Beijing in Pictures: Qianlong's Retirement Lodge, Drugs and Another New Art Gallery
Many of today's Beijing papers have large color images of the restored
Studio for Retirement from Diligent Service (倦勤斋 Juanqinzhai) within the Forbidden City. The newly restored section of the Forbidden City is located in Qianlong Garden in the north east corner of the palace. Although unveiled to local and international media yesterday, the studio will not be opened to the public until next year. For more details on the project see Jottings From the Granite Studio.
In related-news, Frommers have included the Forbidden City in their hot-off-the press 500 Places to See Before They Disappear. Frommers are right in raising the issue of the damage caused to the historical site by the huge number of tourists visiting the symbolic site, according to local media it draws 9.7 million visitors a year. However, the fact that the restoration of the Studio for Retirement from Diligent Service mentioned above is just one small part of a the huge project to restore the whole Palace Museum complex, indicates that the future of the Forbidden City is safer than Frommers suggest.
Limit on Drug Sales
Pharmacies across Beijing have been told to restrict their sales of cold medicines this week. The new rules have been introduced to prevent illegal drug manufacturers using cold and cough medicines to produce ice. Customers are limited to buying five packs of medicine at one time. People's Daily have all the details.
Another New Gallery
Last week China's Ministry of Culture annonced a plan to build a large museum of contemporary art at the Beijing Yihaodi International Artbase. The project seems to be unrelated to plans by the National Art Museum of China to construct a new gallery near the Bird's Nest. The new project is designed by Zhu Pei (the architect behind the Digital Builing in the Olympic Center) and will cover an area of 66,000 sqm. Construction will begin in the first half of 2009 and should be completed by the end of 2010. For more information about the new project, see this article in Art Info.
Real Estate Company Employees Charged with Deaths
An employee of a real estate company cries after being charged with the crime of "negligence causing death" for her involvement in the leasing of an apartment with a faulty hot water system (reshuiqi) in April this year. One week after the aparttment was leased, an accident caused the death of 9 people. All those who died in the accident were employees of the same real estate company.
Pop Singer Arrested
Chinese pop singer bar owner Zang Tianshuo (best known for his KTV classic "Friends") has been arrested by police for suspicion of being involved in the death of a man in Langfang 5 years ago. Zang is also suspected of being the leader of a gang and has been under police investigation for some time. More details over at Danwei or Variety.
More Fines
A driver is pulled over on Monday morning for driving within the Fifth Ring Road despite his plate ending in a 0. The recently introduced 5-work day restrictions were switched this week, so where as previously cars with number plates ending in 1 or 6 were forbidden from driving on Monday, cars with plates ending in 5 or 0 are no longer allowed to take to the roads on the first day of the working week. For more details, see this China Daily article.
Links and Sources
Jottings From the Granite Studio: The Qianlong Memorial Home for Incurable Tyrants…and Kings*
China Daily: Emperor's lodge to open next year
LA Times: Image of Forbidden City
Frommers: Frommer’s 500 Places to See Before They Disappear
People’s Daily: Beijing pharmacies restrict cold medicine purchase to curb illegal drug processing
The Beijing News: 含“麻”药品限售未致购药不便
The Beijinger: Virtual Palace Museum: IBM and Palace Museum Unveil New Interactive Forbidden City
The Beijinger: Starbucks Ousted
The Beijinger: Fire at the Forbidden City
Qianlong: 尾号轮换首日违限司机减少 查违规用上识别器