Tian’anmen

ARTIST RESIDENCY CHINA — BEIJING, no. 20

The front entrance to the Imperial City in Beijing is called Tian’anmen, or Gate of Heavenly Peacemaking. First built in 1415 during the Ming Dynasty, it is where Mao Zedong’s portrait is centrally hung. Forbidden city is within the Imperial City north of Tian’anmen.

The immense open area called Tian’anmen Square is on the opposite side of a busy street from Imperial City gate. Tunnels are used to cross under the street. On either side of the square are the Great Hall of the People — the capitol of China, and the National Museum of China. The iconic Monument to the People’s Heroes and Mausoleum of Mao Zedong are in the center of the square at the south end. The square can accommodate 600,000 people. Security cameras, check points, barriers, uniformed and plain clothes policemen, and vendors offering to take photographs abound.

South of Tian’anmen Square are shopping streets, both authentic recreations and real; to the west is the National Center for Performing Arts.

we’re gonna need a bigger camera

Great Hall of the People behind Monument to the People’s Heroes

selling fans at Mao Zedong mausoleum, south side

one of four heroic sculptures at the corners of the mausoleum, appearing to be based on the Romantic French painter Eugene Delacroix’s ‘Liberty Leading the People’ commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 in Paris

meet the new boss, same as the old boss

Zhengyangmen city wall gatehouse with archery tower across the street to the south

archery tower, looking south

archery tower, looking north

Qianmen Street, a shopping street south of Tian’anmen Square

Neiliansheng Shoes, Dashilan Street, oldest cloth shoe shop in China, 1853

Neiliansheng shoe museum, third floor

 

handmade for 162 years

National Center for the Performing Arts

National Center for the Performing Arts entrance with Great hall of the People behind

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