Rippling roofs and mega tat

Acid blue sky shining on sweeping waves of golden roofs, supported by turquoise, gilded eaves, above green and yellow tiles decorating vermilion walls.

The colours of The Forbidden City.

Half a millennium of absolute power and internecine bloodshed created an astonishing collection of vast squares, halls, palaces and temples with names that in no way reflect the relationship of their owners to the masses they ruled over – or each other.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony, Earthly Tranquility Palace, Hall of Joyful Longevity are among dozens of ornate structures, some a little faded, others garishly restored.

From the C15th start of the Ming dynasty until the unhappy, unwilling boy Emperor, Puyi, was expelled from it’s gates in 1924 – this was the Imperial home.

The whole place is so enormous that despite the huge crowds of Chinese tourists,mostly following flag waving, mic-bellowing guides, large numbers of foreigners, mostly looking impressed but exhausted, endless souvenir and drinks stands – it’s a fantastic experience – one of The Great Sights of the World – a privilege to wander through such astonishing history and architecture

After three weeks in Beijing I’ve “done” just a few of The Sights. I didn’t mean to tackle Tiananmen Square until another day but found myself so close it was silly not to have a quick peek.

The Square is more of a rectangle, ringed by monolithic public buildings and heroic statues.

It was oddly empty – nowhere in China is empty – until I realised crowds were massing at the far end, near the flag-pole.

Waiting for sunset over Beijing’ s western hills

They were waiting for sunset and the lowering of the flag.

There’s something gloriously inappropriate about a goose-stepping military posse emerging from The Gate of Heavenly Peace.

But they do it in great style, marching over the road and into the square to escort the giant flag home for the night.

There was no music, no drums and what was really astonishing – no mass babble. People were not talking on their phones or even to each other. When a child began complaining loudly, several people turned to glare at the parents.

Gathering in the flag

A few minutes after six, the golden glow disappearing behind The Fragrant Hills to the West, in almost complete silence the flag was gathered in.

A few yards from this reverential scene was one of the most wonderfully monstrous pieces of tat I have ever seen. As a decoration for the coming National Day holiday, workers were putting the finishing touches to a 40 foot or more basket of fruit and flowers.

Tomorrow – October 1st – tens of thousands will descend on The Square to celebrate Mao’s 1949 announcement of the founding of The People’s Republic. He stood on top of The Gate of Heavenly Peace, still adorned with a portrait of him.

North of the Square is the Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple. I was there on the day of the mid-Autumn Moon Festival so the forecourt was crowded with worshippers offering prayers and lighting incense. More gorgeous roofs, decorated halls and impressive statues.

There’s a very real danger of being roofed out in Beijing.

Away from downtown, I explored The Summer Palace – those poor Emperors needed an escape from the city’s suffocating heat – so in the western suburbs is another glorious expanse of highly decorated turquoise and green eaves supporting golden rippling roofs, set atop a hill and overlooking a lake.