Tiananmen Square is one of the top sights that everyone sees in Beijing. And it is a BIG sight to see. At 109 acres, the square is the third largest public square in the world. After its last expansion, at the death of Chairman Mao, it became large enough to hold 600,000 people. That is… Continue Reading
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On the Thorny Issue of Beijing Air Quality…
Maybe I should have named this “A Little Smog Never Hurt Anyone”. Na, I can’t quite make that statement. I am not a pollution specialist nor a doctor. Given that this is a travel blog to encourage you to get out and kick Beijing’s “tires”, I have been thinking about the best way to approach … Continue Reading
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What to Know When You Have to Go, in Beijing (Toilets)
I will warn you. This will not be pleasant for some of you to read. This is not about the toilet that you have at home. When visiting Beijing, prepare to squat. This will also be more important to women, as most restrooms will have standalone urinals, or urinal troughs. Still, both sexes may find… Continue Reading
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Looking for the Tartar Wall of Beijing
If you read my post on the Qianmen Gatehouse, then you know that most of the original Tartar wall that surrounded Beijing was taken down in the late 1960s. I did know, though, that part of that wall still remained. I was on a hunt to find it…. Continue Reading
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The Zero Point of China
Right outside the south side of Qianmen gate, in Beijing, is a marker called the Zero Point of China. Most tourist will not even see it. They may accidently walk by it, and think it is pretty, but they have no idea of it true value. Zero Point. That is an odd name for a… Continue Reading
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Visiting Beijing’s Qianmen Gatehouse and Its Archery Tower
The Zhengyangmen gate (today known as “Qianmen” gatehouse) and it’s archery tower are all that remains of the old Tartar wall gates that surrounded Beijing. UPDATE: Actually, that is not completely true. There are a couple of archery towers left elsewhere, and one of the other gates was rebuilt in 2007. This is, however, the… Continue Reading
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That’s a Little Small: Converting US and Chinese Clothing Sizes
It would be great to buy clothing in Beijing that properly fits. Chinese clothing sizes are not the same as American clothing sizes, though. I have assembled information from the web, and I write about my personal experience with clothing that I purchased in China. First, the research:… Continue Reading
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Shopping at a Chinese Walmart in Beijing
Many will be surprised to hear that Walmarts exist in China. They are there and adding stores like crazy. So if you have a Walmart “habit”, you can get your fix while in Beijing, China. I ran out of room on my sdhc cards, and I had nothing to transfer the large number of pictures… Continue Reading
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No, Virginia, No Fortune Cookies in Beijing
…At least not where I have eaten in Beijing. I can attest that I did not receive any fortune cookies during or after my meals. I did not even see one while traveling in China. I have heard for many years that fortune cookies, those delightful little bringers of generic predictions, were created in America. … Continue Reading
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Enjoying a Fantastic Mongolian Hot Pot Restaurant
Hot pot cooking is an experience that you need to try. Mr. Brian and I ordered, cooked, and ate at the popular Donglaishun Restaurant on Qianmen Street in Beijing, China. This was not part of my tour; it was a courtesy that Mr Brian extended to me after the tour day was over. I was… Continue Reading
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Thanks for the post. I just started to read Midnight in Peking and your blog taught me about the Tartar wall.
Thanks, Laura. Glad it was of help to you.
As my friend was there in 1940-41, that area holds a special place in my interest. Have not read “Midnight in Peking” yet. I need to get that from Amazon as it will help with my map reconstruction of the Foreign Legation.
I have just listened to the walking audio notes, and added some notes for future readers. These include indicating Fox Tower and the base entrance of the tower, the location where Pamela’s body was found. I also added a link to the excellent walking notes and map over at Penguin Press.
Again, thanks for bring this to my attention.
Kenny
My father Thomas “Ed” Kendley, was in Peking in 1936. He is a living link to what it was like! Yesterday he drove out to my house to bring i us a delicious roast that he had cooked. You need to know that he is approaching 96 years of age!
He sat with me and spoke at great length of the Tartar wall and his wishes to know if it is still there. He talked of a ramp that the Chinese charged up during the Boxer Rebellion. He said he used to sit in a swing that was attached to a large tree growing on the top of the wall and what a pleasant place this wall was. He also mentioned many names carved into the soft stones on the wall. He still has a few photos from those days and he has many more memories of being a China Marine. I am so thankful to get to hear them.
Sincerely,
Steve Kendley
Polson, Montana
Steve, treasure him as long as you can. China Marines are special in the Marine Corps.
I had hoped to find the barracks intact, and I had some rumor that it had been turned into an apartment building. But, no. It was demolished to make room for the grand boulevard going around Tianamen Square. You could have literally thrown a baseball and hit the main gate to Peking. Considering the baseball field was on that side of the barracks, I would not have been surprised if some marines actually did that.
Glad you found this site valuable.
Kenny
My father was stationed in China from 1915 to 1919 as a US. Marine. He often spoke of the Tartar Wall and the Great Wall.. I pics of him on on the Great Wall and on guard duty on the Tartar Wall.
He was there after the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 as a multinational piece keeping force… But I’m not able to find much info on the Marine during this period of time, 1915-1919. I have so many questions. My father was 60 years old when I was born in 1951. He past away in 1975 before I knew I took interest in his past.. Any info you have would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You, Steve Owens
Steve (Owens), the one book that I have direct knowledge of is the one that Chester published.
Check it out here:
http://beijingtravelreport.com/chester-m-biggs-great-background-books-on-the-peking-foreign-legation-quarter/
Also check out these pages:
http://beijingtravelreport.com/finding-the-old-american-embassy-in-beijing-china/
http://beijingtravelreport.com/in-honor-of-chester-m-mick-biggs-jr-my-inspiration/
I would be curious to see your Dad’s pictures, if that would be ok. I am trying to establish locations inside the Foreign Legation, and the development of the Marine Compound. The US Embassy was moved after the destruction caused by the Boxers. He would have been there within a decade of the move of the US Embassy, so his pictures may show some of that.