MING AND QING'S PLACE: THE FORBIDDEN CITY

When you go somewhere or do something that is "forbidden" there's a certain thrill that's involved. Why is the activity forbidden? What will happen if I get caught?

For these reasons, our trip to the Forbidden City had a certain aura surrounding it. It was the former home of not one, but two dynasties of emperors (the Ming and the Qing) and dates back to the early 1400s. They declared this collection of ancient palaces off limits for over 500 years and people were not even enter or leave the City without first receiving their consent. And now we were going to walk in their footsteps.

And what a lot of footsteps there were! The Forbidden City has been named by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. Another organization (the Beijing Tourist Administration) bestowed another honor on the Forbidden City:

The main area of the City is the Inner Court which contained buildings with names like "The Palace of Heavenly Purity," "The Palace of Earthly Tranquility," and the Hall of Union.

The Forbidden City is also a classic example of classical Chinese and east Asian architecture, with many amazing details everywhere you look.

There were also several museums that housed priceless antiques. I've heard terms like "ancient Ming vase" used in movies and television before. I guess this is the kind of stuff they were referring to.

Several of the structures were undergoing and extensive renovation. I guess that can be expected for buildings this old.

There really was so much to see at the Forbidden City that it could take days if you wanted to soak up every detail.

Across the street is Beihai Park, which has its own temple situated on a high hill. This vantage point is the perfect place to really see the Forbidden City in all its expansive glory