When you enter the Forbidden City from the front gate under the magnitudinous portrait of Mao, you are still half a city away. On either side of this first section, which is a series of gates, before reaching the actual real entrance to the palace, are two parks. One side has a park with a temple dedicated to ancestors. The other has a park that was devoted to service of the kingdom. It is called Zhongshan Park.
A simple prayer
This park also happens to be the place where two modern-day apostles visited and prayed over Beijing in 1921. One Sunday morning in January of that year, David O. McKay and Hugh J. Cannon said a blessing for China that one day the people would be ready and open to accepting the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This was the main reason for a small group of friends to visit Zhongshan Park. However, there are other reasons.
A lovely park
The park itself is lovely. It is green and lush. In springtime, there are lots of flowers. The park is a perfect place for a stroll out of the crowded hustle and bustle of the surrounding capital.
In the midst of this park is a temple and altar. The altar was for ancient religious rites regarding the earth or soil of the nation. Five colors of rock in a geometric pattern symbolize the soil from the various points of the compass. Of course, these ceremonies are no longer performed, but the altar is there with explanatory plaque.
Behind the altar sits a temple. This temple was used for part of the former ceremonies. In more recent history, however, this building was used for the public viewing and memorial of Dr. Sun YatSen. There is a statue of him near the front entrance of the park.
Rows of trees and flower beds, small pavilions, and old-style walls all add to the charm of Zhongshan. One feature that stands in stark contrast, though, is the theater built very near the altar. It is out of place, and the architecture does not belong with the Ming style of the surrounding palace grounds.
Summer Palace again
Around the same time, I visited Zhongshan Park, we welcomed another new teacher to Beijing. The first time I formally welcomed new teachers I took them to Tiananmen Square. This time, I took the new teacher for a tour of the Summer Palace. The air was clean, and the sky was blue. It was the perfect day for this excursion. Here are some pics from that visit to this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Each time I visit this amazing place, I experience something new. This trip took me up the hill to the temple. However, instead of just going up and over, we took a little side trip to the bronze pagoda. This is a wonder of the place. An ancient pagoda built of pure bronze, this small structure is detailed and lovely. Behind the structure on its pedestal is a massive frame where a giant painting of Buddha would have hung. It would be super impressive to see a painting hung in that place today.
