We are all booked and locked-in to stay near Tienmen square and sightsee it extensively in July 1999, Is it true that the whole complex is closed? I thought that this would be our highlight of the Beijing trip. Any one out there with optional sightseeing plan in Beijing. Help!

Yes, it is closed. But don't panic. Beijing offers a lot more than Tiananmen Square. In fact, the square is NOT the most imporatnt sights in the city. here are my suggestions 1) Took a one-day trip to the Great Wall...usually combined with going to the Ming Tombs 2) Spent half a day in the Forbidden City(which is next to Tiananmen Square) 3) Visit the Summer Palace. I personally think it's the most beautiful sights in the ehntire city. 4) Lama Temple(again my favorite, I must have been there five times). 5) Temple of Heaven: I personally think it's overrated, but everybody loves it. That should keep you busy in Beijing. <BR> <BR>Be sure to book all your day tour with the hotel. A lot of the smaller travel agency was known to be dishonest.

This is the answer that I got when I asked the same question in LP traveller forum a few days ago: <BR> <BR>Tiananmen Square To Reopen in July <BR>BEIJING (AP) - Tiananmen Square, the symbolic center of <BR>power in China, will reopen to tourists in July with new <BR>granite stones replacing concrete, state media reported <BR>today. <BR>Renovation began in November, part of preparations for the <BR>50th anniversary Oct. 1 of communist rule. Revolutionary <BR>leader Mao Tse-tung proclaimed the founding of the country <BR>from the Gate of Heavenly Peace, or Tiananmen, to the north <BR>of the square. <BR>The square attracted up to 1 million people at a time during <BR>seven weeks of democracy demonstrations that were crushed by <BR>the Chinese military on June 4, 1989. Hundreds of people <BR>were killed in the assault. Police surveillance and control <BR>of activities in the square have been tight since then. <BR>The reconstruction originally was scheduled to be completed <BR>in late May. Instead, the square remained closed behind a <BR>corrugated metal fence during last Friday's sensitive 10th <BR>anniversary of the end of the demonstrations. <BR>Nearly 646,000 square feet of the square have been paved <BR>with granite slabs, and the remaining 1 million square feet <BR>will be finished by June 15, the state-run Xinhua News <BR>Agency reported. <BR>Cleaning of the Monument to the People's Heroes on the <BR>square will be finished in days, it said. The monument was <BR>the headquarters of the demonstrations 10 years ago. <BR>Other work under way includes new lighting and repairs to <BR>fountains near the Gate of Heavenly Peace. <BR> <BR>

We just returned last week from a three week tour of China. I agree with previous reports, Tienmen square is not the only thing to see in Bejing. We did all the things on most tours, including the Ming Tombs, but a real surprise for our group was a visit to the Bejing Zoo to see the Pandas. They have five on view, three adults and two babies. It was such a treat and a nice change of pace. Yes, we were disappointed to just ride around the square in our bus and not be able to walk on the square, but when you meet the people of China as we did on our tour it puts a lot of things in a different perspective. Have a wounderful time, meet the people and see where they live. They will open your heart as well as your eyes.

Just saw on the news this morning that Tianamen Square has been reopened. They added lots of grass and some kind of pink pavement (I think I heard granite).

I just got back from Beijing yesterday; the newspapers were saying that the Square would be opened today (June 28). They're evidently getting the Square (and a lot of other public buildings) all spruced up for the bigh 50th birthday celebration on October 1. In any case, as others have said, Tiananmen Square is certainly NOT the highlight of any Beijing trip!

I returned from Beijing yesterday. Tienman Square reopened two days ago and everything is now available. One thing you should know it is really hot in Beijing, over 100 degrees. Bring plenty of bottleled water.

And the SMOG! Good grief -- you have to see it to believe it! Combined with the heat, it makes for a pretty miserable day of sight-seeing. However, the city itself is so wonderful that you should be able to forget about the weather.

Jenny, <BR> I agree with everything that has been said on this page except for the Bejing zoo being a sight to see. My boyfriend and I went on a tour of four cities back in May, including Bejing, and the zoo was the most depressing site in the city. The animals are underfed, dirty, without water in their cages, and unhappy. I cried after a half hour of looking around. Beside the zoo, Bejing is a wonderful city with some of the most beautiful relics in the world. Have a great time! <BR>

Jenny, <BR> I agree with everything that has been said on this page except for the Bejing zoo being a sight to see. My boyfriend and I went on a tour of four cities back in May, including Bejing, and the zoo was the most depressing site in the city. The animals are underfed, dirty, without water in their cages, and unhappy. I cried after a half hour of looking around. Beside the zoo, Bejing is a wonderful city with some of the most beautiful relics in the world. Have a great time! <BR>