Beijing 2024 - Beijing Old Library (中国国家图书馆) Exhibition on Bone Oracles

 

There was another exhibition at the upper level, and I really wanted to see it. Note that I was exploring the library exhibition on my own as my husband have gone outside the library to grab a bite. The exhibition upstairs was about oracle bones. I was interested in this because, guess what, I've actually studied Chinese History and Culture before in my university days before, and have read about it. So was I now going to be able to see these in real life now? Man, talk about my education coming around in full circle!

Check out the entrance to the oracle bones exhibition. Tell me this isn't beyond cool! It's like those characters illuminate to suck you into their void! I'm a sucker for such stuff. I'm all in!

Some explanation of the oracle bones, it being the oldest written words found in China 3000 years ago. However this was not discovered till 1899. Prior to that, people always thought the oldest form of text was written on bronze, known as the Gold Letters.

More detailed info. You gotta zoom in to read those as I'm too lazy too. I think it's about how the oracle bone characters, being the oldest text/characters to be found in China, became the origin of the Chinese character we see today, the Han Letters.

Here is an example of an oracle bones. Cool!!!! they were used for divination long time ago. So I guess that made them kinda sacred. They can be found carved on turtle shells, or animal bones (hopefully not human bones?) You can read more about Oracle Bones here. 

Above, some of the characters that can be found in ancient times. They have included the modern characters just below too. Interesting, isn't it. Chinese is a pictogram language, so in theory it should be easy to read since every character's meaning can be defer from the writing, right? So very very wrong! Hahahaha. 

More cool display. Man, this looks like a pentagram!

Lastly, the evolution of the character "Dragon".  <3

Beijing 2024 - Beijing Old Library (中国国家图书馆) Exhibition on Chinese Text

 

The first exhibition hall I stumbled into as it was at the ground level, was the exhibition of ancient text, specifically by Emperor Yong Le, who has a collection of text commissioned under his reign. It's not like I could read much of the text found here, but it's still cool to be among them. Plus, the one China exhibit their items is really cool!

Ancient scroll text. Imagine books used to be like this. 

The writings on them. 

I think this is the Art Of War written on bamboo sticks. The sticks are preserved in a test tube with solution so that they can be kept forever. Isn't that cool? I mean, I haven't been to many museums, but this is the first time I see text in this form displayed in such a manner.

I think it's due to the lightings as well. It just felt like you are inside someone's treasure chest.

Something about Chinese language? Feel free to zoom in to read more about it.

There was an interactive map of the Yellow River of China too. It's based on an old map drawing from the past, so it's not that relevant any more, but you could still scroll through it and see just how long the river was, cutting through different areas in China. I did spend some time playing with the display here. 

Beautiful writings with red ink chope. Even if I can't read them, I can still admire them. Just like someone who can't play music watching a concert and still loving the melodies. 

Next was the actual collection of text from Emperor Yong Le. I thought they would only display replicate or examples of it. But this being China, I wasn't quite ready to witness what was displayed here!

Since this is a library, they did have to make things more children friendly, so there were displays that looked like those made for kids to interact with. The one above allows you to read the text from the collection of Emperor Yong Le.

And at the center of the exhibition, there were the full collection in closed glass shelves. The actual thing! Seriously, I'm blown away! The amount of treasures I've seen in my short trip to just Beijing was more much than I've seen in my life time to-date! 

Anyway, there were some text that I did understand and did like, so I took some photos of them. To think all these meant nothing to me when I was studying in a Chinese school. They were just text to memorised to pass exams. But now, older and hopefully wiser now, I am able to appreciate them better. 

Some great sayings from Mencius about books. 

And another saying about poetry. Poetry is a big thing in Chinese culture. I think I have all these weird classics in my book collections. I know they are important. But I must confess, I don't think I have read them, only those forced upon me in school. Even then, I might have just memorised them without nothing much about them, lol. So much for education eh? Well, at least with some grip of the language, perhaps it is not too late to start learning more about them!

Beijing 2024 - Beijing Old Library (中国国家图书馆)

 

From the Summer Palace exit, we took a bus to the nearest station called HuoQiYing. I thought the name of the station was rather weird, Fire Equipment place? Hahaha. It was also the first time we took the bus! I think we still use our metro card to pay, or was it WeChat? I can't quite remember. A year later now, I am familiar with paying bus or metro via WeChat QR code, but I still prefer Transport Card. Although low tech, it is faster as compared to my other travelling mates, and you don't have the worry of your phone battery dying on you or worst, phone stolen or lost! Call me old fashion, but I'm not a fan of mobile payment outside of my house. But if it's a restaurant or a store, as an introvert, I like mobile payments! :P

 

We took the metro to the Beijing Library cause I saw a photo of it and wanted to visit cause it looked so futuristic. I was excited that it was on our way home, so I suggested we make a stop there.

This was the building I saw when I reached the place. Totally different from the photos I saw from the internet. I had a feeling maybe I'm at the wrong place. I was trying to visit this library. Perhaps the futuristic building is behind the old one? Ha! No such luck. Talk about lousy research at my end! I never realised that Beijing could have more than one national library! Agh!!!!!

Still, we went inside. Since I was already here, I might as well take a look. And Wow! What a beautiful grand library! Above is the main entrance. I knew I was in the wrong library because I went and asked the bored customer service guy who confirmed it for me :P

Anyway, this library was super huge, and I thought it just contained books.  But then I realised they have exhibition halls too! So I went and explore the available exhibition there that day :)

Beijing 2024 - Summer Palace (颐和园) Beautiful Bridges

After visiting most of the sites of Summer Palace, we finally decided to make our way out. We follow the signs to the nearest exit, but somehow was still admiring many beautiful bridges along the way out. So much greeneries hanging down make a great photo of the bridge above.

 

Here is a different complete view of the bridge. Water and reflection is also one of my favourite things to photograph. When there is any water in sign, you could usually take awesome photos of reflection, even if it's just a puddle on the ground. Always remember that!

Again, bridges are free to cross, or row your boat underneath it!

Even the exit is wide and beautiful. It rained a bit when we were making our way out. The scenery was both calming and relaxing cause there weren't much people at this part of the park. We realised later that they exit we took lead us to the side of a highway, so we were forced to take a bus to the nearest metro station, lol. 

A more generic bridge outside the park. We saw people diving and swimming in these waters. Old people! I guess that's how people in China stays fit! Hahahahaha. Bye Bye Summer Palace. You were amazing to visit!

Beijing 2024 - Summer Palace (颐和园) Pond View and Marble Bridge

As the days progresses on, the sky begin to clear, and a hint of blue started to appear in the sky. Time for some photo taking! Finally! Some colours in my Summer Palace photos!

The temple we climbed earlier. It looked so magnificent. I can't get enough of the view.

Small boats going by on the pond. As much as they looked fun, I've never actually spend money on them before. I think if I ever did, it would be those awesome boats I saw in Xihu Hangzhou, where they even serves snacks and tea on the boat, and bring you where ever you want at Xihu, just you and your date (and the boatman). I thought that was the most romantic date you could do in Hangzhou! Too bad I was there alone. 

Pretty view. 

Maybe I uploaded all these photo, hoping that when I edit these post I would removed those similar photos. But nope, they all looked pretty to me! So here they shall stay, until this blog dies off. If I die first, they will still be here :)

I can't really swim, but I love looking at pools of water.

Ok, time to change the view a bit. We have now reached the long marble bridge! It looked like a white dragon on the lake. It connects the main park to a small island in the middle of the pond. You could just walk across it. It's free. No tickets required.

Bridge full of people. 

Still munching on our food along the pond.

A photo of us on the marble bridge. 

Beijing 2024 - Summer Palace (颐和园) Museum

 

We found the museum inside the Summer Palace. I was headed there because our combination tickets included an entrance ticket to the museum. I guess sometimes you could also let combination tickets guide you in your travel. If you don't know what to see, just get a combo! Note that this doesn't always apply to every situation. You gotta researched a bit, see the price, and whether the place is trust worthy. Of if it's places you really wanted to visit. For example, if you visit ZhuJiaJiao in Shanghai, they sell combination tickets too. But some of the tickets included art museums, or tea houses or coffee. If you are only interested in the UNESCO gardens there, it is actually cheaper to pay per entry instead if you are not interested in the rest of the attractions. Anyway, above is the beautiful courtyard leading towards the heritage museum.

And here is the very modest entrance, with the traditional stone lion. 

It looked pretty small from the outside.

But the details of the building still trumps anything. The colours, the dragons everywhere!

One of my favourite character in Chinese history, the Empress Dowager Cixi. Although known to be pretty cruel, I am still amazed at her reign. From the museum, I actually read that she can have whole dining set of porcelain commissioned just for a birthday party, and artisans would make all these beautiful pieces just for the celebration, used only once! Wow! Some of these plates and bowls were displayed in this museum, and they were beautiful!

Picture of the royal court in the past. Is that my three storey theatre in the picture?

Old trishaw, or is it call pull-cart? Rickshaw? Ah yes, rickshaw is the correct term.

Pieces of marble carving of a fish. Or was it jade?

I don't really really like green jade, but I think I could learn to like white jade.

Flower arrangements made of stones and gems? These always look tacky in SEA markets and shops. But when you see what they have in the real palace, you suddenly understand why common people like to buy those tacky ones to put in their home. It's kinda like branded bags you see and can't afford, so you get a cheaper version to make yourself feel special :P

Porcelain in China. I can't decide which is better, Japanese porcelain or Chinese? Usually the designs in Japanese are simple and elegant. But the Chinese ones sometimes can be so detailed, so elaborated that it has a  beauty of it's own to it.

Semi modern tea sets. I don't know why I am obsess with tea sets, pottery and porcelain. 

A more western style tea sets. 

A simple decorative plate.

A marble game table. I like this one. It looks like those Indian marble chess table. If I live in a mansion, this would be one of the thing I would have in my garden or library or study room! And I would get an AI Chess Robot as well to keep me company for all eternity (or until my death). I don't think I'll even be bored playing chess.