As I was walking around and trying to get some photos at Tiananmen Square I, being a foreigner, was stopped by every security guard, policeman, volunteer security, and any other random security person. Obviously I don’t look asian and when they saw me coming I would get my documents ready because they were going to be asking for it. When they were checking my documents I saw this person with War Training on his back so I took a photo. Does the war training mean he is a military personnel or is he specially trained for specific situations? It certainly gave me pause because during this time of COVID and China has the country locked down where there aren’t many foreigners in the country at all, why is security for this specific tourist location so tight and only tight for foreigners. Security wasn’t tight at all for anyone who looked asian.
Chinese War Training Personnel
Tiananmen Square
I finally made it to Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing and at a time when the rest of the world is opening up, China has things locked down. This was as close as I could get and these are the clearest photos. That is due to all the security, umbrellas, vehicles and everything else they put in the way. What is really silly, stupid, insane, choose your preferred adjective, is that they have the whole street blocked off and you must first register on a website for a reservation number to go stand outdoors in order to take photos, where it couldn’t be better ventilated, to protect against COVID, somehow that registration number makes you healthy and safe.
The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
Across the street from Tiananmen Square is the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. This chapter is straight out of the dictatorship playbook to put a leader’s body to rest in a mausoleum. Mao was the leader of the Chinese Communist Party from 1935 until his death in 1976. He was part of the movement to abandon of Western liberalism for Marxism and Leninism as the answer to China’s problems and the founding of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921.
Zhenyangmen was once the South Gate to Beijing’s Inner City
Built in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty Zhenyangmen was once the south gate to Beijing’s Inner City. Now it’s just a tourist attraction that is near Tiananmen Square. The first photo is looking from the China Railway Museum and when looking from the left to the right you see Zhenyangmen, the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, and the Monument to the People’s Heroes.
China Railway Museum
Across the street from Zhengyangmen is the China Railway Museum. If you’re into trains and near Tiananmen Square it is a short walk to get there.
