The Meridian Gate

The Forbidden CityThe Forbidden City

For over 490 years, 14 emperors of the Ming dynasty and 10 emperors of the Qing dynasty had reigned and resided here, until 1924 when the last emperor

in China – Puyi was driven out of the Inner Court. The world´s largest palace complex covers a floor space of 720,000

square meters; is 960 meters long and 750 meters wide with 9,999 buildings. It is now listed by the UN as World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987

For fear that enemy might try to tunnel into the city, the ground beneath the courtyard was paved

with fifteen layers of bricks; seven layers lengthwise and eight layers crosswise.

Five white marble bridges stretching over the “ Golden Water River ” ( Jinshui Chiao )across the Gate of Supreme Harmony, which represent the five Confucian virtues of

Benevolence, Wisdom, Righteousness, Rites and Fidelity.

Yellow glazed-tile roof adorned with dragons. The number of dragons determines the

importance of the building. The Hall of Supreme Harmony, being the most important ceremonial building in the Forbidden City, features 12 lions

on the roof

Entering through the central archway was the emperors' exclusive privilege; their

empresses were allowed to use this passage only once - on their wedding day. The east

opening was for the ministers while the west opening was for the imperial family. The other openings were

for other officials. Ordinary people were absolutely forbidden to enter the city.

Gate of Supreme Harmony 太和門

The Hall of Supreme Harmony ( TaiHeDian ) 太和殿 ,Where the emperor held his court to handle the state affairs. Grand ceremonies

as coronations of new emperors and other ceremonies which markedEmperors´ birthday, wedding, Winter Solstice and New Year were held here.

The gilded sandalwood throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony

The gilded sandalwood throne where the last Qing emperor Puyi ascended the

throne at the age of three, in 1908Above the throne is a gold painted caisson,

or coffered ceiling.The magnificent esculpture on the ceiling

shows two dragons playing with a huge pearl. The pearls were made of glass and painted with

mercury. It was said to be the earliestmirror made in ancient China.

It symbolized that the Emperor was the legitimate successor

Gate of Harmony ( XiHeMen )

Hall of Complete Harmony ( ZhongHeDian ), was a place of rest on the way to the Hall of Supreme Harmony and rehearsals for ceremonies of the emperor

Throne in the Hall of Complete Harmony – ZhongHeDian

Three tiered Sumeru marble terraces.To the right is the Hall of Complete Harmony and to the left is the Hall of Preserved Harmony.

Hall of the Preserved Harmony ( BaoHeDian ), was used as imperial banquet hall.During the Qing Dynasty, triennial imperial examinations for Confucian scholars

from all over the country were held here.

Throne inside the Hall of Preserved Harmony - BaoHeDian

Hall of Imperial Supremacy (Huangjidian) was the home of the Qianlong Emperor after his retirement in 1795, at the age of 84. This palace resembles the

Hall of Supreme Harmony, however, it rests only on a single tier Sumeru terrace,

Gate of Celestial Purity ( QianQingMen ) is the main entrance to the inner court,the living quarters of the emperor and his royal family.

Palace of Celestial Purity ( QianQingGong ) 乾清宫 ,

where the emperors used to live and handle daily affairs of the nation.

The Hall of Celestial Purity was used as audience chamber to receive envoys and foreign ambassadors who presented their tributes to the emperor

The Hall of Union and Peace ( JiaoTaiDian )25 imperial jade seals are conserved here inside golden

boxes covered with yellow silk

A western chiming clock made in 1789

The Hall of Mental Cultivation ( YangXinDian ) was the residence of eight

Qing emperors since Emperor Yongzheng and the final point of Imperial rule in China, where Empress Dowager Cixi signed Puyi´s letter of abdication

Imperial wedding chamber at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility ( Kunninggong )

The Hall of Festive Joy ( Yanxitang ), the waiting room for concubines and

palace maids called upon to wait on the emperor

in the Hall of Mentally Cultivation

The plaque hanging above the throne in the Hall of Mental Cultivation bears the Chinese characters meaning "just and benevolent" in Emperor Yongzheng's own handwriting.

Bookshelves on both sides of the throne keeping books on the experiences and lessons that the

preceding emperors had drawn in ruling the country.

The Hall was used as the audience chamber, where

the emperor read documents, granted audience to officials and summoned his ministers for

consultation.

Gate of Lunar Glory (Yuehuamen )

Chime clock of Qing Dynasty made around 1797. It is 5.85 mts

high

The Exibition Hall of Clocks and Watches,in which houses about 200 clocks

and watches from the imperial collection, mostlygifts presented to the emperor

Each of the watchtowers at the four corners of the Forbidden City has 9 roof beams,

18 pillars and 72 ridgepoles, all multiple numbers of 9. Summing up: 9+18+72=99 .

In the feng-shui concept, 9 is a homonym to “ everlasting ”

Smoke signals could be sent as means of communication from the Forbidden City to

the watchtowers of the Great Wall

Sedan chair was used to shuttle the Emperor

around the Forbidden City

The Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns (Qianqiu ), inside the Imperial Garden ( YuHuaYuan )

Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen) is the north gate of the Forbidden City.On its tower, bells were struck in the morning and drums beaten in the evening in the

old days to mark time. Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, went through the Gate of Divine Prowess to the Coal Hill to hang himself in 1644.