3,000 Years of History — More Than Any Class Could Teach
With more than 500 emperors and nearly 5,000 years of recorded history, the civilization of China is one of the oldest in the world. The city of Beijing, where I am currently, has a written history dating back over 3,000 years. The sheer expanse of history that has unfolded in this vast country is unfathomable. From the perspective of Chinese history, all of American history occurred yesterday.
In addition to my passion for science, I have a keen interest in both history and current events. Living in one of the oldest cities in the world has been truly amazing. For me, weekends are an optional time to work. So, every weekend, I attempt to travel to as many places as I can in Beijing. Seeing and visiting so many historical landmarks that I have only read about in textbooks has made my time in China unforgettable. Being able to touch the Great Wall, smell the fragrant water lilies at the Summer Palace, climb to the top of the Temple of Heaven, and walk though the Forbidden City, has made this history come alive. Reading history books and looking at pictures of historical places can hardly teach you as much as experiencing the history with your senses — standing where a soldier once stood, enjoying a view that an emperor once enjoyed, praying where farmers once prayed for good harvests, and walking through the city where 24 emperors dwelled.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.”
— Saint Augustine
I am so grateful for this opportunity to experience so much human history. Here are a few of the pictures from some of my many excursions through Beijing and time. These are the four most famous landmarks in Beijing and are all UNESCO World Heritage sites!
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall is over 2,300 years old and stretches nearly 13,000 miles. The first border wall was constructed under the Zhou dynasty and many extensions to the wall were made following this — adding to what is now the biggest wall in the world.
Summer Palace
The Summer palace is a little less than 300 years old and is composed of a lake (Kunming Lake), and many gardens and palaces. It is the largest royal park in China. The main palace sits upon the Hill of Longevity overlooking the Kunming Lake. The Summer Palace primarily served the purpose of a place for emperors to hold political meetings and enjoy leisure time.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven was constructed approximately 600 years ago and was used as a temple for emperors to come and pray for a good harvest. It has been regarded as a Taoist temple and is the largest religious building in China.
Forbidden City
The Forbidden city was built 600 years ago and served as the home for 24 of China’s emperors. When first built, it was situated in the center of Beijing. The city contains 980 buildings — all built from wood.
