Until 1924 when the last emperor in China was driven out of the Inner Court, 14 emperors of the Ming dynasty and 10 emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned here. About 500 years being the Forbidden City, it houses numerous rare treasures and curiosities. It is now listed by the UN as World Cultural Heritage in 1987 and is the hottest tourist magnets.
History of the Forbidden City
Something must know
Who lived here
Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties from 1420 to 1911 held court and lived within the walls of the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum. Some treasures remain from the Japanese invasion, and from the Nationalist Chinese taking the most valuable ones to Taiwan in 1949. Those are now on display in the National Museum of Taiwan. The last emperor, Puyi, remained living here for many years after the 1911 Revolution.
Why they lived here
The Forbidden City is nearly 600 years old and was originally planned and constructed from 1407 to 1420. The principles of Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese system of geomancy governed the process. It was said that over 100,000 craftsmen and one million laborers were involved in the construction of the 9,999 rooms and halls.
Stones needed were quarried from Fangshan, suburb of Beijing. The walls surrounding the complex are eleven feet thick and thirty three feet high and it is surrounded by a 164 foot wide moat. At each corner there are watchtowers for protection from possible invaders. The entire complex covers 250 acres.
It was said a well was dug along the road every 50 meters in order to pour water onto the road in winter to slide huge stones on ice into the city. Huge amount of timbers and other materials were all freighted from faraway provinces. Ancient Chinese people fully displayed their wisdom in building the Forbidden City.
Take the grand red city wall for example; the ladder shaped wall has an 8.6 meters wide bottom and a 6.66 meters wide top. The shape of the city wall totally frustrate attempt to climb onto the wall. The bricks of the wall are said made from white lime and glutinous rice while the cement is made from glutinous rice and egg whites, and these incredible materials make the wall extraordinarily strong.
Symbolism
The design of the Forbidden City, from its overall layout to the smallest detail, was meticulously planned to reflect philosophical and religious principles, and above all to symbolize the majesty of Imperial power. Some noted examples of symbolic designs include:
- Symbolic meaning of color Yellow is the color of the Emperor. Thus almost all roofs in the Forbidden City bear yellow glazed tiles. There are only two exceptions. The library at the Pavilion of Literary Profundity had black tiles because black was associated with water, and thus fire-prevention. Similarly, the Crown Prince's residences have green tiles because green was associated with wood, and thus growth.
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Symbolic meaning of number The main halls of the Outer and Inner courts are all arranged in groups of three - the shape of the Qian triagram, representing Heaven. The residences of the Inner Court on the other hand are arranged in groups of six - the shape of the Kun triagram, representing the Earth.
The sloping ridges of building roofs are decorated with a line of statuettes. The number of statuettes represents the status of the building - a minor building might have 3 or 5. The Hall of Supreme Harmony has 10, the only building in the country to be permitted this in Imperial times. - Symbolic meaning of layout The layout of buildings follows ancient customs laid down in the Classic of Rites. Thus, ancestral temples are in front of the palace. Storage areas are placed in the front part of the palace complex, and residences in the back.
The Main Sceneries of the Forbidden City
Place must see
The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace complex. There are many interesting places.
Entrance is under Mao's large portrait in Tian'anmen Square, south gate, and you exit through the Imperial Gardens right before the north gate. Jingshan Park is directly across the street from the north gate.
Meridian Gate is the main gate and south gate of the Forbidden City. It is also named Five-Phoenix Tower, Wufenglou in Chinese, for it looks like a phoenix with five pavilion buildings up there. After entering the Meridian Gate, visitors arrive in an immense courtyard with five bridges stretching over the Golden Water.
The five bridges represent the five Confucian virtues of humanity, sense of duty, wisdom, reliability and ceremonial propriety. The Golden Water River of this section is very gorgeous, well decorated. The riverbed and the bank were paved with white stones. Decorative marble columns and banisters were established along the river.
Standing on the bridges, one can see a grand structure called Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony), which is the most marvelous gate in the city and guarded by a couple of bronze lions in front. On the square between Taihemen and Wumen, imperial honor guards proceeded preparation before grand ceremonies.
Emperor's accession place
The first and grandest hall is Taihedian (Hall of Supreme Harmony), where emperors executed their autocracy over the whole country. It is the place where emperors ascended the throne and granted formal interviews to officials and important events were celebrated. The hall was flanked by Wenhuadian (Hall of Literary Glory) and Wuyingdian (Hall of Martial Velour).
The former, on the right side, used to be the study of the crown princes, where banquets and some rites were held. The latter, on the left side, is the imperial press where many books were compiled and published and where Li Zicheng, the famous peasants uprising leader, ascended his throne after overthrowing the Ming dynasty.
Emperor's library
To the north of Wenhuadian lies Wenyuange (Pavilion of Literary Source), the imperial library where the world largest encyclopedia Sikuquanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasures of Knowledge) was housed. The library architecture has many Chinese cultural facts in its structure and decoration. Nanxundian (South Fragrance Hall) near Wuyingdian is where portraits of emperors of dynasties are kept.
Emperor's office
Zhonghedian (Hall of Central Harmony) is behind Taihedian, a square building much smaller than Taihedian. It was the place where the emperor rested on his way to Taihedian and interviewed his ministers or officials from the Ministry of Rites and rehearsals for ceremonies were also held here.
Baohedian (Hall of Preserved Harmony), the second largest architecture in the palace, is the rear hall of the Outer Court. Imperial banquets were often given here to entertain high officials. Emperors presided the final stage of national examinations to select officials from intellectuals all over the country in this hall.
Place often see
Getting out of the Baohedian, visitors will see Qianqingmen (Gate of Celestial Purity), which is the boundary of the Outer Court and the Inner Court. Inside the gate, the royal family resides. In the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi often heard reports from high officials and issued his orders under the gate.
The Inner Court is divided into three parts. The three halls on the center axis are the main structures and they are smaller in size than the three halls in the Outer Court, although they look the same in style. Xiliugong (Six Western Palaces) and Dongliugong (Six Eastern Palaces) are also important structure complexes, where the emperors' concubines lived.
Emperor's and empress's bedroom
The first hall inside the Qianqingmen is Qianqinggong (Palace of Celestial Purity), which was originally the bedroom of emperors as well as their office. Emperors also gave banquets here. Behind it is a smaller hall named Jiaotaidian (Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union), where empresses received greetings from others concubines. It was used to store emperor and empress's imperial seals. The third hall on the central axis is Kunninggong (Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility), which was empress's bedroom.
On the left side of the Inner Court, Yangxindian (Hall of Mental Cultivation) and Xiliugong (Six Western Palaces) stand from north to south. Yangxindian (Hall of Mental Cultivation) was an important hall in the palace since from Emperor Yongzheng, most emperors later lived and attended to state affairs here.
North of Yangxindian, there locates Xiliugong (Six Western Palaces), which consists of Yongshougong (Palace of Eternal Longevity), Yikungong (Palace of the Queen Consort), Chuxiugong (Palace for Gathering Elegance), Taijidian (Hall of the Supreme Pole), Changchungong (Palace of Eternal Spring) and Xianfugong (Palace of Universal Happiness).
The former three are on the right and the latter three on the left of an alley which goes from north to south.
Emperor's drawing room and garden
On the right side of the Outer Court, viz. east side, there are Fengxiandian (Hall for Ancestral Worship), Zhaigong (Palace of Abstinence) where emperors practiced abstinence a few days before going to offer sacrifices at the Temple of Heaven or the Temple of Earth, and Dongliugong (Six Eastern Palaces) which consists of Jingrengong (Palace of Great Benevolence), Chengqiangong (Palace of Celestial Favour), Yonghegong (Palace of Eternal Harmony), Jingyanggong (Palace of Great Brilliance), Zhongcuigong (Palace of Purity) and Yanxigong (Palace of Lasting Happiness).
In a separate enclosure further east are two palaces which Emperor Qianlong built for his abdication. They are Ningshougong (Palace of Tranquil Longevity) and Huangjidian (Hall of Imperial Supremacy). Further north, there are Yangxingdian (Hall of Temper Cultivation), Leshoutang (Hall of Joyful Longevity) and Yihexuan (Pavilion of Sustained Harmony).
Now most these palaces on the east are exhibition halls displaying different curiosities.
North of the Inner Court is Yuhuayuan (Imperial Garden). Though small in size, it is exquisitely laid out with towers, pavilions, artificial hills, springs, rocks, old trees, flowers and lawns - a replica of the gardens of southern China.
Getting here
- By Bus No. 124, 810, 812, 814, 846, 855 (Night Bus: No. 202 and 211); No. 101, 103 and 109 (Trolleybus); No.1, 4, 20, 52 (get off at East Tian'anmen Bus Stop)
- By Subway Take subway Line 1 and get off at Tiananmen West stop. Look for the giant portrait of Mao at the north end of Tiananmen Square, the entrance to the Forbidden City is directly underneath the portrait.