Paul at the Vault of Heaven
I wasn’t planning this one, but several people asked me, as I sat and pondered the meaning of it all, to take their photos (always fun to hear their halting English until the realized I could speak Chinese). So I finally decided I might as well ask one guy to return the favor. Here’s the result. Note the coke can: it’ll come up a few shots later on.
Mao Memorabilia
Mao memorabilia has become a major industry, it seems. We’re not talking the truly old stuff — there’s plenty of that around, too — but newly manufactured stuff. I have to say it seems to me mostly Westerners by this stuff; I’ve seen plenty of white folks wearing the olive hats w/red stars…but no Chinese that I can remember. After this you’ll see a shot showing pictures of all the (Ming Dynasty, I think) emperors for sale, and then a blue roof ornament on one of the walls around the complex, with ladies taking dance lessons together in the background.
Working on the Holidays
This photos kicks off my section of the people in the park. Once I popped open my can of diet coke (free advertising, oh no, what have I become), this man followed me around and waited patiently while I sat and pondered the many people enjoying the lovely weather and the lovely park. My deal with him was he got the can if I could take his photo. Immediately after this you’ll see a shot of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with — if you look closely — a gardener down below the walkway. Following that (if they go in the order I want them to — which, as you’ll see with my public guards segment later, they sometimes don’t…) you’ll see some of the workers taking a break from their work on the Prayer Hall.
National Day Choir?
My Chinese and my knowledge of Chinese songs was not up to understanding what these folks were singing, but the tunes were well enough known that bystanders walking by could easily join in. I heard the group from a ways away and rather enjoyed the view when I got closer. I assume it had to do with the holidays.
Whispering Wall
Around the Vault of Heaven complex runs a circular wall which is reputed to have echoing and whispering properties. It was funny to see all the people standing by the railing that protects the wall, yelling – yes, yelling since there was so much ambient noise – to their friends presumably across the circle “can you hear me now?” This parent is holding the kid up, so the kid can participate. One asks oneself how anyone could hear anything will all that cacophony going on…
Kids in the Park
The sides of the stairs in this complex were quite slippery — I enjoyed a slide down one set, then I noticed that kids were virtually lining up to slide down another set. After this you’ll see another kid being supported by his dad on the way down, but this guy was doing it over and over again all on his own. I enjoyed the sense of fun and enjoyment in a place where, 100 years ago, the public probably wasn’t allowed — after all, this was the central meeting place of heaven and earth, presumably reserved only for emperors and important priests.
(so much world, so little time....) 