travel destinations usa: A journey from Washington, USA to Philadelphia

The North America tour began its East Coast itinerary after concluding the sightseeing in Las Vegas on the West Coast of the United States. At 10:50 Pacific Time on November 19, 2015, the reporter, along with the “Enjoying the Charm of Famous Cities on America’s East and West Coasts” tour group, departed from the Arizona Tharlies hotel in Las Vegas. After shopping at the Las Vegas Outlets en route, they headed to Las Vegas International Airport, from where they would take US domestic flight 2755 to Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, to begin their East Coast journey.

The team departs from Las Vegas (Photography: Wang Jue)

At Las Vegas airport, everyone expressed their heartfelt thanks to the local tour guide Wang Wentao and driver Xiao Dai, who came to see them off, for their meticulous and excellent service during this Western tour! And they hope to meet again when they have the chance to visit the United States next time. After all, this is Las Vegas. After passing through the security area and arriving at the departure lounge, all kinds of gambling machines come into view. Some passengers also兴致勃勃地 tried their luck with one last gamble. Perhaps if they’re lucky, it’s not a myth that they could win back their travel expenses… Of course, this is just a joke.

Gambling facilities at the airport (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

At 02:15 AM Eastern Time on November 20, 2015, after a flight of nearly four hours, the team successfully arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport. The local tour guide Li Qi who came to pick them up was a young man from Kaifeng, Henan. Due to the flight delay, he had already been waiting at the airport for several hours after coming from New York, so he looked extremely tired. He told everyone that the time difference here was not only three hours behind the West Coast, but also that it was destined to be a very tiring day, because after arriving at the hotel, everyone could only sleep for about five hours before starting the Washington tour.

The Washington Hotel where I stayed (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

The full name of the US capital Washington is “Washington, District of Columbia” (Washington D.C.), which is affectionately called by Americans as “the heart of the nation”. It was named to commemorate the founding father Washington and Columbus who discovered the New World. Washington is very different from other American cities, with a strong political atmosphere.

Scenery of Washington suburbs (Photo by Feng Ganyong)

Washington was historically inhabited by Native Americans, and in the early 17th century, European immigrants established tobacco plantations here. In 1789, it was decided to establish the capital here in Washington. The entire urban area is shaped like a regular quadrilateral, with a symmetrical layout and open views. No buildings in the city exceed the height of the Washington Monument, and the Capitol Building in the city center, which is the tallest building in the city, is only eight stories high. There are almost no factories in the city, so the environment is exceptionally clean. Most local practitioners are public servants, while others are basically engaged in cultural, commercial, entertainment, and tourism industries.

Washington Lincoln Memorial (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

At 09:30 US Western Time that day, the group of journalists left the Washington Comfort INN hotel where they were staying and first drove to the famous Lincoln Memorial to pay their respects. The Lincoln Memorial is regarded as an eternal statue of the United States and a symbol of Washington D.C., built to commemorate the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is an ancient Greek temple-style memorial built entirely of white granite and marble.

Photo at the Lincoln Memorial (Photography: Wang Jue)

The Memorial Hall stands at the western end of a relatively independent National Mall with a diameter of about 400 meters in Washington, on the east bank of the Potomac River with its jade-green waters, facing the Capitol Building at the eastern end from afar. Above the ground is a nearly 5-meter-high granite foundation stone. The memorial hall built on the stone platform is about 18.3 meters high. Including the foundation stone, the memorial hall is more than 23 meters high. The colonnade of the memorial hall is about 36 meters wide from east to west and about 57 meters long from north to south, making it a rectangular building.

Tour guide Li Qi introduces the scenic spot (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

Outside the east door of the memorial, wide stone steps lead layer by layer, guiding countless visitors into the sacred memorial. Around the outer corridor of the Lincoln Memorial, there are 36 stone columns, each 13.4 meters high with a bottom diameter of 2.26 meters. The tall and thick stone columns of the outer corridor are quite in the style of the Greek Parthenon, symbolizing the 36 states of the United States during Lincoln’s lifetime. On the top parapet, there are 48 hanging floral ornaments, representing the 48 states of the United States when the memorial was completed. The names of the 48 states are engraved on the guardrail at the top of the colonnade. At the far end of the long blue pool in front of the memorial is the famous Washington Monument; on both sides in front of the memorial are the Vietnam War and Korean War memorials. The environment around the entire memorial reflects a blend of solemnity, elegance, and beauty.

Distant view of the Washington Monument (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Climbing the stone steps to the front of the tall memorial hall, entering and looking up, a marble statue of Lincoln is placed in the center of the memorial. His hands rest on both sides of the chair arms, with a solemn expression. Above the statue is an inscription: “Lincoln will live forever, forever in the hearts of the people.” This seated statue of Lincoln was created by the famous American sculptor Daniel Chester French at that time.

Lincoln Seated Statue (Photo by: Feng Ganyong)

Looking closely at the Lincoln seated statue, it is remarkably lifelike. Lincoln’s gaze passes through the entrance, looking across the Reflecting Pool at the towering Washington Monument, and at the Capitol Building at the end of the great lawn. The symbolism here is endless, giving one much to ponder. This statue is very large; if it were to be converted to a standing figure at the same scale, it would reach a height of 28 feet (approximately 8.53 meters). The statue was carved from 28 separate pieces of stone and then assembled, appearing seamlessly unified. It was carved over a period of more than four years by the Piccirilli brothers, stone carvers, based on the model provided by the sculptor. The estimated cost of the entire statue was $88,400.

Lincoln Memorial Columns (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Above the wall behind Lincoln’s marble statue are engraved four lines of large text: “In this temple as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” On the stone walls on the north and south sides of the memorial hall are engraved two of Lincoln’s famous speeches. The entire text of “A New Birth of Freedom – The Gettysburg Address” is on the south wall. On the north wall of the memorial is Lincoln’s 1865 second presidential inaugural address, which is slightly longer. The second inaugural address is magnificent and full of emotion.

Encountering a film crew in front of the Memorial Hall (Photography: Wang Jue)

The Lincoln Memorial broke ground in 1914 and was completed in 1922. The memorial has a solemn atmosphere, with visitors from all over the world coming to pay their respects every day. The late President Lincoln is one of the most respected American presidents, and people will not forget his contributions to the United States—emancipating slaves and preserving the unity of the nation. It was he who saw the ugliness of slavery from the lowest levels of society and exposed the hypocrisy of the claim that “all men are created equal.” Although he was brutally assassinated, his spirit will live on forever in the Lincoln Memorial.

Vietnam War American Soldiers Statue (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

Coming down from the memorial hall, we first arrive at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall located on the left. The Vietnam War (1961-1975) was a war between the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and the United States on one side, and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam on the other side. It ended with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam unifying South Vietnam and the United States withdrawing from Vietnam. In this war, China provided North Vietnam with significant political, diplomatic, economic, war materials, and military support. The United States failed in this war. As a memorial to forget, in 1982 the U.S. Congress decided to build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, with funds raised through private donations, similar to the Korean War Memorial.

Visiting the Vietnam War Memorial (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

This site adopted the design by Maya Lin, a 21-year-old Chinese-American student from Yale University’s School of Architecture at the time, who stood out among more than 1,400 design proposals. Her design is what we see today: a black granite wall over 3 meters high, with both ends rising from the ground and meeting at the center. The granite is engraved with the names of 58,132 soldiers who died in the Vietnam War. Outside the memorial wall, there is also a statue of three American soldiers in full military gear, with piercing gazes looking forward, as if guarding the souls of those who sacrificed their lives in this war, commemorated on the memorial wall.

Vietnam War Memorial Site (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Visitors to this wall feel as if they are flipping through a history book. In Maya Lin’s own words: “(The living and the dead) will meet again at the place where the sunlit world meets the dark and silent world.” Her design concept is that it’s about people, not politics—only after accepting the reality of death can one master oneself and return to the light. Therefore, the entire design does not contain a single word of introduction or evaluation about this war.

A family at the memorial wall (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

When the reporter visited here, they saw a family with an elderly person who appeared to be of the grandfather’s generation, leading several children in making paper rubbings of the names of the fallen on the wall. Perhaps the fallen were their relatives, and they were making rubbings of their family members’ names for commemoration. War is cruel. If the spirits of the fallen here know that their descendants still remember them, they might find great comfort.

Korean War Memorial Site (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

Leaving the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, we arrive at the Korean War Memorial not far away on the opposite side. The Korean War (1950-1953), which is what we usually call the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. On June 25, 1950, the Korean Civil War broke out, and on the 27th, then U.S. President Truman issued a statement announcing the dispatch of troops to Korea. On July 7, the United Nations Security Council passed the U.S. proposal to establish the United Nations Command with U.S. General MacArthur as the “Commander-in-Chief”.

The memorial wall (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

At that time, besides South Korea, 16 countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, South Africa, Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ethiopia, and Colombia sent troops to participate in the war. The United States deployed one-third of its army, one-fifth of its air force, and half of its navy to the war. On October 19, China, under the command of Commander Peng Dehuai, entered the war under the name of “Chinese People’s Volunteers.” On October 25, the Volunteers fought their first battle after entering Korea, marking the beginning of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. The war lasted for nearly three years, and on July 27, 1953, both sides signed an armistice agreement, eventually still using the 38th parallel as the boundary to govern North and South Korea separately.

Communications Soldier at the Memorial Site (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

The reporter saw at the Korean War memorial that there are 19 statues of American soldiers. They are wearing steel helmets and raincoats, forming a skirmish line, advancing with difficulty on the muddy ground. Their expressions are complex, appearing tired, helpless, afraid, terrified, vigilant…, making people feel the cruel atmosphere of war. In the words of Americans, the Korean War was a fight for a people they didn’t know and had never met, resulting in an agreement signed at Panmunjom at the cost of more than 50,000 officers and soldiers killed and wounded, and nearly ten million.

Photo at the memorial site (Photography: Wang Jue)

For Americans, the Korean War is one of their most reluctant memories to mention, which is why they call it the “Forgotten War.” In this war, how much did the armies of China, the United States, and the United Nations forces actually lose? On several granite stones at the memorial site, the following numbers are engraved: Deaths: U.S.A 54,246, U.N. 628,833; Missing: U.S.A 8,177, U.N. 470,267.

Scenery around the two memorial sites (Photo by: Feng Ganyong)

A fellow traveler, Mr. Luo Youlin, a retired cadre from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Academy of Military Science, was deeply moved after the visit. He wrote in his WeChat: “On both sides of the Lincoln Memorial are actually two meticulously designed cemeteries for the Korean War and Vietnam War (which we call the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea and the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Vietnam). Why did these two wars leave such an indelible mark on American history? In my view, it is because both are related to us Chinese. In the previous wars the United States had experienced, they were always invincible and triumphant, especially in World War II. This earned them the crown of world ‘leader.’ However, it was these two wars alone that dampened their prestige and crushed their momentum. The heavy price they paid forced them to do so; otherwise, they could not answer to history and their people.”

Luo Youlin viewing photos (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

“I slowly walked through the cemetery, and at this moment I have two conflicting feelings. One is pride and honor. Because it was the Chinese who hurt him, made him afraid, and made him pay such a heavy price. In the ‘Korean War’, we engaged in face-to-face combat. In the ‘Vietnam War’, we played the role of ‘invisible assassins’, our contribution was indispensable, and it ‘knows this well’. The other feeling is pity and regret. Because war is inhumane. How many American families lost their relatives and children because of it. Watching the people coming to pay their respects, my thoughts are in turmoil, but there is one thing we have in common, which is to use this to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for the country and promote patriotism.”

Jefferson Memorial (Photo by: Feng Ganyong)

The North American tour group accompanied by journalists, appreciating the charm of famous cities on the east and west coasts of the United States, finished visiting the Lincoln Memorial and the two nearby war memorials. A short drive away is the Jefferson Memorial, still located on the other side of the Potomac River. This memorial, designed in the Roman pantheon-style with a dome that Jefferson favored, is a 96-foot tall white marble structure. In the center of the hall stands a nearly 6-meter tall bronze statue of President Jefferson. On the stone wall behind it are engraved Jefferson’s words from his lifetime: “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.” Every April, the cherry blossoms bloom along the Tidal Basin next to the memorial, complemented by the reflection of the memorial in the lake, creating a beautiful scene.

Jefferson Statue (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

This white, domed building surrounded by Corinthian stone columns, built to commemorate Jefferson, has itself become a classic work. The entire memorial is elegant and pure, with 54 granite columns on the exterior, each 43 feet (about 13 meters) long and weighing 45 tons, giving people a sense of tranquility. On the north side of the memorial is a large sloping staircase, where visitors must look up to see a solemn group of marble reliefs on the pediment of the portico supported by 8 large stone columns.

A corner of the Jefferson Memorial (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

That was the scene on the eve of American independence, when Jefferson and four others were appointed by the Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence. The young Jefferson stands in the middle, with Benjamin Franklin and John Adams to his left; to Jefferson’s right are the other two collaborators, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston. The creator of this group of stone statues is New York sculptor Adolph A. Weinman, who was commissioned by the Jefferson Memorial Construction Committee to complete this work before the memorial was completed.

Jefferson Memorial Stone Columns (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

Stepping onto the 7.6-meter-high stone steps, you enter the memorial. The circular main memorial chamber has a diameter of 82 feet (approximately 25 meters), with the floor paved with pink and gray Tennessee marble. The main memorial chamber is surrounded by 16 stone columns, each over 13 meters high. The 5.8-meter (19-foot) tall bronze statue of Jefferson sits atop a 1.8-meter-high white Minnesota marble pedestal, forming the center of the circular memorial. The memorial’s pure white dome is constructed of Indiana granite and rises 20 meters above the top of Jefferson’s bronze statue.

By the Potomac River (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

The team finished paying respects at the Jefferson Memorial and drove to the famous White House. Along the way, they passed several museums including the National Gallery of Art and the National Air and Space Museum. Li Qi introduced that these museums in the United States actually all belong to the Smithsonian Institution.

Street photo in Washington (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

The headquarters of the Smithsonian Institution is located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and houses some of the world’s most famous museums including: the National Museum of American History, the Art and Industries Building, the Hirshhorn Museum (a renowned contemporary art museum), the National Museum of American Art, the National Museum of African Art, the National Museum of Air and Space, the National Museum of Natural History, and more.

Scenery around the Washington Museum (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

These exhibition halls are located in the heart of Washington D.C., distributed on both sides of the great lawn between the Capitol Building and the Washington Monument, with 14 national museums concentrated in this area. For example, the National Gallery of Art is located at the end near the Capitol Building, adjacent to the famous National Museum of Natural History. The National Gallery of Art is divided into two parts: the East Building and the West Building. The West Building features a neoclassical style that is relatively consistent with other museums, while the East Building is a completely modern-style triangular building designed by I.M. Pei. The different architectural styles of the East and West Buildings also reflect the different collections of the two museums. The East Building only collects modern art works, while the West Building houses paintings and sculptures from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Washington Street Tourist Map (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

Looking at major world powers, each country’s capital has at least one national-level large art museum, but the establishment of the National Gallery of Art in the United States was not easy. When the idea was proposed, the United States had only a short history of one hundred years and was particularly lacking in cultural resources. How could it be easy to build a proper national art museum! The final completion of this National Gallery of Art was largely due to the efforts of former U.S. Treasury Secretary Mellon. He wrote to President Roosevelt, expressing his willingness to donate his entire personal collection to build the art museum, and hoped that after its completion, it would use the name “National Gallery of Art” to encourage other collectors to donate their treasures. After his proposal was approved by Congress, the 80-year-old Mellon personally appointed the famous architect John Pope, who designed the Jefferson Memorial, as the designer to design and build this magnificent and elegant National Gallery of Art.

Street food stalls in Washington (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

The beauty of this museum lies not only in how many collections it has, but more importantly, the museum itself is the most beautiful architectural art. The winding dome, the exquisitely carved arches, the painted glass… all of these are full of vitality under the sunlight, attracting the gaze of every visitor. Every step here reveals a new scene, and a casual glance is enough to make one stop for half a day.

Washington White House (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

Finally arrived at the heavily guarded White House. The White House, across a road, was surrounded by iron railings, with armed police patrolling at the entrance, and some security personnel who appeared to be in plain clothes. People could only stand in the gaps outside the iron railings to look inside.

Photo in front of the White House (Photography: Qu Lu)

I remember once watching an American film called “White House Down” (also known as “Olympus Has Fallen”), in which the White House was shown to be open to tourists. Terrorists took advantage by posing as tourists to hijack the President of the United States, triggering a thrilling story of hostage-taking and counter-hostage operations. Therefore, in the reporter’s view, given the current severe global anti-terrorism situation, the high-density security at the White House is completely understandable.

Team photo in front of the White House (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

The White House is the official residence and office of the President of the United States. The White House is owned by the National Park Service and is part of “President’s Park”. The codename for the White House used by the United States Secret Service is “Crown”. The image on the back of the twenty-dollar bill is the White House.

Journalists take a photo at the White House (Photography: Wang Jue)

The White House, located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest in Washington, D.C., is a white neoclassical sandstone building. It borders Lafayette Square to the north and the Ellipse to the south, and faces the towering Washington Monument. It is a white two-story building. Because the White House is the residence and office of the President of the United States, the term “White House” is often used to refer to the U.S. government, for example, “The White House announced that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is visiting the United States.”

Street scene around the White House (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

On the way back from the White House, I had a close-up view of the Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial, standing at the front entrance and looking across at it. The Washington Monument is a landmark in Washington D.C., built to commemorate U.S. President George Washington. The stone monument is hollow inside and is the world’s tallest stone structure. Originally, Mills’ initial design included a colonnade of founding heroes surrounding the base of the Washington Monument. However, after Colonel Casey of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was entrusted with redesigning the foundation and tower, he abandoned the colonnade concept, focusing on building the obelisk. He deepened the foundation and redesigned the main tower using ancient Egyptian proportions.

Scenery outside the White House (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Washington Monument is located in downtown Washington, D.C., on the axis between the Capitol Building and the Lincoln Memorial. It is a marble obelisk, square in shape with a base width of 22.4 meters and a height of 169.045 meters. Inside the monument, there are 50 levels of iron stairs, as well as a high-speed elevator that reaches the top in 70 seconds. After reaching the summit, visitors can overlook the entire city of Washington, Virginia, Maryland, and the Potomac River through small windows. The interior walls of the monument are inlaid with 188 memorial stones donated by individuals, organizations, and from around the world, among which is a memorial stone inscribed with Chinese characters, gifted by the Qing government. The monument is surrounded by a large green lawn where gatherings and parades are often held.

Distant view of the Washington Monument (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

According to Li Qi’s introduction, if viewed from above, people will find that the Washington Monument is located in the center, like a central axis connecting the Capitol Building, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, etc., and the buildings on both sides form a cross shape.

Close-up view of the Washington Monument (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

The last place everyone visited in Washington was the U.S. Capitol Building. The Capitol Building is located on Capitol Hill, which is 25 meters high in Washington. It is the heart of America, a well-known Washington building famous for its white exterior walls and dome, and is the center of American power. Unfortunately, during this visit, this famous building happened to be under renovation. The domed building, which had never been seen in person but was exceptionally familiar from numerous news reports, was completely surrounded by scaffolding. It was difficult to see its true appearance. If there was any slight regret on this trip, it was this.

The Capitol Building under renovation (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Capitol Building was constructed from 1793-1800. Like many important buildings in Washington, it was not spared from damage during the Anglo-American War of 1814. After post-war reconstruction, over the following century, the Capitol underwent multiple expansions, including the massive reconstruction project from 1851-1867, ultimately forming its present layout.

Photo taken in front of the Capitol Building (Photo: Wang Jue)

The Capitol Building is a three-story structure with a total length of 233 meters, primarily constructed of white marble. On the central roof stands a highly visible three-story large dome, topped with a 6-meter-high bronze statue of the Goddess of Freedom. The north and south wings on both sides of the large dome house the offices of the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively. The House chamber is where the U.S. President delivers the annual State of the Union address. Modeled after the Pantheon in Paris, it emphasizes grandeur and commemorative significance, representing a masterpiece of classical revival architecture.

Capitol Hill Tourist Map (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

The great lawn to the east of the Capitol Building is where presidential inaugurations have been held throughout history. Looking from the great lawn, the columned portico beneath the Capitol dome appears magnificent. Within the portico are three heavy bronze “Columbus Doors,” adorned with reliefs depicting Columbus’s discovery of the New World. Inside these doors lies the Capitol’s rotunda. In the rotunda, one can see a microcosm of American politics.

Statue in front of the Capitol Building (Photography: Feng Ganyong)

On the four walls of the rotunda hang 8 oil paintings depicting important moments in American history, while on the 55-meter-high dome is a large painting by 19th-century Italian painter Brumidi and his students. The center of the painting features George Washington, the first president of the United States. Beside Washington are the goddesses of Victory and Liberty, and the other 13 goddesses in the painting represent the 13 original states of America. The stone statues of outstanding presidents standing in the hall each represent an era. On the south side of the rotunda, there is also a dedicated statue hall, inside which statues of famous figures from all 50 American states stand together, symbolizing the cohesion of the United States.

Group photo in front of the Capitol Building (Photography: Li Qi)

After concluding the tour of Washington, the team drove to the second stop of the eastern US journey: Philadelphia. After more than three hours of driving, they arrived in Philadelphia around 4 PM that day. Regarding Philadelphia, what impressed the journalist most was the Philadelphia Orchestra, which first performed at the National Palace of Nationalities in Beijing in September 1973. However, upon actually arriving in the city, it became clear that the Liberty Bell Museum, one of the symbols of American independence and democracy, and Independence Hall, where Washington signed the Declaration of Independence, are truly the pride of Philadelphia.

A corner of downtown Philadelphia (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Philadelphia, the fifth largest city in the United States located in Pennsylvania, is a beautiful city. Penn Square, not far from Kennedy Boulevard, stands in the center of the river valley and is the core business district of Philadelphia. From here, the city’s grid-like layout can be seen at a glance. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, the Fels Planetarium, and the Benjamin Franklin Memorial are distributed along Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which leads to the world-famous Fairmount Park. There is also Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was born, with its simple appearance, it is a witness to American history. Here, races blend, happy classical music and joyful streets fill the blocks. With four distinct seasons and a pleasant climate, it is acclaimed as the “City of Homes.”

Liberty Bell Museum (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

Due to limited time, we first came to visit the Liberty Bell Museum. After entering, we first watched a video feature about the birth of the Liberty Bell. Through the soul-stirring history reflected in the film, people immediately gained a vivid and形象 understanding of Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell, and the American people’s independence movement.

Liberty Bell (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The Liberty Bell is a symbol of Philadelphia, and even more so, a symbol of American freedom and the pride of the American people. It participated in the most important events in early American history. Although the Liberty Bell has only a history of over 250 years and weighs just over 900 kilograms, it was cast from a mixture of various metals. In 1751, it was ordered from Britain by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly for 100 pounds. The craftsmanship of that time was apparently limited, as the bell cracked when it was first tested in Philadelphia the following year after its arrival. A year later, two local foundry workers recast it and finally succeeded.

Photo taken in front of the Liberty Bell (Photography: Wang Jue)

In 1835, while celebrating Washington’s birthday, it was struck by several children and developed a crack about a foot long. Ten years later, during a similar event, it was struck for several hours, resulting in the famous zigzag crack we see in the exhibition hall, though in fact that was not the only crack. The Liberty Bell could never be repaired again. Except on Independence Day each year, when church bells of all sizes across the country ring in unison, the first to be struck is the Liberty Bell. Although it is rarely used, its seemingly not-so-loud sound proclaims America’s freedom and independence.

Philadelphia Independence Hall (Photography by Feng Ganyong)

Not far from the Liberty Bell Museum stands the famous Independence Hall. Independence Hall was built in 1732 and originally served as the Pennsylvania State House. This is a two-story old-style red brick building with creamy white doors and windows, a creamy white spire with a large clock embedded in it, and the top of the tower is where the Liberty Bell was once hung. The entire building is simple and unadorned, yet exudes solemnity, inspiring reverence. On both wings of Independence Hall are two symmetrical smaller buildings, with the same red brick walls and the same architectural style, which were the old Congress Hall and Old City Hall respectively.

General Washington Statue (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The meeting room on the first floor of Independence Hall is where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed. The tables and chairs once used by General Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, and representatives from various states, the quill pens and ink used for signing, the podium where Washington read the Declaration of Independence, and more are all presented to visitors in their original state from that time. In the quiet space, visitors can’t help but recall the intense debates that took place here more than 200 years ago. It was their courage and wisdom that changed the destiny of America and laid the foundation for the values of the American people today. Outside Independence Hall, there also stands a spectacular and prominent statue of Washington, which complements and blends in with the entire building.

Philadelphia street sculpture landscape (Photo: Feng Ganyong)

The “USA East and West Coast Tour of Famous Cities” trip, accompanied by the reporter, concluded the sightseeing tour of Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, marking the successful completion of the first itinerary in the eastern United States. Afterwards, the team drove at full speed to the final stop of this trip, New York, and stayed at the For your Safety hotel in New York that night. The next day, the North America tour will continue with the final sightseeing tour in the United States. (Text and Photo: Feng Ganyong)