Forbidden City: A Bit Disappointing. Am I Allowed to Say That?
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Not really. It's normal for popular attractions to be crowded. The challenge is figuring out how to balance public access with preservation when there are so many people. It's not about shutting everything down for protection's sake. Look at France and Italy—they get more international tourists than Chinese attractions. I think it's a gradual learning process for everyone; even the Forbidden City only recently made these changes.
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I feel the same way. Before I went, I imagined I'd get to see the living environments of ancient people and picture how they lived hundreds of years ago. But there was nothing like that, and I was instantly disappointed.
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@ISurfTheNetJustToMakeWeirdComments
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Never mind other things, the Forbidden City seems to have its own budget version of things. I went today, and so much was under repair they just showed you a cardboard cutout.
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That's pretty 'thoughtful' of them, even drawing on the cutout so you can use your imagination.
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As far as the eye can see on the Great Wall, it's all 'X was here' graffiti. I feel that protecting the Forbidden City this way is still necessary.
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You're talking about two completely different things. The other examples I gave aren't places where you can just scribble 'X was here' either.
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I think covering them up is good. It pains me to see all the messy carvings. Don't compare; many of Europe's Eastern collections were looted, so they don't feel the same pain. There's only one Forbidden City in the world.
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Are you saying the architectural civilizations of ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, and the Ottoman Empire aren't worth seeing? Saying that just shows you haven't bothered to learn about the history and culture of other countries.
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I totally get how you feel. I don't like this current operational model either, but there are just so many people in China; there's no choice but to protect these sites.
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Yes, that's one aspect. On the other hand, I think even if they don't open them up, there might be better ways to display things. At the Old Summer Palace, even though there's nothing left, you can still watch short films.
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The main halls in the middle are all like this. Although my colleague warned me beforehand, I was still a bit disappointed when I actually saw it.
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Yes, I was very disappointed too. I would have been content even if I could just peek in from the doorway, but you can't see anything at all.
