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Principal
Sites Around Tian'anmen
Tian'anmen (Gate of Heavenly
Peace)
 The
Rostrum of Tian'anmen was opened to the
public for the first time in its history
in 1988. From the rostrum, the late Chairman
Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the
People's Republic of China on October 1,
1949, and since then Tian'anmen has been
the symbol of the new China.
In modem Chinese history, several
large mass demonstrations have taken place
here. The most famous was on May 4, 1919,
when more than 3,000 students from Beijing
schools and universities came to the square
to demonstrate against imperialism and the
role of the warlords. The event was a landmark
in modem Chinese history.
The structure was first named
Chengtianmen (Gate of Power Endowed from
Heaven or Gate of Heavenly Succession) when
it was built in 1417 as the main entrance
of the former Imperial Palace. In 1456 the
wooden structure burned down after it was
struck by lightning. In 1644, the Manchus
defeated Li Zicheng (1606-1645), leader
of a peasant uprising; the latter set a
fire to the building before running away
from the city. The building was enlarged
when it was rebuilt for the second time
in 1651, and renamed Tian'anmen. This is
the structure, which still stands today.
The nine-room-wide and five-room-long wooden
gate tower was built to reflect the highly-exalted
status of the emperor.
 Located
to the north of Tian'anmen Square, Tian'anmen
is a building which has red stonewalls,
a wooden roof and five entrances--the largest,
in the middle, lea&s to the Forbidden
City. The building is surrounded by a moat,
Jinshui (Golden Water), which was designed
to guard the Imperial Palace. Five marble
bridges, the Golden Water Bridges, lead
to the five passages of the gate. Two ornamental
columns stand in front of the whole complex.
The gate and the square were
out of bounds to the public in imperial
times. The emperor alone was entitled to
pass through the central passage. Before
leaving on a journey he would make a sacrifice
in front of the gate. At other times imperial
edicts were sent down, in a gilded box shaped
like a phoenix, to officials kneeling below.
Hence the expression: "the Imperial
Orders Given by the Gilded Phoenix"
The edict was then taken to the Ministry
of Rites where copies were made for dispatch
to the whole country. It was also the place
for the emperor to review royal armies and
receive prisoners of war.
Tian'anmen (Gate of Heavenly
Peace) is not only the site of the most
important gatherings since the founding
of the People's Republic of China, but also
one of the most valuable historical sites
in China. Parades take place here on important
days, such as the rallies on May 1 International
Labour Day and October 1 (National Day).
Before each parade the building is repainted
and generally tidied up. The whole tower
roof was replaced as part of a large-scale
restoration in 1984, following the original
line and shape. The balcony is 34.7 metres
high, 62.77 metres long and 27.25 metres
wide. It can hold 20,000 guests. There are
67 steps leading to the top of the Rostrum
of Tian'anmen Gate.
Tian'anmen Square
 Tian'anmen
Square, the largest square in the world,
encompasses 440,000 square metres, about
the size of 60 soccer fields, 880 metres
from north to south and 500 metres from
east to west, big enough to hold half a
million people. The square has witnessed
the Chinese people's struggle against foreign
aggression and reactionary rule at home.
In 1919, the May 4th Movement broke out
in Beijing. Students and residents staged
a patriotic demonstration in the square.
In 1935, students in Beijing launched the
December 9th Movement against the Japanese
aggression and Chiang Kai-shek's policy
of non-resistance. They held a demonstration
in the square. On April 5,1976, lots of
people gathered here to commemorate Zbou
Enlai (1898-1976) and oppose the "Gang
of Four (referring to Jiang Qing, Zhang
Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, and Wang Hongwen"
Many domestic and overseas visitors to Tian'anmen
Square would like to have their pictures
taken in front of the white marble Jinshuiqiao
(Golden Water Bridges). The bridges were
named after the Golden Water River they
span. Seven bridges, each supported by three
arches, cross the Outer Golden Water River
in front of Tian'anmen, Zhongshan Park,
and the Beijing Working People's Palace
of Culture. Five one-arched bridges cross
the Inner Golden Water River inside the
Forbidden City between Wumen (Meridian Gate
) and Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony).
The outer bridges, together with two graceful
Huabiao (ornamental columns) and two stone
lions nearby, set off Tian'anmen, making
it look more imposing. The inner bridges
make the spacious square look harmonious.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the
middle one of the seven outer bridges, which
is larger than the others was called Yuluqiao
(Bridge of the Imperial Way) and was used
exclusively by the emperor. The two bridges
on each side were called Wanggongqiao (Royal
Bridges) and were used by the royal family
members. The two bridges farther out were
the Pinjiqiao (Ranking Bridges) and were
used by civil and military officials above
the third rank. Those of the fourth rank
and below could use only the outer two bridges,
which were called Gongshengqiao (Public
Bridges).
The Beijing nmnicipal government
launched a nine-month project to renovate
Tian'anmen Square in the heart of the capital.
The reconstruction, started in October 1998
and was completed by June 1999, in time
for the grand celebrations to mark the 50th
anniversary of the founding of the People's
Republic of China on October 1,1999, improved
the worn-out pavement, public address system,
and lighting around the periphery of the
world's largest square, installing new foundations
and repairing underground pipelines.
The eastern and western Tain'anmen
Square subway stations were built. The Tian'anmen
section, part of the Fuxingmen and Bawangfen
subway project, was built to help ease excess
traffic in the downtown area of the national
capital. The western station has two levels,
one with three entrances and exits. The
three-floor eastern station has seven entrances
and exits.
 The
National Flag-Raising Ceremony
A very interesting thing to
do at Tian'anmen Square is to watch the
national flag-raising ceremony while listening
to the national anthem at sunrise. This
is the perfect activity for visitors who
have come to Beijing for the first time.
The national flag guards of People's Liberation
Army (PLA) troops based at Tian'anmen Square
march out every morning and raise the flag
exactly at sunrise. Every day hundreds of
thousands of tourists from home and abroad
gather in the Square to watch this solemn
ceremony. Exact times for sunrise and sunset
are posted next to the 32.6-metre-tall weighing
7 tons flagpole in red, digital numbers.
On holidays and special occasions the Square
is filled with flower arrangements and fountains.
There are people all over the Square flying
kites, as it is a popular site for local
people to go and fly their kites, which
range from simple one-piece jobs, to elaborate
metres-long dragons.
 Monument
to the People's Heroes
The Monument to the People's
Heroes was built in memory of the martyrs
who laid down their lives for the revolutionary
struggle of the Chine~ people in the past
century. It was built in accordance with
the resolution of the First Plenary Session
of the Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference adopted on November 30,1949.
Chairman Mao and other delegates laid the
corner stone for the monument on that afternoon.
The 38-metre-high monument was open on July
1, 1958. It covers an area of 3,000 square
metres. The stone tablet was from Qingdao,
Shandong Province. On the front is an inscription
in the late Chairman Mao's handwriting:
"Eternal glory to the people's heroes!"
On the back is the late Premier Zhou Enlai's
message: "Eternal glory to the people's
heroes who laid down their lives in the
War of Liberation in the past three years
and the people's revolution in the past
three decades! Eternal glory to the people's
heroes who laid down their lives in the
struggles agains foreign and domestic enemies,
for national independence and for the people's
freedom and happiness from 1840 onward!"
At the base of the tablet are eight pieces
of huge bas- reliefs out of white marble
covering the revolutionary episodes.
Burning
Opium in the Opium War in 1840
A revolutionary movement broke
out to resist the smuggling of large quantities
of opium into China by the British imperialists.
From June 3 to 25, 1839, more than 1,185,000
kilograms of opium was destroyed. It showed
the Chinese people's determination to struggle
against imperialism and marked the beginning
of their resistance.
The
Jintian Village Uprising in Taiping Revolution
The Taiping Revolution was the
biggest and longest revolutionary peasant
uprising in the Chinese history. Led by
Hong Xiuquan (1814-1864), this great anti-imperialist,
anti-feudal peasant movement first broke
out in Jintian Village in Guangxi in 1851.
The revolutionary flames soon spread to
six provinces and the revolutionaries established
their capital in Nanjing.
The
Wuchang Uprising (1911 Revolution )
The year 1911 was the one in
which the decisive battle against the Manchu
Government was fought. Late on the evening
of October 10, the revolutionary forces
wrecked the cannon in front of the office
building of the governor of both Hunan and
Hubei provinces, pulled down the royal flag
and broke through the gate of the governor's
mansion. The first success of the revolution
was at Wuhan, Hubei Province. The last feudal
dynasty collapsed under the fierce attack
of the revolutionary torrent on October
10, 1911.
May
4th Movement
An anti-imperialist patriotic
movement broke out on May 4, 1919 in Beijing.
It was the turning point of the Chinese
democratic revolution. On that day, several
thousand Beijing students held a rally in
front of Tian'anmen. A parade followed in
which participants held aloft banners inscribed
"No signature to the 'peace treaty'!"
and distributed the leaflets "Uphold
our sovereignty! Punish the traitors!"
May
30th Movement
A demonstration by Shanghai
workers and students on May 30, 1925 ushered
in a vigorous anti-imperialist movement.
Demonstrators' banners thundered "Down
with the imperialists!" and "Revenge
Gu Zhenghong, a splendid representative
of China's workers shot down by the imperialists!'
Nanchang
Uprising
Chiang Kal-shek (1887-1975)
launched a coup on April 12, 1927 and began
slaughtering Communists. To save the revolution
and continue struggle, the Chinese Communist
Party fired the first shot at the Kuomintang
reactionaries in the Nanchang Uprising on
August 1, 1927. This was the day the Chinese
Communist Party began to lead the revolutionary
armed forces independently against the counter-revolutionary
armed forces. Hence August 1 is the birthday
of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
War
of Resistance Against Japan
Army men and civilians in the
revolutionary base areas carried out Chairman
Mao's thinking on protracted war. The Chinese
Communist Party called on the people's army
to go to the enemy's rear to launch guerrilla
warfare, mine warfare, etc. War educated
the people and the people won the war.
Successful
Crossing of the Yangtze River
This was the prelude to the
liberation of the whole country. An army
one million strong made a forced crossing
of the Yangtze River on April 21, 1949 to
overthrow the Chiang Kai-shek regime. On
the right are the masses helping the People's
Liberation Army (PLA) men to make the crossing.
On the left are the liberated Nanjing people
welcoming the entrance of the PLA men. The
liberation of Nanjing, the Kuomintang capital,
heralded the liberation of the whole country.
Huabiao--Scuipted
White Marble Columns /Ornamental Column
 In
ancient Chinese architecture, it is usual
to find ornamental structures peripherally
placed around the main body of buildings,
in such a way that together they form an
organic and harmonious whole. Huabiao, an
ornamental column erected in front of palace,
tomb, etc., is one example.
The history of huabiao, sometimes
given other names and used for specific
purposes, is quite long. It is said that
it originated from the 'slander post' (feibang
mu ) of Kings Yao and Shun (who lived in
prehistoric times). King Shun erected 'slander
posts' at important crossroads so that his
people could write down their opinions and
criticism of his rule (feibang, or slander,
did not have any more pejorative sense than
' pointing out one's mistakes'). This was
to demonstrate his sincerity in accepting
public opinion to help him govern better.
However, in those days, a huabiao was but
a wooden (rather than stone) post with two
planks attached to it. There is also speculation
that huabiao are in fact derived from the
totem pillars of primitive society, which
served as tokens to distinguish one clan
from another.
In the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD
220), huabiao were used as signposts or
direction indicators in the city. From a
distance, they looked like flower trees--which
explains the present name. A huabiao planted
next to a mail- collecting pavilion could
help the postman to tell which way to go.
In addition, at the bridgeheads of the more
important bridges, huabiao were often erected.
The most grandiose huabiao were those built
outside the palaces and the government buildings.
Owing to the elaborate architecture of palaces,
the ornamental h uabiao were extremely finely
wrought. Thus, from functional objects,
huabiao developed into architectural ornament.
The huabiao columns in front of Tian'anmen
in Beijing were built during the reign of
Emperor Yongle (1403-1424) of the Ming Dynasty.
Slender and carved in a sophisticated manner,
they rise loftily towards the sky. The material
used in these columns is white marble. The
column itself is cylindrical, with dragon-in-clouds
coiling around the column forming the design.
At the top, horizontal sculptures shaped
like flying clouds suggest that the column
does reach the sky--at least symbolically.
Sitting on top of the whole thing is a lively
lion.
Beneath the ornamental columns
stands a pair of beautifully carved stone
lions in attitudes of perfect submissiveness.
The lion to the west has one paw on an embroidered
ball, with its head turned slightly to the
east and its eyes gazing westward. The lioness
to the east is playing with a cub, with
her head turned to the west and her eyes
gazing eastward. That the bold and powerful
king of the beasts should be reduced to
an obedient watchdog in the presence of
the emperor is a clear manifestation of
the Son of Heaven's supreme authority.
One of salient features of Tian'anmen
is a pair of 10-metre-high white marble
ornamental columns topped by a "dish
for collecting dew.' A craved stone animal
known as a "heaven-gazing hou' (a small,
lion-like legendary creature) squats inside
each dish. The purpose of these dishes was
to catch the "jade dew" imbibed
by the emperor to ensure long life. Each
of the carved ornamental columns at Tian'anmen
weighs more than 10 tons. Huabiao is also
said to be an ancient testament to the institution
of xinfang (complaint- lodging), or literally
letters sent, and visits made, to the authorities.
Today , xinfang is a reliable channel to
reflect the problems of grassroots society
to both the government and the Party; and
serves a bridge between policy-makers and
common people. Handling complaints every
day would help the officials feel the pressure
of governance, and enhance social responsibility.
If more officials have the experience of
dealing with complaints things will be better.
It demonstrates the government's commitment
to solving .social problems. Some mausoleums
are also guarded by huabiao (more precisely,
shendaozhu) to add to the solemnity of the
place and inspire awe.
Chairman Mao Memorial
Hall
 South
of the Monument to the People's Heroes is
Chairman Mso Memorial Hall. The foyer houses
a seated figure of Chairman Mao in white
marble. Behind it is a 7- by 24-metre needlepoint
woollen tapestry "Such a beauty is
our motherland " In the second room,
Chairman Mao's remains recline in a crystal
coffin, with the red flag of the Communist
Party of China draped over his body. Construction
of the building began in November 1976 and
was completed in 1977. Currently, the remains
of the late Chairman Mao are mechanically
raised from a freezer for viewing, then
lowered again at night.
Sculptures
The sculpture groups are 6 to
8 metres high and 7 to 15 metres long. The
two on the north side are designed on the
theme "Great Contributions," representing
what the Chinese people achieved in the
last half century under the leadership of
Chairman Mao. Those on the south side have
as their theme "Carry Out Chairman
Mao's Behest," expressing the Chinese
people's determination to act on his behest
and carry the cause of our socialist revolution
through to the end.
 The
Great Hall of the People
Construction of the Great Hall
of the People started in October 1958 and
was completed by the end of August 1959,
taking ten months altogether.
It has a total floor space of
171,800 square metres, 20,000 square metres
more than that of the Palace Museum in the
neighbourhood. It is 206 metres long and
336 metres wide. Its highest point is 46.5
metres from the ground.
It consists of three major sections:
in the north is the Banquet Hall that accommodates
5,000 people; in the centre is the Grand
Auditorium with a seating capacity of 10,000;
offices of the Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress are in the south.
There are more than 300 reception rooms
and conference halls of various sizes. Thirty-four
reception rooms are furnished by and named
after various provinces, municipalities,
autonomous regions and special administrative
regions. Each of the rooms is featured by
its local style.
The central foyer is for the
people attending meetings to take a rest
during intervals. The floor is paved with
natural marble and the 20 pillars are made
of white marble. Each crystal glass chandelier
weighs 1.2 tons.
The
10,O00-Seat Auditorium
The auditorium is used for important
occasions such as sessions of the National
People's Congress, the Party Congress and
mass political rallies to support the just
struggle of the people of other countries.
The massive hall is 76 metres in width,
60 metres in length and 32 metres in height,
with a balcony and a gallery. There are
3,600 seats on the ground floor, 3,500 on
the balcony and 2,500 on the gallery. The
stage can hold a presidium of 300 to 500
people. The total seating capacity is ten
thousand. It is also used for festive celebrations
and grand stage shows.
The proscenium can be converted
into an orchestra pit by removing the floor
boards. The seats on the ground floor are
equipped with earphones, through which one
can hear a simultaneous translation of a
speech in any one of 12 different languages.
Every two seats share a loudspeaker and
every four seats a microphone for extemporaneous
speeches. On the ceiling are 500 starlights
with an enormous red star in the centre.
Seventy light beams radiate in all directions
enclosed by a ring of 40 sunflower petals,
which in turn is skirted by three layers
of hidden lights in the form of expanding
waves. This beautiful pattern symbolizes
the close unity of the people of the whole
country around the Party in their forward
march from victory to victory. The ones
that have no light are ventilation holes.
The auditorium has three main
features: people can evacuate rapidly through
its 32 doors; the fan-shape hall provides
a good view of the presidium from any angle;
the acoustics is very good. Built-in lighting
equipment for filming documentaries is set
in a crescent shape facing the stage.
Balcony
The balcony is for non-voting
deputies and foreign envoys. A loudspeaker
is installed at the back of each seat on
the balcony and the gallery. Simultaneous
translation in different languages is provided
for by block allocation of seats. The volume
control is installed on the left arm of
the seat.
China National Museum
Along the east side of Tian'anmen
Square is a cream building with green and
yellow eaves, standing 33 metres high; the
north wing used to house the Museum of the
Chinese Revolution and the south wing housed
the Museum of Chinese History. The China
National Museum was officially opened on
February 28, 2003 following a merger of
the Museum of Chinese History and the Museum
of the Chinese Revolution at Tian'anmen
Square. The China National Museum will correspond
to Cbina's international status and its
long history and splendid ancient civilization.
Plans to expand the museum have been finalized
and work will be finished before 2008 Olympic
Games. The floor space of the entire building
will be expanded from 65,000 square metres
to 150,000 square metres. The former Museum
of Chinese History was possessed of more
than 400,000 pieces in its collection, and
the former Museum of the Chinese Revolution
had about 150,000. The combined total is
too few for a museum of international standard.
The museum will seek ways to enrich the
collection, and by 2008 the relics in the
museum will reach 1 million. The entire
building was built in 1959 to mark the 10th
anniversary of the founding of the People's
Republic of China.
South-Facing Gate or Front
Gate
 This
is the South-Facing Gate or Front Gate,
a 42-metre-high brick structure. It is located
at Qianmen (Front Gate), south of Tian'anmen
(Gate of Heavenly Peace) Square. It is one
of the few remaining gates of the city wall.
It was built in 1421 in the early Ming Dynasty
and renovated in 1977. In the old days,
watchtowers placed at regular intervals
around the perimeter guarded the wall. The
double gate system played an important role
in repulsing enemy attacks. If the first
gate were breached, the enemy would still
find themselves outside the city wall and
would be fired upon from the tower over
the inner gate. The gate is a fortress-like
structure, which was built for the city's
defence. It has 94 windows from which archers
could shoot arrows. The tower was burned
down several times before it was reconstructed
in 1914. As a national relic to be protected,
it has been renovated according to the 1914
plan. The tourist can visit exhibitions
in the three-storey tower. The first storey
describes the history of the tower and the
second deals with the city gates of ancient
Beijing. There are also displays of paintings
and the four treasures of study in ancient
China--the writing brushes, ink sticks,
ink slabs and paper. The tower was opened
to the public on January 21st, 1990, adding
another scenic spot in Beijing. The Front
Gate was the pass the emperor used for travel
to the Temple of Heaven for worshipping
ceremonies. Only the imperial sedans and
carriages were allowed to use the gate.
while funeral processions and carriages
were forbidden to pass here.
The Arrow Castle was built in
1439. The castle has 82 windows from which
archers could shoot arrows. It was destroyed
by fire in 1780 and 1849 respectively, but
was reconstructed twice. In 1900, the gate
was sabotaged and the Eight-Power Allied
Forces burnt down the castle. They were
revamped according to their original design.
In 1916, the enceinte of a city gate was
demonised. On February 3, 1949, Beiping
(today's Beijing) was liberated peacefully,
the People's Liberation Army men held the
city entrance ceremony at the gate. The
gate was reinforced in 1952, and the castle
was revamped in 1976; in 1977 the gate was
repaired again, thus the gate and the castle
have taken on a completely new look.
Working People's Palace of
Culture
The Working People's Palace
of Culture lies to the east of Tian'anmen.
This place used to be the Ancestral Temple
in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911)
dynasties. Now it has become a place where
working people in Beijing come to enjoy
cultural performances.
The Chinese Harmonious Chimes
(Zhonghua He Zhong) were installed at the
Working People's Palace of Culture on December
27, 1999. The chimes, built and installed
in three arrays, 2.8 metres high, 21 metres
wide and weighing 17 tons, are the world's
largest and feature 108 chimes of various
sizes. The upper 34 Niu hells represent
the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities on the Chinese mainland and
Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan; the middle
array is made up of 56 Yong hells standing
for the 56 ethnic groups in China; the lower
layer are 18 Bo hells, with the middle 16
pieces for the 16 historical periods of
China and the two on each side for peace
and development. They were also used during
the gala celebrating the year 2000.
Zhongshan (Dr Sun Yat-sen)
Park
The park was formerly the Altar
of Land and Grain built in 1420. It was
opened as a park in 1914 and its name was
changed to Zhongshan Park in 1928 in memory
of Dr Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), a great pioneer
of the Chinese democratic revolution. Since
1949, the park has taken on a new look after
extensive renovations. Cypress, flowers,
goldfish, rockeries, ponds and pavilions
present a serene and attractive atmosphere.
Many large celebrations and meetings for
peace and friendship are held there. The
bronze statue of Dr Sun Yat-sen, three metres
high, stands on a two-metre-high foundation
in Zhongshan Park. It depicts Dr Sun Yat-sen
in old age. With the support of the Central
Committee of the Chinese Communist Party,
the project was proposed by a group of 54
members of the Beijing Committee of the
Chinese People's Political consultative
Conference (CPPCC*). Zeng Zhushao, a professor
of the Central Academy of Fine Arts and
also a member of the CPPCC Beijing Committee
designed the statue.
The project was completed by
November 12, 1986, the 120th birthday anniversary
of the great forerunner of the Chinese democratic
revolution.
Zhongshan
Concert Hall
The renovation of the Zhongshan
Concert Hall started in July 1997 and was
completed in April 1999 lasting one year
and five months and opened to the public
on April 26, 1999. The concert hall is gifted
with first-class construction norms according
to world standards for professional concert
halls. It is located in Zhongshan Park (Dr
Sun Yat-sen Park, north of Tian'anmen Square,
one of Beijing's former imperial gardens
and one of the most beautiful parks in the
city). It is the first Chinese concert hall
to adopt a digital audio- frequency processor.
The ups and downs of the concert hall symbolize
the development of Beijing's culture. When
the People's Republic of China took over
the concert hall on January 31, 1949, it
was nothing more than an outdoor stage encircled
by wires. Later the Beijing municipal government
built a theatre there. It attracted many
famous Chinese musicians and artists. By
1996, it was only used for showing films.
The renovation cost more than 80 million
yuan (US $ 9.6 million).
The renovated Zhongshan Concert
Hall covers an area of 4,000 square metres,
with a total floor space of 11,835 square
metres. Its outer appearance looks like
a giant fan-shape with a seating capacity
of 1,400. Also there are 5 VIP boxes in
the hall.
China National Theatre
Construction of China Grand
National Theatre officially started on December
12, 2001 after four years preparation and
will be completed in 2005. Some revisions
have been made to the original plan to reduce
costs and construction area. The current
estimated cost of the project is 2. 688
billion yuan (US $ 325 million), substantially
less than the original 3 billion yuan (US
$ 362 million). The reduction in cost comes
mainly from the cancellation of the complex's
theatre, which will leave it with a 2,500-seat
opera house, mainly receiving world-renowned
operas and ballet companies; a 2,000-seat
concert hall, the site of concerts of symphony
and traditional Chinese music; a 1,200-seat
theatre for modern drama, Peking Opera and
other local Chinese operas and art galleries.
Total construction area has been cut from
the original 180,000 square metres to 149,500
square metres, because the 30,000 square
metre parking lot, originally included in
the plan, is going to be built separately.
This new underground parking lot will provide
the entire Tian'anmen Square area with its
first major parking lot. When the parking
lot is finished, it will be able to accommodate
1,000 vehicles and 1,400 bicycles. Parking
will no longer be a headache when there
are major activities in the square.
Located on the west side of
the Great Hall of the People in downtown
Beijing, the theatre will be built to a
modernistic design by French architect Paul
Andreu. Although the theatre will not be
the world's most luxurious, will present
"some pleasant surprises:" some
of the world's best performance facilities.
The entire design insisted on
the creation theme of "a theatre within
the city and a city within the theatre."
The theatre will be China's
largest, as well as its first comprehensive
and multi-functional theatre. The design
should bring home at sight that it is a
theatre, nothing else, with Chinese characteristics
and in harmony with the other buildings
in Tian'anmen Square. The building's height
shall not exceed 45 metres, keeping it below
the height of the Great Hall of the People.
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