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-- The Meridian Gate is the main entrance to the Forbidden City. It was called Meridian Gate because the emperor believed that the Meridian line went right through the Forbidden City and his imperial residence was the center of the cosmos. In addition, according to the ancient Chinese compass, the Meridian indicates the south, so the Gate also serves as the southern gate to the Forbidden City...
-- Gate of Heavely Peace is the main gateway to the inner living quarters of the Forbidden City. During the Qing Dynasty, a throne was placed at the gate for the emperor to give audience to the government officials. This showed the Emperor's great concern over the important national affairs. Upon entering the gate, the rooms on the east were study rooms for the Emperor's children while...
-- Palace of Heavely Purity is the largest building of the three rear palaces. It was the palace where the Emperor slept. During the reigns of Emperor Shunzhi and Emperor Kangxi, this building functioned as an audience chamber for foreign envoys and high-ranking governmental officials. On such important occasions as the New Years Day, Lantern Festivals, Duanwu Festival, Mid-autumn Festival, Chongyang Festival, Winter Solstice and the birthday of the Emperor, he would be present here to...
-- The Forbidden City in Beijing is one of the most imposing and awe-inspiring architectural structures in the world.
Construction of the Forbidden City began in 1405 during the fourth year of the third Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Emperor Yongle’s reign. It was completed in 1420.
A million workers, 100 thousand artisans and materials from all over the Middle Kingdom were dedicated to the construction of the imperial complex. The architectural significance of the ...
-- Hall of Supreme Harmony is heart of the immense Forbidden City palace complex. It is the grandest and the most important building in the nation.
Hall of Supreme Harmony is translated to mean the Hall of Supreme Harmony and is also know as the "Hall of Gold Throne". The 35.5 meters high hall has a double-layered roof which represents the highest ...
-- The last one of the three main halls in the outer court, this is where the Emperor rested and changed clothes before departing for such important rites as selecting the Empress or Crown Prince. After the time of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Palace Exams were also held in this hall every three years. The palace exam was presided...
-- The Office of Privy Council is at the southern end of the Qianqingmen Gate. The office was first set up during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng in 1729 to deal with urgent military affairs at a time when the Qing troops were fiercely fighting against the Mongolians in Northern China. The office was later strengthened and converted into the political heart ranking even higher than the cabinet in ...
-- The Zhen Concubine Well was the place where the Zhen Concubine of Emperor Guangxu was drowned.
Zhen Concubine means Brilliant Concubine. Emperor Guangxu's most favored lady was very talented and intelligent. She encouraged the Emperor to endorse political reform to strengthen his country. Unfortunately, the reform was later suppressed by Empress Dowager Cixi because it contradicted with her interests. Cixi constantly prosecuted Zhen Concubine and had her jailed. In 1900, after the Eight Foreign Allies invaded Beijing, the Dowager before fleeing the capital with the emperor ordered the eunuchs to throw the concubine into the well. The well was given the name of Zhen Concubine Well...
-- During the Qing Dynasty, this hall was probably the most important building except for the Hall of Supreme Harmony. From the time of the third emperor Yongzhen, all the Qing emperors: 8 in total resided there. The emperor also conducted the state affairs and held private audiences in the hall ...
-- Exiting the Kun Ning Gong and going further north, travelers will find the Imperial Garden. The garden is connected with the six palaces on both sides of the central axis of the Forbidden City. The rectangular Imperial Garden is 90 meters long from north to south and 130 meters wide from west to east, with a land expanse of about 11, 700 square meters. The Garden contains more than 20 different buildings in different styles: pavilions, terraces, towers and rockeries ...
-- The Gate of Divine Might, the northern gate. The lower tablet reads "The Palace Museum" (故宫博物院) The Gate of Divine Might or Gate of Divine Prowess (Chinese: 神武門; pinyin: Shénwǔmén; literally "Divine Military Might/Prowess Gate") is the northern gate of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It faces Jingshan Park. A tablet above the doorway reads "The Palace Museum" in Chinese ...
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