Information
Landmark: Forbidden CityCity: Beijing
Country: China
Continent: Asia
Forbidden City, Beijing, China, Asia
Overview
In the heart of Beijing, the Forbidden City-once called the Imperial Palace (皇宫, Huánggōng)-sprawls with grand halls and quiet courtyards shaded by ancient cypress trees.For nearly 500 years, it was the heart of power and pageantry for the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1912) dynasties, housing 24 emperors behind its towering red walls.The Forbidden City ranks among the largest, best-preserved palace complexes on Earth, its red walls and golden roofs standing as a powerful emblem of China’s imperial past.Sitting at the heart of Beijing, just north of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City sprawls across roughly 720,000 square meters-about the size of 178 football fields.A six-meter (20-foot) wall rises around the complex, backed by a 52-meter (170-foot) moat where the water glints in the sun; both were built to shield the imperial family and keep the emperor apart from the common people.The Forbidden City holds about 980 buildings, sheltering 8,704 rooms-enough to wander through for days without seeing the same red doorway twice.The place unfolds through a chain of courtyards, quiet gardens, and grand palaces, each with its own role in the emperor’s day-from morning councils to evening ceremonies beneath lantern light.The Forbidden City rose between 1406 and 1420, under the watch of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, its red walls and golden roofs taking shape over fourteen years.They built it as the emperor’s private home, the heart of political power, and a symbol of China’s cosmic order-its red walls glowing in the morning sun.They called it the "Forbidden City" because ordinary people couldn’t step inside without special permission, not even to glimpse its red walls.The palace admitted only the imperial family, top officials, and their servants, and even they moved under the weight of rigid rules.Architectural Layout: The Forbidden City is split into two main areas-the Outer Court, where grand ceremonies once echoed, and the Inner Court, home to the emperor’s private life.Outer Court: Here, emperors held grand ceremonies, settled state business, and met with officials beneath towering red gates.The buildings rise tall and commanding, with sweeping roofs and carved beams, including the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony.People once filled these halls with the sound of chanting and the glow of candlelight during important rituals and ceremonies.Inner Court: This was the emperor’s private quarters, where he lived with his family, shared quiet meals, and carried out his most personal duties.Inside the Inner Court, you’ll find the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, their red gates standing bright against the worn stone paths.It also holds the emperor’s private rooms and the empress’s palace, where sunlight spills across polished stone floors.Symbolism and Feng Shui: The Forbidden City’s layout brims with ancient Chinese symbols and follows feng shui rules, from the red walls to the perfectly aligned gates.The palace stands on a north–south line, a design meant to place the emperor at the universe’s heart, with him gazing south toward the bright horizon and his people looking north toward him.The architecture’s colors carry meaning-bright yellow crowns the roofs, a nod to the emperor, while deep red speaks of power and authority.The Forbidden City’s design mirrored the cosmic order, its courtyards and gates laid out to echo the universe’s hierarchy.People saw the emperor as the “Son of Heaven,” the bridge between heaven and earth, and even the palace-its golden roofs catching the morning light-was built to mirror his divine rank.The Hall of Supreme Harmony (太和殿), standing at the heart of the Outer Court, is the largest and best-known building in the Forbidden City, with golden roof tiles that catch the morning light.The site hosted grand ceremonies-everything from the emperor’s enthronement to weddings-where silk banners fluttered and drums echoed through the air.This masterpiece of Chinese architecture rises on a grand scale, its carved beams and painted tiles catching the light.The Hall of Central Harmony (中和殿), set just behind the grand Hall of Supreme Harmony, was where the emperor paused to gather his thoughts before important ceremonies, sometimes sipping tea in the quiet light.The emperor came here to rest, letting the quiet settle around him, and to gather his thoughts.The Hall of Preserving Harmony (保和殿) hosted grand imperial banquets and formal ceremonies, and it also served as the venue for imperial examinations-the rigorous tests that decided who would rise to serve in the government.Palace of Heavenly Purity (乾清宫): The emperor’s home in the Inner Court, where he met behind closed doors with advisors and handled the business of the empire.The Palace of Earthly Tranquility (交泰宫) served as the empress’s home, its quiet halls once scented with sandalwood.It sits beside the Palace of Heavenly Purity, once the bustling heart of the imperial harem where silk skirts whispered across polished floors.Palace of Compassion and Tranquility (慈宁宫): Once home to the empress dowager-the emperor’s mother or widow-it was where she lived and ruled her household, its quiet courtyards shaded by old cypress trees.Art and Cultural Relics: Inside the Forbidden City, you’ll find an astonishing trove-paintings brushed in rich reds and golds, delicate ceramics, lustrous jade, ancient bronzes, and flowing calligraphy-earning it a place among the world’s most treasured museums.Inside the Forbidden City, the Palace Museum houses more than 1.8 million artifacts-from jade seals to silk robes-telling the story of China’s imperial past and its remarkable cultural achievements.Many of the artifacts once sat in the halls of the imperial family, gleaming under the watchful eye of the Chinese court.After the Qing Dynasty collapsed in 1912, the Forbidden City opened its red lacquered gates to the public as a museum.For a while, the last emperor, Puyi, stayed inside the palace walls, walking its quiet courtyards, until officials forced him out in the 1920s.Today, the Forbidden City ranks among China’s most visited landmarks, with millions streaming through its red gates every year.It still stands as a symbol of China’s imperial past, a living testament to its architectural skill and rich cultural heritage, like the deep red lacquer that has endured for centuries.In 1987, UNESCO placed the Forbidden City on its World Heritage list, honoring its deep cultural roots and centuries-old history-stone courtyards worn smooth by millions of footsteps.The Forbidden City, now known as the Palace Museum, holds a vast collection of imperial treasures, from jade seals cool to the touch to golden robes stitched with dragons.The museum showcases art from China’s dynastic eras, from delicate silk paintings and carved statues to glazed porcelain bowls and embroidered textiles.The museum hosts rotating exhibitions, hands-on workshops for students, and in-depth research projects, making it a lively hub for safeguarding China’s cultural heritage and sharing its history with every curious visitor.Visitors can wander the Forbidden City with a guide who brings its history to life in several languages, or slip on headphones and follow an audio tour at their own pace.The palace sprawls so wide you could wander for hours, which is why first-time visitors often choose a guided tour.You enter the Forbidden City through Tiananmen Gate, a towering landmark with centuries of history etched into its stone.Visitors move steadily through courtyards, slip under shadowed gates, and pass echoing halls as they head deeper into the complex.Visiting hours and ticket details for the Forbidden City
