Ming dynasty Outer City
Interesting places in Ming dynasty Outer City:
the Ming dynasty Outer City is part of Beijing .
Location is derived from the great work of WikiMapia
Check this place on Socialmapia
the Ming dynasty Outer City is part of Beijing .
Location is derived from the great work of WikiMapia
Check this place on Socialmapia
Top photos chosen by u all:
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (Qiniam Dian) Exterior and Interior, Temple of Heaven Complex, Beijing
Made by D200-Paul
Best viewed The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (Qiniam Dian) is part of The Temple of Heaven Complex where the emperor would go once a year (at the winter solstice) to pray for good harvests. Built in 1542 (the 24th year of Emperor Jiajing's reign of the Ming Dynasty) on the site of an earlier temple and named the Great Hall for Offering Sacrifices, it was constructed totally of wood and without the use of a single nail. In 1749 (the 14th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign of the Qing Dynasty) the temple was remodeled and renamed to its present Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (Qiniam Dian). The triple-eave Qiniam Dian rises 125ft (38m) and is topped by a blue tile conical roof with a golden finial at its center. The temple rests atop the center of a circle formed by three tiers of marble 300ft (90m) in diameter and 20ft (6m) high with the balusters on the upper tier decorated with dragon carvings signifying the imperial nature of the structure. Qiniam Dian is often incorrectly called the Temple of Heaven. There is, in fact, no single temple building as such. The Temple of Heaven (Tian Tan) refers to the entire complex and in fact a more accurate translation of Tian Tan is not Temple of Heaven but Altar of Heaven. The interior image is a panorama created using Photoshop Elements to stitch together three images vertically. These three images were captured from the open door seen here in the center of the image of the exterior of The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (Qiniam Dian) Exterior and Interior, Temple of Heaven Complex, Beijing
homeless in Beijing # 1
Made by china.sixty4
A 'homeless man' sleeps on the sidewalk under a freeway overpass in the center of Beijing. Homelessness in Beijing, like in any developed city is a major problem. This has recently become more of a concern to Human Rights groups across the world because of the Central Governments policy of clearing and demolishing houses (many of which are 100's of years old) to make way for development for the 2008 Olympics. Leaving hundreds of thousands of Chinese people homeless and frequently without sufficient compensation. It is estimated that the games will cost China $20bn, making it the most expensive Olympics ever, The Olympics in Beijing is going to be one of the biggest examples of a totalitarian regime taking away people’s possessions in the name of self-glorification. Remarkably, for a country with little free speech, the protests are getting louder. Evicted people have been lighting themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square, and petitions and anonymous internet protests have been multiplying. Despite the imprisonment of Ye Guozhu – a housing rights activist who was imprisoned after applying for permission to hold a mass protest against the forced evictions – there are some flickers of progress. The government has issued a series of promises and reforms. Only time will tell if these reforms materialize or are just empty promises to satisfy the ever growing numbers of angry voices.
Even when you're standing in piss, you can still dream....
Made by musicmuse_ca
This is the Heavenly Center Stone of the Circular Mound Altar of the Temple of Heaven. It is in the center of the 9 circles of heaven and is place that for many centuries was the central sacred spot for all of China. On the Winter Solstice, the culmination of days of fasting by the Emperor took place here. Prayers were said, and rituals were performed to plead for good harvests so the people would not starve. On the day that we visited, we waited in line with many others for our turn to stand upon this sacred spot. Right in front of us, a middle-aged Chinese man took his turn and crouched down over the stone. As we all watched, he lowered his pants and silently urinated on the Heavenly Sacred Stone. When he was done, he pulled his pants up and left with a satisfied smile on his face. Some people laughed, others were horrified. My daughter decided that she wanted me to take the shot anyway. She smiled and raised her hands in the air. Then we went on our way. A message for the shortest day of the year, the dark time of the year, the Winter Solstice: Even when all that you treasure has been pissed upon, you can still have hope.... Even when you stand in piss, you can still dream.... Unesco
Imperial Vault of Heaven
Made by musicmuse_ca
The complex was originally built during the Ming Dynasty, by the .This is one of several buildings in the Temple of Heaven complex in Beijing. During the Winter Solstice, many important ceremonies took place in the Temple of Heaven complex. On Dec 20th each year, the emperor presented incense in this building which housed the shrine for the tablet of the God of Heaven. Tablets of the emperor's eight ancestors were also kept here. During the Winter Solstice, these tablets were moved to the nearby circular mound for the Worshipping of Heaven ceremony. There were other tablets used in the ceremonies stored here, including the tablets of the Gods of Gold, God of Moon, God of Cloud, God of Rain, God of Wind, God of Thunder, as well as tablets of the Gods of the Sun, God of the Big Dipper, God of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, God of 28 Constellations, and God of Stars. There were also depictions of the Buddha. The building does not have any horizontal beams as support. The entire building is supported by 8 pillars and a span-work of bars, laths and brackets. This building was originally built in 1520. Unesco
Play your cards right
Made by Joep R.
View large The Temple of Heaven in Beijing is surrounded by very large park, more than twice the size of the Forbidden City. As this was to be the space representing Heaven on Earth, symbolically it needed to be bigger than the Forbidden City. It is about 2 kilometers from north to south. The inner walled area that houses the main structures covers 275 Hectares (2.75 million square meters). Indeed, it is the largest group of constructions for worship in the world. The Temple of Heaven is a delightful and exquisite place to spend some time. Arrive in the early morning to watch the TaiChi experts, although the park is lively all day and into the evening with kite flyers, musicians, singers, dancers and games players (from badmington to chinese chess). More: www.kinabaloo.com/temple_of_heaven.html
Beijing Mosque
Made by Swamibu
View large Built in 996 the Nui Jei mosque is the oldest one in Beijing, China. At the center of the Muslim district it was one of the few mosques which remained in operation during the cultural revolution to ensure that the diplomatic staff from different countries had a mosque in which to pray. Today it is one of 68 mosques in Beijing. On this trip I met three men from Xin Jiang province who were staying at the mosque with neither knowledge of English nor of what a digital camera was. Showing them how to frame a picture, one of them eventually managed to capture me in a sensible pose. Nice guys, and may they who travel be safe in their travels, amen. See a short video clip walk through of the mosque here
Chinese Acrobatics
Made by ... Arjun
Over 2000 years old, Chinese acrobatics is one of the best tourist deals in town. Though the price tag is hefty (RMB 180 for the good seats) by China standards, it is well worth the experience. You wouldn't have seen anything like it before. We went to the Tianqiao Acrobatics Theater. It is located west of the Temple of Heaven park. It is a 100 year old theater where the Beijing Acrobatic Troupe performs. It's supposed to be less touristy than other venues - and it was. This was one of the most amazing performances during the show - both the flexibility and impossible balancing act. Of course, the rest of the show was also full of 'oohs' and 'aahs' and not stop clapping. Check out the whole set - . Beijing, China 2008 Arjun Purkayastha • travel & fine art photography •
See you, Beijing!
Made by ShanSF
Packing was done in 30 mins last night, ahaha I was almost killed by SF's weather as soon as I got out of airport in May, since I wasn't expecting SF is that chilly! I only had light jacket and sleepers while others were wearing boots and heavy jacket, how silly. but I heard a heat wave is coming to SF this weekend??? in any case, I'll bring clothes of all seasons, learned lessons from 1st trip! Back to this shot, last shot of the series of Qianmen, Beijing, does it feel like 1920s? unlike the Disneyland cultural street part, this area hasn't changed that much.(fortunately) I only work for half day today, leaving for airport in a few hours.aha,I’ll not be able to have proper sleep for the next 20+ hours…>_<, thanks to my line manager, I can't travel like this without her support. =)
peking opera
Made by quimdoporto (will be out, no time)
Best When I went to the Peking Opera to watch a performance it was in 2004. Some opera theaters allowed the early spectators to take photos. At that time it was already possible to photograph the actors preparing themselves for the performance but only under very limited circumstances, one of them being the mood of the actors. So I took a small camera with me, just in case, and as expected (because I was told) the actors were not in the mood for the public show of their preparations; the ladies all pointed the finger to indicate: no pictures! This actor saw my eyes begging for one single shot. OK, but no flash! I took 3 but only this one was saved from blurring and yet not really sharp, I was shaking afraid he would suddenly say no. This is the result; this is like a trophy to me!
China_17642-2
Made by Flash Parker
Xihuashi Street (喜华士街) I should have grabbed a business card from this place. Before our second massage of the trip - not that kind of massage - we stopped off at this swanky little swish slinger for a sip. A double shot of whiskey, a Tom Collins and an apple martini for the equivalent of 60,000 won (don't ask about the martini...). The drinks were cold, the bartenders fluent in English and there were only two hookers at the end of the bar trying to sell us their wares. A more subdued, refined night in Beijing is never to be had. Strobist Information: SB80DX @ 1/16 (?) power, bounced off ceiling, bare, a touch of fill for the hand * Flashwaves Triggers ** 1/640 shutter. A little strobist flash bypass trickery here! :)
Bride to be at Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China~10 October 2011
Made by Y. Deshayes
This beautiful young Chinese woman in her gorgeous red silk wedding dress were at the Temple of Heaven (a UNESCO World Heritage site) with her future husband having their wedding photographs taken prior to the wedding - a normal custom in China. Often the photos are used for the wedding invitations. I'm now back from my adventurous holiday but seriously jet-lagged and busy, so bear with me and I hope soon to be able to spend a bit of time with you all again. Hundreds of photos, were taken on this trip, sadly the weather gods weren't co-operating but the sun did come out on a few days so I hope to be able to share some of my wonderful memories with you soon. In the meantime, wish you a wonderful weekend.
Temple of Heaven
Made by mischiru
The Temple of Heaven, literally the Altar of Heaven is a complex of Taoist buildings situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. It is regarded as a Taoist temple, although Chinese Heaven worship, especially by the reigning monarch of the day, pre-dates Taoism. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, as depicted here, is a magnificent triple-gabled circular building, 36 metres in diameter and 38 metres tall, built on three levels of marble stone base, where the Emperor prayed for good harvests. The building is completely wooden, with no nails.
After Rebellion
Made by The National Archives UK
Description: German soldier poses in front of the East gate of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing in a photograph taken during the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion. Date: c.1900 Our Catalogue Reference: WO 28/302 f.63 This image is from the collections of The National Archives. Feel free to share it within the spirit of the Commons. For high quality reproductions of any item from our collection please contact our image library.
Spectators (1), Beijing, China, 1977
Made by David Stephensen
These are our spectators. Wherever we went, we had them. I think I remember the tall guy with the smile. He was being friendly, or perhaps delighted, not laughing at us. It was still Cultural Revolution time. They could look but not speak. In Shanghai, some English language enthusiasts collared us for a chat in the street. Sadly, they were quickly chased away. A couple of times we were taken to people's houses for a visit. The warmth and hospitality of our hosts on those occasions shone through, in spite of the artificial manner of our visit. 35 mm slide scan by Oscans bulk slide scanning
Spectators (2), Beijing, China, 1977
Made by David Stephensen
Australia China Friendship Society Tour. Whenever we stood still, a crowd would gather, politely and incredulously staring. Many of these people had probably never seen a Westerner. China had been isolated for many years. We were a weird bunch, I guess. Maybe when we got home, and stood together waiting for a bus, we would also gather a crowd, too. We certainly would if we had these clothes on at home in January! My sexta-poser offering for this week, even though I am behind my camera. I looked weird, too, probably in my brown corduroys again. 35 mm slide scan by Oscans bulk photo scanning
Heaven's Ceiling
Made by musicmuse_ca
This is the inside ceiling of the Imperial Vault of Heaven. I had to sneak this one quickly, since they do not allow photographers to photograph inside Heaven. You can only take shots of the outside of Heaven. I wonder if that will get me in trouble later on? Oh well... In any case, I did satisfy my curiosity, so that whatever the consequences, it will be worth it, heh. I always wondered if Heaven had a ceiling and what it would look like if it did. Well, now I can put that question to rest finally. That is a relief. Unesco
Black out
Made by Drinking like a fish
It is my first try to black out the background......it is not easy for me at the beginning..... I tried many times but failed....and also asked some photographers.....now it is my conclusion: place the flash as close as possible to the object, use small aperture, minimum guide number of flash and side lighting..... if I place the flash at another position, I think it will be not possible to black out the background......... Am I right? this is just according to my tiny experience..... correct me if there is something wrong....I will appreciate that....
The Roofs of Heaven
Made by musicmuse_ca
View from the mysterious Circular Mound Altar of Sacrifice in the Temple of Heaven, Beijing. The blue azure leaves and the golden roofs represent limitless power going upwards to heaven. On the Winter Solstice during the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties, many important ceremonies and sacrifices were performed here to ensure the well-being of China and her people. The Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests continue to keep eternal contact with the sky... Unesco
Made by patternleaf
The Hall of Annual Prayer at The Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Drenched in geometrical device, the Temple of Heaven is an architectural projection of heaven on earth. It doesn't just symbolize the heavens, its spaces progress to an earthly shade of the heavens, wherein the Emperor can perform his duty as mediator between man and the divine. This is a screen capture from a DVD, apparently. I dunno: the tourist in the red dress seemed cinematic so I went with it.
Hey~
Made by Drinking like a fish
It is really a long long silence of me..... even without saying a goodbye..... I am sorry, forgive me please. Now I am experiencing the miracle and magic of life's creative process......6 months nearly.... and my energy is too limited to do many things a day.....that's why I left flickr for such a long time.... And I appreciate those friends who caring about me.... thank you.... I do miss flickr, I do miss you all.... I will be back soon in the near future....and don't forget me.... Wish me good luck~
Nearest places of interest:
| Beijing Yucai School Taoran Bridge Beijing Natural History Museum RJ Brown Hotel | Qianmen Dajie Quanjude Restaurant Meishi Jie Dashilar |
