Tea House

After the silk factory we went for a lovely foot massage. Delightful. One of the other highlights was a beautiful Tea House that is a true experience. 

I brought home some O'olong tea - which translates as Black Dragon... Come over for a cup some time!

Silk Factory

Silk is amazing stuff, even more so when someone explains and demonstrates exactly how this beautiful fabric is produced

Our guide who told us about the life cycle stages of silk worms

How you can tell if a cocoon is a single worm, or double - all in the shake

Only single worm cocoons can be used for single thread silk ... and each cocoon produces thousands of metres of thread

A double worm cocoon ... the worms are picked out and the netted mesh of silk thread is immersed in fairly hot water and then the 'netting' is stretched over larger and larger frames until it is dry

The stretching frames

These four women take the individual pieces off the largest if the small frames and stretch the mesh out to quilt size fine gauze sheets

This quilt has 90 layers of silk mesh - perfect for a summer quilt

And then there is the decorative silk work...gorgeous and such bright jewel tones

The Forbidden City

Spanning 72 ha, the Forbidden City was constructed between 1407 - 1420.  It comprises 9,999 rooms - 9 is a sacred number. The main gate is accessed from Tianamin Square. 

The entrance archway

Wendy in the Outer Court before we walked through the Gate of Supreme 

Harmony

Centre gateway of Supreme Harmony - only the Royals are allowed to walk through the middle gateway

There must be water to satisfy the Feng Sui harmony balance

The male Fu Dog, guarding the gateway - male has his paw on a globe, female has her paw on a baby Fu Dog - ying and yang always. I couldn't get a good shot of d'momma.

There are hundreds of these large kettle-shaped pots - they were kept full of water, in case of fires. There is a brazier in the base to Keep the water from freezing in the winter. 

The 'halls' and palaces are all on stair step risers - the higher the risers, the more important the occupant or activity. 

Detail of one of the corner pieces - only Royal palaces and parkways could use yellow-gold roof tiles

Looking toward the Qianqing Gate - which leads to the palace area

The Fu Dogs and the water cauldrons are gold plated here - the centre walkway is made up of one piece of stone carved with intertwining dragons

The rear walkway leading out

One of the corners - a 7.9 metre high wall surrounds the entire city, a watchtower on each corner.  The walls are surrounded by a moat - the Tube River - which is 52 metres wide and 6 metres deep. 

Monday and The Great Wall

Chang Cheng - long wall ... And today, Wendy and I headed to Badaling, the Wall section closest to Beijing. We climbed to the highest point on the wall - 880 meters - the Guntiangou Tower, one of the 54 Towers in the Badaling Section. I will post a few pix, and add a few words when I'm not so tired!

Up against the wall of the highest Tower - it was breezy up there, but HOT - a very sunny day...lucked out!

A wicked up'n'down .

Yup...I was up there!!!

Jade Factory and one Emperor's Tomb

As well as the Great Wall, the tour guide took us to the tomb of one of the 13 Ming Emperor's tombs that are located in Beijing (16 Ming emperors in total -only 13 are buried in Beijing). But first we visited a jade factory...words fail me to describe some of the pieces...

An intricate ship, complete with rigging so and exquisitely carved dragon details

This carving of Pi Xiu (9th son of the dragon which brings luck and prosperity) is about 25" long and 18" high...very heavy piece out of a clear dark piece of jade

Only part of the market floor...all jade and all magnificent

I picked out my own smaller Pi Xiu and this gal is stringing it with jade beads to make a braclet- a lovely piece and I'm'a liking it!

On to the tombs - yet another gate to walk thru. The middle arch is always for the royal procession, and that is no different for the funeral places. It is very bad luck to walk on the middle section...or so it is believed

One of the braziers where they burned the silk clothes inscribed with the emperor's full name and stats...as well as a detailed description of all his accomplishments. Now, people toss in paper money to be burned (?) as an offering for good fortune

Larger than life statue of the big guy Chengzu himself...

Final gate before the actual tomb. 

Huge stone carved with the full name, set above the tomb - in the soul tower 

Everything is the China red color, but only Royal buildings are allowed the gold colored roof tiles

A tree is growing out the side of the wall above this archway to the lower level of the tomb

As a wonderful bonus to the day, we were taken to the Institue of Chinese Medicine and students gave us a welcomed foot and leg massage ... after the Wall and walking the tomb, it was a pleasure indeed!

To the Lake in Tianjin

A few pix from the hotel. 

Pedro and Francesco ready for their day of judging

A Jade sculpture in the hotel lobby

Very cool bamboo woven plant!

I will add pix from the lake and the bullet train to Beijing tonight...