Forbidden City | History, Facts, & Map | Britannica (original) (raw)

Chinese (Pinyin):

Zijincheng or

(Wade-Giles romanization):

Tzu-chin-ch’eng

Forbidden City, imperial palace complex at the heart of Beijing (Peking), China. Commissioned in 1406 by the Yongle emperor of the Ming dynasty, it was first officially occupied by the court in 1420. It was so named because access to the area was barred to most of the subjects of the realm. Government functionaries and even the imperial family were permitted only limited access; the emperor alone could enter any section at will. The 178-acre (72-hectare) compound was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987 in recognition of its importance as the centre of Chinese power for five centuries, as well as for its unparalleled architecture and its current role as the Palace Museum of dynastic art and history.

The architecture of the walled complex adheres rigidly to the traditional Chinese geomantic practice of feng shui. The orientation of the Forbidden City, and for that matter all of Beijing, follows a north-south line. Within the compound, all the most important buildings, especially those along the main axis, face south to honour the Sun. The buildings and the ceremonial spaces between them are arranged to convey an impression of great imperial power while reinforcing the insignificance of the individual. This architectural conceit is borne out to the smallest of details—the relative importance of a building can be judged not only from its height or width but also by the style of its roof and the number of figurines perched on the roof’s ridges.

Among the more notable landmarks are the Wu (Meridian) Gate, the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian), and the Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan). The Wu Gate is the imposing formal southern entrance to the Forbidden City. Its auxiliary wings, which flank the entryway, are outstretched like the forepaws of a guardian lion or sphinx. The gate is also one of the tallest buildings of the complex, standing 125 feet (38 metres) high at its roof ridge. One of its primary functions was to serve as a backdrop for imperial appearances and proclamations. Beyond the Wu Gate lies a large courtyard, 460 feet (140 metres) deep and 690 feet (210 metres) wide, through which the Golden River (Golden Water River) runs in a bow-shaped arc. The river is crossed by five parallel white marble bridges, which lead to the Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihemen).

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Palace MuseumHall of Preserving Harmony (background) and the Hall of Central Harmony, Palace Museum, Beijing.

North of the Gate of Supreme Harmony lies the Outer Court, heart of the Forbidden City, where the three main administration halls stand atop a three-tiered marble terrace overlooking an immense plaza. The area encompasses some seven acres (three hectares)—enough space to admit tens of thousands of subjects to pay homage to the emperor. Towering above the space stands the Hall of Supreme Harmony, in which the throne of the emperor stands. This hall, measuring 210 by 122 feet (64 by 37 metres), is the largest single building in the compound, as well as one of the tallest (being approximately the same height as the Wu Gate). It was the centre of the imperial court. To the north, on the same triple terrace, stand the Hall of Central (or Complete) Harmony (Zhonghedian) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian), also loci of government functions.

Farther north lies the Inner Court, which contains the three halls that composed the imperial living quarters. Adjacent to these palaces, at the northernmost limit of the Forbidden City, is the 3-acre (1.2-hectare) Imperial Garden, the organic design of which seems to depart from the rigid symmetry of the rest of the compound. The garden was designed as a place of relaxation for the emperor, with a fanciful arrangement of trees, fish ponds, flower beds, and sculpture. In its centre stands the Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin’andian), a Daoist temple where the emperor would retreat for contemplation.

The Forbidden City ceased to be the seat of Qing (Manchu) imperial government with the Chinese Revolution of 1911–12. Although some of the ancient buildings (which had been repaired and rebuilt since the 15th century) were lost to the ravages of the revolution and during the war with Japan (1937–45), the site was maintained as a whole. Puyi, the last Qing emperor, was permitted to live there after his abdication, but he secretly left the palace (and Beijing) in 1924. In the late 20th century several of the palace buildings were restored.

The film The Last Emperor (1987), which portrays the life of Puyi, was filmed in part within the Forbidden City.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.