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Tiananmen Gate
 Located to the north of the Tiananmen Square, the
Tiananmen Gate is a vermilion building with yellow glazed tiles,
glistening in the sunlight with all its beauty, splendor and grandeur.
The Gate measuring 43.7 meters in height and with a
facade of 62.77 meters wide was first constructed in the 15th year of
Emperor Yongle's Reign in the Ming Dynasty (1417 AD), and has a
history of over 500 years. This solemn architecture of national style
with double eaves, has 60 grand red columns, 8 ball-shaped palace
lanterns hanging high, white balustrade, yellow tiles, red beams and
painted pillars, which in the arrangement of either colors or
structures shine in its entirety, with the extraordinary beauty of
harmony. Looking up, one sees the four roof-ridges with an orderly
array of figurines of dragons, phoenix, lions, unicorns, heavenly
horses, fighting bulls and other animals, which are vivid and
brilliant. But under the up-turned roof-eaves, there are lightly
painted graceful pictures of golden dragon and imperial seal, golden
phoenix and imperial seal, dragon brocade and imperial seal, dragon
phoenix and imperial seal etc. which are known as palace color
pictures with a history of several hundred years. Among them, "The
Golden Dragon and Imperial Seal", as the symbol of imperial power is
the supreme one in standard. The Heavenly Peace Gate Tower, in part or
whole is an embodiment of "honor, dignity, luxury, solemnity and
magnificence."
On October 1st of 1949, Chairman Mao proclaimed on the
Tiananmen Rostrum to the world "The People's Republic of China has
been founded, and hence the Chinese People have stood up!"
Ascending to the Tiananmen Rostrum, one has a clear
view of the slightly rippling Golden River, the marble bridges carved
with coiling dragons, the imposing crouching stone lions, the
sculptured marble columns, the solemn Monument to the People's Heroes,
the grand Watch Tower of Qianmen, the flower beds, the green lawns,
the thoroughfares, the skyscrapers etc, which so picturesque and
fascinating, induce fantastic reveries.
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