A Dream Come True

The first question our friend had for the local guide on arriving at Beijing was to know whether we would be seeing the Tiananmen Square on the very same day. Well Tiananmen Square was on our itinerary and it was scheduled for the third day of our short stay at Beijing. I could understand his anxiety as I felt the same way but did not want to repeat the question. What is it about this particular square that peaks our curiosity? We have visited so many beautiful squares all over the world and have never felt this kind of urgency. Some of the squares are more beautiful and some others are sacred. I would call the Grand Place right in the heart of Brussels as one of the most beautiful squares and following this would be St. Marks square in Venice. As for the most sacred square none would be more than the St. Peter’s Square in Vatican. With all the Saints looking down on you and the massive St. Peter’s Basilica in front of you, you had to feel pious and only the thought of the Almighty would come to your mind. Times Square being in the heart of New York is a place to be in when events unraveled the world over or may be in the US. Tiananmen Square did not fit into any of these groups. Sure it is the largest square in the world and from pictures we have gathered that it has the Forbidden City on one side and the Great Hall of the People on the other. Then there is the mausoleum to Chairman Mao Zedong situated on the third side. Although all these great structures could be a reason for the square’s greatness, I think the main reason could only be the fact that it lay behind the “Bamboo Curtain” and hence was inaccessible to the outsider. Had China been an open country like those in the western world, Tiananmen Square would have only received a mention in the passing.

During the drive from the airport to the hotel, we passed by the fringes of the great square and the guide remembering our enthusiasm did not fail to point it out to us. Again the next day during the course of our sightseeing, we did get to drive through the vicinity of the square and again our guide Lilly, made sure that she mentioned its presence. On the second day evening, she made sure to tell us to wear comfortable shoes for our visit to the Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. She said that both these places involved a lot of walking and hence our feet had to be pampered. We set out from the hotel at 8.30 a.m and our first visit was to the Tiananmen square and the Forbidden City. We were dropped off at a point not very close to the square and from then on it was only walking and more walking. On reaching the square we had to go through a metal detector and as we entered I was amazed to see thousands of people on the square under the scotching sun. The crowd consisted of almost 90% Chinese and the rest were made up of tourists like us. From this I realized the Square was a place deeply embedded in the minds of the local people and in more ways than one it was sacred to them. It had to be because in the 20th century, one of the most important events that were to change their lives happened right on the square. It was from the balcony of the Forbidden City, facing the Square that Chairman Mao Zedong declared The People’s Republic of China as a communist nation in the year 1949. This declaration and what followed brought about a turmoil in the lives of many and although most of have got over it, there are still a few who were at the receiving end and have more than a tale of woe to relate.

It goes without saying that the square really impresses one with its size. It seems to extend on all sides as far as the eye can see and that is but natural as it covers over 100 acres. The huge portrait of Chairman Mao seems to overlook and protect the square as it cannot be missed from any angle. The portrait seemed to draw the crowd towards it as everyone there was keen on taking a picture with the portrait as a back drop. Me being a photo buff made sure I had pictures of myself taken at all the designated spots. There were groups of soldiers going about their morning duty and I even got to take a picture with them. I had hoped to see seasoned army personnel who meant only business to be stationed at the square but was surprised to see young boys who were just adolescents. This was a bit of disappointed as far as I was concerned. To me the People’s Army was an invincible power and to think that these green horns also formed a part of it left me a bit low. Here I was all dressed in red as I thought that colour stood for anything China only to find that the army was in shades of green. Thus the army betrayed my thinking in more ways than one. On hindsight I self affirmed that the veterans must be busy guarding the huge borders that China has with innumerable countries including ours.

With the walk on the square coming to an end, we approached the Forbidden City. The name is very suggestive. Yes it was forbidden to the common man as it was a palace built in 1420 by an emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The Forbidden City is a huge complex comprising of 980 buildings with 8707 rooms. It encompasses an area of 720,000 square metres. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987,[2] and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world. The pavilions and the courtyards were out of this world and the architecture was in perfect harmony with the surroundings. The craftsmen ship was wonderful and worthy of more than a mention. The magnitude and concept of the whole city was mind boggling. To think that people could think so big and also get to put it down to execution was very very inspiring. In my mind these ancient emperors became heroes and not just historical figures. The great expanse which we had walked started taking its toll on our feet and all that we wanted was to rest. Since cool drinks and ice creams were available in plenty all of us treated ourselves to an ice lolly and in the shade of one of the pavilions enjoyed it as if it was the nectar from the Gods. It was while I was finishing my ice stick that I came across a site that had missed me in the 10 days I was in the People’s Republic of China. I saw a woman in her final trimester of pregnancy. It seemed such a rare sight. With the strict one child per family policy, people just did not dare to go ahead with a second pregnancy and from our guide I gathered that there was zero growth in many of the big cities. With the cost of living including education and health being on par with the western world, people were thinking well before starting a family. I deemed it ominous that in the Palace of the Emperors who had dozens of wives and more dozens of children, I saw a pregnant woman. I took a picture of her as I could only think of it as the rarest of sights. Thus the visit to the Forbidden City was fulfilling in more ways than one. The moment we walked out of the last thresh hold, we felt that we could not keep another foot forward, but that was not how it was, because we had to walk another half a kilometer before our car came to pick us up. Of one thing I became clear, and that is the secret behind the longevity and good health that the Chinese enjoy. To me this could only be possible because of the distances they walk and cover on a daily basis and the second the food including their special cabbage and green tea which they consume in large quantities.
The opening of the Forbidden City to the common man is of course the result of communism; however this communism has developed another Forbidden City which is taboo to the very same man on the street. The locals call the compound were the top brass of the Communist Party live in the heart of Beijing as the Forbidden City and like in the days of yore; millions can only view its high walls from the streets.
China seemed an enigma in so many ways. Yes I was aware of it ancient civilization and all the discoveries that went with it. But somehow I had belittled what is due them as a result of the negative impact of the communist revolution and I am thankful that this trip made me open my eyes. I came back seeing the positive impact of Capitalism on a country that swore by Communism. Both the Cs seemed in my naïve eyes to live in perfect harmony.