Now the cool part starts. Since I only visited Beijing and Hangzhou, I can only tell you about these places. But I suppose at least Beijing might be interesting to many people. I chose Beijing because it was my first trip to China, so I thought I should see the capital, and I was interested in the antique markets.

4.1 The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is probably the first thing people think about when they think of Beijing, maybe even the first thing when they think of China (well, let's say second to the Great Wall). Of course, you must visit the Forbidden City when you're in Beijing. It is a super crowded place, because all the Chinese from the provinces also want to see it, but it really leaves you in awe about the dimensions of the last two dynasties. Both Ming and Qing Emperors lived in these halls, contained in their own little city within the city. No one but the ministers could enter, normal people could only awe at it over the huge water trench, only getting glimpses at the highest roofs. It really leaves an impression.

If you love pretty pictures, find a dress-up store to borrow a Qing costume for the day. They even do your hair and make-up in the traditional way. It looks absolutely stunning.

As you can see, I visited during a rainy day. It meant much less people, but also much less fun because of freezing. I recommend you go on a sunny day, when the golden roofs are glowing and the red walls beam at you.

You can only enter the palace from the south gate. That's where they sell the tickets. I tried to be smart and wanted to get in through the west gate, but the only thing I got for my efforts was an eye full of hairy legs from soldiers in flip flops, dressed in nothing but raincoats. Don't get me wrong, it was funny, but I wasted a lot of time and got wetter than necessary.

However, you can shorten your wait if you don't enter through the Gate of Heavenly Peace (天安门, Tiān Ān Mén) but through one of the two parks next to it. If you are a sucker for history and culture, then enter through the eastern park. There, you can visit the Ancestor Hall, before you proceed to the palace.

Still, be prepared to wait in a long line and have your passport ready for the ticket purchase and security check.

Another view, which you might not want to miss, is the view from the mountain behind the palace. If you climb it at the right time, you can see the glowing golden roofs of the palace in the light of the sunset. Just be prepared for crowd crushing up there on weekends...

Apart from the main palace, Beijing has many more palaces which you can explore, but I find it becomes repetitive after a while. Save your time to explore a wider variety of things, because Beijing has a lot to offer.

4.2 Pagoda of Heaven/Heavenly Altar

The Pagoda of Heaven is also a very crowded but very beautiful place. It served for praying for good harvest. In the adjoining Heavenly Kitchen, you find the vessels which were used for the presentation of food and goods.

And in the ancestor hall (the one by the palace), you find a video about how it was used and how the ritual was performed.

Prepare to pay again for entrance to the Heavenly Altar in the south. But I think, you can save that money. Just peek through the gates ;)

4.3 Temples

There are 3 temples which I would recommend for historical reasons: the Lama Temple (雍和宫, Yong He Gong) and the Confucian Temple (北京孔庙, Bei Jing Kong Miao) in the north of the city, and the Dao Temple (白云观, Bai Yun Guan) in the west of the city. All three philosophies have left an impression on China and its people. Confucianism probably left the biggest mark (and not the prettiest, to be honest), but the remnants of Daoism also can be found today in the Tai Chi practitioners in the parks and the places that have been designed by the rules of FengShui.

The Lama Temple is simply beautiful. It was the first temple I saw in China and it blew me away. The richness in decoration and the dimensions of this place (the dimensions of the Buddhas!), and just the overall feeling there were awesome. I find it a bit unfortunate that temples are not free of charge in mainland China. It feels strange to pay for being able to pray. But maybe they'll change that one day when religion is no longer that awkward thing of the past.

Please, be respectful in these places and don't take pictures of the praying halls. There are real people with genuine prayers there, don't make them feel like they're a theater show for your uneducated butt. (This picture already took everything out of me because photographing in these places just makes me feel intrusive.)

If you want to, then do as the locals do. Get some incense, burn 3 sticks in front of every incense burner, bow three times to each hall that comprises statues of deities. Then enter the hall and bow 3 times again to each deity. In front of every hall, you will find a plate that tells you about the enshrined deities, so that you actually know whom you're paying your respect to.

The Confucian Temple is dusty and desolate compared to the Lama Temple, which I found very funny, because currently China is promoting Confucianism so much. By the way, I cannot recommend living by Confucian standards. I tried and it made me very unhappy. The fault with Confucianism lies in it being focused on the outside, the image. Confucius correctly assessed what makes a community harmonious, but he then imposed those natural habits as rules for "the Sage". But a ritual that is only perfect in form, performed without a genuine heart, what is it but an empty shell? If you give because that is the right thing to do, will it make you happy? If you pay respect because it is the right thing to do, will you actually start feeling it?

However, the Confucian school right next to it is very beautiful and definitely worth a look if you're interested in Confucianism.

I did not take any pictures of the Dao Temple because I met a local who started to explain things to me, so I completely forgot. But since Daoism isn't about deities at all, I suppose old Laozi will forgive me for my lack in pictures of this place.

Interestingly, Daoism is something purely Chinese, you will not find traces of this school of thought in any other culture. While the thoughts and stories in Buddhism, Christianity, Roman gods and many more old and new religions are very similar, the idea of Dao stands above them all, not in means of being better but it the sense of what was earlier. Dao comes before the gods, is more powerful and more all-encompassing than any god could ever be. It was before all things and it will still preserve after everything returns to nothing.  So what is Dao? There is no definition of what Dao is, only how it works. If you understand it and walk with it, nothing will ever be difficult, if you try to go against it, you will find life hard. Some call it "The Good", but that really only starts to cover it.

It is a very interesting school of thought and also the first and only philosophy that talks about Qi and the cultivation thereof. It is the philosophy of Yin and Yang and the philosophy of the average, and closely related to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

But back to the wordly... The Temple was far busier than the Confician one. I tell you, Confucianism can't last. But it was not as crowded and as touristish as the Lama Temple. So, if you search for something genuine Chinese and non-tourism-ish, this might be your place.

Tip: If you want to purchase something that reminds you of these temples, or if you are a genuine believer and want some charm, I recommend you don't buy at the temples but in the streets outside. The local streets around sights are the best for shopping quality goods. And mostly, the sellers know better what we want than the temple staff. There is but one exception to the rule. I bought a "silver bell" at the Lama temple, which clears the mind. I absolutely adore it for its bright and beautiful sound. You can only buy it there. So, if you want that too, buy it at the temple shop.

4.4 Lakes

Beijing has 3 big lakes. North Lake, Middle Lake, and South Lake. Around those lakes you have attractions like a Buddhist Stupa (North Lake) and many small, pretty pagodas.
Surrounding part of the lakes are stores that sell food and little goodies. It is not exactly desolate, but a bit calmer than in the city.

For some of the parks you have to pay. I only visited the North Lake because its free of charge and you have lots of nice shops around it.

This pretty dragon was installed at the North Lake for the Autumn Moon Festival. It was really cool. In general, many places become even more awesome at night, and you can go out and enjoy yourself until very late.

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