On Sunday, we escaped from the smog of the city and went out to the Ming Tombs, the Summer Palace and the Great Wall. All three are quite spectacular… as usual the photos don’t do them justice.
Ming Tombs
The Ming dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644 – and 13 of the 16 emperors are buried in an area 45 km NW of Beijing. We visited Chang Ling, the tomb of Yongle who ruled from 1403 to 1424. The actual burial chamber of this tomb has not been excavated. The only burial chamber to be opened is that of Wanli who ruled from 1573 to 1620. When his tomb was opened in the 1950s, the archaeologists found that the inner doors were still intact and that the tomb still contained the treasures buried with the emperor – and some of these are on show at Chang Ling.
Just like the Forbidden City, you approach the most important areas through a series of gates and halls: the Gate of Eminent Favour, the Hall of Eminent Favour, and then the Spirit Tower – which marks the entrance to the burial chamber.
Great Wall
The Great Wall is quite breathtaking… it’s incredible that they were actually able to build the wall – it’s difficult enough just walking along it! We went to the section at Juyong Guan where you have two options – we opted for the difficult route! But it was well worth it for the views. Although most of this section is restored – the wall here was originally built around 210 BC!
The Summer Palace on the northern outskirts of the city is set in beautiful grounds around the Kunming Lake. It was built by the Emperor Qianlong who reigned from 1736 to 1795 – but the more extravagant parts were built at the command of the Empress Dowager Cixi who acted as regent in the late 19th / early 20th centuries. Her extravagance – for example building the marble boat instead of funding the Imperial Navy – led to the loss of several wars and ultimately to the fall of the Qing dynasty itself in 1911.
Ming Tombs
The Ming dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644 – and 13 of the 16 emperors are buried in an area 45 km NW of Beijing. We visited Chang Ling, the tomb of Yongle who ruled from 1403 to 1424. The actual burial chamber of this tomb has not been excavated. The only burial chamber to be opened is that of Wanli who ruled from 1573 to 1620. When his tomb was opened in the 1950s, the archaeologists found that the inner doors were still intact and that the tomb still contained the treasures buried with the emperor – and some of these are on show at Chang Ling.
Just like the Forbidden City, you approach the most important areas through a series of gates and halls: the Gate of Eminent Favour, the Hall of Eminent Favour, and then the Spirit Tower – which marks the entrance to the burial chamber.
Great Wall
The Great Wall is quite breathtaking… it’s incredible that they were actually able to build the wall – it’s difficult enough just walking along it! We went to the section at Juyong Guan where you have two options – we opted for the difficult route! But it was well worth it for the views. Although most of this section is restored – the wall here was originally built around 210 BC!
The Summer Palace on the northern outskirts of the city is set in beautiful grounds around the Kunming Lake. It was built by the Emperor Qianlong who reigned from 1736 to 1795 – but the more extravagant parts were built at the command of the Empress Dowager Cixi who acted as regent in the late 19th / early 20th centuries. Her extravagance – for example building the marble boat instead of funding the Imperial Navy – led to the loss of several wars and ultimately to the fall of the Qing dynasty itself in 1911.
Whilst in Beijing, I had the chance to speak with several local folk about the situation there and more generally about what was happening in Tibet and with the Olympic Torch Relay. We have this perception of Chinese people being oppressed – but you get no sense of that when you chat to them. Our guide on the tour, a young guy 24 years old – just graduated from uni in English (which he spoke perfectly despite never having been to an Anglophone country) – takes the view that the government does a good job so why would they want to change them. He knows that there are some “complainers” out there – but he doesn’t really understand what they’re concerned about – things in China are good and they are enjoying an increasing standard of living.
So are you oppressed if you don’t know you’re oppressed?
I think the answer has to be yes. It’s only by tightly controlling information that the Chinese authorities can maintain this notion of a utopian society. The Chinese media coverage of the torch relay protests was initially non-existent – the only pictures shown were of cheering crowds and torch bearers running unimpeded through London. They then started to drip feed images of the protests – but spun in such a way as to ridicule the protestors and the western governments who couldn’t control their people… and the local population accept this and if anything buy into the notion that they’re lucky not to have to put up with such things!
Our tour guide believed he had unfettered access to information via the internet – he was unaware that the content is heavily censored in China by a 30,000 strong police force – known as the Great Firewall of China. He will be oblivious to the human rights abuses taking place around his country – or will have them spun in such a way as to make the state look just and benevolent. I was pretty ignorant before of what goes on – but Amnesty provides a good overview of the issues. I have my issues with the media in the UK – but at least they are free to report and challenge without censorship (or so they would have me believe!!).
I honestly don’t know what to think about Beijing hosting the Olympics. Part of me holds to the view that sport and politics shouldn’t mix. But the reality is that they are inextricably linked – China is using the event as a political tool as much as the protestors seeking to extinguish the Olympic flame. The challenge for Gordon Brown and other leaders is how they use the event (and the ever closer ties in various other areas – not least trade) to influence the Chinese authorities in their approach to human rights.
So are you oppressed if you don’t know you’re oppressed?
I think the answer has to be yes. It’s only by tightly controlling information that the Chinese authorities can maintain this notion of a utopian society. The Chinese media coverage of the torch relay protests was initially non-existent – the only pictures shown were of cheering crowds and torch bearers running unimpeded through London. They then started to drip feed images of the protests – but spun in such a way as to ridicule the protestors and the western governments who couldn’t control their people… and the local population accept this and if anything buy into the notion that they’re lucky not to have to put up with such things!
Our tour guide believed he had unfettered access to information via the internet – he was unaware that the content is heavily censored in China by a 30,000 strong police force – known as the Great Firewall of China. He will be oblivious to the human rights abuses taking place around his country – or will have them spun in such a way as to make the state look just and benevolent. I was pretty ignorant before of what goes on – but Amnesty provides a good overview of the issues. I have my issues with the media in the UK – but at least they are free to report and challenge without censorship (or so they would have me believe!!).
I honestly don’t know what to think about Beijing hosting the Olympics. Part of me holds to the view that sport and politics shouldn’t mix. But the reality is that they are inextricably linked – China is using the event as a political tool as much as the protestors seeking to extinguish the Olympic flame. The challenge for Gordon Brown and other leaders is how they use the event (and the ever closer ties in various other areas – not least trade) to influence the Chinese authorities in their approach to human rights.
1 comment:
A very thoughtful post. I am not sure what to make of the Olympic situation.
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