The Palace Museum in Beijing, formerly known as the Forbidden City, was a royal palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1420-1912 AD), located at the center of Beijing's central axis. It is the largest and most well preserved wooden structure ancient architectural complex in the world, and also the pinnacle of ancient Chinese palace architecture. In 1987, it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO and is known as the top of the world's five palaces.
Outer Court and Inner Court:
Outer Court: centered around the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, it is an area where the country holds grand ceremonies (such as coronation, weddings, and military campaigns), symbolizing the majesty of imperial power.
The Inner Court: centered around the Qianqing Palace, Jiaotai Palace, Kunning Palace, and the six palaces of the east and west, it is a place where the emperor and empresses live and handle daily affairs, full of vitality.
24 emperors have lived here, and it has been the core of political power in China for nearly 500 years, witnessing countless major decisions, palace struggles, and daily life that have influenced the course of history.
As a museum, the Palace Museum has a complete collection of Tibetan objects, covering almost all art forms, with a total of over 1.86 million pieces, accounting for 42% of the country's precious cultural relics.
Must see treasures:
Calligraphy and painting: "Along the River during Qingming Festival", "Thousand Miles of Mountains and Rivers", "Five Bulls", etc.
Ceramics: Five famous kilns of the Song Dynasty and official kilns of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Bronze ware: Heavy ceremonial vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
Jade artifacts: Collected by the royal families of the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as Yu the Great's flood control painting of Yushan.
Watches: The collection of Western watches is particularly exquisite and unparalleled.
Gold ware, lacquerware, enamel ware, and so on are all included.
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Voltage and socket
The standard voltage in China is 220V. The commonly used socket shape is as shown in the picture. Most luxury hotel rooms are equipped with universal sockets, and tourists can also rent socket adapters at the hotel front desk.
Make a phone call
When a foreign mobile phone dials a Chinese fixed-line phone in China, it is necessary to dial the China area code (+86) and the city area code (e.g. Beijing +10) before the fixed-line phone number to be dialed.
When a foreign mobile phone dials a Chinese mobile number, it is necessary to dial the Chinese area code (+86) before the mobile number of the person being called.
Emergency call:
Call the police: 110
Fire emergency: 119
Traffic police: 122
Emergency: 120
Purchase a SIM card for a Chinese mobile phone
At major airports serving as ports of entry in China, there are designated counters for communication service providers, such as China Mobile and China Unicom. Foreign tourists can purchase SIM cards for Chinese mobile phones simply by presenting their passports.
Traffic safety tips
In China, all vehicles drive on the right side of the road, and both drivers and passengers must wear seat belts.
Health and medical tips
It is recommended to bring along commonly used medications (such as painkillers or gastrointestinal medications). If you need to take prescribed medication for an extended period, it is advisable to prepare sufficient quantities before departure and carry along doctor's certification documents, medical records, etc.
It is recommended to visit the international medical department of a general hospital or a foreign-funded hospital for treatment, as they generally provide medical services in English.
It is recommended to purchase relevant insurance before departure, and properly keep diagnosis certificates, outpatient medical records, fee lists, prescriptions, invoices, etc.
Cultural taboo
China is a multi-ethnic country, and there are significant differences in customs and habits among various ethnic groups. Especially when traveling in ethnic minority areas, it is important to pay attention to cultural taboos, such as taking off shoes when entering a Dai bamboo house, avoiding pork in Hui restaurants, and treating Buddhist statues, scriptures, and beads as sacred objects that must not be touched. It is recommended to listen carefully to the pre-trip introduction provided by the accompanying personnel and respect local culture and customs.
