Sparkling Forbidden City

Since Lynn hadn't seen the Forbidden City, and a nice clear day was promised, we got up early to avoid the crowds and took the bus downtown. Already by 8:30 it was quite hot, and there were large crowds, but most people were lined up in Tiananmen Square to see Mao Zedong in his mausoleum.




Lines to View Mao

The Forbidden City was sparkling with the fresh paints of coats on many buildings in the bright sunshine and against a clear blue sky. It was clear enough to see the mountains to the north of Beijing.



The Hall of Supreme Harmony, and many of the other buidlings at the southern end, are being renovated. Since you can't see the real thing, a mural has been painted on the cloth shroud!


Construction Mural


Yellow Roofs and White Dagoba


Marble Stairway Dragon


Imperial Lions


Sundial


Old Door Fittings


Rocks and Pavillion, Imperial Garden
The eastern portion of the Forbidden City is quieter and contains many more intimate courtyard palaces. There is a section with an extra 10 yuan entrance fee and contains various museums and furnished interiors that are quite interesting and worth seeing. It is also quieter, and so you get a better feel for the City without the crowds of tourists.


Doorway Decoration


Roof Figures


Passageways


Courtyard


More Yellow Roofs


Fresh Colors

Here is a Google track of where the pictures where taken. There is a nice pdf map of the Forbidden City here.