Forbidden City

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Forbidden City
紫禁城
The Forbidden City - View from Coal Hill.jpg
The Forbidden City viewed from Jingshan Hill
China Beijing adm location map.svg
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Location within Beijing
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Forbidden City (China)
Established1406–1420
1925 (as public museum)
Location4 Jingshan Front St, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
Coordinates 39°54′57″N116°23′27″E / 39.91583°N 116.39083°E / 39.91583; 116.39083
Type
Visitors16.7 million [1]
Curator Wang Xudong
Website dpm.org.cn (in Chinese)
intl.dpm.org.cn (in English)
Area72 hectares
Built1406–1420 (Ming dynasty)
Architect Kuai Xiang
Architectural style(s) Chinese architecture
Romanization dabkūri dorgi hoton "Former Inner City"

The Forbidden City is a rectangle, measuring 961 m (3,153 ft) from north to south and 753 m (2,470 ft) from east to west. [4] [5] It consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,886 bays of rooms. [3] [33] A common myth states that there are 9,999 rooms including antechambers, [34] based on oral tradition, but it is not supported by survey evidence. [35] The layout of the Forbidden City protected the imperial code of ethics as a physical installation. The courtyard was built on a massive, luxurious scale but it has the appearance of an ordinary quadrangle courtyard. [36] The Forbidden City was designed to be the centre of the ancient, walled city of Beijing. It is enclosed in a larger, walled area called the Imperial City. The Imperial City is, in turn, enclosed by the Inner City; to its south lies the Outer City.

The Forbidden City remains important in the civic scheme of Beijing. The central north–south axis remains the central axis of Beijing. This axis extends to the south through Tiananmen Gate to Tiananmen Square, the ceremonial centre of the People's Republic of China, and on to Yongdingmen Gate. To the north, it extends through Jingshan Park to the Drum Tower and Bell Tower. [37] This axis is not exactly aligned north–south, but is tilted by slightly more than two degrees. Researchers now believe that the axis was designed during the Yuan dynasty to be aligned with Shangdu, the other capital of their empire. [38]

The Meridian Gate seen from the inner courtyard Cite interdite Porte du midi vue de la Cour interieure.jpg
The Meridian Gate seen from the inner courtyard

Walls and gates

The Meridian Gate, front entrance of the Forbidden City, with two protruding wings Meridian Gate, Beijing.jpg
The Meridian Gate, front entrance of the Forbidden City, with two protruding wings
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Close-up on the left protruding wing of the Meridian Gate
A corner tower in the northwest side and the moat Forbidden City (25737200388).jpg
A corner tower in the northwest side and the moat

The Forbidden City is surrounded by a 7.9 m (26 ft) high city wall [18] and a 6 m (20 ft) deep by 52 m (171 ft) wide moat. The walls are 8.62 m (28.3 ft) wide at the base, tapering to 6.66 m (21.9 ft) at the top. [39] These walls served as both defensive walls and retaining walls for the palace. They were constructed with a rammed earth core, and surfaced with three layers of specially baked bricks on both sides, with the interstices filled with mortar. [40]

At the four corners of the wall sit corner towers (E) with intricate roofs boasting 72 ridges, reproducing the Pavilion of Prince Teng and the Yellow Crane Pavilion as they appeared in Song dynasty paintings. [40] These towers are the most visible parts of the palace to people outside the walls, and much folklore is attached to them. According to one legend, artisans could not put a corner tower back together after it was dismantled for renovations in the early Qing dynasty, and it was only rebuilt after the intervention of carpenter-immortal Lu Ban. [18]

The wall is pierced by a gate on each side. At the southern end is the main Meridian Gate (A) ( 午 門 ; Wǔmén). [41] To the north is the Gate of Divine Prowess (B) ( 神 武 門 ; Shénwǔmén), which faces Jingshan Park. The east and west gates are the East Glorious Gate (D) ( 東 華 門 ; Dōnghuámén) and the West Glorious Gate (C) ( 西 華 門 ; Xīhuámén). All gates in the Forbidden City are decorated with nine-by-nine arrays of golden door nails, except for the East Glorious Gate, which has only eight. [42]

The Meridian Gate has two protruding wings, which form three sides of a square before it, [43] and five gateways. The central gateway is part of the Imperial Way, a stone flagged path that forms the central axis of the Forbidden City and the ancient city of Beijing itself, leading all the way from the Gate of China in the south to Jingshan Park in the north. Except for the empress on the occasion of her wedding and successful students after the Imperial Examination, only the emperor could walk or ride on the Imperial Way. [42]

Outer Court or the Southern Section

The Inner Golden Water River, an artificial stream that runs through the Forbidden City Bei Jing Gu Gong 2.JPG
The Inner Golden Water River, an artificial stream that runs through the Forbidden City
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Hall of Supreme Harmony
The vertical inscribed board on the Hall of Supreme Harmony Sign of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.JPG
The vertical inscribed board on the Hall of Supreme Harmony
View of the Forbidden City from Jingshan Park Un hombre mira la Ciudad Prohibida de Beijing, desde el parque JingShan. Una espesa capa de bruma y contaminacion cubre la capital de manera permanente. (15733953712).jpg
View of the Forbidden City from Jingshan Park
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Gate of Manifest Virtue
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The caisson of the Hall of Union
A close-up view of the tower to the right of the Gate of Supreme Harmony Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - China-6164.jpg
A close-up view of the tower to the right of the Gate of Supreme Harmony
A cistern in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony *.*ChinaUli2010*.* Beijing - Forbidden Town - panoramio (82).jpg
A cistern in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony

Traditionally, the Forbidden City is divided into two parts: the Outer Court ( 外 朝 ; Wàicháo) or Front Court ( 前 朝 ; Qiáncháo) to the south, which was used for ceremonial purposes; and the Inner Court ( 内 廷 ; Nèitíng) or Back Palace ( 后 宫 ; Hòugōng) to the north, which was the residence of the emperor and his family and was used for day-to-day affairs of state (the approximate dividing line shown as a red dash in the plan above). Generally, the Forbidden City has three vertical axes. The most important buildings are situated on the central north–south axis. [42]

Entering from the Meridian Gate, one encounters a large square, pierced by the meandering Inner Golden Water River, which is crossed by five bridges. Beyond the square stands the Gate of Supreme Harmony (F) ( 太 和 門 ; Tàihémén). Behind that is a square [44] from which a three-tiered white marble terrace rises and three halls stand on top of this terrace, the focus of the palace complex. From the south, these are the Hall of Supreme Harmony ( 太 和 殿 ; Tàihédiàn), the Hall of Central Harmony ( 中 和 殿 ; Zhōnghédiàn), and the Hall of Preserving Harmony ( 保 和 殿 ; Bǎohédiàn). [45]

The Hall of Supreme Harmony (G) is the largest, and rises some 30 m (98 ft) above the level of the surrounding square. It is the ceremonial centre of imperial power, and the largest surviving wooden structure in China. It is nine bays wide and five bays deep, the numbers 9 and 5 being symbolically connected to the majesty of the emperor. [46] Set into the ceiling at the centre of the hall is an intricate caisson decorated with a coiled dragon, from the mouth of which issues a chandelier-like set of metal balls, called the "Xuanyuan Mirror". [47] In the Ming dynasty, the emperor held court here to discuss affairs of state. During the Qing dynasty, as emperors held court far more frequently, a less ceremonious location was used instead, and the Hall of Supreme Harmony was only used for ceremonial purposes, such as enthronements, investitures, and imperial weddings. [48]

The Hall of Central Harmony is a smaller, square hall, used by the emperor to prepare and rest before and during ceremonies. [49] Behind it, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, was used for rehearsing ceremonies, and was also the site of the final stage of the Imperial Examination. [50] All three halls feature imperial thrones, the largest and most elaborate one being that in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. [51]

At the centre of the stairs leading up to the terraces from the northern and southern sides are ceremonial ramps, part of the Imperial Way, featuring elaborate and symbolic bas-relief carvings. The northern ramp, behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony, is carved from a single piece of stone 16.57 m (54.4 ft) long, 3.07 m (10.1 ft) wide, and 1.7 m (5.6 ft) thick. It weighs some 200 tons and is the largest such carving in China. [13] The southern ramp, in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, is even longer, but is made from two stone slabs joined — the joint was ingeniously hidden using overlapping bas-relief carvings, and was only discovered when weathering widened the gap in the 20th century. [52] The stone slabs were likely transported from a quarry via ice sledge along an ice path lubricated by well water en route. [53]

In the southwest and southeast of the Outer Court are the halls of Military Eminence (H) and Literary Glory (J). The former was used at various times for the emperor to receive ministers and hold court, and later housed the palace's own printing house. The latter was used for ceremonial lectures by highly regarded Confucian scholars, and later became the office of the Grand Secretariat. A copy of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries was stored there. To the north-east are the Southern Three Places (南 三 所) (K), which was the residence of the crown prince. [44]

Inner Court or the Northern Section

The Inner Court is separated from the Outer Court by an oblong courtyard lying orthogonal to the city's main axis. It was the home of the Emperor and his family. In the Qing dynasty, the Emperor lived and worked almost exclusively in the Inner Court, with the Outer Court used only for ceremonial purposes. [54]

Back Three Palaces

At the centre of the Inner Court is another set of three halls (L). From the south, these are:

Smaller than the Outer Court halls, the three halls of the Inner Court were the official residences of the Emperor and the Empress. The Emperor, representing Yang and the Heavens, would occupy the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The Empress, representing Yin and the Earth, would occupy the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. In between them was the Hall of Union, where the Yin and Yang mixed to produce harmony. [55]

The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity Transmongolie-676 (27131815114).jpg
The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity
The Nine Dragons Screen in front of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity Neun-Drachen-Mauer.jpg
The Nine Dragons Screen in front of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity
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The Imperial Garden

The Palace of Heavenly Purity is a double-eaved building, and set on a single-level white marble platform. It is connected to the Gate of Heavenly Purity to its south by a raised walkway. In the Ming dynasty, it was the residence of the Emperor. However, beginning from the Yongzheng Emperor of the Qing dynasty, the Emperor lived instead at the smaller Hall of Mental Cultivation (N) to the west, out of respect to the memory of the Kangxi Emperor. [18] The Palace of Heavenly Purity then became the Emperor's audience hall. [56] A caisson is set into the roof, featuring a coiled dragon. Above the throne hangs a tablet reading "Justice and Honour" (Chinese : 明 光 大 正 ; pinyin :míngguāng dà zhèng). [57]

The Palace of Earthly Tranquility (坤 寧 宮) is a double-eaved building, 9 bays wide and 3 bays deep. In the Ming dynasty, it was the residence of the Empress. In the Qing dynasty, large portions of the Palace were converted for Shamanist worship by the new Manchu rulers. From the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor, the Empress moved out of the Palace. However, two rooms in the Palace of Earthly Harmony were retained for use on the Emperor's wedding night. [58]

Between these two palaces is the Hall of Union, which is square in shape with a pyramidal roof. Stored here are the 25 Imperial Seals of the Qing dynasty, as well as other ceremonial items. [59]

Behind these three halls lies the Imperial Garden (M). Relatively small, and compact in design, the garden nevertheless contains several elaborate landscaping features. [60] To the north of the garden is the Gate of Divine Might.

Directly to the west is the Hall of Mental Cultivation (N). Originally a minor palace, this became the de facto residence and office of the Emperor starting from Yongzheng. In the last decades of the Qing dynasty, empresses dowager, including Cixi, held court from the eastern partition of the hall. Located around the Hall of Mental Cultivation are the offices of the Grand Council and other key government bodies. [61]

The north-eastern section of the Inner Court is taken up by the Palace of Tranquil Longevity (寧 壽 宮) (O), a complex built by the Qianlong Emperor in anticipation of his retirement. It mirrors the set-up of the Forbidden City proper and features an "outer court", an "inner court", and gardens and temples. The entrance to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity is marked by a glazed-tile Nine Dragons Screen. [62]

Six Western and Six Eastern Palaces

To the west and to the east of the three main halls of the inner court are the Six Western Palaces (西六宫; xīliùgōng) and the Six Eastern Palaces (东六宫; dōngliùgōng). These palaces were the residences of the imperial consorts. Six palaces lay to the west and six to the east of the three main halls, hence the name. The architecture of the twelve palaces, connected by passageways, is more or less the same. The Western and Eastern Palaces each have a layout of three palaces on either side of an alley that runs from north to south. Every palace has its own courtyards, main halls, and side-halls. The main halls stand in the middle and the side-halls are in the east and west. The front courtyard and its main hall was used for receptions, while the back courtyard and its main hall served as living quarters.

An imperial consort with the rank of concubine and above was given a residence in the main section of a palace and was the manager of that palace, an honor in itself. Lower ranking imperial consorts (noble ladies and below) lived in the side halls of the palaces and were supervised by the higher ranking imperial consort.

The twelve palaces were the place where many of the Qing emperors were born and grew up, and they formed the daily life of the imperial family. [63] [64]

During the late Qing era, Empress Dowager Cixi resided in one of the Western Palaces and became known as the "western empress", while her co-regent Empress Dowager Ci'an lived in one of the Eastern Palaces and was thus known as the "eastern empress".

The names of the palaces were:

Western Six Palaces

Eastern Six Palaces

Cining Palace and Shoukang Palace

To the west of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (N) in the western area of the Inner Court is Cining Palace (Palace of Compassion and Tranquility) and Shoukang Palace (Palace of Longevity and Good Health). The palaces were the residences of widowed consorts of previous emperors. In accordance with feudal manners, emperors should not live with the wives of late emperors, so they lived in this separate area of the Inner Court. The Cining palace is bigger and older than Shoukang Palace which is located to the west of Cining Palace. To the south of Cining Palace is Cining garden. [65]

Religion

Swastika and Longevity pattern. Similar designs can be found throughout the Imperial City. Gu Gong Gan Qing Men Chuan Zi Mo Shou Cai Hua .JPG
Swastika and Longevity pattern. Similar designs can be found throughout the Imperial City.

Religion was an important part of life for the imperial court. In the Qing dynasty, the Palace of Earthly Harmony became a place of Manchu Shamanist ceremony. At the same time, the native Chinese Taoist religion continued to have an important role throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. There were two Taoist shrines, one in the imperial garden and another in the central area of the Inner Court. [66]

Another prevalent form of religion in the Qing dynasty palace was Buddhism. A number of temples and shrines were scattered throughout the Inner Court, including that of Tibetan Buddhism or Lamaism. Buddhist iconography also proliferated in the interior decorations of many buildings. [67] Of these, the Pavilion of the Rain of Flowers is one of the most important. It housed a large number of Buddhist statues, icons, and mandalas, placed in ritualistic arrangements. [68]

Surroundings

Location of the Forbidden City in the historic center of Beijing Beijing city wall map vectorized.svg
Location of the Forbidden City in the historic center of Beijing

The palace complex is surrounded by numerous opulent imperial gardens and temples including the 22 ha (54-acre) Zhongshan Park, the sacrificial Imperial Ancestral Temple, the 69 ha (171-acre) Beihai Park, and the 23 ha (57-acre) Jingshan Park. [69]

The Forbidden City is surrounded on three sides by imperial gardens. To the north is Jingshan Park, also known as Prospect Hill, an artificial hill created from the soil excavated to build the moat and from nearby lakes. [70]

To the west lies Zhongnanhai, a former royal garden centred on two connected lakes, which now serves as the central headquarters for the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council of the People's Republic of China. To the north-west lies Beihai Park, also centred on a lake connected to the southern two, and a popular royal park.

To the south of the Forbidden City were two important shrines – the Imperial Shrine of Family or the Imperial Ancestral Temple (Chinese : 太 廟 ; pinyin :Tàimiào) and the Imperial Shrine of State or Beijing Shejitan (Chinese : 社 稷 壇 ; pinyin :Shèjìtán), where the Emperor would venerate the spirits of his ancestors and the spirit of the nation, respectively. Today, these are the Beijing Labouring People's Cultural Hall [71] and Zhongshan Park (commemorating Sun Yat-sen) respectively. [72]

To the south, two nearly identical gatehouses stand along the main axis. They are the Upright Gate (Chinese : 端 门 ; pinyin :Duānmén) and the more famous Tiananmen Gate, which is decorated with a portrait of Mao Zedong in the centre and two placards to the left and right: "Long Live the People's Republic of China" (Chinese :中华人民共和国万岁; pinyin :zhōnghuá rénmín gònghéguó wànsuì) and "Long live the Great Unity of the World's Peoples" (Chinese :世界人民大团结万岁; pinyin :shìjiè rénmín dàtuánjié wànsuì). The Tiananmen Gate connects the Forbidden City precinct with the modern, symbolic centre of the Chinese state, Tiananmen Square.

While development is now tightly controlled in the vicinity of the Forbidden City, throughout the past century uncontrolled and sometimes politically motivated demolition and reconstruction has changed the character of the areas surrounding the Forbidden City. Since 2000, the Beijing municipal government has worked to evict governmental and military institutions occupying some historical buildings, and has established a park around the remaining parts of the Imperial City wall. In 2004, an ordinance relating to building height and planning restriction was renewed to establish the Imperial City area and the northern city area as a buffer zone for the Forbidden City. [73] In 2005, the Imperial City and Beihai (as an extension item to the Summer Palace) were included in the shortlist for the next World Heritage Site in Beijing. [74]

Architecture

Symbolism

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Imperial Palace color of the highest status on the roof ridge of the Hall of Supreme Harmony

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:

Collections

Exhibits on display in the corridor connecting the Hall of Literary Glory and the Hall of Main Respect Bei Jing Gu Gong 12.JPG
Exhibits on display in the corridor connecting the Hall of Literary Glory and the Hall of Main Respect
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Two blue porcelain wares (Qing dynasty)
A blue and white porcelain vase with cloud and dragon designs, marked with the word "longevity" ( Shou ; shou) (Jiajing period of the Ming dynasty) China ming blue dragons.JPG
A blue and white porcelain vase with cloud and dragon designs, marked with the word "longevity" (寿; shòu) (Jiajing period of the Ming dynasty)
Portrait of Empress Xiaojiesu (1508-1528), first wife of the Jiajing Emperor Xiao Ji Su Huang Hou Chen Shi .jpg
Portrait of Empress Xiaojiesu (1508–1528), first wife of the Jiajing Emperor

The collections of the Palace Museum are based on the Qing imperial collection, including paintings, ceramics, seals, steles, sculptures, inscribed wares, bronze wares and enamel objects. According to the latest audit, it has 1,862,690 pieces of art. In addition, the imperial libraries housed a large collection of rare books and historical documents, including government documents of the Ming and Qing dynasties, which has since been transferred to the First Historical Archives. [78]

From 1933, the threat of Japanese invasion forced the evacuation of the most important parts of the Museum's collection. After the end of World War II, this collection was returned to Nanjing. However, with the Communists' victory imminent in the Chinese Civil War, the Nationalist government decided to ship the pick of this collection to Taiwan. Of the 13,491 boxes of evacuated artefacts, 2,972 boxes are now housed in the National Palace Museum in Taipei. More than 8,000 boxes were returned to Beijing, but 2,221 boxes remain today in storage under the charge of the Nanjing Museum. [27]

The Palace Museum holds 340,000 pieces of ceramics and porcelain. These include imperial collections from the Tang dynasty and the Song dynasty. It has close to 50,000 paintings, within which more than 400 date from before the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), which is the largest in China. [79] Its bronze collection dates from the early Shang dynasty. Of the almost 10,000 pieces held, about 1,600 are inscribed items from the pre-Qin period (to 221 BC). A significant part of the collection is ceremonial bronzeware from the imperial court. [80] The Palace Museum has one of the largest collections of mechanical timepieces of the 18th and 19th centuries in the world, with more than 1,000 pieces. The collection contains both Chinese- and foreign-made pieces. Chinese pieces came from the palace's own workshops. Foreign pieces came from countries including Britain, France, Switzerland, the United States, and Japan. Of these, the largest portion come from Britain. [81] Jade has a unique place in Chinese culture. [82] The Museum's collection includes some 30,000 pieces. The pre-Yuan dynasty part of the collection includes several pieces famed throughout history. The earliest pieces date from the Neolithic period. [83] In addition to works of art, a large proportion of the Museum's collection consists of the artifacts of the imperial court. This includes items used by the imperial family and the palace in daily life. This comprehensive collection preserves the daily life and ceremonial protocols of the imperial era. [84]


Influence

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Glazed building decoration
A gilded lion in front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - China-6237.jpg
A gilded lion in front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation

The Forbidden City has been influential in the subsequent development of Chinese architecture, as well as in providing inspiration for many artistic works.

The Forbidden City has served as the scene to many works of fiction. In recent years, it has been depicted in films and television series. Some notable examples include:

See also

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The Eastern Qing tombs are an imperial mausoleum complex of the Qing dynasty located in Zunhua, 125 kilometres (78 mi) northeast of Beijing. They are the largest, most complete, and best preserved extant mausoleum complex in China. Altogether, five emperors, 15 empresses, 136 imperial concubines, three princes, and two princesses of the Qing dynasty are buried here. Surrounded by Changrui Mountain, Jinxing Mountain, Huanghua Mountain, and Yingfei Daoyang Mountain, the tomb complex stretches over a total area of 80 square kilometres (31 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hall of Mental Cultivation</span> Historic site in The Forbidden City

The Hall of Mental Cultivation is a building in the inner courtyard of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. The hall is a wooden structure with dome coffered ceilings, and was first built during the Ming dynasty in 1537, and was reconstructed during the Qing dynasty. During the early Qing dynasty under the reign of the Kangxi Emperor the hall was mostly used as a workshop, wherein artisan objects like clocks were designed and manufactured. From the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor during the 18th century, the hall was the residence for the emperor. Under the reign of the Qianlong Emperor until the fall of the Qing dynasty, the hall became the centre of governance and political administration. In the Western Warmth Chamber, the emperor would hold private meetings, and discuss state affairs with his mandarins. After the death of Emperor Xianfeng, from inside the Eastern Warmth Chamber, empress dowagers Ci'an and Cixi would hold audiences with ministers and rule from behind a silk screen curtain during their regencies for emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu, who both succeeded to the throne as children in the second half of the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taiye Lake</span> Artificial lake in Beijing in ancient China

Taiye Lake or Taiye Pond was an artificial lake in imperial City, Beijing, during the Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties of China. The beauty and utility of the lake was responsible for the siting of Kublai Khan's palace and the position of modern Beijing. It continues to exist but it is now known separately as the North, Central, and South Seas, the three interconnected lakes just west of the Forbidden City in downtown Beijing. The northern lake makes up the public Beihai Park while the southern two are grouped together as Zhongnanhai, the headquarters for the Communist leadership of the People's Republic of China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace of Eternal Spring</span> Residence of imperial consorts in the Forbidden City

The Palace of Eternal Spring, also known as Changchun Palace, is one of the Six Western Palaces in the inner court of the Forbidden City. It is situated north of the Hall of the Supreme Principle, west of the Palace of Earthly Honour and northwest of the Palace of Eternal Longevity.

The Palace of Earthly Honour, also known as Yikun Palace, is one of the Six Western Palaces in the inner court of the Forbidden City. It is situated north of the Palace of Eternal Longevity, south of the Palace of Gathering Elegance, east of the Palace of Eternal Spring, northeast of the Hall of the Supreme Principle and southeast of the Palace of Universal Happiness.

The Palace of Universal Happiness, also known as Xianfu Palace, is one of the Six Western Palaces in the inner court of the Forbidden City. It is situated north of the Palace of Eternal Spring, east of the Palace of Gathering Elegance and northwest of the Palace of Earthly Honour.

References

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