A picture of my little ordinary family !
Peter Soewondo , Susan Gondo and Amabel Soewondo

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

北京 ヅ




Journey to the Center of the Earth
We had known that the China had got the first biggest population in the whole world. It’s about 19 million people with the highest structure the CCTV tower. I loved Chinese food, especially roasted duck. Beijing GaoYa, was the fame food of china. In Beijing, duck is the king. This dish, which is not easily reproduced outside of the city i think, let alone outside of China, is a study sophisticated cooking techniques. I ate in fine-dine restaurant named DaDong Resto Duck. It was very expensive but delicious! Yummy! If you come to Beijing, I recommend for you all to eat in this restaurant. The roast duck was set; there were sauce, condiment, pancakes, duck's skin and the meat. What the results is a beautifully crispy, chestnut-hued bird, whose crisp skin is carefully carved table side and eaten in thin crepes, with plum sauce, leeks and cucumber.
The most famous tourist whom ever came to china was Marco Polo and I think he came around 1275 years. The Chinese believed the Feng Shui or Believed in what had been happened in this earth. The symbolism of the balance between Yin and Yang. Every step there was the relation of Yin and Yang. In Chinese, we believed that proverb. Last holidays, on the 4th until 18th of September, i spent my school holidays to go to the country where my ancestor was born. Peking man was one of the earlier human ancestors.  It is called China; I thought most people knew this country. China had such a wonderful view and i took picture of those place where I been. I went with my parents, my grandparents from my mom and my grandmother from my dad too. But, I dislike the Chinese people, it caused they thought that my family and I were the Chinese origin. But, I did not understand what they were speaking. I wasn't born in China. But, I am a Chinese person who was born in Indonesia. Much of them couldn't speak English very well. Even though, we known that English was the international language, right? Hahahaha. No matter. I stayed in luxurious hotel and in the city center of Beijing. It very closed to anywhere in downtown. Do you know Kublai Khan? He was the second emperor of the Yuan Dynasty whom chose Beijing as his capital.
Long time ago, the king of the emperor said that China was located in the center of the earth. And now, I wanted to introduce you the life and legend of the Emperor of China. I called it “CQAS”. Chinese Question Answer Session. i had 3 session, each had 3 question. The first:
1. did you know 3 of the most popular Dynasty who rein China?
2.  How many did you know in china?
3. There were 5 elements in China, please check it out and which one is yours?
If you didn't know, I will tell you at the end of this story. Be patient. But, if you know, just kept secret and don't tell to the other people if you knew. Okay? Good job! Now, let's began this very long story.
Highlights of the Great Wall!
First I wanted to share my information or my knowledge of the historical that I got from my tour guide in China. Beijing, the capital city of China and the ancient place where the much historical sites are located. Beijing is the center of the political and cultural life of the country. An old city full of vigor. I went to much historical places in this big city. Let me tell you one by one. There were the one of the 7 wonders of the world. The Great Wall was the most popular. And it was match with the Ancient Category, because it had been built since two thousand years ago and us known as the greatest man-made structure on earth. It was extraordinary landmark and I was very glad to come back to this tourist man-made destination. There is the best-known section of the Great Wall namely ' Badaling '. I went there and took a look for about 2 hours. But, I have to ride the cable-car to reach the top of Great Wall. It was steep but the best location for taking photograph. Great Wall is located in Yanqing Country, northwest of Beijing and it is of strategic importance in ancient China. Great Wall was built by the Qin Dynasty. This great wall was very long, I thought 7 times much bigger than Surabaya - Jakarta. This great wall had 3 conclusion main functions. The first, for the emperor to protect from their enemies from the south, the Mongolian. The second, for the military guide way. The last, for the modern people the tourist sightseeing. You should visit this! You wouldn't be disappointed, I guaranteed.
Next, I went to the Forbidden City and also known as the Imperial Palace Museum. It was commissioned by the third Emperor if the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Yong Le. He is the one who also reconstructed the Great wall. I thought he is very great! The one of the emperor who could do many things at that time. The palace was built for 14 years long by a million laborers. But was burnt down, so it renovated and rebuilt. Long time ago, the Forbidden City was the seat of Imperial power for 500 years, but now I thought this palace is a major attraction. Hey! This palace had 9,999 rooms, but i couldn't visit one by one. My leg would be broken if I visited it one by one. And why there were lots of rooms? Do you know what the function is? My tour-guide said that it used for the concubine's room. Home of emperors, guards, servants, concubines and eunuch, and civil servants in 1925 I think. The emperor had much concubine, hundreds I think. Wooo! He is a play boy. Hahahaha. Maybe, he would visit his concubine for a time only, because how come he will remember his all concubine? This Imperial Palace had 4 entrance gates. I went inside from the north gate ' Divine Prowess ' and go out from the South ' Merdian Gate'. The first great communist leader was Mao Ze Dong. He was a peasant long time ago, he dislike the wealthy people. So every rich people would be punished. He died in the year 1976. But, Chinese people still honored him until this time. His picture was hanged on the Forbidden City wall. It was in front of the Dian An Men street. Every Chinese’s money always symbolize with the picture of The Great Leader. If I’m correct, the whole area is maybe 724.250 square meters. I was very sweaty and exhausted at that time, because it was very huge palace and unfriendly weather. It was so hot. And it was so crowded, full of people went to this place, even the Chinese origin people also visited this palace. Emmh, but why they also visited? i thought it won't too crowded, because the visitor would be from American or the other countries, right? But, it was splendored palace I think. 2 thumbs up!
Peter, Susan and Bella .
Third, I went to the Temple of Heaven. The Hall of Prayer of Good Harvests is the most magnificent centerpiece of the Temple of Heaven complex, the roof is constructed without any nails. wauw! I was shocked, how come? This was the site of the emperor's most important annual rituals. David, my tour-guide said that every twice a year, emperor performed sacrificial rites to ensure harmony between heaven and earth and guarantee his people fruitful harvests and prosperity. . The magnificent temple and park where emperors offered sacrifices. There was much section in that place to the Gods. Every part of this utterly unique complex of halls is there for a reason. The temple is the ultimate expression of Ming dynasty architecture. It was where china's emperor came to pray for divine guidance and good harvests and to atone for the sins of the people. Ancient Chinese belief that heaven is round and earth is square, that's why the temple are round and their bases square. The yellow color was symbolism for the emperor family. And only the emperor family whom could use the yellow color and it wear clothes bearing a dragon symbol. This temple was surrounded by many trees which grown long time ago. This holy temple place was 3 times bigger than the Forbidden City. Emperor built this holy temple with thousands of human resources. It made lots of people died. This temple was the world's largest complex for worship heaven. Every stairs and columns here are arranged in groups or multiples of nine which was considered a heavenly numbers. My dad also believed in these 9 numbers. Successive emperors traveled here to pray for good harvests. I saw the parks turns into a vast stage for taichi, it was good for health. And I also saw huge pillars in the hall. My tour-guide said that it was represented the four seasons, twelve months and twelve traditional Chinese hours respectively.
Fourth, after lunch time, my tour-guide named David brought me to the picturesque royal gardens called Summer Palace. Originally named the Garden of Clear Ripples. I had to ride boat to arrive until the palace. Wauw! It was good view. This was the place, where the emperor spent their holidays. The lake was natural, but the emperor made it wider into 2 times. In this lake, namely Kunming Lake, we could get the fresh water oyster. Inside the oyster, we could get pearl. 1 oyster could produce from 15 up to 30 pearls. It cheaper than the sea's pearl. I was so proud that the emperor had good taste of place. Recognized into an awesome place. I ride the dragon ferry.
Fifth, did you know the large-size royal burial ground? It called Ming Tombs. Inside this place there were the coffin of the emperor and his 2 empresses. I’m not too interested in this place. But, I had to know this, to get more knowledge for my future. I prefer history than science. Do you think that weird? Hahahah. I didn't have good reason for it. Though this palace built by human, the summer palace is a spectacle of nature. We knew long time ago, that silk was from the pupa and also from the sheep. But, pupa was much better than sheep, because the sheep silk could make people allergic. And pupa couldn't broken and cut off. It was very stretch and light. China also had jade store. Now, I could know and compare which one was the original and imitations one.
Beijing Zoo Panda

I loved panda so much! I went to the Beijing Zoo. There were many animals in there, but the special one was Panda. It was so cute. In March 1869, the giant panda was first discovered scientifically by Amand Pere David, a French naturalist and Catholic priest by his accidental encounter with a fur of the “black and white bear" or the " bamboo bear". Black and white was the only colors that Panda had. And it loved eating bamboo. Panda was the origin animal of China. Panda population growth which increase every year. And it was endangered species. And it would be extinct. Huh, I wanted a big panda in my house! Hahahaha. I bought bag. It was awesome; there was the panda's head on the bag. China was suddenly become more famous because of the Olympic was held in this country in the year 2008. Woow amazing!
    That's my entire trip in Beijing. The fabulous history intricate, laden with life-changing inventions and elevated by engineering ardor. Next stop I will tell you my trip to Xi An. There were the Terracotta Warriors, the big Wild goose Pagoda.  I will tell you bed time story next in the 2nd section. Okay? So, you won't be bored with my long story. That's all my information that I still could remember. If their some information were wrong, I am sorry. Enjoy! And wait for my second story. 
 Bye-bye guys!!    
Words Count: 2.017

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