Yi Poapoa and Marco Polo Bridge

I have relatives in Beijing!  On the right, the youngest sister of my grandmother (they look exactly alike!) and on the left, her husband.

Turns out I live about 50 minutes (one bus, no transfers) away from them, so I visited them at their apartment.  Yi Gong has a bad left leg (must run in the family) and is unable to lift it so he drags it along.  Therefore, he is housebound and not allowed out by himself.

YES!!!  I got a "hong bao"  When I saw it, I felt like I was 12 years old again!

We all talked for about 40 minutes (even a phone call to MY grandfather in Seattle).  Yi Poa showed me the Liu family history, which they just printed.  It comes in two volumes.  I saw my Mom's name, but I asked if I were there, and she said, "No, because you're a Chen!"

If in Beijing, you eat Beijing Duck!

After lunch, Yi Poa and I went to the nearby "Luguo Qiao," or known in the west as the Marco Polo Bridge.

The first bridge over the Yongding River, 15km southwest of central Beijing, was constructed in the 10th century. Marco Polo (yes that one) was impressed with the bridge when he visited in the 13th century and is known in the west as Marco Polo Bridge.

It is famed for all the lions that line the entire length of both sides of the bridge.

There are lions on lions, partially hiding other lions.  Each statue is different and the true number of lions has never been agreed upon.

The bridge was closed to automobile traffic in 1971 when newer bridges were complete, but they managed to incorporate the older stones into the renovation.

So, the Marco Polo Bridge would simply be a nice bridge with little historical value EXCEPT it was the site of the infamous Marco Polo Bridge Incident of July 1937.  At that time, the Japanese were on the other side of the Yongding River and this was their access point into Beijing.

The bridge led directly into the small walled town of Wanping.  Depending on who's history you believe, either the Japanese manufactured a reason to start an invasion or it was a series of miscommunications, but the Marco Polo Bridge incident was the commencement of the Japanese attack on Beijing in 1937.

The walled city on Wanping still bears the holes from the cannons.

This house, in the architecturally preserved city of Wanping, was the home of the "mayor" of Wanping.

Inside Wanping is the "Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Agression"  Didn't go in, but I want to go back.  I'm betting it's fascinating propoganda!