(ESTIMTED PUB DATE) PEKING AND ENVIRONS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00160304
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 81
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: September 28, 2020
• Case Number: F-2016-01277
• Publication Date: January 1, 1972

Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
m reign Dissem
DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence Report
Peking and Environs
Approved for Release 2.0 AUG 1996'
CIA/BGI GR 72-3
NLNP
Mandatory
Case Nk.t4
Doc. It- 1
Beview
(fi ?ICS
Date January 1972
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Introduction
eOgraphic Setting
ve;TY..,...1'sey., o! the City
.:en'e fa 1 Plan
Ub-urb an Expansion
,InduS trr-i y
, . ,- � -
4gTreylit.tire../V,ii.-7-,'"7-1,.
Tran-Spo,t7eWtf'" '
Piibstk - e Ari -."- - RW' -i7Pfrf
,.. .c:-, ,:.ce's-- filih
-.4.. pt t11ii M
--,
6:orit: . .i...:,.. .-;olori,,17g.i.,.--
y .! fl..,.---/:�! lffi itili 0:U-
-- ` - `74Y 7-ttotip4,�....... , v.
6 t 6 I jAcc.dmmo:da't iis,
,,:,.. � � ,i J., , - .,. il
:atterns df . LE .
oifips,49f f-r,i-i-tp-?es.
'''-ai.S.,Ii1;:iitfsiV
Tart at
. Impei.j.a11:01!
:. as te,r..4 Hal,
1:�leSitie:in
.
Chines'e,..'Citr.�.
- EaSteriSubUrbs
Southern: -S,ii,Iii.lr
Wes t.e frii,.. Subli"i�bS
. , .2-.
., Northern . and No rthw6ste rn.,',.::,..
..- ., , - ..... ,.,
� ,Suburbs ' � - .. �
Attractions: :in .the, Vicinity �f.
. � , ,
,
Appendix: Ming
Cktk
arid Mari cliuEmrigex-
-
AL
EIGp-DISSEM,
9
11
14
14
18
�
.. 53
�
,54.
0-04-
4.14;4*.reir%
..J1;:tirpw,"
1
.�:eZ1177114
q,.Se) W.ta
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI IAL
NO I GN DI SSEM
Figure 1
�Ch'ung-li
Ch'ih-ch'eng
Cho-lu
Hsi Ling:.
Man-ch'eng
500747 11-71
Yen-ch'ing
Huai-lai
Kuan-t'ing
Shui. k'
Chil-yung Kuan
Chang
Chai-tang
Pan-ch'iao
Ta-an-shan
Ch'ang-hs.
Tz'u-chia-wu
Fang-
Pao-ting
Chou-k'
Cho-hsten
Lai-shui
Jung-ch'eng
Hsiung-hsien
� An-hsin
Feng-ning
.Yung-ch'ing
Pa-hsien
Ha
Wen-an
An-tz'u
Peking.
People's Republic
of China
Ping-ku
Lu an
Luan-ping
Ta-ch'ang
hing-hai
Pao-ti
Ato
entsln
Hsing-lung
Tung Ling
YO-rien
Po-
hai
Wan
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI
NO F
IIAL
1GN DISSEM
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Directorate of Intelligence
January 1972
INTELLIGENCE REPORT
Peking and Environs
Introduction
1. Peking has been the capital of China for
most of the past 700 years, but its political
significance has never been as strong as it is
today. The origins of the city date back much
farther into history, possibly to around 2,000
B.C. Much of Peking's importance is derived from
its site; it was first a northern rampart against
outside invasion and later the fortified home of
the Imperial Court. The basic plan for Peking was
laid out by the Mongol (Yuan) Dynasty about 1268,
and the core of the present city, established during
the early Ming Dynasty, is situated approximately
on the ruins of the Mongol city. Peking had. a long
and glorious reign as the Imperial Capital, but
fell into moderate disrepair after the demise of
the Manchu (Ch'ing) Dynasty in 1912. The present
regime has been engrossed in the revival of Peking
-- now at its apex as the cultural, political, and
communications center of China.
Note: This report was prepared by the Office of
Basic and Geographic Intelligence and coordinated
within the Directorate of intelligence.
CONF IAL
NO IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Old. Walled City
TM
71th-15011.u:fen Hucrtg-s.
Hs;ao-hsi�rrtert
H11;00 -1�1�Vfl
lisi�chin Win
Fu�cn'eng Wan
'alert ran
(Altar Of the Moon)
Son�Ii�N,
Pa; v.,
on
Slat.on
tisi�is.so
7.5.54 Man
live�foo�liou
litiani.141 Fin
sn.r.t Win
- .....
Wei�1, en
(Altar of Earth)
Confucius Sluing
Chung Lou
h. h b� re 11.1i
(Bell Tower)
Ku Lou
�l
(Drum Tower)
TART1.�:AR
'Jt-�;n U14
,
IMPERIAL CITY.
Ps, ll.s --
7 ��
\
I . CF;Ag . . � Sham
I ���:.:
Man �
-
WM-CI-CENG
14sla.11." Mara
�- � -
FORB:ODEN
Inn( .� �
I. I
777�
t :
-
-
Letjation.
Quarter � .
,
-------- ��
�
Chant-Tang Man
CHINESE CITY
Hii�Chunin
Tssi�cfnia�fs'un
-yiicen
Hsien-nung ran
' --(Altar of Agriculture)
Tnnutint,non Statinn �
Hue�chieo�sf�us- -
� Hsi-pio�he....
H.;c2O-ht.torip--cht;ong
Hsioo�huong�chuoneil-
Tunc�ho Kunc
K.Long�tho Ling
,
n.T(/liimhml.Ctin(
_
Tunc�chih Own
NEI-CWENG Z.
----"nnCh�ging�.an Man
1 Tien T*an
!-- (Altar of,He�ven)
:=
Tint-tint &Iva
� � -
� Ma-yen
� �
Hu�oheang
ising�lo�Tinfin
CA'ao.yan I Men
�llh ran..
�
(Altar of the Sun)
7 -
Ca' 1.s.ang riff
Wong�y�k�f�rn
�
�
Chl-chiss�rlen
Ha-t' airs�itian
� Cluson�ch'eng
mos ' �
Kuong,
Ti,..
Sin
(ma-yea
0
11.
MileS
500757 11-71 Kuo�ria
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI P7IAL
NO FSYGN DISSEM
. 2. Much of Peking today is new, but the old
city remains, and its splendid remnants provide
the Communist leaders of China with an impressive
backdrop for the display of their political and
cultural pro-grams. The population has increased
in the last 22 years from about 2 million to more
than 7 million, and the city has burst out of its
original area to spread for miles in every direction.
Much of the population increase is the result of
the annexation of sizable tracts located some
distance from the built-up area. The city is still
in the throes of a construction boom, and the
formerly low silhouette of the city is now sporad-
ically disrupted by multistory apartments, hotels,
and office buildings. Open excavations, casual
large piles of building materials, and throngs of
workers are �frequent sights in the area, and
suburban industrial smoke contributes to a small
but growing pollution problem.
3. Travelers have always been strongly
attracted to Peking. Marco Polo spent the latter
part of the 13th century here, when the city was
known as Ta-tu or Khanbalic, before returning to
Europe to spread tales of Peking's fantastic
beauty and richness. His accounts appealed to
the adventurers of that day, and commerical
interests began to look with fondness on the
potentially vast and untapped Chinese market.
Relations with the Chinese developed very slowly,
however, and by the conclusion of the Mongol
Dynasty in the 14th century, Chinese rulers had
begun to look with disfavor on the further-expan-
sion of contacts with foreign countries. Although
a few foreigners managed to live or .to travel in
China, the Capital City of the legendary Cathay
was inaccessible for most non-Chinese in the
ensuing centuries.
4. The barriers restricting the entrance
of foreigners eventually weakened, and by the 19th
century a sizable body of non-Chinese were living
in Peking. By this time the Empire was in decay,
and Peking's grandeur was deteriorating. Xeno-
phobic inhabitants cowered in semi-seclusion
behind the myriad walls of the hu-t'ung (street
- 3 -
CON IAL
NO EIGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Figure 3
CONF
NO
^
^
J
The history of Peking is the story of at least six
town sites designated by eight place names, and like
most old Chinese things, the city has its true origins
shrouded in the myths and legends of the distant past.
No one can say when the site of Peking was first
occupied, but it seems reasonable to assume that, the
area was settled about 2000 B.C.
Chi was the first known town on the site of modem
Peking. Located near the northwest corner of the old
walled city, it became the capital of the Yen state
under the Chou Dynasty in 723 B.C. Chi was destroyed
in 221 B.C. by Shih Huang Ti. founder of the Ch'in
Dynasty. The Peking area was of little importance
until 70 A.D., when a new city. about 3 miles south of
the site of Chi. was built under the Han Dynasty.
Called Yen-ching, it was the capital of the independ-
ent state of Yen. During the Three Kingdom Period
the name was changed to Yu-chou. The city was des-
troyed by the Khitan Tartars (Liao Dynasty) in 936,
and a larger city was built on the same site. The
new town was called Nan-ching (ssuthern capital)
to distinguish it from a northern capital in Man-
churia, but the alternate name. Yen-ehing (swallow
capital), was more commonly used.
The Liao were defeated in 1125 by the Chin (Golden)
Tartars, and Yen-ching underwent important modi-
fications. It eventually became the Chin capital,
acquired a new name, Chung-tu (central capital),
and was considerably enlarged.
The magnificence of Chung-tu disappeared in 1215
when it was destroyed by the marauding hordes of
Genghis Khan. In 1260, Kublai Khan became the
Mongol Emperor, and he ultimately moved his capi-
tal to Chung-tu. Some of the city was rebuilt, but
later abandoned as Kublai devised a grandiose plan
for a completely new city just to the north of the site
500755 11.71 -
TI AL
IGN DISSEM
The Evolution of Peking
City name
Chi
- - - - - Yu-chou
Last date
221 B.C.
936 A.D.
� Nan-ching (Yen-cling)
1125
Chung-tu
1215
1368
Ta-tu (Khanba)ic)
Peking-1949 walls
of Chung-tu. Work apparently began about 1268.
The new city was named Ta-tu (Great capital), or
Khanbalie (home or the Khan), and was declared to
be the capital of the Yuan Dynasty in 1272. This was
the first time that central control over China was
exercised from what is now Peking. and it was Ta-tu
that greeted Marco Polo, who lived in the court or
Kublai Khan and later wrote vividly of the wonders
of the city.
The Mongols were overthrown by the Ming Dynasty
and driven from Ta-tu in 1369. The new dynasty
stayed in the south at Nanking, which served as its
capital, and changed the name of Ta-tu to Pei-p'ing
(northern peace). Pei-pIng became the seat of the
very ambitious Prince of Yen, the fourth son of the
founder of the Ming Dynasty. After the death of his
father, the prince usurped the throne and precipi-
tated a civil war for power, with the south divided
against his northern rule. After he defeated the south.
he became the Emperor Yung Lc in 1403. For a few
years he divided his time between Nanking and
Pei-Wing, but esentually he decided to move the capi-
tal back to the north, and for this move, he began a
lengthy and comprehensive reconstruction program
in Pei-Wing. By 1421 the program was well underway,
and Yung Lo moved into the new capital, which he
renamed Peking.
Peking was the Imperial Capital of China from 1421
until the end of the Manchu Dynasty in 1912, and it
served until 1929 as the capital of most of the country
under the Republic of China. In 1928 the Nationalists
changed the name of the city back to Pci-p'ing and
moved the capital to Nanking. Peking became the
scat of government again in 1949, when it was pro-
claimed capital of the People's Republic of China.
4
ENTIAL
OREIGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFID. AL
NO FWGN DISSEM
or -alley) compounds, and the Emperor and his retinue
remained hidden from view in the Forbidden City.
Foreigners were shocked at the level of filth and
poverty in Peking, but most of them became fond of
the city nonetheless, and in the process learned
to respect the Chinese with whom they came in
contact. Perhaps more than the Chinese, who were
mainly deprived of any contacts with the court,
the foreigners in Peking loved to revel in images
of the city's past pageantry and splendor.
S. In June 1879, President Grant visited
Peking on a round-the-world trip following his
term of office. Denied a visit with the Boy-
Emperor or entrance to the Forbidden City, the
former President was received by the Prince-regent
in the Tartar City. Later, Grant climbed the
Tartar Wall, just south of the buildings then being
occupied by the American Legation, for a better
look at the gracefully sloping roofs of the For-
bidden City. Another former American President,
Herbert Hoover, became familiar with Peking while
he served in China as a mining engineer.
6. The shadow of seclusion that has largely
hidden Peking since 1949 now appears to be lifting.
During most of this period only a few selected
visitors were permitted to take tightly regulated
tours of the city, and those who were accredited
to the small diplomatic communities lived an
almost contemplative existence within their com-
pounds. Visits and travel by outsiders virtually
ceased during the Cultural Revolution. Sine-that
time foreigners have been welcomed at an unprec-
edented rate. Travel visas are much easier to
obtain than formerly, and a sprinkling of tourists
are now permitted to visit the city. Movement
within Peking, however, remains carefully controlled.
7. What do visitors see today in Peking?
Certainly some of the splendor of the past is
there, but the destruction of the old city walls,
the incongruous new buildings and wide streets,
and the blare of revolutionary propaganda has
eroded the charisma of the city, which in these
- -
CONF AL
NO IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Figure 4
(`h."�Tof'f,".`:: N )
Nan-Wou-chen
Men-lou-kou
n -fou-k
Fang-sha
Nan-li-yuan
500748 11-71
Shlh-sen Ling
(Ming Tombs)
�
ng-lang�chen
Western
Hills
-
Kao-ching
In Is' un-
Ch'ang-hsin-tien
Clang-
thsieng
Liang-hsi g-
Shth�san 1.)ng
Shin�k'u
Chang-p'ing
ccohen
Summer Pal
Hsi-chiao
Airfield
Ye-men-Woo
Nan-yiian
Nan-yiian
Airfield
Kao-Ii-ying
0 5
Miles
Niu-Ian-shan
Horrian-ls'en
Tung-hsien
rung-hsien
Niu�p'u-run�chen -
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI AL
NO FO GN DISSEM
respects seems strangely shorn of oriental mystery.
Peking resembles any number of other large Asian
cities, but it has fewer shopping centers, little
night life, and a drabness that seems almost
manufactured, "as many of the new buildings, like
modern antiques, appear old. But the city today
is cleansed of its filth, and many of the earthy
street smells of the past are gone. Beneath the
revolutionary facade, the regime has taken care
to preserve whatever does not directly clash with
construction plans for the city, and although some
of the shrines, palaces, and relics of yesterday
have disappeared, most of those that remain have
been restored to their best state of repair since
the time of the Manchu Dynasty.
The Geographic Setting
8. Peking occupies a site on the northern
edge of the North China Plain, a few miles from
the mostly barren mountains that wall it in on
the north and west. An oddity among major cities,
it is not located along a stream; the major river
in the area, the Yung-ting Ho, flows across the
plain a few miles to the west. The city occupies
a slightly elevated portion of the plain and is
thus protected from the major floods that have
historically devastated large areas in this part
of China. The predominant soils of the area are
deep, fertile, and of loessial origin.
9. Although the climate of Peking is usually
considered healthful or invigorating because of
its changeability, tourists often complain that
the weather is too hot, cold, wet, or dusty.
Nevertheless the city enjoys nice spells, and if
one stays long enough, he may find the weather
delightful. While Peking and Washington, D.C.,
are at approximately the same latitude, the former
is hotter in summer, colder in winter, and does
not have the equivalent of the US Capital's usually
long and pleasant spring and autumn.
10. The longest season, winter, is dry and
clear, with little snowfall. Cold permeates the
city, which generally lacks central heating, and
7
CONF
NO N DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
.CONF
NO F
TI AL
ION DISSEM
everyone bundles into extra clothing, even when
indoors. Temperatures at this time of the year
may drop below 0�F. The ground and vegetation
dry up, and by late winter, brisk winds begin to
swirl the Peking dust -- fine yellow loessial
silt that seeps into everything. Spring finally
arrives in April, but dust storms are also most
likely to sweep out of Central Asia at this time
of the year. Dust control measures involving
reforestation and the planting of grasslands and
shelter belts have proven only partially success
ful, largely because of the widespread nature of
the storms. Locally, however, some progress has
been made by planting grass and shrubbery and by
paving streets.
11. A pleasant but short spring gives way
quickly to hot weather, and the normal summer is
characterized by spells of.oppressive heat inter-
spersed with periods of heavy rainfall. Temperatures
in the summer occasionally exceed 100�F. Rainfall
is usually insignificant until June, but seasonal
distributional patterns and amounts are highly
vatiable. Sometimes the rains start later in
summer; worse, in some years, it hardly rains at
all. Normally, however, the rains begin in June
and build up to a maximum in July, when almost 40
percent of the total annual precipitation occurs,
much of it in downpours associated with violent
thunderstorms. Most foreigners living in Peking
prior to 1949 made it a habit to flee the city in
early summer and to spend as much time as possible
on the cool wooded slopes of the Western Hills.
12. Probably the best time of the year to
visit Peking is late September and early October
after the summer rains lose their intensity.
During this short and pleasant period Peking
remains green and cool, prior to an abrupt tran-
sition into winter.
8
CON IAL
NO ION DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI AL
NO GN DISSEM
Figure 5
Aerial View
"N.
Kwan
'011-v11P4s0
GreJt KAU
.43n�leu
Yi.ha.pian
(Sennattr P1:3C1)
Overview of the City
General Plan
13. When the Communists assumed control of
Peking in 1949, the slightly tattered city was
essentially the same Imperial City that served
the Ming and Manchu Dynasties. Most of it was
confined within an imposing outer wall-,
by only 13 gates and a few railroad lines. Inside
the walls, the city was divided into two main
sections -- the Tartar City in the north, and the
Chinese City in the south. This division had its
crigin during the Mongol period. At that time the
Chinese were not permitted to live inside the
walled city, which was reserved for Mongol princes
and officials. This situation continued even after
the Ming walls were built. The Chinese town re-
mained outside until 1353, when Emperor Chia
- 9
IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
gmentete_tt,::J.,../
� . Shl"h�FnIng�shan Railfoid
,,Stattittri and sfatifj:.��.
tterntai Piaf.eft;G:lattf...
. �
� , ..... �
I
-
����'.
r_.
'
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 CO0160304-
. �
14
I! �
' I ,
, I .
��� 1 . �� . ,
...- ?4,. '--, 1.,',.� ....,....p�a.,c", - ..a.,...,..:. L. .
1..Enitif itlip-Plaetls) -- -..
.t 4/ ;/, t''/I `7'(;) t. I:- ) 1 ..4. It � t , .....
*-7 ii .� .11'.it'l..:-."��'-' ': ;' !., t� )...,' � ! lai i.....� tot... st , ft I-
. ' I.:4...i", �:
14 2. .!).� ''''''r.-1 � ,' t , 1.41, - ..1..':-:: '' 'I' .... \ - � r::"���
.1 Nt, I f' i '''''' �
I it'� .\ � ' ', - !- '-'.'� .1�..%
- -'"'" " .: ;.' ..' rssi' ,.' I
''
, 1-
.;
, '''....j......'',... r:',
-77 ; ' -.. ...... � i '' ..."
. .. .
1 , . , � . 2
� �
et Plant .t �/ /.1aw,
' � s,
� � � � '
� '7", � 11- �
�
y� 1 1, �
"r . , � 1.� ��10.'
�
ndustrIal inei � �
25
,
� -
Indultdal pc ea
� '
.1
. I
Rttlitoactlitt ,
5)1 t ,
�
,
� ' . .
��'.
tire �nd
Ofk Plant I
1....ti asiti-litno
t: t�t�le.;telien t lo,ntj
. .
33
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFID TAL
NO FOJCGN DISSENI
Ching* finally completed the long-planned enclosure
of the Chinese City.
14. The Tartar City contained three walled
enclosures the Imperial City (Huang Ch'eng),
the Purple Forbidden City (Tzu-chin Ch'eng), and
the Legation Quarter. The Imperial City, the
housekeeping organ of the palace and the Govern-
ment, was located in the center of the Tartar City
and completely enclosed the Forbidden City, the
seat of the Emperor. High walls and a wide moat
further insulated the Forbidden City, even within
the Imperial City. The newest walled division
within Peking -- the Legation Quarter -- housed
most of the foreign legations and was built in
1901 after the Boxer Uprising. The systems of
walls are now mostly destroyed, and the Forbidden
City, referred to as the Palace Museum, is the
only unit that survives intact.
Suburban Expansion
15. The buildings and streets of the old
city are in sharp contrast with those in the newer
suburbs, although everywhere the street patterns
are square. In the residential sections of the
old city the squat, gray, mostly tile-roofed
buildings are huddled closely together behind
nondescript walls; in the suburbs, on the other
hand, buildings are more widely spaced and taller.
The tremendous suburban growth of Peking has
apparently followed orderly guidelines. New
residential, institutional, and governmental
*Emperors in China had at least three names: a
personal name, a dynastic reign title, and a
posthumous name. The personal name was used before
the ascendency, the reign title during the period
of rule, and the posthumous name after the death of
the emperor. Throughout this text, emperors are
referred to by their best known name -- the reign
title -- a common practice among western writers.
(See Appendix on Ming and Manchu Dynasties on page 73.)
CONF � AL
NO IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Figure 7
CONF TIAL
NO IGN DISSEM
Growth of Peking Since 1949
� � Peking in 1949
FUNCTIONAL AREAS
El Commercial-Industrial
71 Governmental-Institutional-Park
El Military
Residential
500751 11-71 CIA
?
CONF AL
NO IGN DISSEM
RELEASABLE TO U ADA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND
- 12 -
CON F
NO IGN DISSEM
' Miles '
7
caw,
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI IAL
NO F GN DISSEM
Figure 8. West Chiang-an Boulevard near the old city
wall. The low buildings (foreground) in the old city
contrast with the taller modern buildings (background)
in the new sections outside the west wall (still standing
in 1966). Peking Broadcast House is to the left just
outside fu-hsing Men, the opening in the wall. The
spire in the distant center background is that of the
Military Museum.
complexes are generally located either in or
close to the old city, and new industrial plants
and agricultural communes are situated in the
far suburbs. Most universities and research
and governmental institutions are concentrated
in the northern and western suburbs -- a planned
institutional growth that was originally conceived
in the 1930's. The eastern outskirts are heavily
industrial, but the largest major industrial
complex is in the far western suburbs near the
Shih-ching-shan Iron and Steel Plant along the
Yung-ting Ho (River). The scope of development
in the southern suburbs has been relatively limited.
- 13 -
CONFID
NO IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFID IAL
NO FO GN DISSEM
Figure 9. Cotton textile mills in the east suburbs. A
fourth plant has been added since this photo was taken in
1959. Workers housing is at left.
Industry
16. Industrial growth has placed some emphasis
on the production of communications and electrical
equipment, electronics equipment, and advanced
military weapons. Although industrial development
has been highly diverse, Peking still ranks con-
siderably below such other industrial centers as
Shanghai, Mukden, Dairen, Lan-chou, and Wuhan.
Nevertheless the city is now a significant producer
of textiles and synthetic fibers, petrochemicals,
automotive and agricultural equipment, and light
and heavy machinery. It has a large and growing
skilled labor force, and its position in most
enterprises is supported by the presence nf the
nation's leading technical research facilities and
personnel.
Agriculture
17. Peking, like all major cities in China,
must grow most of its own food, and the task is
- 14 -
CONFI
NO
AL
IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI TIAL
NO F GN DISSEM
Figure 10. Agricultural commune in outskirts of Peking.
These are hothouses for growing winter vegetables.
assigned to large agricultural communes in the
suburbs. The communes are also used to demonstrate
the agricultural advances of China and to experi-
ment with new farming techniques. Many of the
large communes, especially those visited by foreign
dignitaries, are of the "showcase" variety and
probably are not typical of those in other sections
of the country. Impressions of Chinese agriculture
gained from visits to them could be misleading.
One commune, for example, features milk cows, a
rarity in China.
Transportation
18. Although Peking is a very busy city, it
is relatively unencumbered by the traffic jams and
the usual rush-hour patterns of other major cities,
mainly because of the lack of privately owned
automobiles and the absence of a principal central
business district that would concentrate traffic
flow toward one sector of the city. Furthermore,
the distances traveled are reasonably short, and
most people either walk or use bicycles; workers
in Peking's factories usually live in dormitories
or apartments near their work. Still, Peking's
- 15 -
CONF IAL
NO EIGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONF IAL
NO �IGN DISSEM
Figure 11. Peking subway under construction. This view from
the south side of Hsin-chiao Hotel shows subway construction
on the site of the old city wall.
Figure 12. Light traffic in Tiien-an Men Square. Pedicabs
carry a large volume of goods in Peking. T'ien-an Men and
the reviewing stands for national parades are in the background.
- 16 -
CONF IAL
NO EIGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
NO FO -fGN DISSEM
Figure 13. Street corner in Peking. Pedestrians and bicycles
account for most of the traffic at this intersection. The old
lady with the cane has bound feet.
Figure 14. Peking Central Airport Terminal. Completed
in the late 1950's, the airport handles international traffic
for the Chinese capital.
- 17 -
CONF TIAL
NO ",.�EIGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29-000160304
CONFII. AL
NO F GN DISSEM
streets are filled with a conglomeration of
pedestrians and vehicles -- buses, trolleys, and
bicycles -- and everyone seems to be "on the go."
Few are idle in this city where even mothers of
young childen hold full-time jobs, leaving their
offspring in nurseries during working hours.
19. The monumental project of today is the
subway system that will eventually link all of
the major portions of the enlarged city. The
first completed segment connects the main rail-
road station in the eastern portion of the old
city, via 16 subway stations along a 23-kilometer
route, with the Shih-ching-shan Iron and Steel
Plant to the west.
20. The role of Peking as a major trans-
portation center has changed little, except that
the airplane is now more frequently used for
intercity passenger travel and the haulage of
small, light goods. Most intercity transport --
freight and passengex -- is accomplished by train,
and major railroad lines radiate from the city.
Although growing in importance, the truck transport
industry is still in its infancy, there being a lack
of both good roads and large vehicles. Water
transport, which was formerly a significant
carrier of goods into Peking, especially via the
Grand Canal, is now regaining some of its former
importance.
21. There are a number of airfields in the
Peking area, but most of them are for military
use. Nearly all civil traffic uses the Peking
Central Airport (Capital Airport), one of the
few international airfields in China; it is
located about 10 miles northeast of the city.
The Chinese civil airline is growing, but its
equipment, judged by international standards, is
outdated. Accordingly, flights are programmed to
take advantage of good weather and daylight hours.
Public Services
22. Most of Peking's water supply in the
past was derived from wells. This source has
- 18 -
CON IAL
REIGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFID OTAL
NO FO GN DISSEM
Figure 15
Water Supply
500750 11-71
Kuan-ring
Shui-k'u
�Shih-san Ling
Shui-leu
Yung-ting Ho
Aqueduct
Miles
Huai-jou
U
-5-
Mi-yan
Shui-k'u
proved insufficient in recent years, however, and
water has been increasingly transported to the
city from nearby springs, rivers, and reservoirs.
Two notable water-supply projects completed by
the Communists are the Yung-ting Ho Aqueduct and
therPeking--Mi-yun Canal. The Yung-ting Ho Aqueduct
brings water from an intake dam on the Yung-ting
River through a combination canal and tunnel along
a 21-kilometer course. The Peking--Mi-yun Canal
carries water to Peking from the Mi-yiin Reservoir,
about 70 kilometers to the northeast on the Ch'ao-pai
Ho. This wide canal follows a circuitous 110-kilo-
meter route along the base of the mountains to the
north and west of Peking, and reportedly, it can
accommodate vessels of up to 1,000 tons. The
- 19 -
CONF AL
NO IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFIDE
NolowpfN DISSEM
completion of both of these very impressive projects
undoubtedly required tremendous inputs of labor.
23. Trash is no longer dumped into the
hu-t'ungs (streets or alleys), which are now
carefully swept by the inhabitants, whether paved
or not. Underground sewers have replaced most of
the large open ditches that in the past drained
sewage from the residential sections.
Figure 16. Water Supply Canal north of the Summer Pdlace.
The canal passes through a typical small agricultural
village in the suburbs of Peking.
24. Air pollution is a concern in Peking,
but it is much less of a problem here than it is
elsewhere in cities of comparable size. Industrial
plants add smoke to the atmosphere, of course, but
most industries are situated in the eastern and
southern suburbs, where the prevailing northwesterly
winds help to move it away from the city. Other
plants, such as those along the Yung-ting River,
- 20 -
CONFI
NO N DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONF hAL
NO IGN DISSF,M
are situated far enough from the city that the
smoke they generate is dissipated somewhat before
it can reach Peking. Home heating systems are the
main polluters of the atmosphere in Peking, where
practically all heating depends on coal. The smoke
of home heaters all over the city can contribute
to the massive pollution of the air during the long
cold winter.
Security
25. Soldiers and military vehicles are in
evidence on the streets of Peking, but only in
small numbers. Military installations in the city
are either so unobstrusive that they warrant little
attention or they are located in remote suburban
sites, protected from the scrutiny of visitors.
Probably the most sensitive military areas are in
the western suburbs -- the site of important state
agency and military headquarters. Certainly, the
Chinese are excessively secretive, and in addition,
they wish to present only favorable images of their
country. Thus the movements of visitors in Peking
have been controlled in an effort to demonstrate
the economic and sociological advances of the
regime, while minimizing the flow of intelligence
to "imperialistic" countries.
26. Large numbers of military personnel move
into Peking's streets during visits by prominent
foreign officials. At these times the street
corners are well patrolled, and the normally
light traffic is completely controlled. Since
1969, Chinese crowds have usually been docile
and friendly -- responsive to the wishes of the
Government. Visitors are permitted considerable
freedom of movement, but only under the watchful
eyes of helpful guides, who provide translation
services and act as buffers to minimize visitor
contact with the Chinese people. Normally, the
Chinese do not like to be photographed without
permission.
Hotel Accommodations
27. Of the major hotels in Peking, only two
predate the present Government -- the Peking and
- 21 -
CON IAL
REIGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CON'T IIAL
NO FeHIGN DISSEM
the Kuo-chi (formerly Grand Hotel des Wagon Lits).
The Peking has been enlarged and completely
renovated, but the current status of the Wagon
Lits is unknown. Most of the recent foreign
visitors have been accommodated at the Hsin-chiao
Hotel, located near the southeast corner of the
old Legation Quarter. The Min-tzu (Nationalities)
Hotel, on West Ch'ang-an Boulevard, just west of
the Cultural Palace of the Nationalities, has
usually been reserved for Afro-Asian visitors.
The Overseas Chinese Hotel is located northeast of
the Forbidden City, adjacent to the Museum of Fine
Arts and the nearby Ho-p'ing (Peace) Hotel. The
Chien-men, to the west of the Altar of Heaven, is
the only large hotel in the old Chinese City. Most
of the smaller hotels, hostels, and guesthouses in.
the city do not accommodate foreign guests.
28. Foreign dignitaries are usually accom-
modated in their respective embassies or at one of
the better government guesthouses. Some of the
finest guesthouses are located in a parklike
compound in the western suburbs, just east of
Yu-yuan T'an, about a mile west of the old city.
The former site of an Imperial residence known as
Tiao-yu T'ai (Fishing Terrace), this pleasant,
secluded compound contains some of the finest
modern residences in the Peking area, and it has
been used by only the most distinguished guests.
Patterns of Life
29. Living habits among the Chinese in_
Peking have changed only moderately, even though
most of the people may be living in an apartment
or dormitory for the first time. Facilities are
crowded, but crowding is accepted by the Chinese,
who are accustomed to living in small places.
Family apartments often consist of one room, with
toilet and kitchen facilities being shared with
other families. Dormitories usually house four
people to a room.
30. Most people still wear blue clothing as
they always have. While other colors are not un-
common, especially among the women and the young,
-
CONFI
NO IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
+
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CON NT I AL
NO E I GN DI SSEM
Figure 17. Apartments in eastern suburbs. These are typical
of the better�apartments for workers.
Figure 18. Walled hu-t'ung in old city. Walls or backs of
buildings commonly front the narrow streets and alleys of
old Peking and most homes are hidden from view.
- 23 -
CONF I
NO GN DI SSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
LUNk1y IAL
NO GN DI SSEM
1
4 L
g it�if it it
; '41.,
, i ,r ii--IS ,- - i
2 lit�
"';'1, - -
� 1 Ut, r
� ?...t f.,
k
Figure 19. Narrow hu-t'ung in old city. Small shops
and homes line this improved alley in one of the
poorer sections of town.
Figure 20. Peking backyard barbecue. Chinese women
often cook meals outdoors on charcoal stoves.
- 24 -
CO IAL
REIGN DI SSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI IAL
NO IGN DISSEM
all clothing seems to have a unity of style that
is depressingly austere. Most of the women wear
pantsuits, which are masculine, pajama-style
outfits that do little to identify the sex of the
wearer. Recently, women have been encouraged to
wear clothing that is more feminine.
31. Lacking private refrigeration, the
Chinese buy food on an almost daily basis. They
make many of their purchases in markets and small
shops, however, instead of relying on street
hawkers as they did in the past. The people still
spend much of their time on the streets, particu-
larly when the weather is good, and peddlers
continue to hawk their wares, but at a pace that
is much reduced from that which prevailed when
practically all the necessities of life could be
purchased-et the doorstep. The once popular pastime
of haggling is almost unheard these days, and it
is hardly needed as food prices are set low by the
Government. There are no supermarkets or self-
serve stores.
32. Food in Peking is now in better supply
than ever before, and beggars and emaciated
individuals are no longer observed in the streets.
While eating out is a favorite pastime, the average
person cannot afford to patronize the better
restaurants. The Chinese tend to dine in low-
priced cafeterias, and in most neighborhoods small
food shops offer simple meals at reasonable prices.
Food stands and tea shops are also popular. For
those with ample funds, the gustatory delights of
Peking have not changed. Foreign visitors are
usually impressed by the variety and quality of
the food served in Peking restaurants, and are
amazed by the relatively low prices.
33. Recreation in Peking now stresses whole-
some athletics, and the illicit pleasures and much
of the night life of pre-Communist days have
disappeared. The numerous large sports complexes
are in almost constant use, and most organizations
have athletic fields or facilities to accommodate
workers and students. Calisthenics are engaged in
at prescribed times during the working day, often
- 25 -
CONFID
NO GN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONF IAL
NO IGN DISSEM
with. great fervor. Theaters still abound in-Peking
although the fare is slim, the dominant theme of
most productions at this time being political.
Points of interest in the City and its Suburbs
Tartar City
Imperial City
34. Although the former significance of
the old Imperial City as home of the Emperor and
seat of the Government is gone, this section of
the Tartar City retains its importance. No longer
existing as an entity, the outlines of the Imperial
City are nevertheless still traceable. Many of the
state arid�military offices are located here and
political control still seems to emanate from this
quarter of the city.
35. Almost every tour of Peking begins at
T'ien-an Men Square, said by the Chinese to be the
largest square in the world. Comprised of some
100 acres of granite slabs, it is large enough to
contain about 75 American football fields. T'ien-an
Men (Gate of Heavenly Peace), with its portrait of
Mao Tse-tung, overlooks the square on the north,
and during the massive parades and celebrations that
are held here, it serves as a reviewing stand for
the Party hierarchy. At the south center of the
square is the Monument to the People's Heroes, a
pine and cypress park, and a bus station. Flanking
the square on the west is the National People's
Congress Building, and on the east is the building
that contains the Revolutionary and Historical
Museum. Both of these massive stone buildings
were completed in a flurry of construction in 1958.
36. Prior to 1949 the square in front of
T'ien-an Men was much smaller. At that time it
was included within an extension of the walls of
the Forbidden City, the site of the Imperial Palace,
which it served as an outer courtyard. Behind
T'ien-an Men, the gracefully curved, yellow-tiled
roofs of the city peep over the walls, although
- 26 -
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
II mpenal Lity A IA
_proved for Release. 201 8../66/2-96601-60304
/ 1 = ...-.
T-
Ministry )
i i d
z
o MI-LANG-KU i2 HUANG.HUA.MEN
Monumenri 7 Young Pioneers i
r-------r--- hydroelectric
National ) 5\Dragon power station'
Pa\tilipn
it, i � \�',-,
=
i Drgleils:_ _ie. k �J.
CHING-SHAN-HOU-CHIEH
a .
7 SAN-YEN-CHING
, c,_:. _
. . �, ,
z Kung-nUpg-ping
. i 1
Park:L�
I
\ (Pei Hai Park) '
E White Dagoba
3
� North
Cathedral
National
WEN-CHING-CHI H Library (
HSI-HUNG-MEN
NrIA-PCSI-OVISH.ISH
ERH-T1A0
HUANG-CHING-KEN
T'Al-FU-SSU
LI-KO-LAO-HU-T'UNG
.HSI-CFCANG-AN-CHIEH
Hs�.�0..,'ANG-LU
RUIN-PING-1.0
JUNG-HS1EN-HU-T'UNG
WEI�YING-HU�T'UNG
ty
Imperial
,Canal Bridge
(
/CHUNG HAI
Ting T'ai,
Hsin-hua
tire-
HSI-CH ANG-AN-CHIEH
I Peking Music Hall
CHUNG-CHIEH
HSIN-LIEN-TZU-HU-T'UNG
H11H,VIIH-N194-13.1
National
People's
JUNG-HSIEN-HU-T'UNG Congress
Monunwont�.1
3
4T, KAO-PEI-HU-T'UNG
HSI-CHIAO-MIN-HSIANG
Ho-ping Men
500752 11-71 CIA
Mile
Subway
HSI-RU-YEN
n n
1-151-GHIAO-MIN-HSIANG
1/2
CWIEN-NEI-HSI-SHUN.CHING-CHIEH
RELEASA
ERH-HU-T'LING
CO
CHING-SHAN.TUNG-CHIEH
CH'ANG-AN BOULEVARD
T'ien-an Men
Square
Monument to the
People' eroes
IGN DISSEM
M�14,101)34, A US li)2717SHIA:s "AM* AfSfhiBffA LAN liA-sko-cm'ANG
� branch office (probable)
HAN-HUA-YUAN-TA-CHIEH
CH'1410-1.0U
MENG-KUNG-FU
-
Guesthouse
F.
H3IHD-NYN-N3W-NV-ON111
HaIVID-VVISHIISS-04-Y1
Museum of
Fine Arts
H3114).Y1-0Nil1'IlSS-01-V1
Overseas
TS'Ul-HUA-HU-T'UN9 h
Hotel
TUNG-CH'ANG.HU.T'UNG
-oNYnk-oNni
NAI-TZU-FU
SHAO-CHIU-HU-T'UNG
H3I1D.Y1111-ONVM
TUNG-AN-MEN-TA-CHIEH
�Peking Theater
Tung-an
People's
Market
Peking
Department
Store
OYI.YIFO-NYN
.External Affairs office,
'Ministry of Defense
g Embassy
of Denmark
Revolutionary
t I al
orical
eums
.1 Central
Post Office
Former American
Embassy
Chien Men
H31H3-VI�ONIHO-Ild-DNVM
Peking Hotel
nternational Civil Aviation Bureau
TUNG-CH ANG-AN-CHIEH
TUNG-CHIA0- MIN-HSIANG
Kuo-chi
Hotel
CH'IEN-NEI-TUNG-SHUN-CHING-0HIEH
TUNG-HO-YEN
ONV.H711.0-IV.1
International
Club
HSIA-TUNG-HO.YEN
lx.m0.0.cANG
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
s-
ers
� �s,
� c
� 0 .0
0 ��--
co 4-s
� �CI 5-
C .0
>
al CU
� -C �-
C � 4-, 0
et, 0
_C C
V -6, .9 CU
-C
5.. �
�-� 4- 4-
o
c0 CU 0
C
CV -C
CP, ���,
��� C C
^ c0 0 E
CU 0 c0
0. IUI
-
E O
o C E
1- r0
4- al
C Lon C
al o = 0
1-
� C �-�
CT ca
VI I U
C
C CU 5- �
�r- 00
��-
C
= CO
VI
C -0 C
al 0- C VI 5
��-
- 5-
5- L
, � .1
�.��� " �/.
� ;.�
� -f, . �
. .
��� ..:__; ,----,---,-1" -'-'''',
, ,-'� , �� � � 1------r-r:7--
,. r ,
l' ���� .'-----:
.-�fr.... �'- _C_7�-i''`'' ' ' '''''" .. _ 1.��������: � r�-���,.1,--� ',.... e.,
''',.._L.,_.7.,,_, ,'�,1\ \;.�-_-_,........................................ 1
'-7--.",\--i--7--_"---�__ ..--1�.....ci., ,, -- --:-.:,:,,,--.... � ..... j'''.
, .
'-' --'.....r"' �� rl- - ' � .-----Yffs-r-� - � - � �
�---.-....:\f 4.;.....�. - ,----.. - � 1.-_,-..--)�...--.....___. .
Raw .i., ...I.... .,
. ,0���.p.a,a,.i .--;-.."'-' (6�717-17.'�'� 7 �' ,, - .1- ..- .0 t."...., .
' r"....'. '. I ''' ' I ...--�,,,,./.,.:-.
I � � �--
1111.:�Irl�I t C'e�'..."':''' � 4 r�s
...
�"--/ w�41�.1,
�����170,4,..g ��-- .
-7,
a,,,j,illii� C�'`," , ...-
.. i:,,,;........::���1tr.,,i , � /, � �.77.7,7' 7�.--�� , __
. �
_..... l' '1,;._ .' � ' � �
� ..
. �
� ...,' �
bre 52_
�_, ,
� � s \ 1�r1 7.� F-I,
--a. ,�������;,��
_cc,1 I
n
0..!:t .! � ���
.-1�11.41:
FA�ndshi�s �
i
�. �
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 CO0160304
; r
alin.elas _12i 11
*us PerIlion%
"
1112-41..."" - �
�
.7
I I.� .
'CO
7'7 '
� C11" 1ELEASA9
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 CO0160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONF,0001AL
71000F0W GN DISSEM
three more gates and courtyards bar entrance to
the former palace of the Emperor.
37. After the fall of the Manchu Dynasty,
the walls of the Imperial City were gradually
removed to facilitate east-west movement, and
today only the southern wall along Ch'ang-an
Boulevard remains standing. While the functions
of the old Imperial City have changed, most of
the original structures remain, and it is still
possible to appreciate their relative role in
Imperial China.
38. Two parks -- Chung Shan (Sun Yat-sen) and
People's Cultural Park -- are located just inside
the walis_of the old Imperial City behind T'ien-an
Men. Chung Shan Park, also known as Central Park,
is to the northwest of T'ien-an Men. It was a
palace playground and the site of the Altar of the
Earth and Harvests (She-chi T'an). Only the Emperor
was entitled to sacrifice at this altar, which he
did on prescribed days in the spring and the autumn.
Near the entrance of the park is a marble p'ai-lou
(commemorative archway), on which is inscribed
characters that transliterate "Kung-li Chan-sing"
("Right Triumphs Over Might"). This p'ai-lou was
erected by the Chinese Government in memory of
Baron Ketteler, a German killed during the Boxer
Uprising. Following World War I, it was dismantled
and moved from its original location near the
Legation Quarter to its present site; at that time
the new inscription was added. Numerous statues,
small pavilions, a pedestal to Sun Yat-sen, and a
roofed, open-air theater are some of the features
of the park. Shaded walks and peony beds around
the p'ai-lou attract large numbers of people.
39. The People's Cultural Park, formerly
T'ai Miao (Temple of Ancestors), is to the north-
east of T'ien-an Men. Under the Emperors, this
was the most sacred spot in Peking, except for
the Altar of Heaven. The spirit tablets (simple
strips of lacquered wood in which the spirit of
the departed was supposed to reside) of the
Emperors and their consorts were kept hare.
- 29 -
CONFI
NO GN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFIJOI IAL
NodowwrIGN DISSEM
Sacrificial ceremonies were performed periodically
by the Emperors, and homage was paid to the ances-
tors on special occasions, such as weddings or
coronations. -Years ago, prisoners of war were
sometimes marched into the courtyard in order that
they might be viewed by the spirits of the departed
Emperors. The Temple of Ancestors also contained
the spirit tablets of important princes, dukes,
and ministers. Some of the tablets are those of
Manchu ancestors who were canonized as Emperors
with posthumous honors. Today the temple is used
as a place of recreation and amusement, and
cultural and industrial exhibitions have sometimes
been held here. Table tennis is often played in
the buildings. The beautiful gardens and the
cypress trees add to its general appeal.
40. A small, man-made hill (Ching Shan or
Prospect Hill) dominates the northern edge of the
Forbidden City. This hill has traditionally been
called Mei Shan (Coal Hill), but during the
Cultural Revolution, the name was officially
changed to Red Guard's Park. The hill was con-
structed for geomantic reasons to guard the
Forbidden City against evil influences that might
blow in from the north. It is recorded that during
the Liao Dynasty a large amount of coal and
charcoal was stored here for emergency use; this
fuel laid the foundation for the present hill,
hence the name Coal Hill. Recent excavations have
not :evealed any evidence to verify the story.
Ching Shan was a place of rest and recreation for
the Emperor, and a system of paths leading to five
pavilions are laid out among the trees on its
slopes. Until the recent addition of high buildings
in Peking, Ching Shan provided the best vantage
point for observation of the city.
41. On West Ch'ang-an (Hsi-ch'ang-an)
Boulevard, about 1 kilometer west of T'ien-an Men,
is a two-story building usually identified as the
official residence of Mao Tse-tung. This is the
Hsin-hua Men (Gate of New China), the front
entrance to what is probably the most beautiful
part of the Imperial City -- the area around the
three "seas" (lakes) -- Nan (South), Chung (Central)
- 30 -
CONFID
NO GN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI TAL
N4000Wwil GN DISSEM
Figure 23. Hsin-hua Men. This is the building usually
identified as the office of Mao Tse-tung.
and Pei (North). The building was constructed
originally as a pavilion by Emperor Ch'ien Lung
for his Mohammedan concubine, known as Hsiang Fei
(Fragrant Concubine), but more commonly referred
to as K'o Fei (Stranger Concubine).
42. Inside the wall, to the north of the
Hsin-hua Men, the three "seas" provide the setting
for beautiful buildings that were known in Imperial
times as the Sea Palaces. This area was a resort
for most of the Emperors and it served as a source
of relief from the formalized ceremonial living
that prevailed inside the walls of the Forbidden
City.
43. The lakes date back to the 12th century,
when one of the Chin Emperors diverted water into
the Pei Hai (North Sea) from a spring near the
present Summer Palace. Kublai Khan enlarged the
lake and the park, built the hill on which the
White Dogoba (Pai T'a) now stands, and planted
trees from various parts of the country-so the
- 31 -
CONFI AL
NO IGN D1SSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFID AL
NO F GN DISSEM
hillside would be green throughout the year. The
Ming Emperor Yung Lo dug out all three lakes and
added considerably to the parks and buildings.
Succeeding rulers continued the work, but none was
as energetic as the Empress-dowager Tz'u Hsi, who
spent much of her time in the Sea Palaces and
loved the winter carnivals that were held here.
44. The areas adjacent to the Central and South
lakes are traditionally more secluded and restricted
from public use than the Pei Hai, which is now a
public park. Most of the Imperial residences and
audience halls were located around Chung and Nan
lakes. When the Chinese Republic was founded in
1912, the area was selected by President Yuan
Shih-k'ai as his home and executive offices. Later
presidents and some of the warlords also stayed
here. Mao Tse-tung's official residence, if not
in the Hsin-hua Men, is probably somewhere near the
Nan Hai. Some visitors have been told that Mao
lives on the Ying T'ai, the island in the middle
of the Nan Hai. This small compound of beautiful
Chinese-style buildings was the prison home of
Manchu Emperor Kuang Hsa during the last years of
his reign.
dig l'.4;*-441r--- Arig 7
-4
Figure 24. The Peking National Library. The White Dagoba
in Pei Hai Park is visible over the trees at right.
- 32 -
CONFIp AL
NO IGN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
NO GN DI SSEM
Figure 25. Pei Hai. The lake is used for boating in summer
and ice-skating in winter. This northwest view from one of
the restaurants in the area is toward the Ministry of National
Defense (left) and the Five Dragon Pavilion.
,-
� -4'
-. � ����-��-����
� �����7-� --a ,,,,, � ......... _ .
,
Figure 26. White Dagoba Island, Pei Hai. Built to commemorate
the Dalai Lama's first visit to Peking in 1651, the dagoba
crowns the hilly island on which it stands and serves as a
vantage point for views of the Forbidden City and the North,
Central, and South Lakes. In the left background of this
eastward view is Ching Shan.
- 33 -
CONF I
NO I GN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFIDF IAL
NO FO GN
. 45. The park and shrines around the Pei Hai
probably comprise the most popular recreation area
in the Imperial City. Boating, swimming, ice
skating, and basketball are among the most common
sports enjoyed in the park. The long promenades
and the restaurants and refreshment stands accom-
modate large numbers of people who flock to the
park on weekends. Some of the shrines and
pavilions are very old, but most are relatively
new or have been rebuilt. The White Dogoba dates
to 1651, when it was built to commemorate the first
visit to Peking of the Dalai Lama. The wall that
encloses the Circular City (T'uan Ch'eng) dates to
1417, but the present buildings were erected in
1746. The marble arch bridge (Imperial Canal
Bridge, Yu-ho Ch'iao) that marks the boundary
between Pei Hai and Chung Hai was built in 1956
to replace a similar bridge that proved much too
narrow for the current heavy volume of traffic.
A very prominent complex of multistoried buildings
just to the west of Pei Hai Park is occupied by
the Ministry of National Defense.
46. On the north side of the road just west
of the marble Imperial Canal Bridge is the National
Library (Peking Library); It was built on the old
site of a temple and of a palace in which the
Emperor Hung Chih was born in 1486. The library
is a popular place for study and is the repository
of many cultural works.
47. A few blocks west of the library, and on
the same side of the street, is the land that, leads
to the North Cathedral (Pei T'ang). On of the last
relics of the Roman Catholic faith in Peking, it
is still open to the public. The cathedral was
originally situated just outside the wall to the
west of the Central Lake on a site presented to
the Jesuits in 1693 by Emperor K'ang Hsi. The
cathedral was closed and demolished in 1827 during
a period of persecution under the Emperor Tao
Kuang. The property was given back to the Catholic
missions in 1860, and a new church was built in
1867. In 1883, however, Empress-dowager Tz'u Hsi
moved into her new palaces on the Central Lake and
objected to the cathedral that overlooked her
- 34 -
CONFI AL
NO ION DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
CONFI PIAL
NO F ON DISSEM
residence. Negotiations led the Jesuits to accept
the present site, well to the northwest of the
palace, for a new church. The existing cathedral
was completed. in 1837.
48. within the Imperial City is the Forbidden
City, first opened to the public on August 28, 1900,
after the Boxer Uprising, when the a11ies staged
a victory parade across the main courtyards. The
Forbidden City was closed again in 1902 when the
Emperor resumed his residency. Royal occupation
of the palaces finally ceased on November 5, 1924,
when Emperor Hsilan T'ung (Henry P'u-i) was sum-
marily evicted from the palaces by Feng Yu-hsiang,
the "Christian General." The palaces were later
opened to the public, and visitors were permitted
to visit parts of them until 1966, when they were
closed. Today much of the Forbidden City is open
again to the public.
49. The Forbidden City is surrounded by a
moat 160 feet wide and by walls more than 3-5-feet
high. Covering a 250-acre expanse in the geo-
graphical center of Peking, it comprised about
one-sixth of the former Imperial City, which
housed the administrative and maintenance organi-
zations, graneries, stables, orchards, parks,
residences of officials and princes, and some of
the palaces and pleasure gardens of the Emperor.
50. The fabled magnificence and inaccessi-
bility of the Forbidden City has promoted interest
in it for centuries, but the palace proves a mild
disappointment for many visitors. Unquestionably,
the concept and layout of the palace is very
impressive, but it is difficult for people today to
appreciate Imperial accommodations in these some-
what crude buildings. The Palace consists of a
large number of detached single-storied buildings,
one behind the other; they are separated by
British, French, Russian, German, Japanese, and
Americans.
- 35 -
CONFI
NO GN DISSEM
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
Approved for Release: 2018/08/29 C00160304
C C
S-. ��-�
0) 0>4
> CU �-�
0 .1: g
>4>�)
C C
^ V� II 5 ci;
.12 1.EC 1.1
S-�
;2 1,1 �
-C
41 0 � cu
� 4-,
^ 4-� �
0) A5 0 OJ
� > S.D C-1 0
C 0 0) CU S- 0)
a) -C
7):
61 Lz
LJ 0
cu 0) 4-, IV
=r;
.an: u 0
^ Al S-
r-- 44 U S- a 4.
(,1 9. r0
00.