One of the gates flanking Tiananmen Square

Me with my teacher, Li laoshi

After two weeks in Beijing, we visited Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, the center of Beijing, and considered by China’s ancient dynasties to be the center of the world, as well as the point of convergence between the earthly and celestial realms.  The Square and Forbidden City were packed with people.  I learned a lot about the symbolism of Chinese animals: The dragon and phoenix represent the emperor and empress of China respectively, and while the crane represents longevity of human life, the turtle represents longevity of the life of the nation.