Episode 4
Nella Kwan & Caleb Huffman
Welcome aboard to the HPA LI train!
Stop 1: the beautiful Temple of Heaven. We were greeted by white marble Lingxing Gates that surrounded the ancient alters and also served as surrounding walls of the Circular Mound. At the uppermost terrace of the Circular Mound, we saw nine concentric stone slab rings, representing the Nine Heavens, and the Heavenly Centre Stone in the middle. As the "Sons of Heaven," Chinese emperors were some of the few individuals who were allowed the opportunity to participate in the sacrificial ceremonies and prayer rituals to Heaven. It was believed that worship ceremonies and prayers would bring good weather and an abundant harvest.
We often wonder if leaders are born or if they are made. The Chinese believed that their emperors were ones sent from Heaven and they entrusted all of these chosen ones to make the right decisions and bring the right fortune for the people.
We often wonder if leaders are born or if they are made. The Chinese believed that their emperors were ones sent from Heaven and they entrusted all of these chosen ones to make the right decisions and bring the right fortune for the people.
Stop 2: shopping galore at Hongqiao/Pearl Market. A chance for all of us to try our hand at bargaining and negotiating for the things we want, a skill often vital for leaders. From beautiful scarves to electronics to accessories, the entire market was packed with things to look at and buy. Many of us left with more than just goodies because we also left with some extra practice on communication and negotiation.
Stop 3: the Liulichang that opened our eyes to some beautiful art and craftsmanship. When we think of leaders, we usually imagine leaders of people but this beautiful location packed with Chinese history proved that there could be leaders of art too. We found out today that there were countless individuals throughout history who wanted to perfect forms of Chinese art and lead others to also practice the art forms so that the art of China could continue stay relevant for centuries to come.
Stop 4: delicious Peking duck dinner. To finish off this eventful day, we all ate a family-style Beijing traditional dinner. It was delightful to get to chat with everyone about the day and just our experiences we've had since arriving to Beijing. Each and every one of us is a leader in our own ways but it was nice to take the role of a listener and to just hear others.
