This afternoon, I go to the south gate of Zhongnanhai for a glimpse of the blooming Yulan Magnolia planted along the red wall topped by glazed tiles. The weather report says tomorrow the temperature will plummet from Today’s maximum 22 degrees to tomorrow’ maximum 9 degrees. So today is maybe the last chance to view the blooming flowers before they wither due to the windy and cold weather tomorrow.
Zhongnanhai to Chinese is what the White House to the Americans. Zhongnanhai is China’s central government compound, often referred as the embodiment of Chinese Communist Party and Central Government. The big difference is that Zhongnanhai is not open to the general public.
Adjacent to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, “Zhongnanhai” literally means “middle lake and south lake”, part of the irrigation system when the Forbidden City was built with the North Lake (Beihai) now open to the public.
Zhongnanhai has several gates with its main gate in the south named “Xinhuamen Gate”, guided by two standing soliders with some plain clothes policemen walking around. Two slogans are found on the walls of the South Gate meaning”Long Live Great Communist Pary of China and Long Live Invincible Mao Zedong Thiught”.
This is Xinhuamenn Gate, the south gate of Zhonnanhai – China’s central government Compound.
Police and plain clothes police walking around the Xinhuamen Gate
Two soldiers standing by the Xinhuamen Gate. The view inside is blocked by a wall with the sologan “Serve the People”.
Both Yulan Magnolia trees and pine trees grow at at each interval and parallel the red wall of Zhongnanhai.
Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Beijing guided tours:
Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Great Wall Tour
Beijing City Tour
Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing Autumn Tour
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Tours
China City Tours
China Tour
