Encountering Three Thousand Years of History

Beijing Capital Museum · Kang Jinhyuk · Sogang University

Bicycle. When I thought of the city of Beijing

, this was the movie that first came to mind.

(北京)

A Chinese boy from the countryside came to Beijing and got a job at a delivery company. However, the company gave bicycles to its employees for deliveries. But while the boy had left his bicycle unattended, someone stole it, and the movie deals with the episodes that arise in the process of finding it. This is an old movie released in 2001, and I was a middle school student when I first saw it. Nevertheless, the movie's content was interesting, so I haven't forgotten it, and that's why this movie was the first thing that came to mind when I heard the word Beijing.

The image of Beijing that I could imagine through the movie was vaguely a city with many bicycles. And as a little more time passed, 2. Encountering Three Thousand Years of History: Beijing Capital Museum

's appearance

When I thought of Beijing while taking classes in high school and university,

the only thing that came to mind was Tiananmen Square. On June 4, 1989, there was a protest by Chinese citizens for democracy in Tiananmen Square, and this protest was brutally suppressed by the Chinese authorities, similar to what the citizens of Gwangju experienced in our country.

This fact is what came to mind about Beijing.

Thus, Beijing was remembered by me as a city with many people using bicycles and a city where many people who called for democracy were sacrificed.

However, through this visit, I was able to break away from the vague image I had of Beijing and view it from a new perspective.

First, I will briefly introduce the history of Beijing. Beijing emerged in history early on as a strategic point connecting the North China Plain and the northern mountainous regions.

As productivity increased, transportation between the plains and mountainous regions became more frequent, and the ancient settlement occupying the strategic point of the transportation route gradually developed. From the Qin and Han dynasties to the end of the Tang Dynasty, it generally served as a strategic point for the northeast border region in terms of politics and military affairs. In the Five Dynasties period, the Liao Dynasty

(五代)

made this place its secondary capital (副都) in 938, calling it Nanjing (南京). The Jin Dynasty, which defeated the Liao Dynasty, initially called it Yanjing (燕京) and then moved its capital here in 1153, renaming it Zhongdu (中都).

Later, when the Mongols advanced south

(華北)

and captured Zhongdu City

(中都城)

, Kublai Khan (世祖)

built a new city (新城) and designated it as the capital, naming it Dadu (大都).

After the Mongolians unified China and established the Yuan Dynasty, Dadu became the political center governing all of China and was designated as the capital, establishing the basic framework of the city that continues to this day. During the Ming Dynasty, the capital was initially set in present-day Nanjing, but in 1420, Emperor Yongle

(南京)

(燕京)

(副都)

designated this place as the capital and named it Beijing (北京).

(永樂帝)

During the Ming Dynasty, an outer city (外城) was built outside the south gate, and the northern city area

(中都)

was reduced compared to the Dadu period and was called the inner city

(城域)

(內城)

and was called

(新城)

(世祖)

and was called

when he captured

and named it

the capital

and named it

and named it

and named it

was named. Later, when the Mongol

(Dadu)

dynasty unified China and established the Yuan Dynasty, Dadu became the political center governing all of China and was designated as the capital, establishing the basic framework of the city that continues to this day. During the Ming Dynasty, the capital was initially set in present-day Nanjing, but in 1420, Emperor Yongle

designated this place as the capital and it was called Beijing

(Yongle Emperor)

(北京, Beijing). During the Ming Dynasty, an outer city (外城) was constructed outside the southern gate, and the northern city area

was reduced compared to the Dadu period, and it was called the inner city

was called

(city area)

(inner city)

and its inner and outer walls form the current scale of Beijing's city. The Qing Dynasty, which overthrew the Ming Dynasty, also made this place its capital from 1644 until its fall. Afterward, Beijing was renamed Beiping by the Nationalist government when Nanjing was re-established as the capital in 1930. However, after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, it once again became the capital and has continued to be so to this day.1

As such, Beijing has served as a political and military stronghold and a transportation hub. Although its name has changed through various dynasties, it has been the center of China since ancient times and has established itself as the capital. Therefore, Beijing is one of the seven ancient capitals of China with a history of over 1000 years and is considered a major tourist city with the most cultural relics in China.1 Cultural Contents Dot Com (Korean Ethnic Group's Cultural Heritage Encyclopedia: Korean Battles). 2002. Korea Creative Content Agency. 2. Encountering Three Thousand Years of History: Beijing Capital Museum

Therefore, the Beijing Capital Museum exhibits relics passed down from ancient times,

and it well captures the characteristics of Beijing as a city that has been formed over a long period. The Capital Museum was established in 1981 within the Imperial College and Confucius Temple (北京国子监孔庙, Beijing Guozijian Kongmiao)

to showcase the history and lifestyle of Beijing, the capital of China. In 2006,

it was newly constructed in its current location as a large, modern building befitting the capital of China.

2 Naver Encyclopedia of Institutions and Organizations: Exhibition Halls, People Who Own the Future.

Perhaps because of this, the first impression I had when I visited the Capital Museum was its immense scale and grandeur. This sparked my curiosity about whether there was a special reason for building the museum so magnificently, so I asked the professor. In response, the professor explained that the main reason for the reconstruction was that the Chinese authorities aimed to enhance Beijing's image in preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Through this, I realized that China made meticulous efforts to enhance its national image in various aspects by widely promoting the excellence of its history and culture through a single sporting event. At the same time, I thought it would be wonderful if a museum like the Capital Museum could be established in Seoul, which has served as the capital of our country for a long time, to widely promote Seoul's excellence.

The museum, with its one basement level and six above-ground floors, is divided into a bell-shaped circular exhibition hall on the east side of the entrance and a general exhibition hall on the right (west) side, decorated with glass.

It was that it was extremely large and magnificent. In response, the museum's magnificent

The main characteristics that run through Beijing are largely two. First, Beijing is a well-organized planned city, and second, it has hutongs (胡同), a Chinese word meaning alleys and streets, scattered throughout.

Let's first examine Beijing as a planned city. Beijing is broadly divided into two cities, and more specifically, into four cities. The original city built by the Mongols is the inner city, within which is the imperial city, and within the imperial city is the Forbidden City. During the Ming Dynasty, a city built below the Forbidden City was added as the outer city, resulting in a total of four cities. The inner and outer cities are characterized by their massive city gates, while the imperial city and the Forbidden City within it stand out with their elegant and grand buildings.

magnificent

Interior of the Capital Museum

2 Naver Encyclopedia of Institutions and Organizations: Exhibition Halls, People Who Own the Future. The Chinese authorities aimed to enhance Beijing's image, which the professor explained was the main reason for the reconstruction. Through this, I realized that China made meticulous efforts to enhance its national image in various aspects by widely promoting the excellence of its history and culture through a single sporting event. At the same time, I thought it would be wonderful if a museum like the Capital Museum could be established in Seoul, which has served as the capital of our country for a long time, to widely promote Seoul's excellence.

The museum, with its one basement level and six above-ground floors, is divided into a bell-shaped circular exhibition hall on the east side of the entrance and a general exhibition hall on the right (west) side, decorated with glass.

▼Bell

The eastern exhibition hall mainly displays artifacts related to art, painting, and calligraphy. These artifacts include items passed down from ancient times, allowing us to understand Beijing's history from antiquity. To the west of the entrance, there are thematic exhibition halls focused on history, such as historical artifacts, architecture, and ancient Beijing culture. 3 On the day of my visit to the Capital Museum, I wanted to explore the entire museum, but due to time constraints, I mainly examined the exhibitions presented on the west side of the entrance.

The main characteristics that run through Beijing are largely two. First, Beijing is a well-organized planned city, and second, it has hutongs (胡同), a Chinese word meaning alleys and streets, scattered throughout.

This is.

(胡同)

Let's first examine Beijing as a planned city. Beijing is broadly divided into two cities, and more specifically, into four cities. The original city built by the Mongols is the inner city, within which is the imperial city, and within the imperial city is the Forbidden City. During the Ming Dynasty, a city built below the Forbidden City was added as the outer city, resulting in a total of four cities. The inner and outer cities are characterized by their massive city gates, while the imperial city and the Forbidden City within it stand out with their elegant and grand buildings.

As such, Beijing is surrounded by several layers of city walls. However, there is an important characteristic to understand Beijing. The outer city to the south mainly has city walls and buildings covered with black tiles. Entering the inner city from there, you will find buildings with sparkling blue tile roofs and red doors with gold decorations. Therefore, we can infer that the Chinese-style buildings seen in Korea's Chinatown are mostly from the inner city. The gate at the entrance to the imperial city is painted green, and as you approach the Wumen (Meridian Gate), you reach the Forbidden City. From here, reaching the outer court and then the inner court, they are golden, possessing an even more intense color. Thus, in Beijing, the color of the roofs gradually changes from dark colors to golden as one moves from the outskirts to the center. It appears that meticulous arrangements were made to enhance the royal authority down to the smallest detail. Beijing can be seen as a city built according to a strict plan. Furthermore, the ancient text, the Rites of Zhou, Records of Engineering

▼The red Forbidden City and then gradually to golden. It seems that meticulous arrangements were made to enhance the royal authority down to the smallest detail. Beijing can be seen as a city built according to a strict plan. Furthermore, the ancient text, the Rites of Zhou, Records of Engineering (周禮 考工記), can serve as strong evidence to support this idea.

city construction

(周禮 考工記)

plan provides strong evidence to support this idea.

The Rites of Zhou describes the official system of the Zhou Dynasty in China.

The official system

(官制)

is divided into six departments: Heaven, Earth, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, hence it is called the "Six Offices"

called

(六官). Since the records of the Winter Office (冬官) were lost, it was supplemented during the reign of Emperor Cheng

(Winter Office)

(成帝, reigned 33 BC – 7 BC) as the "Records of Engineering" (考工記). These two are combined and referred to as the "Rites of Zhou, Records of Engineering." This became the basis for the construction of capitals in subsequent Chinese dynasties. Based on these Rites of Zhou, Records of Engineering, the basic principles of urban planning were established around 1500 BC, and all cities were to be constructed in accordance with them. Let's examine a few of these basic principles. 2. Encountering Three Thousand Years of History: Beijing Capital Museum

(Emperor Cheng)

• The capital should be a square with nine li on each side.

(Square)

• It should align with the four cardinal directions and be surrounded by city walls.

• A main road should extend from the southern gate of the palace to the central southern gate of the city.

• Nine north-south roads and nine east-west roads should be laid out within the city.

Through these basic principles of urban construction that existed since ancient times,

a city surrounded by walls, a city with a square layout, and a city divided into sections, we can infer that Beijing was planned as such. These ancient characteristics were also clearly visible in the Beijing urban layout map from the Qing Dynasty displayed at the Capital Museum.

map

Through this, I realized that Beijing is a city where the basic framework of urban construction, passed down from ancient times, has been well maintained.

Furthermore, I realized that Beijing's current appearance was not naturally formed but was created through the planned, artificial efforts of people seeking to effectively protect the city from external invasions and efficiently govern the central administration.

effectively

efficiently

planned artificial efforts

Now, let's examine the second characteristic that runs through Beijing: the hutongs.

Hutong is a Chinese word meaning alley or street in Beijing. The traditional residential style of hutongs is the Siheyuan

, which centers around a courtyard with four sides.

A siheyuan (courtyard house) refers to a residential form where people live in the north, south, east, and west, forming a 'mouth' shape. The hutong is formed by connecting these siheyuan like a Go board. Beijing city, in terms of its layout and arrangement, has major roads extending north and south from the Imperial City, and main roads running east and west, creating a cross-shaped road network. Areas where these roads intersect horizontally and vertically were divided to separate residential zones, and each residential zone was called a 'fang' (坊). Therefore, Beijing has a symmetrical, Go board-like structure. In this way, hutongs are alleys and streets formed in accordance with Beijing's urban construction plan. Hutongs are characterized by gray walls and gray tiles, all of the same style. Furthermore, hutongs fully embody the historical changes of Beijing. According to Beijing natives, each hutong is like an exhibition hall that evokes a sense of folk tradition. Therefore, it is said that one cannot claim to understand Beijing and its people without exploring the hutongs. The hutongs and siheyuan encountered at the museum clearly showcased the daily lives of Beijing residents. Through the visit to the Capital Museum, I had the opportunity to directly confirm that Beijing residents live in the traditional housing style of siheyuan and lead their daily lives in the hutongs.

▼ A Scene of Beijing 2. Encountering Three Thousand Years of History: Beijing Capital Museum

Therefore, after visiting the museum, I rewatched the movie "Beijing Bicycle".

I did so with the hope of viewing it from a slightly different perspective than before.

With such expectations, as I watched the movie, the architectural styles of hutongs and siheyuan, which I hadn't noticed before, caught my eye.

In various hutongs, village children were playing together, and village elders were enjoying their leisure time playing Chinese chess.

The spaces where the movie's protagonists lived and led their daily lives were also hutongs and siheyuan.

Through the museum visit, I was able to gain a better understanding of the hutongs and siheyuan that were used as living spaces for the people of Beijing.

Furthermore, in the initial part of the movie, the boss tells the deliverymen that they must memorize all the hutongs to make deliveries.

According to Beijing natives, at their peak, there were over 6,000 hutongs, and currently there are about 1,300. Around 300 are famous, while countless unnamed ones exist, like blades of grass. 4

Therefore, by connecting this to the dialogue in the movie, I was able to better understand the characteristics of Beijing as a city.

4 Jie Jing. pp. 86–87. Beijing Language and Culture University Press. This visit to the museum was a great opportunity to move beyond the vague images I had previously held and to gain a better understanding of Beijing as a city.

The basic framework of urban construction planning, passed down from ancient times, resulted in Beijing becoming a planned city surrounded by walls and divided like a Go board. I understood that one square of this Go board is a siheyuan, the boundaries between siheyuan are demarcated by hutongs, and the daily lives of Beijing residents take place right here. Thus, moving beyond the image of Beijing as a city of bicycles and a city where many citizens were sacrificed at Tiananmen Square, I realized what I should focus on when exploring Beijing to properly understand the city and the lives of its people. One regret is that this trip was not long enough to personally explore each hutong in Beijing and experience the daily lives of its residents; I could only observe them through the Capital Museum, while traveling by car, and through the hutongs and siheyuan visible through car windows. Therefore, if I have the opportunity to visit Beijing again, I want to directly enter the numerous hutongs and siheyuan to experience the lives of Chinese people. To this end, I thought it would be beneficial to learn Chinese, converse directly with Beijing residents, and experience homestays in siheyuan. Thus, this journey allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of Beijing, while also evoking mixed feelings of satisfaction and regret. Cherishing these feelings, I conclude this writing with the hope of returning to Beijing again. ■ 2. Encountering Three Thousand Years of History: Beijing Capital Museum References Li, Yuanhe. Translated by Lee, Sang-hae, Han, Dong-soo, Lee, Ju-haeng, & Cho, In-sook. 2000. Principles of Ancient Chinese Architecture. Seoul: Sigongsa.

Boyd, Andrew. Translated by Lee, Wang-gi. 1999. Architecture and Urbanism in China. Seoul: Seongmunsa.

Ryu, Kyung-seo. Translated by Han, Dong-soo. 1996. Palace Architecture (Series of Ancient Chinese Architecture 1). Seoul: Bal-eon.

Seong, Ju-tak (Translator and Editor). 1993. History of Chinese City Development. Seoul: Hakyun Munhwasa.