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Forbidden
City
 In
the heart of Beijing, the Imperial
Palace remained the residence of the
emperors for nearly five hundred years,
from the 15th century to the early
20th century, and was the actual and
symbolic seat of imperial power. Popularly
known as the Forbidden City, it was
built in the Ming Dynasty between
the 4th and the 18th years of the
Yongle period (1406 - 1420 AD). Many
of the buildings of the Palace have
been repaired and rebuilt, but their
basic form and layout remain in their
original state.
This magnificent, palatial architectural
complex covers an area of over 2,350,000
square feet and contains 9,999 rooms. The
largest complex of its kind in the world,
it is surrounded by ten-foot-high walls
that are crowned by four observation towers
and flanked by a deep moat. The walls are
pierced by four large gates, each with three
openings and a broad crowning pavilion.
 The
layout of the Forbidden City is based
on a Chinese cosmic diagram of the
universe that clearly defines the
north-south and east-west axes. The
buildings represent the largest and
best-preserved examples of Chinese
traditional architecture found today.
The overall layout is centered on
the three primary Halls of State:
The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian),
The Hall of Middle Harmony (Zhonghedian)
and The Hall of Preserving Harmony
(Baohedian). State ceremonies were
held in the Outer Court (Wai Chao)
of the Forbidden City. Here the emperors
governed from their thrones, holding
court sessions with their ministers,
issuing imperial edicts and initiating
military expeditions. The Outer Court
was also the site for important ceremonies:
the accession of a new emperor to
the throne, birthdays and weddings.
The Inner Court (Nei Ting) was the
residential area of the emperor and
the imperial household, as well as
the place where the emperor dealt
with routine state affairs.
 The
Forbidden City was the scene of many
significant events affecting the course
of Chinese history. Secret World of
the Forbidden City: Splendors from
China's Imperial Palace explores the
objects housed in this important complex,
lending insight into the mysteries
of the imperial court under the Qing
Dynasty, from the entry into the city
of Manchurian troops led by Li Sicheng
to the pinnacle of artistic creativity
under Qianlong to the decline of the
dynasty and the abdication of the
last Emperor Xuantong in 1912.
Today, the Forbidden City is
one of the world's foremost museums of Chinese
art. Its palaces and halls are filled with
innumerable works of art and cultural artifacts,
including gifts of state, military campaign
loot and furnishings and possessions of
members of the imperial households. A great
number of these treasures represent the
peak of artistic and inventive genius exhibited
by the countless artisans who worked exclusively
for the imperial court.
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