The Palace Museum

Synopsis

The Forbidden City, located in the center of Beijing, served as the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the world's largest and most completely preserved ancient complex of wooden structures. Construction began in 1406, covering an area of 720,000 square meters with over 9,000 rooms. It was converted into the Palace Museum in 1925, housing a collection of 1.86 million artifacts. In 1987, it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest hall, the Meridian Gate is the main entrance, and the Treasure Gallery and Clock Gallery are must-see exhibitions. It receives over 19 million visitors annually.

Overview

The Forbidden City, located in the center of Beijing, also known as the Purple Forbidden City, served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the world's largest and most completely preserved ancient palatial architectural complex. Construction began in the fourth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty (1406 AD) and took 14 years to complete. It covers an area of approximately 720,000 square meters, with a building area of about 150,000 square meters, containing over 70 palaces and 9,000 rooms. In 1987, the Forbidden City was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The name "Purple Forbidden City" carries profound meaning. "Purple" refers to the Purple Forbidden Enclosure (Ziwei Yuan), an asterism anciently believed to be the celestial abode of the Heavenly Emperor. As the emperor called himself the "Son of Heaven," his residence naturally corresponded to the Purple Forbidden Enclosure. "Forbidden" indicates this was a royal sanctuary, off-limits to ordinary people without permission. In 1924, the last emperor, Puyi, was expelled from the Forbidden City. On October 10, 1925, the Palace Museum was formally established, opening the gates of the Forbidden City to the general public for the first time.

Core Attractions

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the most magnificent building in the Forbidden City and the largest existing wooden structure hall in China. It stands approximately 35 meters high, with a width of 11 bays and a depth of 5 bays, covering an interior area of 2,377 square meters. In the center of the hall sits the emperor's throne, above which hangs a plaque inscribed by Emperor Qianlong with the characters "Jian Ji Sui You" (Establish the Highest Standard, Plan for the People). In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony is a vast square capable of accommodating tens of thousands of people. Major state ceremonies such as imperial enthronements, weddings, investitures, and military dispatches were held here.

Architectural Layout

The architectural layout of the Forbidden City strictly adheres to the traditional Chinese principle of axial symmetry. The entire palace complex is arranged along a north-south central axis, with symmetrical left and right sides and clear hierarchical order. The Forbidden City is divided into two main parts: the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court centers on the Three Great Halls—the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and Hall of Preserving Harmony—and was where the emperor held grand ceremonies and conducted state affairs. The Inner Court centers on the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Union, and Palace of Earthly Tranquility, along with the Eastern and Western Six Palaces, and served as the living quarters for the emperor, empress, and concubines.

Every detail of the Forbidden City embodies profound cultural significance. The number of mythical creatures on the roof ridges indicates the building's rank—the Hall of Supreme Harmony uses ten creatures, making it the only building in the country with this number. The floor bricks are specially made "golden bricks" from Suzhou, each requiring 720 days to produce. The combination of red palace walls and golden glazed tiles represents the classic color scheme of Chinese imperial power.

Collection Highlights

The Palace Museum currently houses approximately 1.86 million cultural relics, making it China's largest museum of ancient art and culture. Among its most famous treasures is Along the River During the Qingming Festival by Zhang Zeduan of the Northern Song dynasty. This 5.28-meter-long scroll depicts the bustling scene of the Northern Song capital, Bianjing, and is one of China's Ten Great Classical Paintings. The original is rarely exhibited, and each display causes a sensation.

Practical Information

References

1. UNESCO World Heritage Centre: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/439
2. Palace Museum Official Website: https://www.dpm.org.cn
3. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/北京故宫
4. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/故宫