Travel to China

Beijing Opera

The Beijing Opera is a Chinese opera that arose in the mid-19th century, very popular in the Qing Dynasty court, and considered one of China's cultural treasures. Its origins are in the provinces of Anhui and Hubei, and Beijing opera's main melodies, Xipi and Erhuang, originated from those 2 provinces as well. The Beijing opera was originally staged for the court and came into the public later.

Beijing's City Wall

Beijing's city wall was a fortification built around 1435. It was 23.5 km long and its thickness at ground level was 20m and at the top 12m, with 15m high, and nine gates. This wall stood for nearly 530 years, until 1965 when it gave way to 2nd Ring Road and the loop line subway of Beijing. Now, only in the southeast of the city, near Beijing Railway Station, one part of the wall still stands. Three of the gates of the city wall remains intact also, Desheng Gate, the Yongding Gate and Zhengyang Gate.

Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven is a complex of Taoist buildings located in southeastern Beijing. The construction of this complex began in 1420, and was visited by all the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties after that date. Although it is considered a Taoist temple, the worship of Heaven exists long before Taoism. The park grounds incorporate 3 main areas, The Earthly Mount, properly the Altar, an empty platform of 3 levels of marble; The House of Heavenly Lord, a circular building with only 1 level; and The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a triple gabled circular building, with 3 levels of marble stones, used to pray for good harvests.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital of China and was also the seat of the Qing dynasty emperor, until the formation of the republic in 1911. It has many rich historical sites, and government institutions. The city mostly flat with regular construction, with only one hill in the city, in Jingshan Park, to the north of the Forbidden City. Beijing has concentric ring roads, which are rectangular rings, that go around the metropolis. Beijing will serve as host city for the 2008 Olympic Games.