Tag Archives: china

Inside the Chinese palace is full of tragic tales and horror stories…

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The said Concubine Zhen entered the palace when she was thirteen and soon became the Emperor’s favorite. I guess the Emperor’s still-young (according to the modern standard) windowed mother, the Empress Dowager Cixi was not too fond of this fact.

There are so many titillating stories about Cixi. I often wonder whether she was born evil or was forced by circumstances to grow into such a ruthless power-hungry figure.

On our outings to admire the various palaces, I could not help but tell my eldest the horror stories behind the grandeur of Chinese dynasties, including what it means to be an eunuch and what it takes to bind a woman’s feet.

I think I have forever scarred him. “All that glitters is not gold.”

Mission accomplished.

My first picture taken inside the Forbidden City is a sign that warns against vandalism

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Mind you, the grammar is correct.  But nobody speaks this way.  And this sign is everywhere inside the Forbidden City.
 
It always amazes me that folks cannot seem to find other folks that can properly translate a language into another language. I believe even if you go on Yahoo! Answers and ask your language translation questions, lots of native speakers (or people who have mastered the said foreign language) will help you out, for free!

Speaking of tourist trap, how about let’s just forgo all pretenses, and admit that this is all for commercialism

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and souvenir shopping is the main reason why you are all here?

The exhibit of the Emperor Sedan is now directly inside this souvenir shop. Pay and you get to have a picture taken with it, up close and personal. Pay more you get to move to the left side, where you can dress up and the Emperor and the Empress and have your picture taken on a replica throne.

Bird Nest in Beijing: A sad sight in contrast to its glory during 2008 Olympics

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The official name for the Olympic Stadium in Beijing IS Bird Nest. It is NOT just a nick name. Chinese people justifiably feel pride in this world’s largest steel structure. Groups after groups of domestic visitors lovingly crowd around the dirty, not-well-maintained mascots to have their pictures taken. I am hoping that China will soon find a great use for this symbol of national pride and save it from neglect and disrepair.

We got a picture of Chairman Mao @ Tian An Men

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Because my kid said, “I know him, he is famous! Andy Warhol painted that picture!”

Looking at Tian An Men square (across the busy street opposite the Chairman Mao picture). Because it is on a Saturday morning, the crowd is larger than usual. The entire square is covered with people. Being there with two kids by myself, I didn’t even attempt going into the Forbidden City that day, which is right behind the picture of Chairman Mao.

Nice view we got by my getting “lost” right outside the Tian An Men area, by walking in the opposite direction. I guess it is nearly impossible to miss the long walls and the crowd, and that’s why the guard from whom I asked for direction looked so confused…

“Tian An Men? You mean the Tian An Men ahead where everybody is walking towards to?”

Oh, yes, that one.

Air China: Our new favorite airlines

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Air China, not to be confused with China Airlines which is the one based in Taiwan, is now my favorite airlines for flying with kids. The individual entertainment center on the seat back includes movies, TV shows, inflight information, games, and even a camera showing the view from the bottom of the aircraft. (And yes, wise guy, most of the time, you only see white clouds…) And the movies include kids’ movies, and more than one. So many choices I didn’t know what to do with them so I decided to listen to the music. That’s how overwhelming it was…
This was for a mere 3-hour flight. So now I am dreading our flight back to the US on United, which has absolutely nothing. Nothing to entertain the kids. Nothing. They also now charge $6 for alcoholic beverages, so I cannot even booze up now…