According to the source of all knowledge, Wikipedia:
the Forbidden City was constructed from 1406 to 1420, and was the former Chinese imperial palace and winter residence of the Emperor of China from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty, between 1420 and 1924. The Forbidden City served as the home of Chinese emperors and their households and was the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for over 500 years. Since 1925, the Forbidden City has been under the charge of the Palace Museum, whose extensive collection of artwork and artifacts were built upon the imperial collections of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. (Citations omitted.)
The Forbidden City is situated across the street from Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. It can be easily accessed from just about any part of the city via several city buses and Subway Line 1’s Tiananmen East and Tiananmen West stations. These photos were taken in February 2011.
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A young Chinese man approached me inside the palace complex and asked if I wanted a free tour in English. I’m leery when strangers approach in crowded public places especially when they are offering something for free but took him up on the offer.
I was glad I did because he provided an amazing private tour. His knowledge of Chinese history appeared to be excellent as was his command of English. I was so impressed that I insisted on paying him something for his effort. Tipping is uncommon in China and that hat may have been a faux pas even though tour guides and drivers generally accept small gratuities.
Would you have tipped in that situation? In China, I generally tip a dollar or two for daily maid service (depending on the effort required to clean the room) but that’s about it. What is your experience with tipping in China and other Asian countries?
Salsaworldtraveler'sblog 
Black and white captures the feeling of history in the place. The first photo is compelling. Did your guide accept the tip? I agree that calling it a gift would have been a good way to do it. I’ll have to remember that idea.
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He did accept the tip as I insisted. It was really nice to have a dedicated knowledgeable guide all to my self for more than an hour. The amount was less than the cost of a tour. Calling it a gift and putting the money in an envelope would have been better. Live and learn.
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I’d love to visit China some day, and I would have definitely tipped… did you use local currency?
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I used the local currency. Once I was out of yuan and gave a taxi driver a $20 which he gladly accepted. Chinese don’t use currency. They pay for just about everything with AliPay.
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Yeah I would’ve insisted on paying something too. Generally I found that waitresses in China refused tips and got quite embarrassed about it all, hence I stopped doing it. Same with taxi drivers, who wouldn’t even let me round up. Enjoyed these shots very much, The Forbidden City is an impressive place.
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I like the Asian way. The employer should pay the employees and the customer pays the employer. Should make it easier for everyone.
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Love the first shot and I enjoyed the slideshow too. I hadn’t thought about editing my own photos of the Forbidden Palace (we were there in 2019) into B&W but it looks effective – if it weren’t for the clothing, these images look like those of mid 20th century travellers perhaps, it’s such a timeless place.
An interesting dilemma about tipping your guide. I would have wanted to give him something and would have tried to persuade him it was a gift, not a tip 🙂 It reminds me of an occasion in Kyoto (tipping is also frowned upon in Japan). We went to a small cafe for lunch. We noticed a coin, worth very little, on the bench next to where my husband sat but didn’t pick it up or hand it in. When we left the cafe a waitress came running after us – she had thought we’d left it as a tip (which would have been an insult given its low value) and was anxious to hand it back as we weren’t expected to tip!
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The boy in the photo was pouting about being reprimanded by his parents. I agree about the 1920s look. I like the Asian attitude towards tipping even though it takes westerners a while to get it.
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I agree – pay people a fair wage and include that in the cost of services rather than expecting staff to rely on the generosity or otherwise of customers. The high % levels expected when tipping in the US always come as a bit of a shock to us, as in the UK 10-12% is the norm.
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wonderful shot the first one John
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I think the young man had just been reprimanded for misbehaving.
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I would have wanted to give a tip and ask that he accept it as a gift.
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Saying the money was a gift is a good idea.
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