a reflection of an evaporated era

I have always been more fascinated by Japan than other Asian countries,
but I have recently stumbled upon a curiosity about China a century ago,
the era defined by the end of a milenium of empires pre-Communism.

Reflecting the Ages

Photograph by Paul Weeks, National Geographic Your Shot

"While in Beijing last year, my travel buddy and I stumbled out of our hotel around 5 a.m. and began walking in search of a location to shoot the sunrise," writes Your Shot contributor Paul Weeks. "After a few miles we discovered this great reflective angle along one of the long corners of the Forbidden City's outer walls. I'm not sure why it's called that, seeing as you can get inside for just a few yuan, but I do know that this structure is very old. Built in the 1400s, it has seen many people come and go at this very location."

via {national geographic}