Forbidden City (Imperial Palace, Beijing)
Zijincheng · Palace Museum · Gugong
Ming to Qing 1406–1420 construction, occupied 1420–1912 CE·Ming / Qing Chinese imperial·🇨🇳 Beijing Municipality, Dongcheng District, China
About
About Forbidden City (Imperial Palace, Beijing)
Ming-Qing imperial palace (1420–1912, 961 buildings, 9,999 rooms) occupying 72 ha within Beijing's inner city, the world's largest wooden palace ensemble. Yongle Emperor's cosmology-ordered complex on north-south axis with Outer Court (Hall of Supreme Harmony on 8 m marble terrace) and Inner Court, vermillion walls and amber roofs demonstrating hierarchical fengshui.
Why it mattersMing-Qing imperial palace (1420–1912, 961 buildings, 9,999 rooms) occupying 72 ha within Beijing's inner city, the world
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 019999 rooms legend vs actual 8,704 bays count
- 02Who survived Yongle's palace fires to preserve original?
Theories
- 01Axial symmetry encodes Mandate of Heaven celestial hierarchy
- 02Qing preservation maintained Ming grid despite Manchu ethnicity
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 1406–1420 under Yongle Emperor; Ming 1368–1644 Qing 1644–1912 use
- Period
- Ming to Qing 1406–1420 construction, occupied 1420–1912 CE
- Culture
- Ming / Qing Chinese imperial
- Purpose
- Son of Heaven residence, ritual state theater and bureaucracy seat
- Excavation
- Excavated
1406–1420 under Yongle Emperor; Ming 1368–1644 Qing 1644–1912 use
Initial construction
c. 1508 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
39.9160° N · 116.3910° E · 46 m · 3 mapped features
Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian)
hallLargest wooden hall in China on three-tier marble terrace
39.9155° N · 116.3910° EMeridian Gate (Wumen)
gateImposing southern palace entrance with five portals
39.9150° N · 116.3912° EImperial Garden (Yuhuayuan)
gardenMing garden behind inner court with stacked rocks
39.9170° N · 116.3915° E
Gallery