the ancient capital

October 25, 2024

The Forbidden City and the Great Wall give Beijing a monumental introduction. Beyond the palace roofs and mountain ridges, the city opens into temple courtyards, lakeside gardens, quiet lanes, and restaurants.

What stayed with me was how much there was to see at a smaller scale—painted brackets beneath the eaves, dragons worked into screens and carvings, and dishes prepared with as much attention to detail as the buildings around them.
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The Forbidden City stretches along its central axis beneath a succession of golden roofs, seen from Jingshan Park.Golden palace roofs extend through the trees toward the modern city.A glazed-roof pavilion overlooks Beijing from Jingshan Park.Tiananmen Gate faces the broad avenue beneath its golden roof.The National Museum of China beside the city’s ceremonial center.

Above the palace

The Forbidden City, viewed from Jingshan Park, follows Beijing’s north–south ceremonial axis. Golden roofs and successive courtyards reveal the scale of the former Ming and Qing imperial palace.

The Great Wall follows the mountain ridges, with watchtowers marking its stepped course.Stone parapets lead uphill toward a square watchtower.A steep stretch of wall descends through the wooded mountains.A watchtower crowns the ridge above a long staircase.A high view of the wall’s sharply stepped course.

Along the Great Wall

The wall follows the mountain ridges beyond Beijing, with watchtowers marking its route. The steep terrain becomes part of the fortification, carrying the wall uphill and down through the folds of the landscape.

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with its three blue-tiled roofs and circular marble terraces. Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests at this ceremonial complex.The circular hall rises above its carved marble balustrades.Red doors and painted beams beneath the hall’s blue-tiled eaves.A performer in bright traditional costume near the entrance.Painted brackets support the curling corner of a temple roof.Red columns and blue-green painted beams line a covered passage.Green-tiled roofs and red walls within the temple grounds.Costumed figures in a historical display.A green-tiled hall beside the paved paths.A bronze ritual vessel on a carved stone pedestal.A ceremonial gateway aligned with the hall’s terrace.A visitor in traditional dress beside the stone balustrade.Visitors pose in traditional dress on the marble terrace.A blue-tiled gateway with red columns and painted beams.A long blue-roofed hall beyond the marble terrace.An altar display beneath dense painted ceiling decoration.Costumed figures displayed behind a stone railing.Blue-glazed roof ornament against a red wall.Three archways frame the view along the sacred route.The Imperial Vault of Heaven beneath its single circular blue-tiled roof.A side hall within the Imperial Vault of Heaven enclosure.Stone archways stand in silhouette beyond the temple visitors.A red-walled gateway with three arched openings.

Temple of Heaven

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the best-known building in the complex. Three circular blue-tiled roofs rise above marble terraces, marking the hall where emperors prayed for a successful harvest.

An illustrated historical view of the Temple of Heaven.Red columns and the surrounding walkway in the architectural model.A small model demonstrates a raised timber structure.A timber model with a broad stepped roof.A circular timber model capped by a shallow roof.A tiered model combines square and circular forms.The model exposes the hall’s layered timber frame.A scale model places the circular hall on its terraced platform.

The architecture in miniature

A historical illustration of the Temple of Heaven’s prayer hall. The display provides another view of the familiar circular building, translating its roofs and terraces into a flat image.

Beihai Park’s White Dagoba rises above the wooded island and lake.A closer view of the White Dagoba above the trees.Pavilions and buildings along the edge of Beihai’s lake.An arched stone bridge beneath hanging willows.A covered dragon boat moored beside the willow-lined shore.The Nine-Dragon Screen, filled with dragons and waves in colored glazed relief.Painted guardian figures beneath a decorated ceiling.A broad hall faces a stone courtyard.A richly dressed guardian figure inside a painted hall.A fan-shaped floral panel set into painted woodwork.A glazed architectural panel with a central dragon relief.A stone guardian lion on its carved pedestal.A three-arched gateway with painted beams and guardian lions.

Beihai, by the water

The White Dagoba rises above Qionghua Island. The Tibetan-style Buddhist monument is the park’s best-known landmark, visible across the lake above the trees.

Grey-brick courtyard houses along a shaded lane.A red doorway guarded by pale stone animals.A painted archway with Jingshan’s hilltop pavilion beyond.Grey-brick gateways and tiled roofs along a quiet street.A garden beside courtyard walls and tiled roofs.Flowering potted trees displayed in a courtyard.Clipped trees and paths in a landscaped garden.A traditional gateway opens into a shaded courtyard.Layers of grey-tiled roofs behind garden trees.A stone archway beneath a crenellated parapet.An inscribed stone marker beside the courtyard wall.A moon gate frames a narrow stone path.A long red wall beneath mature trees.Curving grey walls enclose the compound.A long grey-brick frontage beside a quiet lane.Visitors gather beneath a pavilion near the Drum Tower.Beijing’s Drum Tower rises above the street.Decorated doorways in a red courtyard wall.Green-roofed buildings beside a quiet paved courtyard.Painted eaves and red doors along a traditional temple wall.A stone guardian lion beside a decorated entrance.

Through the hutongs

These narrow lanes thread through Beijing’s older neighborhoods, connecting courtyard homes known as siheyuan. Grey-brick walls and tiled roofs line the street, while daily life unfolds behind the doorways.

Traditional roof forms crown a building above a broad avenue.Quanjude’s painted gateway on the shopping street.Beijing Department Store on Wangfujing.A curved glass shopping façade catches the evening light.Traditional rooflines above a modern shopping complex.Illuminated towers above the evening streets.A large decorative installation above a city sidewalk.Curving glass towers frame a broad staircase.A contemporary storefront at the base of a glass building.A painted archway marks a busy shopping street.A graphic T-shirt displayed in a shop.A symmetrical building with two towers crowned by traditional roofs.

The city beyond the walls

Traditional roof forms crown a large building beside the avenue. The tiled upper levels bring familiar Chinese silhouettes to a modern commercial frontage.

An ornamental carving combines a large vessel with birds and flowers.A polished multicolored stone carving with rounded forms.A dark sculptural base beneath branching ornament.An elaborate miniature landscape crowded with figures and buildings.A decorative tree covered with carved fruit.A pale standing figure displayed in a glass cabinet.A gilded folding screen filled with dragons and ornament.A carved standing figure holding a long staff.Small warrior figurines arranged in a shop display.Playful crowned figures on a red display shelf.An architectural silhouette mounted on a pale wall.An architectural panorama displayed on grey brick.

Carvings and curiosities

A large ornamental vessel surrounded by carved birds and flowers. Pierced details separate the foliage from the body of the sculpture, creating open spaces within the dense design.

A divided hot pot holds contrasting broths for the meal.Brown beef tripe for hot potGoose intestine served over crushed iceThinly sliced beef with a light garnish.Watermelon, cherry tomatoes, cabbage, and dipping ingredients.Rolled slices of meat ready to cook in the bubbling broth.Carved screens and red lanterns surround the restaurant’s upper gallery.A gilded dragon head projects above the dining room.A gilded dragon coils through the restaurant interior.Golden carvings and painted beams fill the dining room.An opera heroine performing a sword danceZhao Yun in white armor carrying a spearZhang Fei with his serpent spearDiaochan worshipping beneath the moonA relief mural of a bustling riverside town and arched bridgeA dragon relief fills a decorative screen.Guan Yu, Liu Bei, and Zhang Fei taking the Peach Garden oath

Dragon Boat Wharf · 龍船碼頭

The divided pot keeps contrasting broths separate, allowing meat, seafood, tripe, and vegetables to cook at the table in the broth of choice.

Roast ducks hang beside the open preparation area.Peking duck sliced into neat portions, with crisp lacquered skin.Small bites finished with finely shredded yellow garnish.Painted columns and a coffered ceiling frame the dining room.The Quanjude entrance beneath its gold-lettered sign.A bronze-colored figure outside the restaurant.

Quanjude · 全聚德

Whole birds hang beside the open preparation area. The browned skins show the lacquered finish that makes this one of Beijing’s signature dishes.

Yellow-draped tables beneath an ornate restaurant ceiling.A gilded ceremonial seat backed by a dragon-covered screen.A ceremonial seat displayed beside an explanatory plaque.A gold-lettered plaque surrounded by carved decoration.A folding wooden screen separates the restaurant’s spaces.Small dumplings served in clear broth in a patterned bowl.Pea-flour cakes cut into smooth golden blocks.White bean rolls with a dark spiral filling.Braised sea cucumber in brown sauce.Braised pork on yellow patterned porcelainBraised mushrooms with bok choy.

Fangshan · 仿膳

This Beihai Park institution specializes in imperial-style cuisine. Yellow table linens, painted beams, and gilded screens extend the palace references from the menu into the dining room.

A circular display frame and greenery inside the restaurant.A green sphere presented on a black spoon.A delicate tartlet topped with a pink garnish.A golden bite served on a small spoon.A crisp shell with a finely arranged savory filling.A round canapé finished with a green sprig.An oyster-centered amuse-bouche, served as a delicate opening course.A leaf-shaped bread roll on a pink plate.Bread accompanied by two rounded portions of butter.Crab and caviar beneath pale foam, with crab jelly and apple.Foie gras layered with marinated pear, accompanied by Chartreuse gel and Sansho pepper.Atlantic cod presented as a tall portion in pale green sauce.French blue lobster with herb consommé, spiced sauce, and almonds.Venison with asparagus and morels in a dark sauce.A small accompanying bowl from the venison course.A strawberry dessert with a pale topping over a pink base.A vanilla tartlet topped with strawberry sorbet.Strawberry granita from the dessert sequence.A white strawberry presented on a spoon.A small chocolate cake with a welcome message at TRB.Petits fours arranged on a tiered stand.

TRB Hutong · 胡同

The restaurant occupies part of Beijing’s historic Songzhu Temple complex. Inside, contemporary furniture and circular display frames sit within the courtyard setting.

The Xin Rong Ji entrance beneath its gold sign.A contemporary dining room with glass displays and warm lighting.Three small bowls of condiments and appetizers.Crispy hairtail with a golden crustDrunken mud crab with roe in an amber-colored wine marinadeA pale green drink in a tall glass.Crisp roast duck skin topped with caviarA filled roll on a dark patterned plate.A casserole of pale dumpling-shaped pieces in golden broth.Sculpted figures displayed near the restaurant entrance.

Xin Rong Ji · 新荣记

Taizhou cuisine from Zhejiang is the focus here, with seafood central to the menu. Its gold-lettered entrance leads into a contemporary dining room.

Black silken chicken soup with goji berries served in a coconutWhole roast pigeon served with cups of pear juiceBraised abalone with broccoli.Cooked mud crabs arranged on a platter

More at the table

Black silken chicken soup with goji berries, served in a whole coconut. Dark pieces of chicken sit in the broth beneath the red berries, with the cut coconut lid set alongside.

A Beijing welcome sign in the airport terminal.A dragon-themed sculpture beneath the terminal ceiling.A colorful dragon display in the airport shopping area.An illuminated miniature pavilion inside the terminal.

Beijing Airport

A Beijing welcome sign inside the airport terminal. The illuminated city graphic introduces the destination through its skyline and landmarks.

A capital in layers

The Forbidden City was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its halls, courtyards, and ceremonial axis remain central to the city’s historic landscape.

At the Temple of Heaven, imperial ceremonies linked the emperor’s duties with prayers for harvests. The circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Imperial Vault of Heaven belong to this larger ritual complex.

The Great Wall carries the journey beyond the city into the mountains, where watchtowers and stone parapets trace the ridgelines.

Background: UNESCO: Imperial Palaces, Temple of Heaven, and The Great Wall. Dining notes: TRB Hutong and Fangshan Restaurant.

Chino Pisces

Animator, designer, and illustrator

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