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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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