Forbidden City

The Forbidden City is the largest imperial palace in the world. Situated in the north of Beijing, the structure was completed in 1420 and served as a palace for the Emperors of the Qing and Ming dynasties.

The initial construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406 during the reign of Emperor Chengzu.

Following the completion of the Palace, the capital city of China was subsequently moved from Nanjing to Beijing by Emperor Chengzu.

show that the Forbidden City has a measurement of 961 meters long and 753 meters wide.

It also exhibits over 90 palace compounds and 980 buildings that are bordered by a moat which is approximately 52 meters wide.

In addition, the Forbidden City is also divided into two major parts specifically the outer court or the southern section and the inner court or the northern section.

The southern section was a place in the palace wherein the Emperor would employ his supreme power over the country.

The northern area, on the other hand, was where he stayed with his royal family.

Several historians say that the Forbidden City served as a ritual and political center of Chinese people for over five centuries.

As a matter of fact, it also served as a home to more than 20 Emperors, their families, and servants at the time of the Qing and Ming dynasties.

Even though it is no longer considered as an imperial district, the Forbidden City continues to be one of the most important heritage sites in the world.

Interesting Facts about the Forbidden City

• The Forbidden City is consists of multiple gates specifically the Meridian Gate, the East Glorious Gate, the West Glorious Gate, and the Gate of Devine Might.
• The outer court of the Forbidden City is comprised of three major buildings such as the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
• The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest building of the Forbidden City. It is believed that this hall also served as a court during the Ming dynasty.
• The Forbidden City is among the most visited places in the world. It hosts a maximum of 80,000 visitors per day or 14 million visitors per year.
• The Forbidden City was constructed using Old Chinese philosophy and symbolism. In fact, the numbers five and nine can be seen often as it symbolizes the majesty of the Emperor.
• The eastern and western parts of the inner court were saved for the retired Emperors of Ancient China.
• Imperial weddings and familial ceremonies were held at the smaller square in the palace known as the Hall of Celestial.
• At present, the Forbidden City is known as the Palace Museum. It houses a wide range of ancient pieces and artifacts.

How many rooms does the Forbidden City have?

The Forbidden City is consists of 8,700 rooms.

Why is it named as the Forbidden City?

Prior to being recognized as the Forbidden City, the place was named by Ancient Chinese as the “Purple Palace”.

In old times, the palace for the Emperor on Earth was known as the Purple City. People are forbidden to enter the Purple City without obtaining special permission from the Emperor.

Who was the last Emperor to live in the Forbidden City?

Emperor Puyi who was the last Emperor of imperial China was the last occupant of the Forbidden City.

Puyi along with his royal family and troops were expelled in 1925 when the palace was rebuilt into a museum.

How many people built the Forbidden City?

It is believed that at least one million workers including 100,000 craftsmen worked on the palace.

Among the materials that were used to create the Forbidden City include but are not only limited to blocks of marble, Phoebe Zhennan trees, and golden bricks.

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