Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
The Forbidden City was one of the first major sights I was able to see in Beijing, and it was an unforgettable first. If you've ever seen the movie "The Last Emporer," you have and idea of what it really looks like. The vast spaces kind of fill you up when you enter the first few sections that a select group of government officials were allowed to visit back in the day. It makes sense that a country with a name that literally translates to "central country" would have a palace that speaks to the grandiosity the Chinese people feel being at the "center of the universe." The gigantic garden near the end of the palace that only the emporer and his wives were allowed to use is without doubt the most impressive part of the place. It is so huge you could get lost in it. I know because I did. All of the elements that go into making traditional Chinese gardens are exhibited in this one, and the result is serene and beautiful.
Considering that the Forbidden City gets its name because outsiders were not allowed in--only the emporer, his wives, eunuchs and certain officials ever saw the inside--it's only slightly bizarre that there is now a Starbucks coffee shop right in the middle of the place. And this in the world's most powerful communist country. Another interesting bit of info: if you ever make it there, pay the five bucks it costs for the audio tour and have James Bond himself--well Roger Moore anyway--guide you around the palace.
Walking straight out of the palace's entrance and through Tiananmen Gate, you find yourself facing the only thing that separates you from the infamous Tiananmen Square: a 10-lane road. Turn around before you take the tunnel to the other side and you can see Chairman Mao Zedong smiling at you benevolently. On the other side, you'll see little sign of the nightmare that occured there under the leadership of economically progressive but politically oppressive Deng Xiaoping. Instead, kite sellers fill the place--and the sky--with their wares. There are, however, plenty of Chinese police on hand to put down any protest that could arise. Like the inside of the Forbidden City, the square itself is vast, but unlike the palace, this place is cold and rigid. It's kind of hard to escape it's history when you are there, although the power exhibited by its enormity is still a symbol of national pride. During the National Day holiday in the fall, the place is filled with elaborate flower creations. The first year I was here, the designers constructed a Great Wall replica from shrubs and flowers, among other things. During this holiday, the square is completely transformed into something beautiful and all its own.
For more information on the Forbidden City: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/forbidden/list.htm
For more information on Tiananmen Square:
www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/tianan.htm