Temple of Heaven: Circles and Squares
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

In the cosmology that built this temple, heaven was round and earth was square. So circles and squares are repeated all over the temple complex, as are lucky numbers like nine. (As it happens, also my birthday. Hmm.) Note that here we have a circular mound — altar of heaven — surrounded by a round wall, surrounded by a square wall.

Gate to the Altar of Heaven
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

OK, so I know I go a bit overboard with doorways and gateways sometimes. I hope you don’t think it’s WAY too heavy-handed. They do frame things nicely though, you gotta admit.

Temple of Heaven – Under Construction 🙂
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

It being Beijing — heck, it being China — not even the Ming-Dynasty highlight Temple of Heaven complex (which, my guidebook tells me, some view as an even heavenlier [grin] example of Ming architecture than the Forbidden City) is free from scaffolding. I’m told the building being refreshed and renovated here is the highlight of the temple complex…but no one other than the workers (and, one assumes, high officials…) can get in to see it until next April. Oh well.

National Holidays at the Park
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

With the National Holiday here, flowers sprang up all over the city last week, usually in the national colors of yellow and red. This impressive display did a good job is disguising the fact that what should be steps up to the entrance of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests are closed, due to reconstruction. The beauty of the flowers did dull some of the pain of knowing that no one can visit the hall until late April, next year!

Paul at the Vault of Heaven
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

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
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

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
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

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.