Rich Heritage of Beijing

We discover Beijing’s rich heritage as we step back in time to an era when incredible power reigned. We start at Tiananmen Square and get an overview of China’s communist history at the symbolic heart of the nation. We then embark on an in-depth exploration of the Forbidden City, the power base of Chinese emperors for centuries. This contains a 9,000-room maze of courtyards and ceremonial halls where a succession of 24 emperors lived. This site contains the Imperial Palace Museum which details the history of each dynasty, represented in four palatial halls with antiques and treasures from the Ming to the Qing dynasties. In the afternoon we explore the 15th century Temple of Heaven which emperors used to frequent to pray for a good harvest. The individual buildings symbolize the relationship between heaven and earth and the special role played by emperors within this association. Lunch is along the way back at a local Chinese restaurant.