Beijing
Capital city of the Peoples Republic of China
I was invited to be a Graphic Facilitator for a project with Maersk (China) - one of the worlds largest shipping corporations.
They had a workshop which had teams from across South East Asia who came together to brainstorm on different ideas. I had
to play the role of the person who can give this idea a form, identify a story around it and make their data look meaningful.
After the work was completed. We headed to Beijing! via the popular overnight sleeper trains.
Beijing, means "Northern Capital". It is the most populated city of China. Beijing was an introduction to the East, through
the West. The Peking Yard Hostel where we stayed was a lookalike of any conventional European hostel. This hostel is
built in a 100 year old traditional 'Siheyuan' (Courtyard residence) in an area known as Hutong (Narrow streets and alleys).
The stay was akin to a Euro trip until we stepped out onto the street. The Art and Architecture see a constant wavering between the old and the new, modern and traditional, insignificant and imperial - Red and yellows emphasizing traditional Imperial architecture vs street graffiti, murals, ceramics breaking prior cultural traditions to make modern statements.
Beijing is a city of contradictions, like most other capitals.
Globally local. Stickers from world travelers - At the Peking Yard Hostel. We stayed in this lovely little hostel that was built in a 100 year old traditional house a 'Siheyuan' which is basically a traditional courtyard residence. These areas are known as 'Hutong's' - they are a type of narrow street or alley commonly associated with northern Chinese cities like Beijing.
Deliveries any one? Parked neatly near Dongsi Station.
The numbers I can read. But the script is definitely not the numbers. Wonder what it means.
But visually it is a lovely artistic script, with so many lines, pictograms and variations.
This is one of the Hutongs close to Forbidden City.
The Jade Garden in Forbidden City had pebbled pathways that were beautifully patterned.
They had organic pictographic motifs created on them and used different colored pebbles and stones to create sections in the design.
Posters for art shows, queer festivals, film screenings, conversations and more at the Dashanzi Art District. This is a complex of a 50-year-old decommissioned military factory buildings that houses a thriving artistic community. It is also referred to as 798 Art District although Factory #798 is only one of several structures inside the large complex that houses studios, galleries, cafes, art centres and colleges.
Who is lurking around the corner. The art district is filled with murals created by the local and global art communities which question modern life and times.
Entering ... Forbidden City. This photo was shot from The Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The path in the centre was reserved only for the emperor. The military men and courtiers etc. could walk only on the sides.
The architecture is in the traditional Imperial style, prominently in red and yellow - Red denoting luck & joy and Yellow symbolizing royalty.
The Hall of Central Harmony is a smaller space used by the Emperor to get ready before ceremonies and meetings. At the centre leading up to the terraces from the northern and southern sides are ceremonial ramps, part of the Imperial Way, featuring elaborate and symbolic bas-relief carvings.
It took over 14 years and more than a million workers to complete the construction of the Forbidden City. A 52-meter wide moat and 10-meter high walls
form the protective boundary around the city. The layout of buildings follow ancient customs which are laid down in the Classic of Rites.
The architecture of the roof is very interesting and symbolic. It has sloping ridges which are decorated with a row of statuettes which are led by a man riding a phoenix and followed by an imperial dragon. The number of statuettes represented the status of the building. The Hall of Supreme Harmony has 10 while a minor or less important building might only have 3 or 5.
At each of the four corners of the Jade Garden there is a pavilions. They symbolize the four seasons. This is the ceiling inside of the Pavilion of One Thousand Autumns.
The richly colored supporting beams frame a square, octagon and then concentric circles with motifs characteristic of Ming dynasty art.
At the centre of the dome is a finely-carved wooden dragon protruding from the top
There are no trees in the Outer Court in order to prevent assassins from hiding and getting a clear view. The Garden is located after the gate of the Terrestrial Tranquility, built during the reign of the Ming dynasty. It was a private retreat for the imperial family and is typical of Chinese imperial garden design.
Approximately 21,196 km - I'm sitting in a watch post on one of the greatest wonders of the world. We saw the Great Wall of China at Badaling - which is the one of the most visited sections in Beijing. It falls towards the northwest of urban Beijing city in Yanqing District. This portion of the wall was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty and was of strategic importance.
Interestingly the most basic function of a wall is separation. The wall in question was built for security and to limit illegal migration, making it both symbolic and actual.
