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I wish Salam to everyone,
We took the Beijing Airport Express from Terminal 3 Beijing International Airport to Dongzhimen Station. The first Metro Train was 6.30 a.m.
At Dongzhimen Station, we changed to Beijing subway Line 2 Dongzhimen-Fuxingmen. Beijing subway Line 2 was actually a ring line, the train on this line travels on a circular route, if you don’t get off the train somewhere it will take you round and round.
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| Beijing Railway Station |
We got off at Beijing Railway Station (Běijīng Zhàn). We went out through Exit C and headed to the hotel.
It was the very first time we set foot on the courtyard in Beijing City Center. On our arrival here, we were greeted by the cool air and winds of Beijing.
The hotel entrance was really near, just a few steps away from the subway exit.
BEIJING CITY CENTRAL YOUTH HOTEL
We checked-in at Beijing City Central Youth Hotel. We dropped-off our things, quickly freshened up and had bread for breakfast that my wife brought from KL. We were ready to go.
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| Beijing City Central Hostel, night view |
While walking along a street in Beijing, I saw a shop owner threw out free packets of tissues on the sidewalk in front of his shop, at the time of opening of his premises in the morning. Majalah 3 had already shown this Chinese local custom on Malaysian TV, if I am not mistaken. Otherwise, I have seen it on some TV channels or read about it somewhere. The Chinese men on the sidewalk seemed to spit wherever they like. Be careful not to step on spit, it's filthy.
We then boarded Line 2 subway and got off at Tiananmen Dong Station. We headed to Tiananmen Gatehouse and the Forbidden City.
TIANANMEN GATEHOUSE and THE PALACE MUSEUM
The Forbidden City, officially known as the Palace Museum (Gugong Bowuyuan)
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| Tiananmen gate |
The Forbidden City was located directly to the north of Tian'AnMen Square. We entered Tian'AnMen Gate to get to The Forbidden City. This Tiananmen gatehouse has a giant-size passport photo of Mao Zedong hanging in front.
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| Tiananmen Square. In front of Forbidden City |
The Tiananmen Gate door, a massive palace door were laced with lots of bulging palm size ornate brass studs sticking on door exterior surface, something that looks like plenty of huge rivet heads fixed onto the door.
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| Main Palace Entrance. Studs spangled door |
We passed through Tiananmen gate and we can see another gate that was almost identical to Tian'anmen. This gate was called Duanmen 端门. This building was used to store ceremonial dress for many of the attendants, ministers, and soldiers who would join in processions when the emperor would either host a celebration within the palace or would venture out into the city to perform rites at one of the temples.
Between Duanmen and the Meridian gate has an open area, a courtyard, on the left side of that square was located the admissions ticket booth to the Palace Museum. At that time, our intention was to go to the Forbidden City and we don’t want to go to any Palace Museum.
We proceeded to the security check in front of the Forbidden City, the security personnel asked us for tickets and pointed to the booth we saw earlier and requested us to buy tickets. We had to turn around and walk to the ticket booth, only then we knew it that The Palace Museum and The Forbidden City was one and the same thing.
We entered the Forbidden City through Meridian gate 午门 ( Wǔ mén ) once we got the tickets.
The Forbidden City 紫禁城 (Zǐ jìn chéng) was the residence the imperial family during the rule of the Qing Dynasty until the dynasty was overthrown in year 1924. The Forbidden City was then known as The Palace Museum and was established in year 1925.
Distance front to end of the Forbidden City was something like 1.3 km and having a lot of buildings with the main attraction was the Supreme Harmony Hall located in the Centre of the Forbidden City.
Ada satu kawasan di dalam Forbidden City ini yang di namakan Imperial Garden 御花园. Ia adalah satu taman yang penuh dengan bunga-bunga, tasik, pokok-pokok, batu-batu dan pelbagai tumbuhan lagi yang cantik. Di sini ialah tempat penghuni Forbidden City bersantai dan menikmati keindahan alam.
Bilik tempat bersantai yang terdapat di Imperial Garden
Pokok berusia ratusan tahun, tua-tua ubi berisi. Setiap kali musim luruh gugur semua daun-dauanan..hanya tinggal ranting.tetapi sentiasa kukuh tegak berdiri.
Our tour of Palace Museum ended by going out through the north gate, situated along a street that was called Jingshan Front Street (Jǐngshān Qián Jiē).
BUS NO. 685 TO NEAREST METRO STATION
We waited at a bus stop along Jingshan Front Street. It was Gugong Zhan Bus Stop and got aboard bus no. 685. It took approximately 10 minutes to reach the nearest Metro Subway with bus. We got off Dongsi Lukou Nan Zhan Bus Stop at the 3rd stop (故宫站 --> 东四路口南站) and walked to Dongsi Subway Station that was nearby.
ON BOARD METRO LINE 5. THEN CHANGE TO METRO LINE 2
We continued our journey by Metro. We got on subway Line 5 at Dongsi Subway Station (东四站) and changed to subway Line 2 at Chongwenmen Subway Station and then got off at Changchunjie Subway Station exit A2.
BUS NO. 88 TO NIUJIE STREET
A short distance walk to Changchunjie intersection north bus stop l. We took bus no. 88 and got off at the 4th stop, as we have reached Niujie Libaisi bus stop. (长椿街路口北 --> 牛街礼拜寺)
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| On board bus no 88 to Niujie Mosque |
We finally arrived at Niujie Street. The journey you find yourself into may be a bit challenging, especially for finding halal food. It is said that Beijing has the best snacks in China, the best snacks in Beijing are the Muslim snacks and the best Muslim snacks can be found on the Niujie Street in Beijing.
Niujie is outstanding for its large multi-ethnic community and Niujie Mosque which is among Beijing’s most historical and majestic mosque which attract tourists from all over the world.
We walked to Niu Jie Muslim Supermarket that was nearby. (牛街清真超市Niú Jiē Qīngzhēn Chāoshì)
We had lunch at Qingzhen Meishi Restaurant located on the floor above Muslim Supermarket.
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| Qingzhen Meishi Restaurant |
Niujie Mosque was built during the Liao Dynasty era, founded in 996 by Nazaruddin, an Arab resident, at that time Beijing was known as Xijin Fu 南京析津府. Beijing wasn't the capital city - it was just another city located south of Liao Territory. The capital of Liao Territory at that time was Shangjing 上京 (ie. The present day Harbin). Niujie Mosque is the oldest mosque in Beijing.
I'd really appreciate it if you'd checkout my next blog post and find out which tourist attraction venues we went! Please click Great Wall Of China
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