Transcript
Page 1: Asia Expat Guides: Top 5 Historical Sites in Beijing

Top 5 Historical Placesin Beijing

A Guide for New Expats in Beijing, China

By: Asia Expat Guides

Page 2: Asia Expat Guides: Top 5 Historical Sites in Beijing

• Through the Ming and Qing dynasties, the

Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors and the

political center of China. However, with the abdication of Puyi,

China’s last emperor the Forbidden City, most of

the site was handed over to the public. Today, the

majestic Forbidden City is well known for its 9,999 rooms — a single room

short of the number that the ancient Chinese

believed to represent divine perfection. A moat

six meters deep and a wall that is ten meters

high surrounds the ancient palace.

Forbidden City

Page 3: Asia Expat Guides: Top 5 Historical Sites in Beijing

One of the “Eight Wonders of the World”, the Great Wall

of China was famously built between 220-206 BC by Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. Its high

walls were built over the lives of many workers to keep out attackers while

making sure that inhabitants could not

travel out of the region. The wall is too long and

huge that it spans across five provinces, from

Shanhaiguan Pass to Jiayuguan Pass in the

West, and can be seen from space. Near the

downtown area, you can climb the Badaling Great Wall and experience the

magnificent of the ancient architectural wonder.

The Great Wallof China

Page 4: Asia Expat Guides: Top 5 Historical Sites in Beijing

• The Tiananmen Square and its the monolithic

monuments to Communist glory face the majestic

Forbidden City, the landmark of China’s imperialist past. 

The largest city square in the world, the courtyard is

surrounded by significant edifices such as the

Tiananmen Tower, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong

Memorial Hall, Monument to the People's Heroes and the

National Museum. Tiananmen Square holds a lot of cultural history as it

was the site of many monumental events through

the course of Chinese history , from the heavy fighting

between Li Zicheng and the early Qing emperors to the

1989 Tiananmen Square tank protests.

Tiananmen Square

Page 5: Asia Expat Guides: Top 5 Historical Sites in Beijing

• Situated in the Haidian District northwest of

Beijing City, the Summer Palace is 15

kilometers (9.3 miles) from central Beijing.

Being the largest and most well-preserved

royal park in China, it greatly influences

Chinese horticulture and landscape with its famous natural views and cultural interests,

which also has long since been recognized

as 'The Museum of Royal Gardens'.

SummerPalace

Page 6: Asia Expat Guides: Top 5 Historical Sites in Beijing

• The Temple of Heaven was the place where emperors of the

Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty held was known as the Heaven

Worship Ceremony. The UNESCO World Heritage Siteis

China's largest and most representative existing

masterpiece among China’s ancient sacrificial buildings. First

built in 1420, the 18th year of the reign of Emperor Yongle of

the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), it was enlarged and rebuilt

during the reigns of the Ming emperor Jiajing and the Qing

emperor Qianlong. In 1988, the Temple of Heaven was opened

to the public as a park, showing ancient philosophy, history and religion. Its grand architectural

style and profound cultural connotation give an insight into

the practices of the ancient Eastern civilization.

TempleOf Heaven

Page 7: Asia Expat Guides: Top 5 Historical Sites in Beijing

For more information about being an expat in Asia, visit http://asiaexpatguides.com