(Infrontofthemeridiangate)
LadiesandGentlemen:
Iampleasedtoserveasyourguidetoday.
Thisisthepalacemuseum;alsoknowasthePurpleForbiddenCity.ItisthelargestandmostwellreservedimperialresidenceinChinatoday.UnderMingEmperorYongle,constructionbeganin1406.Ittook14yearstobuildtheForbiddenCity.ThefirstrulerwhoactuallylivedherewasMingEmperorZhudi.Forfivecenturiesthereafter,itcontinuedtobetheresidenceof23successiveemperorsuntil1911whenQingEmperorPuyiwasforcedtoabdicatethethrone.In1987,theUnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganizationrecognizedtheForbiddenCitywasaworldculturallegacy.
ItisbelievedthatthePalaceMuseum,orZiJinCheng(PurpleForbiddenCity),gotitsnamefromastronomyfolklore,TheancientastronomersdividedtheconstellationsintogroupsandcenteredthemaroundtheZiweiYuan(NorthStar).TheconstellationcontainingtheNorthStarwascalledtheConstellationofHeavenlyGodandstaritselfwascalledthepurplepalace.Becausetheemperorwassupposedlythesonoftheheavenlygods,hiscentralanddominantpositionwouldbefurtherhighlightedtheuseofthewordpurpleinthenameofhisresidence.Infolklore,theterm”aneasternpurplecloudisdrifting”becameametaphorforauspiciouseventsafterapurplecloudwasseendriftingeastwardimmediatelybeforethearrivalofanancientphilosopher,LaoZi,totheHanghuPass.Here,purpleisassociatedwithauspiciousdevelopments.Thewordjin(forbidden)isself-explanatoryastheimperialpalacewasheavilyguardedandoff-explanatoryastheimperialpalacewasheavilyguardedandoff-limitstoordinarypeople.
Theredandyellowusedonthepalacewallsandroofsarealsosymbolic.Redrepresentshappiness,goodfortuneandwealth.YellowisthecoloroftheearthontheLoessPlateau,theoriginalhomeoftheChinesepeople.YellowbecameanimperialcolorduringtheTangdynasty,whenonlymembersoftheroyalfamilywereallowedtowearitanduseitintheirarchitecture.
TheForbiddenCityisrectangularinshape.Itis960meterslongfromnorthtosouthand750meterwidefromeastwest.Ithas9,900roomsunderatotalroofarea150,000squaremeters.A52-meter-wide-moatencirclesa9.9-meter—highwallwhichenclosesthecomplex.Octagon—shapedturretsrestonthefourcornersofthewall.Therearefourentrancesintothecity:theMeridianGatetothesouth,theShenwuGate(GateofMilitaryProwess)tothenorth,andtheXihuaGate(GateofmilitaryProwess)tothenorth,andtheXihuaGate(WesternFloweryGate)tothewest,theDonghua(EasternFloweryGate)totheeast.
ManpowerandmaterialsthroughoutthecountrywereusedtobuildtheForbiddenCity.Atotalof230,000artisansandonemillionlaborerswereemployed.MarblewasquarriedfromfangshanCountryMountPaninJixianCountyinHebeiProvince.GranitewasquarriedinQuyangCountyinHebeiProvince.PavingblockswerefiredinkilnsinSuzhouinsouthernChina.BricksandscarletpigmentationusedonthepalatialwallscamefromlinqinginShandongProvince.Timberwascut,processedandhauledfromthenorthwesternandsouthernregions.
ThestructureinfrontofusistheMeridianGate.ItisthemainentrancetotheforbiddenCity.ItisalsoknowsasWufenglou(Five-PhoenixTower).Mingemperorsheldlavishbanquetshereonthe15thdayofthefirstmonthoftheChineselunaryearinhornoroftheircounties.Theyalsousedthisplaceforpunishingofficalsbyfloggingthemwithsticks.
Qingemperorsusedthisbuildingtoannouncethebeginningofthenewyear.QingEmperorQianglongchangedtheoriginalnameofthisannouncementceremonyfrombanli(announcementofcalendar)tobanshou(announcementofnewmoon)toavoidcoincidentalassociationwithanotherEmperor`sname,Hongli,whichwasconsideredatabooatthattime.QingDynastyemperorsalsousedthisplacetoholdaudienceandforotherimportantceremonies.Forexample,whentheimperialarmyreturnedvictoriouslyfromthebattlefield,itwasherethattheEmperorpresidedovertheceremonytoacceptprisonersofwar.
(AfterenteringtheMeridianGateandstandinginfrontoftheFiveMarbleBridgesonGoldenWaterRiver)
nowweareinsidetheForbiddenCity.Beforewestartourtour,Iwouldliketobrieflyintroduceyoutothearchitecturalpatternsbefourus.Tocompletethissolemn,magnificentandpalatialcomplex,avarietyofbuildingswerearrangedonanorth-southaxis,and8-kilometer-longinvisiblelinethathasbecomeaninseparablepartoftheCityofBeijing.TheForbiddenCitycoversroughlyone–thirdofthiscentralaxis.MostoftheimportantbuildingintheForbiddenCitywereearrangedalongthisline.Thedesignandarrangementofthepalacesreflectthesolemndignityoftheroyalcourtandrigidly–stratifiedfeudalsystem.
TheForbiddenCityisdividedintoanouterandaninnercount.Wearenowstandingonthesouthernmostpartoftheoutercount.InfrontofusliestheGateofsupremeHarmony.Thegateisguardedbyapairofbronzelions,symbolizingimperialpoweranddignity.Thelionswerethemostexquisiteandbiggestofitskind.Theoneontheeastplayingwithaballisamale,andballissaidtorepresentstateunity.Theotheroneisafemale.Underneathoneofitsforeclawsisacubthatisconsideredtobeasymbolofperpetualimperialsuccession.ThewindingbrookbeforeusistheGoldenWaterRiver.Itfunctionsbothasdecorationandfirecontrol.ThefivebridgesspanningtheriverrepresentthefivevirtuespreachedbyConfucius:benevolence,righteousness,rites,intellenceandfidelity.Therivertakestheshapeofabowandthenorth-southaxisisitsarrow.ThiswasmeanttoshowthattheEmperorsruledthecountryonbehalfofGod.
(InfrontoftheGateofSupremeHarmony)
TheForbiddenCityconsistsofanoutercountyardandaninnerenclosure.TheoutcountyardcoversavastspacelyingbetweentheMeridianGateandtheGateofHeavenlyPurity.The“threebighalls”ofSupremeHarmony,CompleteHarmonyandPreservingHarmonyconstitutethecenterofthisbuildinggroup.Flankingtheminbilateralsymmetryaretwogroupsofpalaces:Wenhua(ProminentScholars)andWuying(BraveWarriors).Thethreegreathallsarebuiltonaspacious“H”-shaped,8-meter-high,triplemarbleterrace,Eachlevelofthetripleterraceistallerthantheonbelowandallareencircledbymarblebalustradescarvedwithdragonandphoenixdesigns.Therearethreecarvedstonestaircaseslinkingthethreearchitectures.ThehallofsupremeHarmonyisalsothetallestandmostexquisiteancientwooden-structuredmansioninallofChina.FromthepalaceofHeavenlyPurithnorthwardiswhatisknownastheinnercourt,whichisalsobuiltinbilaterallysymmetricalpatterns.InthecenterarethePalaceofHeavenlyPurity,theHallofUnionandPeaceandPalaceofEarthlyTranquility,aplacewheretheEmperorslivedwiththeirfamiliesandattendedtostateaffairs.Flankingthesestructuresarepalacesandhallsinwhichconcubinesandprinceslived.Therearealsothreebotanicalgardenswithintheinnercount,namely,theimperialGarden,CaninggardenandQuailinggarden.AninnerGoldenWaterRiverflowseastwardlywithintheinnercourt.ThebrookwindsthroughthreeminorhallsorpalacesandleadsoutoftheForbiddenCity.ItisspannedbytheWhiteJadeBridge.Theriverislinedwithwinding,marble–carvedbalustrades.MostofthestructureswithintheForbiddenCityhaveyellowglazedtileroofs.
Asidefromgivingprominencetothenorth-southaxis,otherarchitecturalmethodswereappliedtomakeeverygroupofpalatialstructuresuniqueintermsofterraces,roofs,mythicalmonstersperchingontheroofsandcolored,drawingpatterns.Withthese,thegrandcontouranddifferenthierarchicspectrumofthecomplexwerestrengthened.Folklorehasitthattherearealtogether9,999room-unitsintheForbiddenCity.SinceParadiseonlyhas10,000rooms,theSonofHeavenonearthcutthenumberbyhalfaroom.Itisalsorumouredthatthishalf–roomislocatedtothewestoftheWenyuangePavilion(imperiallibrary).Asamatteroffact,althoughtheForbiddenCityhasmorethan9,000room-units,thishalf-roomisnonexistent.TheWenyuangePavilionisalibrarywhere“SiKuQuanShu”-China`sfirstcomprehensiveanthology-wasstored.
(AfterwalkingpasttheGateofSupremeHarmony)
LadiesandGentlemen,thegreathallweareapproachingistheHallofSupremeHarmony,thebiggestandtallestofitskingintheForbiddenCity.Thisstructurecoversatotalbuildingspaceof2,377squaremeters,andisknowforitsupturned,multiplecounterparteaves.TheHallofSupremeHarmonysitsonatriple“H”-shapedmarbleterracetheis8metershighandlinkedbystaircases.Thestaircaseonthegroundfloorhas21stepswhilethemiddleandupperstairwayseachhave9.
TheconstructionoftheHallofSupremeHarmonybeganin1406.Itburneddownthreetimesandwasseverelydamagedonceduringamutiny.TheexistingarchitecturewasbuiltduringtheQingDynasty.Onthecornersoftheeavesalineofanimal-nailswereusuallyfastenedtothetiles.Theseanimal-nailswerelaterreplacewithmythicalanimalstowardoffevilspirits.Therearealtogether9suchfastenersontopofthishall.Thenumberninewasregardedbytheancientstobethelargestnumeralaccessibletomanandtowhichonlytheemperorswereentitled.
Therewasatotalof24successiveemperorsduringtheMingandQingdynastieswhowereenthronedhere.Theballwasalsousedforceremonieswhichmarkedothergreatoccasions:theWinterSolstice,TheChineseLunarNewYear,theEmperor`sbirthday,conferralofthetitleofempress,theannouncementofnewlawsandpolicies,anddispatchesofgeneralstowar.Onsuchoccasions,theEmperorwouldholdaudienceforhiscourtofficialsandreceivetheirtributes.
ThisareaiscalledtheHallofSupremeHarmonySquare,whichcoversatotalof30,000squaremeters,Withoutasingletreeorplantgrowinghere,thisplaceinspiresvisitorstofeelitssolemnityandgrandeur.InthemiddleofthesquarethereisacarriagewaythatwasreservedfortheEmperor.Onbothsidesoftheroadthegroudbrickswerelaidinaspecialwaysevenlayerslengthwiseandeightlayerscrosswise,makingupfifteenlayersinall.Thepurposeofthiswastopreventanyonefromtunnelinghiswayintothepalace.Inthecountyardthereareironvatsforstoringwatertofightfires.Inthewholecomplextherearealtogher308watervats.Inwintertime,charcoalwasburnedunderneaththevatstokeepthewaterfromfreezing.Whysovastasquare?Itwasdesignedtoimpresspeoplewiththehall`sgrandeurandvastness.Imaginethefollowingscene.Undertheclearbluesky,theyellowglazedtilesshimmeredasthecloud-likelayersofterrace,coupledwiththecurlingveilofburningincense,transformedthehallofsupremeHarmonyintoafairyland.Whenevermajorceremonieswereheld,theglazed,crane-shapedcandleholdersinsidethehallwouldbeit,andincenseandpinebranchesburntinfrontofthehall.WhentheEmperorappeared,drumswerebeatenandmusicalinstrumentplayed.Civilianofficialsandgeneralswouldkneelknowinsubmission.
ThelastQingemperorPuyiassumedthethronein1908,attheageofthree,Hisfathercarriedhimtothethrone.Atthestartofthecoronation,thesuddendrum-beatingandloudmusiccaughttheyoungemperorunprepared.Hewassoscaredthathekeptcryingandshouting,”Idon’twanttostayhere.Iwanttogohome.”Hisfathertriedtosoothehim,saying,”It`allsoonbefinished.It`allsoonbefinished”Theministerspresentattheeventconsideredthisincidentinauspicious.Coincidentally,theQingdynastycollapsedthreeyearslaterandtherewithconcludedChina`sfeudalsystemthathadlastedformorethan2,000years.
(OnthestoneterraceoftheHallofSupremeHarmony)
Thisisabronzeincenseburner.Initincensemadeofsandalwoodwouldbeburntonimportantoccasions.Therearealtogether18incenseburners,representingalloftheprovincesundertheruleoftheSingmonarchs.OneithersideoftheHall,4bronzewater-filledvatswereplacedincaseoffire.Nexttotheterraceoneitherside,thereisabronzecraneandtortoise,symbolsoflongevity.Thiscopper-castgrainmeasureiscalled”jialiang.”ItservedasthenationalstandardduringtheQingdynasty.Itwasmeanttoshowthattheimperialrulerwerejustandopentorectification.Ontheothersidethereisastonesundial,anancienttimepiece.ThejialiangandthesundialwereprobablymeanttoshowwhattheEmperorrepresented:thathewastheonlypersonwhoshouldpossessthestandardsofbothmeasureandtime.
IntheveryforefrontoftheHallofSupremeHarmony,thereare12scarlet,roundpillarssupportingtheroof.Thehallis63metersfromeasttowestand37metersfromnorthtosouth,Itis35metersinheight.Infrontofthisarchitechture,therestandsatripleterracewithfivestaircasesleadinguptothemainentrance.Ithas40golddoorsand16gold-keywindowswithcoloreddrawingsonthepillarsandbeams.Inthemiddleofthehall,athrounecarvedwith9dragonssitsona2-meter-highplatform.Behindthethronethereisagoldenscreenandinfrontofit,thereisaimperialdesk.Theflanksaredecoratedwithelephants,Luduan(alegendarybeast),cranes,andincensebarrels.Theelephantcarriesavaseonitsbackthatholdsfivecereals(i.e.rice,twokindsofmillet,wheatandbeans),whichwasconsideredasymbolofprosperity.Asancientlegendhasitthatluduancantravel18,000li(9,000kilometers)inonedayandknowsalllanguagesanddialects.Onlytoawiseadjustmonarchwillthisbeastbeaguardian.
TheHallofSupremeHarmonyisalsopopularlyknownasJinluanDian(goldbellhallorthethronehall).Thefloorofthehallislaidwithbricksthatturnitintoasmooth,finesurfaceasifwaterhasbeensprinkledonit.Theso-calledgoldenbrick,infact,hasnothingtodowithgold.Reservedexclusivelyfortheconstructionoftheroyalcourt,itwasmadeinasecretive,andcomplexway,and,whenstruck,soundsliketheclinkofagoldbar.Eachbrickwasworththemarketpriceofonedan(oronehectoliter)ofrice.
Thehallissupportedbyatotalof72thickpillars.Ofthese,6arecarvedindragonpatternsandpaintedwithgoldandsurroundthethrone.Abovetheverycenterofthishallthereisazaojing,orcoveredceiling,whichisoneoftheSpecialitiesofChina`sancientarchiture.Inthemiddleoftheceilingisadesignofadragonplayingwithaballinlaidwithpeals.Thiscopperball,hollowinsideandcoveredwithmercury,isknownastheXuanyuanMirrorandisthoughttobemadeXuanyuan,alegendarymonarchdatingbacktoremoteantiquity.TheplacingofthecaissonabovethethroneismeanttosuggestthatallofChina`ssuccessiveemperorsareZuanyuan`sdescendantsandhereditaryheirs.NowyoumighthavenoticedthattheXuanyuanmirrorisnotdirectlyabovethethrone.Why?ItisrumoredthatYuanShikai,aself-acclaimedwarlord-turnedemperormovedthethronefurtherbackbecausehewasafraidthatthemirrormightfallonhim.In1916whenYuanShikaibecameemperor,heremovedtheoriginalthronewithaWestern-style,high-backchair.AfterthefoundationofthePeople`sRepublicofChinain1949thethronewasfoundinashabbyfurniturewarehouse.Itrepairedandreturnedtothehall.
(Leadingthetouristtothebronzevatseitherontheeastorthewest)
thewatervatsinfrontofthepalacesorhousewerecalled“menhai,”orseabeforethedoorbytheancientChinese.Theybelievedthatwithaseabythedoor,firecouldnotwreakhavoc.Thevatsservedbothasadecorationandasafireextinguisher.Theywerekeptfullofwaterallyearround.
DuringtheQingDynasty,theywerealtogether308vatsinthepalaceenclosure.Theyweremadeofgiltbronzeoriron.Ofcouse,thegiltbronzevatswereofthebestquality.Whenthealliedforces(Britain,Germany,France,Russia,theUnitedStates,Italy,JapanandAustria)invadedBeijingin1900underthepretextofsuppressingtheBoxerRebellion,theinvadersransackedtheimperialcompoundandscrapedandgoldoffthevatswiththeirbayonets.DuringtheJapaneseoccupationofBeijing,manyvatsweretruckedawaybytheJapanesetobemadeintobullets.
(InfrontoftheHallofCompleteHarmony)
ThesquarearchitecturebeforeusiscalledtheHallofCompleteHarmony.Itservedasanantechamber.TheEmperorcameheretomeetwithhiscountiersandaddhisfinaltouchestotheprayerswhichwouldbereadattheancestralTemple.Theseeds,snowersandprayerintendedforspringsowingwerealsoexaminedhere.ThetwoQingsedanchairshereondisplaywereusedfortravelingwithinthepalaceduringthereignofEmperorQianlong.
(InfrontofthehallfPreservingHarmony)
thisistheHallofPreservingHarmony.DuringtheQingDynasty,banquetswereheldhereonNewYear`seveinhonourofMongolianandNorthwesternChina`sxingjiangprincesandrankingofficials.TheEmperoralsodinnedherewithhisnewson-in-lawontheweddingday.Imperialexaminationswerealsoheldhereonceeverythreeyears.DuringtheMingandQingdynasties,therewerethreelevelsofexams:thecountyandprefecturallevel,theprovinciallevelandnationallevel.Thenationalexamwaspresidedoverbytheemperor.ThecivilserviceexaminancientChinastartedduringtheHanDynasty.ItservedthepurposeofrecruitingConfucianscholarstotheministersandhighofficials.DuringtheTangandQingdynastiesreinstitutedandancientsystem.Onceeverythreeyears,threehundredscholarsfromalloverthecountrycametoBeijingandtookexamsforthreedayandnight.Thissystemwasabolishedin1905.
(Behindthehallofpreservingharmony)
thisisthelargeststonecarvinginthepalace.Itis16.73meterslong,3.07meterswideand1.7metersthick.Itweighsabout200tons.TheblockwasquarriedinFangshanCounty,roughly70kilometersaway.TotransportsuchahugeblocktoBeijing,laborersdugwellsalongtheroadsidehalfakilometerapart,andusedthegroundwatertomakearoadoficeinthewinter.Rollingblockswereusedinthesummer.In1760,EmperorQianlongoftheQingDynastyorderedthecarvingoftheexistingcloudanddragondesigninplaceoftheoldonewhichdatedbacktotheMingDynasty.
Note:Fromhere,thetourcanbeconductedviathreedifferentroutes:awesternroute(RouteA),acentralroute(RouteB)oraneasternroute(RouteC).Thecommentaryforeachfollows.
RouteA
LadiesandGentlemen:
YouhaveseenthethreemainhallsoftheForbiddenCity.NowI`dliketoshowyouaroundthehallofmentalcultivationandtheimperialgarden.ThehallofmentalcultivationissituatedisinthewesternpartoftheinnermostenclosureandissymmetricaltoFengxian(enshrinementofforebears)Hallintheeast.ThishallwasbuiltduringtheMingDynasty.ITisaH-shapedstructureconsistingofanantechamberandamainbuilding.Thehallissurroundedbycorridors.InfrontofthehallistheOfficeofPrivyCouncil.
BeforeEmperorKangxiofQingtheDynastycametopowertheHallofHeavenlyPurityservedasthelivingquarteroftheemperors.EmperorYongzhengchosetoliveinthishallandattendedtoeverydaystateaffairsfromhere.Forthesakeofprotectingculturalrelics,thishallisnotopentothepublic.Youcanhavealookattheinsidefromthedoor.Thecentralhallwastheaudiencechamberwheretheemperorreadmemorials,grantedaudiencetoofficialsandsummonedhisminstersforconsultation.Thewesternchamberofthehallwaswheretheemperorreadreportsanddiscussedmilitaryandpoliticalaffairs.ThehallconsistsofmanyinnerroomsandisdecoratedwithimagesofBuddhaandminiaturepagodas.OnthescreenwalltherehangsapictureoftwoemperorsintheHancostume.Inasouthernroomtherethreerarecalligraphicscrolls,hencethenameoftheroom“Sanxitang”(RoomofThreeRareTreasures).TheroomontheeasternsideisofhistoricalinterstbecauseitwasherethatEmpressDowagerCixiusurpedpowerandmadedecisionsonbehalfoftheyoungemperor.Abamboocurtainwasusedtoseparatethem.
EmpressDowageCixiwasbornin1835inLu`anPrefectureofshanxiprovince.She`sofManchuriannationalityandherfatherwasaprovincialgovernorfromsouthChina.Whenshewas17yearsold,shewasselectedtobecomeaconcubineofEmperorXianfengandmovedintotheForbiddenCity.Shegavebirthtoasonwhenshewas21yearsoldandwasmadeaconcubinethefollowingyear.Whentheemperorpassedawayinthesummerof1861,hersonascendedthethroneandtitleofCixi,meaning“HolyMother”wasconferreduponherandshebecametheEmpressDowager.InthatsameyearEmpressDowagerCixicarriedoutacountcoupd`etatandruledbehindthesceneswithanotherempressdowager,Ci`an,for48years.Shepassedawayin1908attheageof73.Itwasinreferencetothissituationthattheterm“attendingtostateaffairsbehindabamboocurtain”developed.In1912,EmpressdowagerLongyudeclaredtheabdicationofthelastQingemperorPuyi.TheywereallowedtoremainintheForbiddenCityforthenext13years.Theroyalfamilywasforcedtomoveoutpermanentlyin1924.
Behindthecentralhallwerethelivingaccommodationof8successiveQingemperors.Threeofthemactuallypassedawayhere.Thesideroomsflankingthehallwerereservedforempressesandconcubines.Nowlet`scontinuewithourtour.ItwilltakeustotheHallofheavenlypurity,thehallofunionandpeace,thepalaceofearthlytranquility,andtheimperialgarden.
RouteB
(InsidetheHallofheavenlyPurity)
LadiesandGentlemen:
Wearenowenteringtheinnercourt.FromtheGateofHeavenlyPuritynorthwardliestheinnercourtwheretheemperorsandempressesoncelived.TheHallofheavenlyPurityisthecentralhalloftheinnercourt,andwascompletedduringtheReignofEmperorYongleoftheMingDynasty.Thereare10pillarssupportingtheentirestructureandthehallis20metersinheight.Inthecenterofthehallthereathrone.Aboveithangsaplaquewithaninscriptionthatreads“Beopenandabove-board,”writtenbyShenzhi,thefirstemperoroftheQingDynasty.BeginningwithQianlong`sreign,thenameofthesuccessortothethronewasnotpubliclyannounced.instead,itwaswrittenontwopiecesofpaper,onetobekeptontheemperor`spersonthroughouthisreign,andtheotherplacedinasmallstrongboxthatwasstoredbehindhisplaque.Theboxwasopenedonlyaftertheemperorpassedaway.Altogethertherewhere4emperorswhoascendedthethroneinthisway,namelyQianlong,Jiaqing,DaohuangandXianfeng.
ThehallofheavenlypuritywaswheretheemperorslivedduringtheMingandQingdynasties.Accordingtotradition,extravagantannualbanquetswereheldhereonNewYear`sEveinhonourofroyalfamilymembers.Foreignambassadorswerereceivedhereduringthelate-Qingperiod.Twoimportant“onethousandoldmen`sfeasts”oftheQingDynastywerealsoheldhere.Alltheinviteeshadtobeatleast65yearsofage.
Thishallwasalsousedformourningservices.
(InsidethePalaceofUnionandPeace)
thishallsitsbetweentheHallofheavenlyPurityandthePalaceofEarthlyTranquility,symbolizingtheunionofheavenandearth,aswellasnationalpeace.Itwasfirstbuiltin1420andreconstructedin1798.Thehallissquareinshape,andissmallerthantheHallofcompleteHarmony.YouwillseeaplaquehereinscribedwithtwoChinesecharacters,wuwei,whichwerehandwrittenbyEmperorQianglong.Athronesitsinthemiddleofthehallwithascreenbehindit.Abovethethronetherehangsacaisson,orcoveredceiling.Theemperorheldbirthdaycelebrationsandothermajoreventshere.
In1748duringEmperorQianlong`sreign,25jadesealsrepresentingimperialauthoritywerekeptinthishall.Nosealswereallowedoutoftheroomwithoutthepriorconsentoftheemperor.Oneachflackthereisawaterclockandachimingclock.
(Insidethepalaceofearthlytranquility)
ThisusedtobethecentralhallwheresuccessiveMingempresseslived.DuringtheQingdynasty,itwasconvertedintoaplacewheresacrificesandweddingceremonieswereheld.Theroomonthewesternsidewasusedforsacrificesandtheroomontheeastwastheseedingchamber.
RouteC
LadiesandGentlemen:
YouhaveseenthethreemainhallsoftheForbiddenCity.NowI`dliketoshowyouaroundscenesofinterestalongtheeasternroute.ThefirstistheTreasureHall.ThismansioniscalledtheHallofImperialZenith.ThisiswhereSingEmperorQuailinglivedafterabdication.Nearly1,000artifactsandtreasuresareondisplayhere,amongwhichtheGoldenHairTowerisoneofthemostfamous.Thistoweris1.53metersinheightanditsbaseis0.53metersincircumference.ItwasbuiltundertheorderofEmperorQuailingtobeusedtocollectfallenhairincommemorationofhismother.Thereisalsoa“DayharnessingWaterJadeHill”ondisplayhere.YuwasalegendarymonarchoftheremoteIxiadynasty.Underhisleadership,thepeoplelearnedhowtoharnesstheYellowRiver.Thisjadeassemblage,224centimetersinheightand5tonsinweight,isthelargestjadeartworkinChina.Thismatwaswovenwithpeeledivory.TheseartifactsareamongChina`sraresttreasures.
(InfrontoftheNine-DragonScreen)
thisistheNine-DragonReliefScreen.Erectedin1773,itis3.5metersinheightand29.4metersinwidth.Underneathisafoundationmadeofmarble.Thesurfaceofthescreenislaidwithatotalof270colored,glazedtilesinthedesignof9dragons,somerockymountains,cloudsandthesea.ItwasmeanttowardoffevilspiritsTheancientChineseregarded9dragons,somerockymountains,cloudsandthesea.Itwasmeanttowardoffevilspirits.TheancientChineseregarded9asthelargestnumeralandthedragonasaauspiciousbeast.The9dragonsaredifferentincolorandpostureandallaremadeofglazedtiles.Interestinglyapieceofthethirddragonfromtheleftismadeofwood.ItisbelievethatwhentheNine-dragonScreenwasalmostfinished,apieceofglazedtilewasdamaged.EmperorQianlongwasscheduledtoinspecttheworkthefollowingday.Usingquickwits,thecraftsmaninquestionmoldedthemissingpiecewithclayandsailedthroughtheimperialinspection.Later,heaskedacarpentertocarveawoodenonetoreplacetheonemadeofclay.
(ApproachingtheImperialGarden)
BehindthePalaceofEarthlyTranquilityandtradingthenorth-southaxisistheimperialGarden.Thereareoldtrees,rareflowersandexoticrockformationinthisgarden.Itcoveraspaceof11,700squaremeters,orroughly1.7percentoftheForbiddenCity.Mostofthestructuresinthegardenaresymmetricallyarranged.However,eachisdifferentintermsofparrernanddecoration.Woodsclumpsofbambooscreenoffthegardenandstrengthensitsdeepandsereneatmosphere.
TheremainstructureoftheImperialGardenistheQin`anHall.Positionedinthecentral-northernpartofthegarden,thishallisflankedbyotherhallsandpavilionsontheeastandwest.Thehallsitsonamarblepedestal.TheTaoistdeityofZhenwuisenshrinedhereandemperorwouldpayhomagehereaquarterlybasis.TaoistriteswereheldduringthereignofEmperorJiajingoftheMingDynasty.Infrontofthehallthereisacypressthatis400yearsold.Inallthereareadozensuchraretreesinthegarden,andmostofthemarecypressesorpines.Tothenorthwestofthehall,thereistheYanhui(SustainingSunshine)PavilionandtothenortheastthereliestheDuixiu(AccumulatedRefinement)Hill.ThisHillwasbuiltoverthefoundationofthelong-pershedGuanhua(AdmiringFlowers)HalloftheMingDynasty.Itis14metersinheightandmadeofalkindsofrocksquarriedinjiangsuprovince.Atitsbasestandtwonstonelions,eachcarryingadragonshootingwater10metersupintotheairfromitsmouth.Therearemeanderingpathsleadingtothehilltop.AtthetopofDuixiuHillsitstheYujing(ImperialViewing)Pavilion.Traditionally,OnthedayoftheDoubleNinthFestival(theninthdayoftheninthlunarmonth),theemperor,hisconsort,andhisconcubineswouldclimbuptoYujingPaviliontoenjoythescenery.
AtthesoutheasterncorneroftheGardenisJiangxue(CrimsonSnowy)Verandah.NearbytothesouthwestliesYangxingStudy(studyofthecultivationofnature).TheyangxingstudywasusedasaroyallibraryduringthereignofEmperorQianlongoftheQingDynasty.ThelastemperoroftheQingDynasty,PuyioncestudiedEnglishthere.InfrontoftheJiangxueVerandahsomeChinesefloweringcrabapplesgrow.Thestructuregotitsnamefromthecrabappleswhoblossomstrunfromcrimsontosnowywhite.InfrontoftheVerandah,theregrowsarareflowerthatwasbroughtfromhennaProvinceundertheorderofEmpressdowagerCixi.InthenorthestisChizaoTang(HallofUsingFloweryLanguage),onceusedasalibrarywhererarebookswerestored.
Therearealsospecificpavilionssymbolizingthefourseasons.ThehallsofWanchunandQianqiu,representingspringandautumnrespectively,aresquareinshapeandarecoupledwithmultipleeavesandbell-shapeandarecoupledwithmultipleeavesandbell-shapedridges.ThehallsofChengruiandFubi,dedecatedtowinterandsummer,arecharacterizedbytwoverandahsandbridgesattheirbases.Pathswerepavedwithcolorfulpebblesandarrangedin900differentdesigns.
TheImperialGardencanbeaccessedthroughtheQiongyuan(JadeGarden)Westgateortheqiongyuaneastgate.Athirdgate,theshunzhen(ObedienceandFidelity)Gate,openstothenorth.Itsdoorsarelaidinglazedtilesanditwasonlyusedbytheempressorconcubines.
AsourtouroftheForbiddenCitydrawstoaclose,IhopethatIhavehelpedyouunderstandwhythePalaceisatreasureofChinaandoneoftheculturalrelicsoftheworld.ItisunderthestrictprotectionoftheChinesegovernment.Since1949whenthepeople`sRupublicofChinawasfounded,nearlyonetrillionRMBwasspentonitsrestorationandrefurbishment.TheForbiddenCityhasundergonefourmajorfaceliftstodate.Eachyear,thegovernmentearmarksalargesumtogather,sortandstudyculturalrelics.ThePalacenowcontainsatotalof930,000culturalrelics.Well,somuchfortoday.Let`sgotoreboardthecoach.Thankyou!