Part 4: The Forbidden City

The Forbidden City

• Chinese (Pinyin) Zijincheng or (Wade-Giles romanization) Tzu-chinch’eng, imperial palace complex at the heart of Beijing (Peking), China.

The Forbidden City

• Commissioned in 1406 by the Yongle emperor of the Ming Dynasty - it was first officially occupied by the court in 1420.

The Forbidden City

• It was so named because access to the area was barre to most of the subjects of the realm.

The Forbidden City

• The 178-acre (72 hectare) compound was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 in recognition of its importance as the center of Chinese Power for 5 centuries, as well as for its unparalleled architecture and its current role as the Palace Museum of dynastic art and history.

THE SOUTH-NORTH AXIS OF POWER, FORBIDDEN CITY

- The orientation of the Forbidden City, and for that matter all of Beijing, follow a north-south line.

THE SOUTH-NORTH AXIS OF POWER, FORBIDDEN CITY

- Within the compound, all the most important buildings, especially those along the main axis, face south to honor the sun.

Wu (Meridian) Gate / Wu Gate

- The imposing formal southern entrance to the Forbidden City.

Wu (Meridian) Gate / Wu Gate

- The gate is also one of the tallest buildings of the complex (125 ft.. or 38 meters) high at its roof ridge.

Wu (Meridian) Gate / Wu Gate

- One of its primary functions was to serve as a backdrop for imperial appearances and proclamations.

Golden River (Golden Water River)

- Beyond the Wu Gate lies a large courtyard, 460 ft. (140 meters) deep and 690 ft. (210 meters) wide, through which the Golden River runs is bow-shaped arc.

Golden River (Golden Water River)

- The river is crossed by 5 parallel white marble bridges, which lead to the Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihemen).

Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihemen)

- The area encompasses some 7 acres (3 hectares) - enough space to admit tens of thousands of subjects to pay homage to the emperor.

Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)

the throne of the emperor stands.

Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)

- This hall, measuring 210 by 122 ft. (64 by 37 meters), is the largest single building in the compound, as well as one of the tallest (being approximately the same height as the Wu Gate).

Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)

the center of the Imperial Court.

Hall of Central (or Complete) Harmony (Zhonghedian or Zhonghe Hall)

located between the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian) and the Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian).

Hall of Central (or Complete) Harmony (Zhonghedian or Zhonghe Hall)

- These three, known as the Three Great Halls of the Outer Court, are on the central axis of the Forbidden City. Of the three, it is the smallest.

Hall of Central (or Complete) Harmony (Zhonghedian or Zhonghe Hall)

- Covering a total area of 580 square meters, it is a square structure built like a pavilion, each side of which is five bays long, measuring 24.15m. It has a single-eave roof with a gilded pinnacle gleaming brightly in the sun.

Hall of Central (or Complete) Harmony (Zhonghedian or Zhonghe Hall)

- Served as a place for rest for the emperor when he was on his way to hold ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian)

- Located behind the Hall of Central Harmony, was first built in 1420 and first named “Jinshen Hall”.

Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian)

- It was renamed “Baohe Hall” in Qing Shunzhi 2 year, which means the single-minded consciousness and maintaining harmony to get happiness, longevity and peace for the country.

Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian)

- The hall was once the place for the emperor to confer titles of nobility on the queen and the prince in the Ming Dynasty, also the living place for the Qing Emperor Shunzhi and Emperor Kangxi, the place for holding the feudal imperial examination in the Qing Emperor Qianlong period.

HUGE STONE CARVING, HALL OF PRESERVED HARMONY (BAOHEDIAN)

Behind the Hall of Preserved Harmony, in the center of the stairway, is a huge marble relief of nine dragons playing with pearls.

HUGE STONE CARVING, HALL OF PRESERVED HARMONY (BAOHEDIAN)

It is the largest stone sculpture in the Forbidden City. Sculpted originally in the Ming dynasty, it was re-sculpted in the Qing dynasty.

HUGE STONE CARVING, HALL OF PRESERVED HARMONY (BAOHEDIAN)

During these dynasties, anyone who was caught touching this holy stone would receive the death penalty.

Gate of Heavenly Purity or Qianqingmen or Gate of Celestial Purity

on the central axis and divides the Forbidden City into two parts, the Outer Court and the Inner Court, therefore, serving as the main entrance to the imperial household.

Gate of Heavenly Purity or Qianqingmen or Gate of Celestial Purity

- Five bays wide, three bays deep, and sixteen meters high, it is a structure with a single-eave roof, resting on the 1.5-meter high white marble base of a Buddhist-style building surrounded by carved stone balustrades.

Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong)

- Is a smaller version of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, as it was deemed inferior to the Hall of Supreme Harmony everything within it is smaller than similar items in the superior palace.

Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong)

the largest palace in the Inner Court of Forbidden City, and it is superior to any other structures there.

Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong)

- Over the throne hangs a plaque engraved with four Chinese characters, written by Emperor Yongzheng and which means “Justice and Brightness”.

Hall of Celestial & Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian) or Hall of Union and peace

- One of the three main palaces in the Inner Court of the Forbidden City.

Hall of Celestial & Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian) or Hall of Union and peace

- It is between the other two main palaces, the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.

Hall of Celestial & Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian) or Hall of Union and peace

- In 1797, it was damaged by a fire and thus rebuilt the next year. It is a single-roof structure with a gilded bronze spherical pinnacle.

Hall of Celestial & Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian) or Hall of Union and peace

- Square in shape, it is three bays wide and three bays deep, smaller than the Hall of Central Harmony which is a similar architectural style.

Hall of Celestial & Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian) or Hall of Union and peace

- The name was adopted from the Book of Changes, meaning the union of heaven and earth, and peace and harmony of the whole nation in Chinese.

BIG CHIME CLOCK, HALL OF CELESTIAL & TERRESTRIAL UNION (JIAOTAIDIAN)

The shell is a wooden tank imitating the style of a Chinese pavilion.

BIG CHIME CLOCK, HALL OF CELESTIAL & TERRESTRIAL UNION (JIAOTAIDIAN)

fabricated in 1798, the third year of the reign of Jiaqing (1796-1820).

Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong) or Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility

- the last of the three main palaces in the Inner Court of the Forbidden City, standing behind the Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union.

Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong) or Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility

- It was first built in 1420 and rebuilt in 1605 due to two fires in 1514 and 1596.

Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong) or Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility

Facing south, it is 9 bays wide and 3 bays deep. Twenty-two meters high, it has a double-eaved roof with side buildings just like the Palace of Heavenly Purity but smaller.

Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong) or Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility

where the empress lived in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). However, after reconstruction in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it served as the nuptial chamber of the emperor and empress and the altar for worshipping the deities of Shamanism.

Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan)

located outside of the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility.

Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan)

- Constructed during the Ming dynasty in 1417, it is rectangular in shape and covers approximately 12,000 square meters.

Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan)

a private retreat for the imperial family and is the most typical of the Chinese imperial garden design.

Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin’andian)

the dominant building in the garden and occupies the central position. Surrounded by a wall, it dates from the 15th Century.

Consort Pine

- Growing in front of the hall is a four-hundred-year-old pine tree. Known as the

Gate of Divine Prowess

the north gate and the back gate of the Forbidden City.

Gate of Divine Prowess

- It was built in the 18th year of Ming Yongle in 1420, originally called Xuanwumen. Later, it was renamed Shenwumen, because Xuanwu offended the Kangxi emperor, whose name is Xuanye.