Can you hear the drums waking the city of Old Beijing? We began our morning at the drum tower listening to the ancient ritual wake the city. Twenty-five drums beat together representing the weather, the time, and the season. In ancient times the drums were a way of communicating important information from village to village. After the drumming ceremony, we began our rickshaw ride through the neighborhood in the Hutongs. Children waved and shouted “Hello!” as we rode by. This was our first real glimpse at what life is like for the locals. We rode past their markets, their barbershops, and their playgrounds. During our rickshaw tour, a local family invited our group into their home to have some tea and see their courtyard. Sipping cups of warm jasmine tea and looking at their old black and white photographs took us to the heart of the Chinese culture, the family. After the rickshaw tour was completed, we headed off to the zoo for a visit with the Giant Pandas. Despite the drizzling rain, we were enchanted to see 10 pandas in action. Sleeping, eating, playing, tumbling, these charming creatures were showing off for the cameras. They are in the Hall of Pandas, a special exhibition that has been put in place for the Olympics. Our next stop on the China tour took my breath away. The Temple of Heaven is set back in a huge garden. Through the long corridor, there were all kinds of entertainments - dancing, singing, prayer, poetry, tai chi. The elderly spend their free time in the corridor leading to the Temple of Heaven. The irony is obvious. But the serene look on their face and the sheer number of locals in the gardens and corridors was enough to tell me that it was their pleasure to be there. Once we arrived in the courtyard of the Temple, I was awe-struck by the extraordinary work of architecture, art, and pure genius of this temple. We’ll say good night now from Beijing and then Zao Shang Hao from Xian!
2010年8月5日星期四
Closer to Heaven in Beijing
Can you hear the drums waking the city of Old Beijing? We began our morning at the drum tower listening to the ancient ritual wake the city. Twenty-five drums beat together representing the weather, the time, and the season. In ancient times the drums were a way of communicating important information from village to village. After the drumming ceremony, we began our rickshaw ride through the neighborhood in the Hutongs. Children waved and shouted “Hello!” as we rode by. This was our first real glimpse at what life is like for the locals. We rode past their markets, their barbershops, and their playgrounds. During our rickshaw tour, a local family invited our group into their home to have some tea and see their courtyard. Sipping cups of warm jasmine tea and looking at their old black and white photographs took us to the heart of the Chinese culture, the family. After the rickshaw tour was completed, we headed off to the zoo for a visit with the Giant Pandas. Despite the drizzling rain, we were enchanted to see 10 pandas in action. Sleeping, eating, playing, tumbling, these charming creatures were showing off for the cameras. They are in the Hall of Pandas, a special exhibition that has been put in place for the Olympics. Our next stop on the China tour took my breath away. The Temple of Heaven is set back in a huge garden. Through the long corridor, there were all kinds of entertainments - dancing, singing, prayer, poetry, tai chi. The elderly spend their free time in the corridor leading to the Temple of Heaven. The irony is obvious. But the serene look on their face and the sheer number of locals in the gardens and corridors was enough to tell me that it was their pleasure to be there. Once we arrived in the courtyard of the Temple, I was awe-struck by the extraordinary work of architecture, art, and pure genius of this temple. We’ll say good night now from Beijing and then Zao Shang Hao from Xian!
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