Built in 1420 (the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty), Imperial Ancestral Temple (Taimiao) is situated on the east side of Tian’anmen. It used to be the imperial ancestral temple for offering sacrifices to Heaven and the Earth in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Taoism, a religion native to China, has a history of 1,800 years. It originated from shamanism and the various practices intended to ensure immortality in the Qin (221-207 BC) and Western Han (206 BC-AD 24) dynasties. Zhang Daoling is credited with founding the religion of Taoism on Heming Mountain (in Dayi County, Sichuan Province) during the reign of Emperor Shundi (126-144).
As part of the canal running from Summer Palace, Beihai Park (namelly “the North Sea”) is the last section of water opened to public, other two more lakes Zhonghai and Nanhai (the “Middle and South Sea”) occupied by the central goverment.
The capital museum now can book just one day before visit, and the limitation of visitors is now up to 4,000 each day, except Monday (closed).
Beijing Exhibition Center is opened in 1954 as the city’s first large-scale, comprehensive exhibition venue.
Beijing Exhibition Center’s three East Wing exhibition halls and single large hall, entertainment theater and restaurant in the West Wing offer a cohesive yet flexible and easily accessed venue.
Beijing Exhibition Center is the direct connection to the rail system, including the Xizhimen passenger station to the north. There are 1,500 meters of rail siding, which allows the transport directly on site of pieces of almost any size and weight. If needed, the rail area can provide some 2,ooo square meters of secure exhibition or storage space.
Beijing Exhibition Center is also special for its Cinema hall and Beijing Amphitheater. The Cinema Hall’s 1,000 seats and production facilities are designed for motion picture showings, live stage productions and a range of general and seminar type meetings.
Beijing Planetarium is a national leader in public astronomy. It contains two parts: Beijing Planetarium and Beijing Ancient Observatory.
Beijing Planetarium consists of new building and the old Planetarium. The new facility is designed by Nonchi Wang, it has several exciting parts: Digital space theater, 3D theater, 4D theater, exhibition hall, two observatories.
As an ancient Chinese proverb goes as “an inch of sandalwood is equal to an inch of gold”, the red sandalwood (紫檀木) is more usually purplish-red, sometimes with grayish-black hues – colors and shades that represented the prestige and solemnity of imperial rule centuries ago. It gives off a pleasing musty aroma. The average red sandalwood tree takes 300 years to reach full growth, and only some 10 percent of its content can be put to practical use. Hence the wood’s rarity and why it is now a popular collectable. A piece of ancient sandalwood furniture fetched US$11.29 million at a 1996 Sotheby’s auction.
The National Art Museum of China, or NAMOC (Chinese: 中国美术馆) is located on 1 Wusi Ave, Dongcheng District of Beijing, People’s Republic of China. The construction was started in 1958 and finished in 1962. It is one of the Great Ten Constructions to mark the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China. Chairman Mao wrote the name of the museum.It has a total land area of 30,000 square meters. The museum has been renovated from May 2004 to January 2005, and has been added an additional area of 5,375 square meters.
National Centre for the Performing Arts is a dynamic new icon to the arts in the heart of old Beijing. The Centre’s ultra-modern architecture is in sharp contrast to its neighbours, the Great Hall of the People, Tian’anmen Square and the ancient Forbidden City.
