Doctor Ben in China 2003 photos. Beijing, Xian

The National Flag is also one of the Best, but most diificult of all the photo-opportunities in Beijing. Get there when it is not crowded yet. Or get lucky !! Don't forget a wide-angle lense !

Ben at the Chinese National Flag at Tian An Men Square.

This national Flag is really the nations pride and PLA Soldiers are always guarding it.

Interesting Ceremonies and parades are held at dawn and dusk to raise or secure the Flag.

These 2 photos were taken by some local Beijing students who were very interested in me and my Camera. After having explained them about my website and photos they were very enthusiastic about my digital interest in

and advertisement for

their Country and City.

Truely amazing to be inside The Great Hall of The Peoples, what for little westerners such as myself is Symbol for a lot of Communist Power , thoughts and ideas. Now that politics have relaxed and China has opened up ( as they like to term it ) one can have a small look inside the Party one-self.

Doc Ben in Xian , Shaanxi Province, China. November 2002.

On a new scouting out trip for The China Reporter-website I flew out to the ancient City of Xian.

Of course I had to visit the Tomb Site and

Great Terracotta Army of China's 1st Emperor

Qing.

Ben at the Ten Fu Main Office in Beijing , having another friendly meeting and business talk with my Friend at Ten Fu Beijing.

As signing of Contract has not been concluded yet, we have not much comments on these 2 photos for the moment.

Posing in the Bathroom of my gigantic suite at the Capital Hotel after just having experienced the heaviest snowstorm in Beijing in 20 years.

Yes, I made some awesome albeit strange photos of TiananMen !! And My, what was it cold !!

Posing with for some Self-timed self-portraits with QianMen ( ChienMen) in the Background.

Some of my favorite restaurants have a view of QianMen and the South Side of Heavenly Peace Square.

And last but not least : Having an unforgettable afternoon at Xian's muslim Quarter where I was invited to document the Great Mosque of Xian into an excellent digital photographic tour for The China Report.

The photo depicts the Warden of the Great Mosque of Xian posing with Doc Ben ( Me ) , The China Reporter at the gate and entry of the Great Mosque.

A autographed Copy of this Photo and a China Report business-card will be on display at the Wardens' Office, at the Left ( outside this photo ).

Go check it out !

Posing in front of ShenyangMen, the morning of the 7th of November 2003, after the heaviest snowstorm in Beijing in 20 years.

I had to get out onto the square before the real crowds would come or some governement service would clean the square once again, ruining the snow. Succeeded in this Mostly !

And last but not least :......... One more series of Portraits in Beijing.

After catching the fresh ( as possible in a City of 13 million + ) morning snow on the 7th of November, I marched on for photos of and taken from the DuanMen. The DuanMen is the 2nd Gate of the Imperial Palace when taken from the South. As such it promised some great photos of the Imperial Palace Museum in Snow. I did not reckon with the cold and wind though...

Doc Ben at The Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, some 200 kilometers outside Beijing proper.

A fine sunny day, and just two days after the heaviest snowfall Beijing

saw in

years,

great

for

photo-

graphy.

The mutianyu Great Wall is an interesting and extensive length of Great Wall with far sights and better experiences than the Badaling Great Wall site. I had a great day including almost the entire lenght into a digital report for this website ! In combination with Simatai, a super project.

Being the utter , utter, and complete Tourist and loving it.

Here i am Taking Time Out for a portrait of myself in Imperial Uniform after shooting and extensive photo- and video-series at the ShenyangMen Gate.

Shenyangmen ( Men = Gate) overlooks the South Side of TiananMen Square and has a great view of the crowds of visitors at Mao's Famous Mausoleum.

Although China is defintly mainly a destination for Cultural Travels, there are still enough fun moments to enjoy. Not everything is serious !

And mind you - the food is usually excellent, and often surprising and adventurous as well.

I had a Fun Time trying this.

The old man photographer had his day at trying this new digital Camera,

I had time to relax from all that holding-da-camera-still,

and well...

I generally just felt like doing something crazy,

being there at the centre of Beijing and in the middle of it all.

If I were really really the Emperor, I 1) would get more portraits of myself , 2) always wear the nice and neat-o red hat.

I like it, it's cool and fits just swell.

3) Move into the Imperial Palace ofcourse. It's a truely spectacular place !

Also... If I were Emperor they could forget about Reforms, hehehe.....

Ofcourse I already had a great photo of myself with this Flag, Me and TianAnMen in bright sunlight

but this spot at the Great Square is just to good to not return to.

This time I decided to go for these self-portraits done by self-timer and with use of the wide-angled lense. Great results if I may say so?

( also visit the China National Flag Photographic Report for a video clip I shot here )

What better place to dine than somewhere with a view of the brightly lit TiananMen Square in the evning ??

While everyone is thinking about it I have already become a regular. And loving it !

True, ... I still need an international menu.

Learning Chinese is not thAt easy. Especially not when a lot of people can speak English in China nowadays.

Or am I just lazy in this ?

For a student of International Relations and History what a treat to have a photo in the official photo-op room and chairs of the Great Hall of the Peoples in Beijing !!

Not everyone who visits the Great Hall can get the opportunity for this great photo, but readers who go through our the The Great Hall of the Peoples full digital photographic report you can find out exactly how to go about getting yours.

Posing at the National Flag and in front of TiananMen, the Gate of Heavenly Peace.

Switching cameras with an american guy here was fun. Now we both have a unique Tiananmen square picture to show our families.

My third photo series of Me and the National Flag at TiananMen.

This time I have the composition in snow. Could not let that pass of course !

( photo is still a challenge to get without other visitors joining in the picture )

Having more Tourist photo fun while warming up and entertaining the Ladies that guard the interior of Duanmen.

The Gate indeed has a superior view of the Gugong entrance, and with my Imperial attire , the romantic snow and so many charming ladies flocking around Me I did feel like a handsome Emperor for a moment.

For a historic lesson: Note the Giant Phoenixes adorning my Thrown. These phoenixes actually symbolise the Empress, as the Dragons on my gowns and attire are the Emperors logo.

( So to speak )

The Red feathered Hat significies a high official of the

( Last ) Ching Dynasty Court. The wealth of red decoration makes me a very high official ( in this case the Emperor ). The Emperors can be seen wearing these gowns and hats on their official Court Portraits.

As this was a scouting trip, and so .. more or less my holiday from photography, I took it quite easy.

No extended digital tour of the Terracotta Army expected soon on this site !

However, can one pass up the opportunity of a photo with a 2200 year old General ??

( I think not . )

For historical accuracy : this is an original Terracotta Warrior from the original tomb-site. Few are on display and to be seen so up close.

A General, as all other soldiers in the Terracotta army, can be recognised by his distinctive hairdress.

In the case of a general for beads of braided hair combed back over the head.

I had an exceptionally good afternoon at Xian's Hui Islamic Quarter and definitly intend to see more of the City

( not in the last place for this website ! )

Satellite image of China and North-East Asia, with a super-imposed schematic Map of the location and Path of the Great Wall as constructed during the Reign of the Ming Dynasty. Included for reference are City names, geographical features of landscape, Names and locations of Passes on the Great Wall of China.