my memories of our time there, I will continue my discussion of it in Beijing IV — my fourth Beijing essay.
-----
The website AsianArtMall.com has a great deal of information and it is a worthwhile and informative stop.

At the Kwintessential website the essay, “Chinese Culture Symbols,” begins, “Every culture has some identity forming symbols that are instantly associated with that culture. The Chinese culture being one full of symbolism has many prominent symbols that can be termed as the cultural symbols of the country.”
-----
Copyright June, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.