Forbidden City Extra – The Emperor’s Retirement
Emperor Qianlong did not die on the throne before he handed the reign to Emperor Jiaqing. He abdicated when hisContinue Reading
Tag: Travels
Forbidden City 5/5 Leisure in the Palace 宫廷娱乐
So what does an Emperor do for leisure? In Imperial China, the emperor is a God-like figure that the commonerContinue Reading
Forbidden City 4/5 The Empress Dowager 慈禧太后
There were two empress dowagers that were instrumental to the success and the failure of the Qing dynasty – EmpressContinue Reading
Forbidden City 3/5 On the trail of Yanxi 延禧攻略
There was a really popular TV series about Empress Ling, the third empress during the reign of Emperor Qianlong ofContinue Reading
Forbidden City 2/5 The Inner Court 内廷
Commonly called the “Back Palace” 后宫, this is a cluster of palaces that was out of bounds to all menContinue Reading
Forbidden City 1/5 Royal Architecture 皇家建筑
The Forbidden City covers an area of about 72 hectares (180 acres) with a total floor space of approximately 150,000Continue Reading
Cruising and Gluttony
“Cruises are for the retirees,” said my close friend when he was advising on a slow, relaxing holiday, “and youContinue Reading
Hoi An Central Market
Food, colours, smells, souvenirs, smiles, yelling and laughter. The essence of any country lies in its markets, and Vietnam’s areContinue Reading
Changsha Part 5: Tianxin Pavilion 天心閣
If an architecture can represent the soul of Changsha, that would be Tianxin Pavilion. The pavilion has witnessed the manyContinue Reading
Changsha Part 4: A young Mao in Changsha 橘子洲
As an inland city, Changsha lacks the glamour and sophistication of coastal metropolises, but therein lies its appeal. Rubbing shouldersContinue Reading
