Where is the Palace Museum in China??

Forbidden City in Beijing, China
Originally uploaded by Action at a Distance The Blog.

Also known as the Forbidden City, the Palace Museum served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Located in the central axis of Beijing, the former Imperial Palace was first constructed in 1406, with an area of 720,000 sqm.

The palace has four main gates: Meridian Gate in the south, East Flowery Gate in the east, West Flowery Gate in the west, and Gate of Divine Prowess in the north. On each corner of the palace stands a tall turret tower. Surrounded by a moat, the palace museum has a total of 9,999 rooms, with a construction area of 150,000 sqm.

It is the largest palace complex in the world, as well as one of the world cultural heritage sites.

5 Items not to miss out on China, Beijing

I've have done a circuit tour along the Pearl River Delta visiting Guangzhou, Macau, Hongkong and some smaller cities but i have yet to visit China's Capital City - Beijing. There will be so many things for me to do but i think the following five things are the ones that i will definitely not give a miss.

5) A meal at Bai Family Big Courtyard Restaurant, 15 Suzhou Street, Haidian District, Beijing. Former residence of a Manchurian prince, the opulent courtyard has now become a posh restaurant where you can dine like a royalty.

4) Try their delicious traditional snacks. Bingtang hulu(candied hawthorn fruits), lu dagun(a sweet glutinous roll with red bean filling) and matuan(crisp sesame pastry). Try some exotic offerings at Little Snack Street in Wangfujing, which starts business in the evenings.

3) Visit Beijing's old hutong which are disappearing fast. Catch a glimpse of how Old Beijing looked like, take a pedicab tour of the picturesque Shishahai Lake, where traditional courtyards and alleys housed the common folk of Beijing for hundreds of years. End the tour at the Lotus Garden Market where upmarket pubs and eateries light up in the evening.

2) Avid gardeners must not miss the Beijing Botanic Gardens, at the foot of the West Hills, near Xiangshan. It showcases China's amazing flora, with vast varieties of peonies, peaches, bonsai, roses and cherries taking turns to bloom throughout the year.

1) History buffs must spend a day at the Forbidden City Palace museums. The palace is a time capsule of China's past glory and was home to more than 20 emperors from the 13th to 20th centuries.