History and Importance of the Forbidden City
In the heart of Beijing, the Imperial Palace remained the residence of
the emperors for nearly five hundred years, from the 15th century to
the early 20th century, and was the actual and symbolic seat of
imperial power. Popularly known as the Forbidden City, it was built in
the Ming Dynasty between the 4th and the 18th years of the Yongle
period (1406 - 1420 AD). Many of the buildings of the Palace have been
repaired and rebuilt, but their basic form and layout remain in their
original state.
This magnificent, palatial architectural complex covers an area of over
2,350,000 square feet and contains 9,999 rooms. The largest complex of
its kind in the world, it is surrounded by ten-foot-high walls that are
crowned by four observation towers and flanked by a deep moat. The
walls are pierced by four large gates, each with three openings and a
broad crowning pavilion.
The
layout of the Forbidden City is based on a Chinese cosmic diagram of
the universe that clearly defines the north-south and east-west axes.
The buildings represent the largest and best-preserved examples of
Chinese traditional architecture found today. The overall layout is
centered on the three primary Halls of State: The Hall of Supreme
Harmony (Taihedian), The Hall of Middle Harmony (Zhonghedian) and The
Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian). State ceremonies were held in
the Outer Court (Wai Chao) of the Forbidden City. Here the emperors
governed from their thrones, holding court sessions with their
ministers, issuing imperial edicts and initiating military expeditions.
The Outer Court was also the site for important ceremonies: the
accession of a new emperor to the throne, birthdays and weddings. The
Inner Court (Nei Ting) was the residential area of the emperor and the
imperial household, as well as the place where the emperor dealt with
routine state affairs.
The Forbidden City was the scene of many significant events affecting
the course of Chinese history. Secret World of the Forbidden
City: Splendors from China's Imperial Palace
explores the objects housed in this important complex, lending insight
into the mysteries of the imperial court under the Qing Dynasty, from
the entry into the city of Manchurian troops led by Li Sicheng to the
pinnacle of artistic creativity under Qianlong to the decline of the
dynasty and the abdication of the last Emperor Xuantong in 1912.
Today,
the Forbidden City is one of the world's foremost museums of Chinese
art. Its palaces and halls are filled with innumerable works of art and
cultural artifacts, including gifts of state, military campaign loot
and furnishings and possessions of members of the imperial households.
A great number of these treasures represent the peak of artistic and
inventive genius exhibited by the countless artisans who worked
exclusively for the imperial court.
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