25/9/12
Today's our third and final day in Beijing.
The first agenda today is visiting the living quarters of China's most-notoriously-corrupted officer, He Shen (和坤), which is believed to amass 3600millions of wealth in today's rmb currency during his career.
Albeit being a corrupted officer, his heritage was kept and protected as a national treasure, because of the methods he used to amass his wealth, cunning, sly, relentless, cruel, yet filled with ingenuity.
Believed to be quite the mind of his time, he built double-storey mansions with 99.5 rooms just to hid all the wealth, relics, and treasures he obtained.
On the window of each rooms are different code, patterns and shapes, which is to help him remember what's kept in which room by just a glimpse of the window from his backyard.
This officer was actually said to be given amnesty by the king of that time and thus were able to get away with all his notorious and heinous act, for a long time.
In the deepest part of the mansion garden is a "福" (Bliss/Happiness) calligraphy penned by the one of the Dynast King himself which is etched into a stone pillar which is the only supporting beam for the manmade cave sheltering it. The top of the cave, a part of the structure named Dragon's Spine (Long mai) constructed with architect expertise by the officer himself ensure that future generations of the Royal family unable to reclaim the treasure as it is a taboo that a Dragon's Spine shall not be destroyed, and so it is kept in the garden, untill this very day.
After that, we proceed to “颐和园”, which is a palace court made and used only as a summer resting palace for one of the China dynasty's lady emperor, 慈禧太后。
We were briefed on how did the emperor abuse her power during her reign. And some info about the practice of the Eunuchs culture during the Chinese history.
The 1.5 hour long walk was finish with a Trishaw ride around the village which once lies around the palace.
It was rainy and windy throughout the day, and the visit to the 2008 Olympics stadium wasn't a pleasure as most of us got wet.
The stinky tofu sold at the side of the road gives off a horrid, pungent smells, and the whole street, lined up with these stall on trishaw are filled with that smell, though some of us end up trying them out anyway.
We then go to one of the largest, modern shopping squares that the Chinese republic invested billions into, used to attract shopping tourism and attract locals alike, its still rainy and I stayed inside the bus for a 20mins nap.
Even though Beijing is 1 of the 3 largest city of China (The other 2 are Shanghai and Guangzhou), the city people mostly stays home after only 9pm and so shopping centers mostly closed up early.
After dinner and after we returned to the hotel. We have a quick freshen up and then some of us took a walk and take the local subway train to another district of the city known for it delicacies, snacks, Wangfujing (王府井). This became our only time using the train.
We found exotic foods...fried scorpions, centipedes, starfish, seahorse, other reptiles we never seen before, silkworm cocoons, and the list goes on, not so much of a delicacy for most people.
Its already 11pm when we reach the hotel.
Tomorrow after the day trip, we shall board an evening flight of 2.40 hours to ZhangJiaJie, Hunan.
Photos:
Today's our third and final day in Beijing.
The first agenda today is visiting the living quarters of China's most-notoriously-corrupted officer, He Shen (和坤), which is believed to amass 3600millions of wealth in today's rmb currency during his career.
Albeit being a corrupted officer, his heritage was kept and protected as a national treasure, because of the methods he used to amass his wealth, cunning, sly, relentless, cruel, yet filled with ingenuity.
Believed to be quite the mind of his time, he built double-storey mansions with 99.5 rooms just to hid all the wealth, relics, and treasures he obtained.
On the window of each rooms are different code, patterns and shapes, which is to help him remember what's kept in which room by just a glimpse of the window from his backyard.
This officer was actually said to be given amnesty by the king of that time and thus were able to get away with all his notorious and heinous act, for a long time.
In the deepest part of the mansion garden is a "福" (Bliss/Happiness) calligraphy penned by the one of the Dynast King himself which is etched into a stone pillar which is the only supporting beam for the manmade cave sheltering it. The top of the cave, a part of the structure named Dragon's Spine (Long mai) constructed with architect expertise by the officer himself ensure that future generations of the Royal family unable to reclaim the treasure as it is a taboo that a Dragon's Spine shall not be destroyed, and so it is kept in the garden, untill this very day.
After that, we proceed to “颐和园”, which is a palace court made and used only as a summer resting palace for one of the China dynasty's lady emperor, 慈禧太后。
We were briefed on how did the emperor abuse her power during her reign. And some info about the practice of the Eunuchs culture during the Chinese history.
The 1.5 hour long walk was finish with a Trishaw ride around the village which once lies around the palace.
It was rainy and windy throughout the day, and the visit to the 2008 Olympics stadium wasn't a pleasure as most of us got wet.
The stinky tofu sold at the side of the road gives off a horrid, pungent smells, and the whole street, lined up with these stall on trishaw are filled with that smell, though some of us end up trying them out anyway.
We then go to one of the largest, modern shopping squares that the Chinese republic invested billions into, used to attract shopping tourism and attract locals alike, its still rainy and I stayed inside the bus for a 20mins nap.
Even though Beijing is 1 of the 3 largest city of China (The other 2 are Shanghai and Guangzhou), the city people mostly stays home after only 9pm and so shopping centers mostly closed up early.
After dinner and after we returned to the hotel. We have a quick freshen up and then some of us took a walk and take the local subway train to another district of the city known for it delicacies, snacks, Wangfujing (王府井). This became our only time using the train.
We found exotic foods...fried scorpions, centipedes, starfish, seahorse, other reptiles we never seen before, silkworm cocoons, and the list goes on, not so much of a delicacy for most people.
Its already 11pm when we reach the hotel.
Tomorrow after the day trip, we shall board an evening flight of 2.40 hours to ZhangJiaJie, Hunan.
Photos:
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| A layout of He Shen's courtyard. |
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| A gate of western design shows He Shen's western influence. |
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| Every window on the 2nd floor differs, hint of what's in which room. |
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| The man made landscape of a cave for, inside lies the word "Fu" sculpt into stone pillar. |
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| The court has 9999 bats, as bats is similar to the Chinese "Happiness" |
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| A tricycle, fitted with Stainless steel for rainy day use, common sight in Beijing. |
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| "Fu" calligraphy from a Dynast King, cleverly written with several other words combined into one. |
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| Trishaw ride around the old city district. Preserve as heritage. |
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| "Yi He Yuan" layout of the summer palace. |
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| 1 of the 4 popular Chinese mythical creature, the Kirin, signify righteousness and justice. |
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| A stone from what is once a well in the area, serving naturally cool spring water for the hot summer. |
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| 1 of the 4 popular Chinese mythical creature, Dragon. |
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| An gallery alley with 100 pictures depicting Folklores. |
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| Delicacy from "Wang Fu Jing". |
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| Delicacy? from "Wang Fu Jing". |
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| Delicacy? from "Wang Fu Jing". |
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| 1 of the 4 popular Chinese mythical creature, Phoenix. |
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| Delicacy from "Wang Fu Jing". |
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| Delicacy? from "Wang Fu Jing". |
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| Delicacy? from "Wang Fu Jing". |
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