Imperial Palace

The Forbidden City is a typical example of imperial palace. The general layout often follows two rules: the first being the ancestral temples must be situated at the front left of the main palace as the left is believed to be superior, while the front right was reserved for altars for praying to the gods of earth and grain.

It is called 'Zuozu Youshe' in Chinese. The second being emperors handled national affairs at the palace's forecourt while the rear end was meant for living. In Chinese, this structure is called 'Qianchao Houqin'. Many distinctive characters were incorporated to indicate the imperial palace. For example, a pair of stone or copper lion often crouches in front of the main gate to ward off evil influence.

Ornamental columns, carved with exquisite floral designs, soured into the sky. In the Forbidden City, auspicious jars filled with water were placed in front of the palace. They were not only decorative but also serve as fire-extinguishers. Because of this important function, they were nicknamed 'Menhai', the sea of the front door.