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DRAGON DOG |
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 Sonya encounters the palace lion. © 2007 Ravay Snow |
"There must be a ball lying around somewhere." Sonya began searching. She reached a statue of a lion. Its front paw rested on a bronze ball. Sonya sniffed at it.
"Hey, puppy. That's not a toy," the lion roared.
Sonya's eyes bulged. "You talked. How can you do that?"
"I'm an imperial lion. I can do anything."
"What are you doing now?"
"What I always do. I am guarding this palace. What are you doing?"
"I'm here to learn about China and to dance with dragons during the next Chinese New Year festival."
"You have time to visit lots of places before the celebration."
"That's great! Why is this beautiful place called the Forbidden City?"
"It was the home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties…"
"Dynasties?"
 The Forbidden City has many beautiful palaces. © David Muenker |
"But anyone can come inside today, right?"
"Yes. Now the Forbidden City is a museum. China does not have emperors anymore. Follow me, puppy. I'll show you around."
The lion jumped off its pedestal but kept the ball in its grip.
High walls and a huge moat surround the city. They were built to keep enemies from getting inside. A beautiful tower adorns each corner.
"All the roofs are yellow, and the buildings are red," Sonya noted.
"Yellow is the royal color. The emperor always wore a gold costume. Red is the color of happiness and good fortune."
 Chinese children also like to visit the Forbidden City. © David Muenker |
"I like red and yellow," Sonya remarked. "They make me happy."
"This big building is the Hall of Supreme Harmony. See these big bronze containers? They used to burn incense in them on special occasions, which made the air smell sweet."
"How many buildings are there?"
"There are more than 800 buildings and 9,000 rooms. It took 14 years to build this city."
"Wow, that's a long time! What are those animal statues doing up there?" Sonya pointed to a series of animal ornaments, including a dragon, on a rooftop.
"They are protecting that palace. The most important buildings have the most animals on them."
 Rooftop animal ornaments guard important buildings. © David Muenker |
"No, it doesn't know how to dance. It has four left feet!" the lion chuckled. "You'll have to find dragons outside of the Forbidden City."
"Here is the Inner Court where the imperial family lived," the lion continued. "Let's stroll through the beautiful gardens. They are so quiet and peaceful."
Sonya and the lion rested under a tree.
"I've got to get back," the lion purred. "Enjoy the rest of your visit in China. That gate will take you to Tienanmen Square. There are lots of people there who can show you the major attractions."
"Can I find some dragons there?"
"Maybe. Ask around."
The lion roared good-bye as Sonya headed through the gate to Tienanmen Square.
Note: This story is fiction based on fact.
Go to Sonya's Picks for links to websites about the sights and wildlife of this World Heritage Site.
Test your understanding of words used in this story with the Word Match game.
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Photographs ©2005-2008 David Muenker. Text ©2005-2008 Rose Muenker. Illustrations ©2005-2008 Ravay Snow Any use without express written permission is illegal and punishable by law. All rights reserved. Site designed and developed by Josh Bergman. |
