Related Sponsors

The Forbidden City

Home » China » Beijing - Activities and Attractions » The Forbidden City

Beijing was built around the Forbidden City, and it is still the geographic center of the city today. The largest palace complex in the world, it is located on the north side of Tiananmen Square. It is referred to as Gu Gong (Former Palace) in Chinese, and it served as the Imperial Palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Forbidden City is the most popular tourist attraction in all of China, receiving some seven million visitors each year.

Palace construction began in 1406, under the authority of the Yongle emperor. It was completed over 14 years and was the eventual home of 24 emperors from 1420 to 1923. In 2002 Beijing launched a $75 million dollar renovation project to restore portions of the complex, a project set to take place in two phases. The first phase will be complete in time for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, while the second phase is scheduled for completion in a whopping 2020 (if you are making some long term travel plans). One of the initiatives is a new facility to display a collection of thousands of Ming and Qing Imperial relics.

The palace suffered damage from fire and enemy attacks over the centuries, and what stands today is primarily from the Qing years of power. The original complex was said to have 9,999 rooms, though that number is derived from an Eastern method of counting (where a room full of columns is considered to be several rooms, because the space between each column is considered an individual room). By western standards, the complex boasts a not-too-shabby 980 rooms.

The most popular portions of the palace run north/south in a straight-line beginning with the Qianqing Men (Gate of Heavenly Purity) and leading into the Inner Court, where only the emperor and his family, concubines, and palace eunuchs were allowed. Beyond the Inner Court lies the Quinquig Gong (Palace of Heavenly Purity) where the Emperors lived until 1720 (at which point they relocated to the western side of the palace).

Next are the Jiaotai Dian (Hall of Union) and the Kunning Gong (Palace of Earthly Tranquility). At the back lies the Imperial Garden, where the royal family would sip tea, play chess and meditate. It is said the garden looks much the same as it did when it was constructed during the Ming dynasty.

Other interesting portions of the palace complex include the Zhenbao Guan (Hall of Jewelry), where you can view all 25 of the Qing Imperial Seals. The Yangxin Dian (Hall of Mental Cultivation), southwest of the Imperial Garden, is where the family moved when they left the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Other notable sites include the Hall of Clocks and the Nine Dragon Screen.

Next Page: Tiananmen Square

Related Beijing - Activities and Attractions Articles