Probably one of the most well-known places in Beijing, Tian’an men Square and the Forbidden City. Even if you know nothing about China, you are probably familiar with the pictures of Chairman Mao’s portrait hanging over the main gate of the city.
The Forbidden City used to be only entered by the emperor and the highest people in government (including the eunuchs and the emperor’s concubines). We can now walk right through the middle door of the first gate; this particular gate wasn’t even used by the emperor unless he was getting married. Now the Forbidden City is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Beijing. A beautiful blue sky greeted us upon our entrance, along with the knowledge of just how much history had occurred in that very spot. Emperors had walked those hallways, touched those stone railings. Led by our RA John, and a few of our wonderful teachers, we explored the Forbidden City and got to witness some of the incredible scenes and learned all about the history and the meaningful city planning. We had a great day experiencing one of China's most famous locations and admiring the design of the Forbidden City's main axis.
Claire Vodicka
<p>My name is Claire Vodicka and I travel to learn language and culture and grow as a person. I currently speak English, Spanish and Chinese, with a little bit of Italian on the side. I love to take pictures, especially of people; capturing their true emotions in the moment. I'm just enjoying my time in college and documenting every opportunity I have been blessed with.</p>
