October 25, 2010- Day 3 in Beijing

The Great Wall yesterday was really amazing- so much better than you see on TV. :) The stretch we went to (which I think is called Mutanyu) is 2 hrs from my hotel, so I got to see what the area surrounding Beijing is like. Interestingly it's like a dry version of Michigan! My guide reminded me that not only to Chinese people and native American people share a common ancestry, our countries also share many similar plants because some were brought by the nomadic people who came to the Americas. I love that my Chinese friends and I share a closer ancestor than Noah- native Americans and Asians are not that distant cousins. :) I think that's very cool.

The Great Wall was built to keep the Manchurians out of China- Manchurians is another name for Huns apparently. But one of the Chinese emperors was actually Manchurian, so I'm not sure what the deal is there. :)

I really enjoyed seeing the Temple of Heaven yesterday, though it was at the end of a very long day of walking and sitting in the car. One of the highlights for me was the wooden tablet that they inscribed "God of Heaven" onto. I know that the message of the real God of heaven made it to China long before JC came, because of the trade routes and the silk road. And after JC came, the message of his coming also came to China and is reflected in some very ancient Chinese characters. But this emperor created a wooden tablet, and it represented the God of Heaven. Whatever his understanding of the God of heaven, he understood the need to meet with him and pray to him. It all went a bit wrong when the emperors decided to make themselves and their ancestors lesser gods, but standing there in the temple I wondered what that ancient emperor thought about all of this. There was even a special stone pathway laid for the tablet to travel over- so many of the things reflected what we know of the Ark of the Covenant, and OT writings.

It's another mostly clear day today- yesterday was a nice clear sky due to the rain and wind, and although some light clouds are appearing now I hope the weather will stay good, without more smog!