BEIJING SIGHTS – AUGUST 26

While in Beijing, we also had a day of sightseeing organized by LoveTEFL. We began the day climbing the Huanghuacheng section of The Great Wall. The Great Wall was originally built by seven different kingdoms. Each section of the wall is built a little differently according to what materials are available in that area. But, the walls were eventually united by The First Emperor of China. It served as a national defense structure of China, where troops burnt wolf dung during the day and bonfires at night to transfer signals.

It is over 5,000 km long, Definitely give yourself a few hours or maybe even most of your day to dedicate to exploring this world wonder. We only had two hours, and I was not prepared for how difficult it was going to be to climb the wall and climb down within that time span. But the view and the breeze makes the trek all worth it. As our tour guide Kathy said:

“You are not a true man unless you climb the wall.”

The Great Wall was followed by a tour of a cloisonné factory. Seeing the amount of detail that is put into the ceramic work is insane. It’s a very tedious process, and I had always wondered how those pieces were made. A lot of teamwork and patience. And some magic, because it really is incredible.

We visited the Ming Tombs, specifically the tomb of the emperor who moved the capital of China from Nanjing to Beijing. He spent 18 years building his tomb, and as a result, it is the largest tomb in the area. I learned that he had 16 concubines, all of whom commit suicide when the emperor dies by hanging themselves, and their bodies are carried from the Forbidden City to the area of the tomb. Ironically, the tomb itself hasn’t even been opened for preservation purposes, yet it is amazing how many visitors the grounds generates. The area of the tombs are really nice, though. Beautiful architecture, and plenty of shade, seats and trees about.

We quickly passed by Tiananmen Square, named for the “Gate of Heavenly Peace” to the North of the square, which is recognized as the entrance to The Forbidden City. The square is one of the largest public squares in the world and is the home to the National Museum of China, several monuments, and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong. Zedong led the reconstruction and renovation of the square in the 50s to it’s present glory of being able to hold over half a million people.

We also saw The National Grand Theatre (also known as “The Giant Egg”) where they hold operas, ballets, and concerts. Very briefly we saw the Bird’s Nest (Beijing National Stadium) and the Water Cube (Beijing National Aquatics Center). Both were built for the 2008 Olympics and will be used again in the 2022 Olympics. It was a relatively busy area, and security was tight. So while it would have been neat to check out the inside of both structures, I understand why security had to keep an eye on the traffic in the area.

We concluded the day with a Chinese acrobatic show. It didn’t tell a story like I was expecting it to, but showcased a variety of acrobatic and stunt acts, from gymnasts, to jugglers, to motorcycle stunt daredevils. My favorite act were the female gymnasts who synchronized a performance on bicycles. For the finale, over a dozen of them managed to balance on one bicycle. Their performance was so graceful and mesmerizing.

I still unreal to me that I’m here in Beijing. The highlight of today was seeing and climbing the Great Wall. I think that was a highlight for all of us, to have been able to visit a Wonder of the World. It really is such an incredible site. It’s been such an amazing day, a nice break from the TEFL training and being cooped up inside for the past couple of days. I’m sad that I’m going to have to leave busy and bustling Beijing so soon, but I am grateful that it is only a half hour journey by train.