The only word that comes close to describing the enormity of the Forbidden City is “vast” and even this doesn’t seem to do it justice. It’s hard to comprehend that the Forbidden City (Palace Museum) was built in the Ming Dynasty (around 1420) and served as the primary imperial residence until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. That such a display of wealth and power on this scale that was kept behind closed doors (walls) for all those centuries, unquestioned by the population, is unfathomable in today’s world although not unlike many other absolute monarchies of the time. Still, unlike its Western counterparts where nobles and aristocrats were invited to court which was made to overwhelm and impress, the Forbidden City was indeed, for the duration of imperial rule, ‘forbidden’ for the general public. The price of unbidden entry being instant execution. Although nothing I saw today alluded to this somewhat grisly detail, there are still off limit areas. This is presumably merely administrative now, rather than being designed to hide the wealth of the Emperor.
Despite my trusty Lonely Planet map it is impossible to keep track of all the palaces, halls, gates and other features. Perhaps I can be forgiven for this seeing as this is the largest palace complex in the world. The city covers an area of 780,000m2. The Imperial Garden (Yu Hua Yuan) alone is 7000 sq meters of classical Chinese garden consisting of fine landscaping including rockeries, walkways and ancient cypresses, pines and Chinese wisteria. There are over 980 halls, towers and pavilions with a total count of 8,728 rooms. All in all, plenty of room for the palaces, places of worship and ceremony, gates, pavilions, workshops and storage that a city, let alone a palace, needs. We enter through security near Tian’anmen Square. Finally we think we’re inside but there is a huge queue for the ticket office and then another gate to go through. Finally, after a long courtyard area, there is the Meridian Gate. And then, finally, we are inside! Sort of!
In another vast courtyard, there are the Golden Water Bridges. Five marble bridges provide passage through the courtyard over a small creek bed, a man made waterway that flows from the Tongzi Moat on the south east corner of the City across and through the length of the City and out again near the turret on the north west corner. The water acts as both decoration and protection, much as the large Tongzi Moat that surrounded the City. An army can’t attack over the span of five bridges. On the other side of the bridges is the Gate of Supreme Harmony. It’s a hot day and I already feel that I have walked and waited and walked some more. Nevertheless, we pause to take it all in. And some more photos. Little do I know what is ahead of me. The Gates in the complex are not really just gates. They are buildings with various rooms which served various purposes over the years that the Forbidden City acted as an Imperial Palace. In the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor would hold morning court sessions here, discussing state affairs. At some point these sessions became more ceremonial than effective, a way to show status and set an example of diligence without necessarily achieving anything. Occasionally throughout history, the Gate was used for banquets or other ceremonies. Later the rooms may have been used as guard rooms or other lesser offices.
Through the Gate and set out in front of us is the Hall of Supreme Harmony (above). The Hall of Supreme Harmony, along with the Hall of Preserving Harmony (below) and the Hall of Middle Harmony make up the Three Great Halls of the Outer Court of the Palace Museum complex with the Hall of Supreme Harmony being the most important and one of the largest of the structures in the Forbidden City. It was used for important occasions such as the Emperor’s birthday celebrations, coronations and nominations of important military leaders. All three of these important halls sit raised on one giant marble tiered slab. The Hall of Preserving Harmony was used for banquets and imperial examinations whilst the Hall of Middle Harmony was used by the emperor for rehearsing speeches, receiving close ministers and last minute preparations. We are able to enter some, but not all. I peer into the dark interiors. The structures are almost entirely made of wood. Floors are wood or carpeted and each one looks like a throne room with variations of statues, decorations, furniture and the incredible painted detail.
On the eastern side, there are further halls and minor pavilions surrounding the Three Great Halls. These were used to store gold, silver, silks, carpets and other treasures. Now they are used for various displays of ancient artifacts as well as a range of souvenir and refreshment shops and the odd public (squat) toilet block.
Despite the vastness of both the open spaces and the buildings themselves, I love the detail. All the balustrades of the tiered pathways and steps are carved marble. I look closer, they are not the same. Some have dragons or lions, others have human figures, others have animals and yet more have mythical creatures or pictures that I can’t work out.
The roofs too are intricate. They are painted in the most delightful colors and patterns. Reds, greens, blues and gold galore. I’m sure they have been repainted but the colors are vibrant and given the heat of the day and the fact that it snows here in winter, it is difficult how all of this has survived so intact for so long. There are more creatures on the roofs, standing eternal guard at their posts. The ends of the round tiles have yet more varied creatures fixed in ceramic for evermore.
Drainage detail in marble on the steps of the three Halls
Even details like the drainage and wall features are captured beautifully. These dragon heads that drain water from the top tiers of the steps that the three main Halls sit on are all different. Clearly they were hand crafted, there were no molds for this type of work and I don’t think that you can ‘mold’ marble anyway. Likewise the balustrades. This one depicts a bird, to me it looks like it is in flight up in the clouds, but it could equally be perhaps fishing on water.
The decorated walls distinguish each area from the next, they are not just functional but beautifully built and embellished.
At the back of the Hall of Preserving Harmony, there is a Marble Imperial Carriageway which leads up the tiered pathway to the Hall. This immense Carriageway is a 250 tonne marble carving of dragons and clouds which the Emperor was carried over then ascending or descending the terrace. It dates to the Ming Dynasty and was carved in one piece and transported to the palace in the depths of winter on a path of ice, made by throwing water on the frozen ground in front of it and then sliding it along. It was the only way the 16.5m long, 3m wide and 1.7m thick work of art could be moved without it breaking.
The Marble Imperial Carriageway
The only ice anywhere in sight today is in the form of rapidly melting ice creams. It’s 35 degrees Celsius and 75% humidity. There is no breeze and we are completely surrounded by acres of dark, heat absorbing tiles. It feels like a really large, open (thank goodness) furnace. I’m sure it’s equally as uncomfortable out here in the middle of winter.
After the Hall of Preserving Harmony and the Marble Imperial Carriageway we move to the north-east of the Palace Museum complex towards the Hall of Imperial Supremacy and outside the Gate of Tranquility and Longevity. We find ourselves at the glazed tile Nine Dragon Screen. There are indeed nine dragons, each one different.
This glazed tile wallpaper was not only a demonstration of the Emperor’s power and wealth, the number nine is auspicious and the numbers nine and five are connected with the majesty of the Emperor. The number nine, in particular, being the largest single digit is regarded as ultimate masculinity and therefore symbolic of the supreme sovereignty of the Emperor himself.
We work our way from the Nine Dragon screen through the Gate and Hall of Imperial Supremacy and then onto some of the more minor palaces, all with special names and purposes. Eventually we come out at the back wall and follow the pathway around and back into the Imperial Garden.
Today the gardens are a welcome cool and green compared to the heat of the day. There are rockeries and manicured shrubbery, even the pebbled walkways are decorated with pictures. In fact, the walkways of the imperial gardens consist of colored cobbles in more than 900 individual patterns.
There are (comparatively) small rotundas and places to pause for some quiet contemplation. The decorations continue with more statues (like the elephant below), however, none of this garden is particularly natural. Everything is designed, right down to the rockeries and shrubs. Even the paths, as lovely as they are have been laid down carefully according to a plan.
An elephant (anatomically impossibly) kowtowing to the emperor
While the Imperial Garden is a tranquil haven in the midst (well, at the back) of the Palace complex, this manicured green space is at the heart of the minor palaces, where the vast majority of the household lived. This city, although having a large number of servants, military and noblemen to host was primarily made up of the Emperor and his family.
The rules of Chinese nobility meant that the Emperor was entitled to numerous spouses. The Empress was the ‘primary’ spouse. Under her was a host of madams and consorts, imperial concubines, shifus (teachers or ‘skilled’ ladies) and other imperial wives (up to 121 in all). That equals not only a lot of families to house but an awful lot of politics to deal with in one ‘household’.
Separate palaces or houses for each wife/concubine would have gone some way to manage the politics but I bet the gardens could get quite chilly, even on a hot day, with some of the squabbling that would have gone on.
Behind the Imperial Garden in the north of the complex are a further three important halls that make up the Inner Court. The Palaces of Heavenly Purity, Union and Peace and Earthly Tranquility. The Palace of Heavenly Purity is made up of several and various rooms, including a throne room and was used during the Ming Dynasty as both the Emperor’s primary residence, while later Emperors used it as their throne room and central ‘office’. He would hold court here, meet with ministers and delegates and hold official banquets.
Dragons appear all around the complex. We have seen the Nine Dragon Screen, carved dragons, painted dragons, ceramic dragons, dragons on roofs, in bronze and in turtle form. They are everywhere.
Dragons in Chinese mythology and culture have many animal like forms. They traditionally symbolise potent and auspicious powers like control over water and rainfall. However, in Imperial China the auspicious powers were translated into imperial power, strength, optimistic futures and good luck. Dragons continue to be a symbol of luck and people born in a year of the dragon are said to have mysterious, imaginative and noble personality traits.
Often, the dragons will be fashioned with a cub or pearl (ball) under a paw. These are guardian lions (or dragons), usually depicted in pairs with the male holding the pearl symbolising global supremacy and the female restraining a playful cub, representing a nurturing sovereign.
The palace is also a museum which houses collections of art, porcelain, calligraphy and important imperial artifacts. Along with the permanent collections there are various exhibitions of art and collections, usually exhibited by type or time period (Dynasty).
This small, three-footed gold cup measures 12.5cm (total height) and is embossed with designs of rosette flowers and winding branches. The handles are dragon shaped. It was used as a special wine vessel during the Qing Court’s New Years Eve ceremony to pray for health and prosperity.
By the time we have looked at a few of the art and artifact collections and taken a little walk around the smaller palaces of the western section, it’s well into the afternoon. It’s time to go and find something to eat and somewhere to rest my weary feet.
With either a little more stamina or a second chance to explore, however, there is so much more to see here that the Palace Museum is well worth dedicating some additional tourist time to.
Good To Know?
The lines are long and security it tight. Arrive early to avoid disappointment and be prepared to wait. Although there are convenience items available it’s a good idea to carry some water with you and wear comfortable shoes.
The museum recently capped the daily limit of visitors to 80,000. It’s possible to book tickets online to avoid disappointment (I don’t think this avoids the queues!). The website also has suggested tours (plans) depending on how long you have (full day, half day, 2 hours). I suggest you set aside a full day to look around and be ready for a nice long rest afterwards.
Would I Return?
Yes. There is so much to see here that it’s almost impossible to take it all in in just one day. The history, culture, art, architecture, ceramics, sculptures, figurines, tiles, calligraphy, gardens and other artifacts is quite overwhelming. If you have time and you’re particularly enthusiastic, give yourself two days to explore with a day or two break in between.
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