Tian'anmen Gate and Tian'anmen Square
Tian'anmen Gate and Tian'anmen Square comprise the heart of Beijing. The gate is
an important part of Chinese history, serving both as entrance to the Forbidden
City in the past and site of important announcements. Perhaps the most famous
recent announcement came on 1 October 1949, when Mao Zedong proclaimed the birth
of the People's Republic of China. Tian'anmen Square is no less symbolic, with
its mausoleum for Mao, the Great Hall of the People, and so forth. Who can
forget the events there on 4 June 1989 and their lasting effect on the country?
By coincidence, we happened to be there on 4 June 1999, the
tenth anniversary of the Tian'anmen Square Massacre. We were being shown around
by Li Guoying, sister of my student friend Li Mei, who is currently studying for
a Master's degree in medical physics at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario.
I had not met Guoying before, and this was the only day we could get together
during our first week in Beijing. We were surprised to find the entire central
part of the square blocked off by construction—they
were repaving it in preparation for the fiftieth National Day on 1 October 1999.
Nevertheless, we were duly impressed with its scale. Kelly later climbed to the
upper level of the gate to photograph the entire square.
Typical ground view of Tian'anmen Square, looking south from Tian'anmen Gate.
Kelly in front of the Great Hall of The People.
Ken in front of the Great Hall of The People.
A view of the construction. Note the thickness of the slabs of granite that were to cover the entire square.
One of Kelly's photos from the roof of the Gate. The Great Hall of the People is on the far right, and the Mausoleum is in the center.
A closer view of the Mausoleum and the construction surrounding it.
A still-closer view.
Tian'anmen Gate from the front. Note all the renovation in progress. The little red taxis are omnipresent in Beijing.
A closer view of the Gate. The picture of Mao is one of the few remaining in Beijing.