Forbidden City(Gugong Imperial Palace in Beijing)- the most extensive palace complex in the world. Conceived back in 1406, it was closed to mere mortals for centuries (hence the name of the palace). From this place the Celestial Empire was ruled by 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. But even today, 75 years after the last Chinese emperor left the palace, it still remains forbidden, with half of the city still closed to curious tourists and surrounded by an aura of mystery. This Palace was the first Chinese site to be listed by UNESCO world heritage of humanity (in 1987).
Gugun Imperial Palace was built in 1406-1420. Its total area is 720 thousand square meters. m; The palace complex has 9999 rooms. It is surrounded by a 3400 m long wall and a moat with water called “Golden Water”. A million builders and 100 thousand other specialists took part in its construction - masters of stone carving, wood carving, artists, etc. The Gate of Heavenly Peace leads into it.
The Forbidden City (Gugong) is the world's largest imperial palace, an architectural masterpiece and a grandiose plan that has become a reality. Its construction took 14 years and was completed by 1420. - about a million workers and 100,000 artisans were involved in it.
Built in the center of Beijing, the palace was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, but it was always closed to ordinary people; those who violated this ban faced inevitable death. Today, even after many years, after Pu-yi, the last emperor of China, abdicated the throne in 1912, some of the buildings are still closed to visitors.
Emperor Ming lived a luxurious life, but in 1644 new taxation took its toll on the population and they literally starved. An uprising broke out and then broke into the city. The Emperor is said to have been drunk when the rebels burst in.
He killed all the women in his harem in order to protect them from desecration, and he himself hanged himself, opening the way for the Qing dynasty with his death.
According to legend, it is known that the Qing family was cursed by the emperor: “The Qing house will fall by the hand of a woman.” However, from 1644, the Qing dynasty began to settle in the Forbidden City. In 1853, the girl Cixi, at the age of 17, was brought to the city as a concubine.
Over time, she turned out to be the most influential woman in the history of the Chinese Empire and, as many believe, led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and all of Imperial China. Breaking tradition, Cixi became the empress dowager. She ruled the country until her nephew Pu-Yi, at the age of 2, succeeded her.
In 1911, the Qing dynasty was overthrown. After the reign of 24 emperors (14 from the Ming dynasty and 10 from the Qing dynasty), the city lost its title as the political center of China, and Pu-Yi suffered the fate of the last emperor and owner of the Forbidden City. On February 12, 1912, five-year-old Pu-Yi officially abdicated the throne, but was allowed to remain in the palace.
The location plays an important role; it is located in the very center of Beijing.
GPS coordinates
39.917328, 116.397182Opening Hours/Schedule
8.30 – 17.00 – open
8.30 – 16.00 – cash desk opening hours
Price
Adult – 40 yuan
Child up to 1.2 m tall – free
Audio guide rental – 40 yuan
Entrance to the eastern wing, the so-called treasury - 10 yuan
general information
Forbidden City (other names – Forbidden Palace, Forbidden City)
This is a central place in the city, and therefore there are always a lot of people here. At the same time, those who want to visit the Closed City do not care about the time of year. It is better to choose to visit early in the morning on a weekday. By forcing you to come here earlier than others, you will save yourself from kilometer-long queues.
In summer it is very hot here - the scorching sun will nurture your desire to hide under the shade, and closer to winter it is very cold - winds pierce to the bones. So what's the most best time The visiting years are autumn and spring. This is just a statement of fact, but visit at any time of the year, just be prepared.
Impression
The closed city is the place that is most impressive in documentaries. When visiting in person, many complain about the monotony: behind one gate there appears an area almost identical to the one left behind. Much of the architecture is very similar. I can partly agree with this and therefore recommend that you take an audio guide. In this case, faceless and similar buildings will begin to come to life in your imagination.
Audio guides in Beijing work automatically. The story begins when you approach the right place. The advantage is that you don’t need to monitor the map; the disadvantage is that it doesn’t work properly. It can start before the right place, sometimes it ends unexpectedly.
And that is not all. The audio guide lectures are hampered by all sorts of speech errors. Audio guides in Beijing were recorded by local Chinese studying Russian, hence the whole problem.
On the other hand, without an audio guide at all it will be very bland. How can you get superficial information? Anything is better than going through the Forbidden City and saying that it is nothing.
Many parts of the Forbidden City are closed to the public: some have never been opened, others are under restoration.
The city gave me a gloomy feeling. Everything is somehow too dry, without life. Maybe, of course, everything was different before, but now the bare, straight, stone walls on all sides are depressing. It is not surprising that some emperors preferred most spend time in .
Be sure to climb to higher ground ( Jinshan Park) behind the Forbidden City. When you are inside the palace it is one thing, but when you look at it from above it is another. If you imagine that you are 300 years behind and can see this city from above, you will feel in touch with a miracle. After all, it was impossible to get there; what was going on there was unknown to a mere mortal.
Photos of the Forbidden City
Queue at the checkpoint. All Chinese are checked and identified. They treat foreigners more loyally; they don’t look at their passports. But it’s better to have it with you just in case.
Tickets can be purchased at the box office on the left side of the entrance. Then we go straight and see the turnstiles.
Behind them there is a building where you can take an audio guide.
Here's the thing
Entering the Forbidden City
(Rebus: find the ninja in the photo below)
It's not the same building. I already talked about the similarity.
This is the original building we passed through.
It’s disappointing that you can’t go inside the most important palace premises. You can only jostle in the crowd to move closer to the open viewing area. It's scary to imagine what happens here in the summer.
And with some palaces things are even worse: you need to look through the window.
And then you can see the interior.
Territory of the Forbidden City
View of side buildings
One of the side entrances in the Closed City
In this place, surrounded by trees, in ancient times, emperors chose their concubines from pretty girls of 15-17 years old brought from all over the area. So, for example, the great empress was chosen here Tsy Xi subsequently ruling China from 1861 to 1908.
Before visiting the main attractions of Beijing, I recommend familiarizing yourself with the last two centuries of Chinese history. In particular, read, for example, on Wikipedia about the Dowager Empress Ci Xi, about whom the audio guides will talk a lot.
A building built on wonderful stones is nearby. Only the emperor and his wife could go upstairs. This happened once a year on one of the holidays.
The ceiling in one of the unremarkable rooms
Wall of Nine Dragons. There are several Nine Dragon Walls. This one was built in 1771 and is located in the Forbidden City at the entrance towards the treasury. Entrance is separate and paid (10 yuan). The second wall can be seen not far from the Forbidden City, in Beihai Park.
There are 9 dragons for a reason. This number has a sacred meaning in China. And the dragons themselves in China are good creatures, they were created to protect and support from evil spirits and everything bad.
Selected exhibitions from the treasury of the Forbidden City.
About one of the main attractions of China - the Beijing Imperial Palace winter palace- so-called Much has been written about the “Forbidden City”, or “Gugune”. But often the description is limited to a simple listing of where and what is in it.
The site would like to offer you, in addition, unique material from the Russian broadcast of Radio China International about some interesting little-known features of the palace complex that bear the imprint of historical events.
Let us just note for starters that the double name of the Beijing residence of the Chinese emperors “Forbidden City”, or “Gugong”, is due to the fact that after the fall of the monarchy in China in 1911, the country began to gradually abandon official name“Purple Forbidden City” - “Zijingcheng” in favor of the more politically correct, especially in communist China, name “Gugong” - i.e. "palace of old (former) rulers." Let us also mention that in 1949, after the evacuation under the pressure of the Communists of the Chinese Kuomintang government to Taiwan, part of the Gugong collections containing imperial household items and works of art was evacuated to this island, where the so-called The “Palace Museum” is something like “Gugong” in exile.
In an illustration from the archive: Panorama of the Forbidden City. In the foreground is the Tiananmen Gate with a portrait of Mao. Very often, this gate, decorated with a portrait of the communist leader and slogans - the gate, which in this form became the calling card of communist China, so as not to destroy the atmosphere of the imperial city, is deliberately left out of the frame in many photographs. This is how it was done in the picture below, which shows the Forbidden City itself without the Tiananmen Gate, although they historically belong to the complex of the imperial residence.
Little known facts
about the "Forbidden City"
So, the material from Radio China International about some little-known features of the palace complex of the Chinese emperors in Beijing from the site’s archive. The spelling of the original source is preserved:
“The Forbidden City, which to this day delights the traveler with its brilliant splendor, served as the residence of the emperors of the last two Chinese dynasties - Ming and Qing, and in total 24 emperors ruled here for 491 years. The years of their reign were full of numerous dramatic events that left a deep mark on Chinese history. Let's walk through the Forbidden City from the southern gate of Wumen to the northern gate of Shenyumen and try to lift the veil on some of its secrets...
Signal system,
hidden in the pillars of a marble balustrade
The buildings of the Forbidden City are painted dark red and covered with gilded tile roofs. What gives the palace complex a special charm is the white marble balustrade that surrounds the main palace buildings. The pillars and railings of the balustrade are covered with elaborate carvings, in some places it is erected in several tiers. It is interesting that the purpose of the balustrade is not limited to decorative purposes; in addition, hidden signaling devices are hidden here and there. Here, for example, are the balustrade columns enclosing the small gates of Xiehe and Xihe, which are located on the sides of the large gates of Taihe. The head part of these marble columns is made in the form of a magnificently blooming flower, and in the center of the flower there is a hidden spherical cavity. Small stone balls are placed in this cavity. It will seem to the uninitiated tourist that the holes in these marble columns, crowned with flowery carvings, are the result of the eroding effect of rains; it will not even occur to him that these holes also had a special purpose. In fact, they are nothing more than a secret signaling system. Whenever there was a danger of invasion by an external enemy or a fire, the guard inserted a special bronze funnel-shaped pipe into the signal hole of the marble pillar and began to blow forcefully into it. At the same time, the stone balls in the cavity of the column began to move, emitting a low hum, reminiscent of the hum of a large sea shell brought to the ear. They say that this signal could be heard in remote corners Forbidden City.
figurines,
decorating the roof ridge
On all the buildings of the Forbidden City you can see ceramic glazed figurines of animals decorating the roof ridge. Some figures have a frozen, beautiful appearance, others look more lively. But all of them play not only a decorative role; in Chinese architecture they play an important role as integral elements of the structure.
If you stand facing the Taihedian Pavilion, you can see glazed elements in the form of dragon heads on both sides of its roof. Four paws are raised up, the dragon carries a sword on its back, its eyes are wide open and express ferocity, and its terrible mouth firmly grasps the ridge of the roof. This dragon is popularly called the “second son of the dragon” and is called the “Wen Dragon.” In the minds of the Chinese of the Ming and Qing eras, the dragon Wen was able to extinguish fires and eliminate other disasters. The location of the dragon's head is noteworthy: it covers the nodal part where the horizontal ridge of the roof and the falling row of tiles meet. This is where leaks easily occur when it rains. So the dragon's head serves as a reliable fastening element.
In the place of the roof where it turns into its take-off section, small glazed figures are lined up. The row is headed by a saint riding on a phoenix, followed by animal figures lined up one after another, and the end of the row is crowned by a larger head of a mythical creature. The number of figures in a row is determined by the rank and importance of the building; on the roof of a large building you can count up to 10 sculptural images, and on the roof of a minor structure there can be only one barely noticeable figure. There are strict rules regarding the order of their arrangement. The images depicted in the roofing figurines are characters from myths. Some of them represent prosperity, others - courage and stern inflexibility. From a distance, they resemble heavenly warriors who have flown down from heaven and stopped over the abyss. They can also be imagined as gods who descended onto the roof to observe human secrets.
The tradition of decorating the roof ridge with mythical figures not only aims to give the building splendor, but is also an expression of wishes for favorable weather and state tranquility. Much more important than just a decorative decoration is the role of roofing figures in preventing roof leaks. These decorative elements also express the idea of well-being and are intended to serve as an amulet to ward off misfortune.
Story
with the imperial throne
If the path through the series of passages leading from the Tiananmen Grandstand to the Wumen Gate (the official "Imperial Gate") is compared to an opera overture, then the further path to the Golden River, Taihe Square and Taihe Gate can be considered part of the opera libretto. Well, when we come close to the Taihedian Pavilion, resting on a 6-meter, three-tiered white marble foundation, there is no longer any doubt that we are hearing a magnificent main aria, embodying all the imperial grandeur. The leitmotif of the main aria can be considered the imperial throne raised in the middle of the Throne Room, decorated with dragon carvings and carefully varnished.
The surface of the throne parts is covered with gilding, the back is decorated with a carved ornament of three writhing dragons. The throne rests on a solid plinth in the spirit of the lodges of Buddhist saints, it is richly inlaid with precious stones. As an examination of the varnish coating and style of the depicted dragons showed, this throne was made during the reign of the Mings under the motto Jiajing, but even under the Qings it continued to serve its intended purpose. However, tourists are quite surprised to learn that for almost half a century this throne, worthy of embodying the greatness of Bogdykhan, lay in a closet, covered with dust.
In 1911, the Xinhai Revolution took place in China, overthrowing the emperor and proclaiming the Democratic Republic. However, in 1915, the head of the militaristic clan, Yuan Shikai, undertook a restoration, declaring himself emperor. The enthronement ceremony was scheduled to take place in the Throne Hall of the Taihedian Pavilion. Yuan Shikai, whose legs turned out to be a bit short, thought it would be better to replace the old throne with a new one, made in the form of a chair with a high back, such as are common in the West. Yuan Shikai remained Emperor for 83 days, and then was swept away by a wave of popular protest. But the throne, made according to his personal order, has been preserved. For several decades, attempts to find the former throne with carved dragons did not lead to success. Until, finally, in 1959, one of the specialists working in the Forbidden City discovered among old photographs a photo depicting the interior of the Taihedian Palace Pavilion. A search was made in the storerooms of old furniture and he was eventually found. In 1963, furniture repairmen restored the old throne, spending a whole year on it. In September 1964, the restored throne took its former place.
Hieroglyph,
denoting peace and harmony, in the names of the three main pavilions of the Forbidden City
The not-so-friendly lion from The Forbidden City.
The main buildings of the Forbidden City are three pavilions - Taihedian, Zhonghedian and Baohedian. They are designed to personify the unrivaled authority of the emperor; they also served as the place for imperial audiences. It is noteworthy and no coincidence that the names of all three pavilions contain the hieroglyph “he” - “peace”, “harmony”.
According to the teachings of Confucius, the character “he” meant universal harmony in the world. Even though there is a huge difference between the greatness of the Bogdykhan (emperor - Website note) and the position of a mere mortal, both the Bogdykhan and the mere mortal live on the same Earth, under the same Heaven, and in the spiritual sense there must be a balance between them. This balance is “he”. Everything has its place: the emperor is elevated above the entire surrounding world, mere mortals are content with their subordinate position; "he" exists between ruler and servant, between father and son, between older and younger brothers, between husband and wife. Without “he” it is impossible to connect the seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter), it is impossible to understand the relationships in the animal world, it is impossible to understand the relationship between the Earth and the Universe. In a word, balance “he” is needed on Earth, in Heaven and in the vast world of things. Otherwise, there will be discord in the world, everything will be turned upside down. The importance of “he” was also recognized by scholars of other schools of Ancient China. We can say that since ancient times, the Chinese considered “he” to be the most ideal state of things and affairs. The founders of the Qing dynasty were newcomers from the north who conquered China. (Manchus - Website note) It is no wonder that for them nothing was more important than the duration of maintaining their power and order in the country. “He” was the main wish of the Qing rulers. Adhering to the idea of "he", they sought to unite the country in order to preserve their dominance forever. This idea is clearly seen in the name of the motto of the reign of the Qing emperor, “Shunzhi” (literally meaning “favorable reign”). All of the above will help you understand the presence of the character “he” in the names of the three main pavilions of the Forbidden City.
Gigantic
carved stone slab
Located behind the Baohedian Pavilion, a giant stone slab covered with bas-reliefs depicting dragons against a background of clouds is the largest and most highly artistic work of bas-relief art in the Forbidden City. This slab was installed during the Ming dynasty; under the Qing, the previous relief pattern was chipped off and replaced with a new one. The pattern is made up of 9 wriggling dragons, each of which holds a large pearl ball in its mouth. The background for the dancing dragons is relief images of mountains, seas and clouds. Tourists are amazed not only by the skill of the relief carving, but also by the sheer size of the stone slab. According to experts, the weight of the stone slab before processing exceeded 300 tons. How was such a giant stone delivered to the Forbidden City? According to the Ming History, this stone was obtained from the Fangshan quarry in the western suburbs of Beijing. To remove it from the quarry, it was necessary to mobilize more than 10 thousand working people and more than 6 thousand soldiers. The issue of delivering the stone to the capital turned out to be no less difficult. First of all, it was necessary to make the road leading to Beijing absolutely level, for which several tens of thousands of workers were sent. They filled and compacted potholes and dug wells along the entire route. With the onset of frost, the road surface was carefully filled with water from wells, so that a smooth and hard road was obtained. Along it, the stone, firmly bound by people and horses, was dragged to its destination. It took 20 thousand people and a thousand horses, and transportation took 28 days. Everything cost the treasury 110 thousand lians of silver. Unfortunately, no records have been found of the exact date of delivery of the stone. One can only assume that the stone was delivered before the construction of the imperial residence was completed, since otherwise such a stone would have been impossible to move through the numerous gates of the palace. That is, the giant stone from Fangshan is one of the first building parts of the palace complex and dates back more than 570 years.
Arrow,
stuck into the inscription board above the Longzongmen Gate
Between the Baohedian Pavilion and the Qiangqingmen Gate lies a square separating the outer (service) part of the Forbidden City from the inner (family) courtyards. There are gates on the sides of the square: eastern Jingyunmen and western Longzongmen. Penetration into the inner chambers was strictly controlled. Under the Qings, passage through the gate was prohibited to anyone, even princes of imperial blood; it was used only by officials on duty and persons called to an imperial audience. If you carefully examine the banner with the inscription above the Longzongmen Gate, you may notice an arrow pierced into the banner. Here's a story connected with it.
On the 15th day of the 9th month of 1813, the Forbidden City was invaded by units of the Peasant Army of the rebels, who acted in collusion with the eunuchs - servants of the palace. Some of the rebels headed to the Yansindian Pavilion in the northern part of the Forbidden City, where the imperial chambers were located. But at the Longzongmen gate they were met with fire by Qing guard troops. The emperor himself was not in the palace at that moment, but the members of the imperial family and servants were seized with fear. The Grand Dukes and high-ranking officials began to prepare carts to take their relatives and goods out of the Forbidden City. Some even hid in the closet. During the fierce battle, one of the peasant leaders took aim and fired an arrow from his bow, which got stuck in a banner with an inscription above the Longzongmen Gate. However, the forces turned out to be unequal, and the rebels were suppressed. This uprising became a serious lesson for the Qing. In order to preserve his memory for the edification of posterity, the court decided not to touch the arrow stuck in the banner above the Longzongmen Gate.
Red lanterns
in Yongang Lane
Entering the Naishimen Gate, located to the west of the Qianqingmen Gate, you find yourself in Yungang Lane. The chambers of the empress and concubines are located here. There are a total of 4 such alleys in the Forbidden City.
Each of them has road lights that reach the height of a man, and they rest on a stone plinth. The lantern itself is made of bronze, braided with copper wire on the outside. At dusk, special eunuch lamplighters filled the lanterns with oil and lit them. The lanterns burned all night until the morning.
Under Ming, there was no mandatory order determining in the chambers of which wife or concubine the emperor would spend the night. The specific choice was made on a case-by-case basis. Lanterns made of red silk were hung in front of the entrance to the chambers of each of the wives and concubines. The absence of a lantern indicated that it was in the chambers of this wife that the Bogdykhan spent the night. The eunuch, who was making his night rounds of Yungang Lane, noticing from the absence of a lantern that the emperor had already made his choice, notified the other concubines that they could go to bed.
It was a different matter under the Qings. Already during the evening meal, the emperor decided with which wife or alone he would spend the night. But he certainly slept in the Yansindian Pavilion. It was not customary for eunuchs to go around the 12 chambers of Yungang Lane.
Refrigerators
Forbidden City
Nowadays, a household refrigerator in the house is the most common thing. Well, what was it like in ancient times, before the advent of special equipment? It turns out that in the Forbidden City, refrigerators were used to store food and drinks. natural ice, prepared from the winter. In the vaults of the Forbidden City there is, for example, a refrigerated cabinet, skillfully decorated with cloisonné enamel. It has a height of one and a half chi (1 chi = 33 cm), its shape is cubic, and it consists of two parts, the lower part is narrower than the upper. The decoration of the cabinet is made extremely carefully and brightly; the inside of the cabinet is lined with lead sheet for better insulation and protection from dampness. There is a hole in its lower corner to drain accumulated water. In addition, there are two round holes in the cabinet lid through which cooled air from the refrigerator penetrated into the surrounding space.
But much more often special wooden chests with a lid were used as refrigerators. They preserved food well, and cold air through the holes in the lid could be used to cool the air in the room. So, we can say that the refrigeration units of the Forbidden City also successfully played the role of today's air conditioners. Ice was prepared on the river during the coldest period of winter, it was stored in underground cellars and, as needed, delivered to the palace premises.
Is there any in the Forbidden City
chimneys?
The absence of chimneys throughout Gugun will not escape the eyes of an attentive observer. The fact is that for the Forbidden City, where all the buildings are made of wood, the biggest danger is fire. Fire safety measures were given particular importance under all rulers. So what was the situation with fire sources for cooking and heating rooms?
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the main fuel of the Forbidden City was charcoal. It had a number of advantages: it burned smokelessly and had no odor, making it possible to do without chimneys.
This is how, for example, the issue of heating rooms was resolved. In many pavilions, underground chimneys were dug, the rooms above which were called “warm”. The chimney led to a hatch located in the above-ground passage of the Forbidden City. The depth of the hatch was equal to the height of a person; the hatch was closed from above with a wooden lid the size of a square meter. Heating was produced by burning charcoal in a special stove installed inside the chimney. The heating of the premises began during the frost season.
In addition to heating due to the heat coming from the chimney, the rooms were equipped with open braziers in which charcoal was burned. Palace braziers were made with great skill, for example, they were made of bronze and covered with gold or inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They had a cap on a wire frame that prevented the release of hot coals to the outside. Large braziers weighed up to a thousand jin, while small ones could be carried in the hands. Still braziers different types and size can be seen everywhere in the Forbidden City: in the Taihedian, Zhonghedian, Baohedian, Qianqinggong, Jiaotaidian, Kunninggong, Yangxindian and Western Chambers pavilions. Hand and foot stoves were also at the service of the empress and concubines. Thanks to these means, the inhabitants of the Forbidden City were not afraid of the most severe cold. Truly, the effect of these devices can compete with modern heating devices.
When the gong sounded
In the old days, when night fell, guards came out into the street and, with the help of blows on a gong or a mallet, announced the change of guards. The first watch was at about 6 p.m.
In the Forbidden City, the northern gate of Shenumen actually served as a clock tower, in which guards were on duty, striking a gong. In addition, a large bell was installed on the tower. During the absence of the emperor from the palace, every day at dusk the bell would ring 108 times, and after that the guard would ring a gong to announce the change of guard. At the end of the 5th watch, that is, already at dawn, the bell again struck 108 times. Why 108? This number was the sum of the number of months in a year (12), the number of climatic seasons (24) and the number of agricultural seasons (72).
In addition to the bell tower at Shenyumen Gate, bell towers were also installed on the right and left of Wumen Gate in the Forbidden City. However, their purpose was different. Since the Wumen Gate was the main gate of the Forbidden City, there were strict regulations regarding the circumstances under which the Wumen bells should be rung. These circumstances included, for example, the time of departure of the imperial train to participate in the sacrifices. At such a moment, the bell ringer struck the bell. And when the emperor went to Taimiao Temple for the ceremony of worshiping ancestors, gongs were struck on the tower. Besides, bell ringing and the sounds of gongs on the towers of the Wumen Gate announced the surrounding area during especially solemn occasions: the enthronement of the emperor, the celebration of the New Year, the onset of winter, the day of longevity, the announcement of the name of the empress, etc.
How many in the Forbidden City
premises?
The Forbidden City can be considered the largest and best preserved of the ancient palace ensembles that have survived to this day. It occupies an area of 780 thousand square meters. meters. According to legend, the Ming Emperor Zhu Di, who ruled under the motto Yongle, initially planned to build a palace with 10 thousand rooms. But on the night of the fifth day after the emperor made his decision, the Jade Ruler of the Universe visited him in a dream. Extremely irritated, he pointed out to Bogdykhan that by planning to build 10 thousand rooms, he was encroaching on his divine authority, since in the palace of the gods there were only 10 thousand rooms. In the morning, the emperor immediately ordered the dignitaries to be convened to discuss the current situation with them. In the end, it was decided to build 9999 and a half rooms and thus preserve the authority of both Heaven and the emperor intact.
After 4 years, the palace was built. At the sight of the splendor revealed to his eyes, Emperor Zhu Di was filled with great joy. Here is the Wumen Gate, striking in its size and solemnity, here is the Fengtian Pavilion (renamed Taihedian under the Qing), decorated with colorful ornamentation of beams and pillars. The buildings glittered with gilded roofs, creating a feeling of scale and high style. Truly, the new palace was equal to the sky-high mansions of the Jade God, the image of which was present in the imagination of Bogdykhan. After spending half a day exploring the palace, Zhu Di finally asked those accompanying him whether there really were 9999 and a half rooms in the palace. The answer was yes. “Well, where is that half of the room?” asked the emperor. “It is considered to be a small room on the first floor of the Wenyange tower,” was the answer. Zhu Di rewarded the respondent with a satisfied smile, saying “excellent, excellent.” After this imperial inspection, everyone around already knew that there were 9999 and a half rooms in the Forbidden City.
The dignitary who confirmed the number of premises palace ensemble, name was Liu Bowen. In a conversation with the emperor, his veins were shaking, since in reality it is unlikely that the number of rooms was exactly 9999 and a half. Responsible for the procurement of building materials, Liu Bowen traveled to many places; on his trips, he observed the miserable living conditions of the people and considered the construction of such a magnificent palace to be an unnecessary luxury, which only made the burden of the common people even more severe. Liu Bowen even made some changes to the design drawings, reducing the number of rooms by several hundred.
Currently, there are 980 palace buildings and 8,728 rooms in the Forbidden City. But what about the now famous “half room”? It turns out that this half room really exists and is located in the Wenyange mansion, which served as a repository for the complete collection of books of the “Four Vaults”. It is noteworthy that in the western part of the tower, the pillars, painted green, were placed so that the distance between them was 5 chi (about 1.5 m), whereas usually it was 3 meters. Wenyange Tower was the only building in the Forbidden City with such a unique layout. Therefore, the room, delimited by two closely spaced pillars, was called “half”.
(This material from the archives of the site was broadcast by the Russian broadcasting of Radio China International in Beijing in the form of several radio programs in April 2005).
Description
palace complex "Gugun"
In the illustration: Plan of the “Forbidden City”, or, in other words, “Gugun”.
In the illustration: Plan of the “Forbidden City”, or, in other words, “Gugun”. At the very bottom edge of this plan is the “Gate of Heavenly Peace” - “Tiananmen”. Further up, the “Duonmen” gate and the front gate of the “Forbidden City” - “Wumen” (“Midday Gate”) are depicted. "Umen" are located on a bridge over a moat surrounding the entire palace complex. At the top edge of the photo is the Shenumen Gate. Just above the Umen Gate, the plan shows the Neijinshuihe Golden River canal. Behind the “Golden River” is the main palace gate, Taihemen (“Gate of Supreme Harmony”). Then there is a huge courtyard in front of the palace premises itself, lined with slabs. And then the plan shows the main three palace pavilions “ various types Harmony" are the main pavilions of the palace complex. There is a gate again, and around there are various auxiliary palace rooms within the perimeter wall and moat.
The state news agency of the People's Republic of China "Xinhua" in the old version of its Russian Internet page published quite detailed description all buildings of the imperial palace complex “Gugong”, or as Xinhua calls this building in the mentioned article - “Gugong Museum” (“Winter Imperial Palace”).” This essay, which we offer below, as usual for Xinhua, accurately places all the accents, according to the official doctrine of the Chinese Communist Party, and therefore contains criticism of the last Chinese emperor and the Kuomintang government for the “plunder” of the wealth of “Gugong”. (The spelling and style of the original source is preserved, with the exception of obvious typos.):
“The Gugong Museum, or as it was also called, Zijingcheng (“Purple Forbidden City”), is located in the center of Beijing, next to Tiananmen Square. To the north of the Tiananmen Gate and Duonmen Gate is the main gate to the Gugong Museum - Wumen ("Midday Gate"). Above them was erected a magnificent structure, commonly called Wufenglou (“Tower of Five Phoenixes”).
It began to be built during the Ming dynasty in 1420. It took 14 years to build. The width of the entire Forbidden City from east to west is 760 m, from south to north 960 m. Useful area is 150 thousand sq.m. It has more than 9 thousand rooms. It is surrounded on four sides by a wall 10 m high. There are four gates in the walls. The gate facing directly south is called Wumen. This is the front gate. The tower of this gate has a bell and a drum. When the emperor went to offer prayers to a temple or shrine, he always left the Wumen gate. When he went to the Temple of Agriculture, a bell was struck when he left, and when he entered Taimiao (“Temple of Ancestors”), a drum was beaten. During the Qing dynasty, when victories were won, ceremonies were held here according to custom - offering prisoners as gifts to the emperor. Now this tower serves as a space for temporary exhibitions. There was a canal 52 meters wide around the wall.
The northern gate is called Shenumen. During the Ming Dynasty they were called Xuanyumen. But under Emperor Kangxi they were renamed Shenumen, since the name of this emperor contains the hieroglyph Xuan, and according to custom, the name of any object should not coincide with the name of the emperor. The tower of this gate also has one bell and one large drum. Every day, at dusk and dawn, they first struck the bell 108 times, and then the drum. This gate is located opposite Jingshan Park.
The eastern side gate is called Donghuanmen, and the western side gate is called Xihuamen. Gugun is the former residence of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Here, for 491 years, 24 emperors ruled over the affairs of the empire. During the Ming dynasty there were 14 emperors, and during the Qing dynasty there were 10. And now this residence is a Museum, where over 900 thousand exhibits are stored.
The Gugun Museum is the largest architectural and art museum in our country. The building itself is one of the greatest historical cultural achievements of our country. Preserving the traditional forms of Chinese architecture, combining the majesty of forms, architectural perfection and strict order of arrangement, it represents one of the most brilliant architectural monuments world and is the pearl of the centuries-old culture of our Motherland. This is the grandest and most complete of the surviving architectural ensembles.
The entire palace complex consists of two main parts, external and internal.
When entering the front gate of Wumen, first of all you see a canal crossing the square - Neijinshuihe ("Inner River with Golden Water"), through which five beautiful marble bridges are thrown. Along the banks of the canal, also lined with white marble, there are winding railings of the most varied shapes, reminiscent of a precious jade belt.
To the north of the bridges is the main palace gate, Taihemen (“Gate of Supreme Harmony”). Behind them is another large courtyard. In the center of its northern side rises a massive pedestal, 8 m high, where one after another there are pavilions: Taihedian (“Pavilion of Supreme Harmony”), Zhonghedian (“Pavilion of Complete Harmony”) and Baohedian (“Pavilion of Harmony Preservation”), These three pavilion are the most important architectural complex The outer courtyard of the imperial. They are intended for state and court ceremonies. In terms of architecture and decoration, Taihedian is a unique example, unmatched not only in comparison with other pavilions of Gugun, but also in the entire collection of wooden structures of ancient China.
The Taihedian Pavilion serves as the place where official palace receptions were held. It is the largest structure in Gugun. Its height is 35.5 m, width 63.96 m, depth 37.2 m, area more than 2300 sq.m. The roof of the pavilion is supported by 86 wooden columns with a diameter of one meter, six of them surrounding the throne are gilded and decorated with carved images of writhing dragons. The throne is installed on a pedestal, in front of which are graceful bronze cranes - a symbol of success and good luck, incense burners, large copper tripod vessels - a symbol of the throne, behind the throne is a finely crafted screen.
The entrance to the Taihedian Pavilion is guarded by fiercely grinning bronze lions, personifying the power of power.
On the spacious area in front of the pavilion there is a large bronze turtle, raising up its fanged, almost wolf-like mouth - a symbol of longevity, a bronze long-legged crane, as a symbol of successful advancement up the ladder of ranks, large copper tripods and other superbly executed sculptures and products.
The Taihedian Pavilion was built in 1417, rebuilt in 1645, then after a fire it was restored again in 1697. Under the Ming and Qing dynasties, annually on New Year's Eve, i.e. On January 1, according to the old style, the holiday (Winter Solstice), the birthday of the emperor, and also on the day of the emperor’s accession to the throne, solemn ceremonies were held. The most important government decrees were announced. After the announcement, the decrees were lowered from the gate tower in the beak of a wooden phoenix, placed in a palanquin decorated with images of a dragon and sent to the Ministry of Ceremonies, from where copies were sent throughout the country. On public holidays and celebrations, the emperor accepted congratulations and held receptions. And in this pavilion, the emperor appointed military leaders of the expeditionary forces and attended state exams.
I should also devote a few words to the completely empty courtyard, which is located in front of the Taihedian Pavilion. The area of this yard is more than 30,000 square meters. m. Every time during palace ceremonies, rows of armed guards were lined up in this courtyard in strict order, and in order of subordination, civil and military dignitaries knelt facing north. Incense smoke rose from numerous tripods and incense burners, adding to the already mysterious atmosphere surrounding the emperor.
The Zhonghedian Pavilion was built during the Ming Dynasty and was called Huagaidian and Zhongjidian. During the Qing Dynasty in 1645, it was rebuilt and renamed Zhonghedian. It served as a place where the emperor rested before the start of the ceremonies, ritual rehearsals were also performed here, the Emperor, before going to the Temple of Heaven (June 21), to the Temple of Agriculture (November 22) for prayer services, got acquainted with the content of the prayers here. And every year on New Year’s Eve, the emperor held banquets here, to which the vassal princes were invited.
Baohedian Pavilion is located behind Zhonghedian. It began to be built in 1420. Its original name was Jinshendian, but later it was renamed Jianjidian. In 1625 it was rebuilt, and in 1645 it was named Baohedian.
The Baohedian Pavilion was originally intended for feasts. Especially during the Qing dynasty, on January 1 old style and January 15, the emperor annually invited Mongolian and Uyghur princes to the Baohedian Pavilion for banquets. 70 tables were set, 63 rams were slaughtered and 70 bottles of wine were opened. During such banquets, musicians performed Mongolian traditional music and songs. But since the time of Emperor Yongzheng (since 1723), the Baohedian Pavilion was intended to host the highest state examinations.
If you strictly follow the center line to the north, behind the Baohedian Pavilion you will see the Qianqingmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Purity). This gate was built under the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt under the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1655. Emperors of the Qing Dynasty sometimes received official reports here. On this day, the throne was set up and the heads of all departments took turns reporting on their affairs. To the left of the gate was the office of the highest civil and military dignitaries.
Then you need to go through the Jianqingmen Gate to find yourself in the back half of the Gugong palace ensemble, where the inner chambers are located. Along the central line are the palaces of Qianqinggong (“Palace of Heavenly Purity”), Jiao Taidian (“Palace of Communication of Heaven and Earth”) and Kunninggong (“Palace of Earthly Tranquility”), on either side of which are six eastern and six western palaces.
Qianqinggong Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1797. The emperor's bedchamber was located in this palace. Here the emperor was engaged in daily state affairs, looking through documents, making orders. IN holidays feasts were held here, to which the emperor invited his dignitaries. At the end of the Qing dynasty, emperors received heads of foreign diplomatic missions in this palace. The eastern wing housed the emperor's hat, suits, and shoes, and the western wing housed the emperor's office.
The second building, the Jiao Taidian Pavilion, was built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1697. It served as a hall for family celebrations. During the Ming and Qing times, it was in this hall that celebrations on the occasion of the empress’s birthday were held. During the Qing Dynasty, the imperial seal was kept here. 25 main seals were kept under Emperor Jianlong. On the right side there is a Chinese ancient water clock - it consists of three copper funnels, under which the Buddha sits, holding the dial in his hands. Water is poured from above and passes through funnels. The dial shows the time. On the left are large chimes made by craftsmen of our country over 200 years ago.
Kunninggong Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1655. During the Ming Dynasty, it was the bedchamber of empresses. During the Qing dynasty, this palace was used for its intended purpose only during the wedding of emperors; usually, religious ceremonies of worshiping spirits and making sacrifices to them were held in its reception rooms. After the wedding ceremony, the empress was supposed to live here for three days.
Behind the Kunninggong Palace is an exhibition of a wide variety of watches.
In terms of volume, the Qianninggong, Qiaotaidian and Kunninggong palaces are significantly inferior to the three large pavilions of the outer courtyard.
Behind the Kunninggong Palace is the Kunningmen Gate. Behind them lies a lush imperial garden Yuhuayuan. Through this imperial garden, the road leads to the Shenumen exit ("Gate of Almighty Spirits").
On both sides of the central line of the ensembles there was a labyrinth of palaces and courtyards connected to each other by passages and gates. This is a whole world, once cut off from life, but rich, lush and strictly regulated. In these palaces lived the emperor, empress, the emperor's concubines, his children, relatives - the top of the feudal-serf power, overthrown as a result of the bourgeois revolution of 1911.
The main western palaces and pavilions (built during the Ming dynasty) include:
The Taijidian Pavilion was built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1683. Now it houses an exhibition of artistic enamel products.
Yongshou Gong Palace (“Palace of Eternal Longevity”) was built during the Ming Dynasty. For 200 years, this palace was a warehouse for the Yangxingdian Pavilion (“Heart Saving Pavilion”). Nowadays varnish products are exhibited here.
Changchungong Palace (“Palace of Eternal Spring”) was built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1683. The tomb of Emperor Jianlong’s wife is located here. In 1884, under Empress Cixi, a musical drama was staged here.
The Xianfugong Palace was built during the Ming dynasty and rebuilt in 1683. When one of the emperors' relatives died, they were in mourning here. Now there is an exhibition of writing instruments here.
The Ikungun Palace was built during the Ming dynasty and rebuilt in 1655. Artistic enamel products are now also exhibited here.
The Chusyugun Palace was also built during the Ming Dynasty. The Jiaqing Emperor's wife lived here for a time. Empress Cixi also lived here when she was still a concubine and then when she ruled the country.
The above palaces and pavilions are the main ones in the western half, but it will be interesting to know something about the Tihedian Palace, which was built in 1802. Here Cixi chose a bride for her son Emperor Guangxu. Nowadays, artistic enamel products are exhibited here.
It is also impossible not to mention the Yangxindian Pavilion. It was built during the Ming dynasty. Since the third Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty, all emperors have lived in this pavilion and discussed state affairs. Officials from different provinces were also received here.
The western (part) includes several more minor palaces and pavilions, such as Qingingong Palace. It was built during the Ming dynasty and rebuilt in 1790. The mothers of the emperors of both the Ming and Qing dynasties lived here. When the time came for princesses to get married, wedding ceremonies were held here.
There is also Shoukangong Palace (“Palace of Longevity and Health”), Shouanggong Palace (“Palace of Longevity and Peace”), Chongxidian Pavilion (“Pavilion of Spring Joys”), and there is also a small garden - Qining (“Garden of Kindness and Peace”). To the south, not far from the Wumen Gate, are the Jinsidian, Wuingdian Pavilions and several other buildings. Now there is an exhibition of applied art from the Ming and Qing eras. The premises are partially occupied by an exhibition telling about the life of the empresses.
And the eastern main palaces and pavilions (also built during the Ming dynasty) include:
Jingrenggong Palace, Chengqiangong Palace, Zhongcuigong Palace, Yansigong Palace, Yonghegong Palace, Jinyanggong Palace (Palace of the Sunny Landscape).
Besides these six palaces, there are also quite a few minor palaces and pavilions in this half.
We should also mention the famous “Nine Dragon Wall”, built in the eastern part of the Forbidden City at the Huangjimen Gate. It is a copy of the same wall in Beihai Park. This wall is decorated with complex and elaborate patterns and is lined with glazed multi-colored bricks. It amazes with the brightness of the colors, the great expressiveness and dynamism of the images of nine purple and yellow dragons writhing against a green background. “Wall of Nine Dragons” is a work of truly folk art.
During the Ming dynasties, Gugong Palace served as the political center of the Chinese empire.
In 1912, in the second year of the Xinhai Revolution, the last Chinese emperor of the Qing dynasty, Pu Yi, abdicated the throne, but continued to live in the palace. Puyi gave away, pawned and sold many ancient relics over the course of 13 years. Thus, many valuables leaked from the palace.
And almost on the eve of liberation, at the direction of the Kuomintang government, books and valuables were folded into 13,427 boxes and 64 bags. It intended to transport all this to Taiwan. However, the quick victory in the war of liberation prevented him from carrying out this robbery. It was possible to take away only 2972 boxes.
Gugun is a harmonious in composition and perfect in planning ensemble of palace buildings, one of the most beautiful medieval palace complexes. Constructed primarily of wood, Gugong serves as a remarkable example of traditional Chinese architecture. There is a harmonious, skillful combination of buildings, gates, passages of different sizes and shapes, and multi-tiered roofs with curved edges, covered with glazed bright golden-colored tiles, and carved folding walls under red varnish.
Wonderful Chinese architects created all these structures. Tens of thousands of Chinese workers have contributed their talent and labor to these historical monuments, created to last forever. Huge arches painted with colorful patterns, artificial lakes and ponds covered with lilies and pale pink lotuses, marble bridges, colossal stone and stucco vaults, walls painted with bright colors, columns decorated with fantastic dragons and phoenixes are unique in their beauty.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the People's Government included Gugong Palace in the list of the most important cultural monuments protected by the state. Having been in a state of disrepair for a long time, the old palace has been transformed.
The restored ancient buildings of Gugun now shine with their colorful decorations. The Gugun Museum, its buildings and treasures are admirable ancient culture and the art of China among the broad masses..."
(This material was posted by the state news agency of the People's Republic of China "Xinhua" in the old version of the Russian Internet page of the agency).
The review was compiled based on materials from Radio China International (Russian broadcasting) and the state news agency of the People's Republic of China Xinhua.
Forbidden City (China) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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The Forbidden City of Gugong is the largest and most famous palace complex in the world, located in Beijing. It served as the residence of twenty-four powerful rulers of two dynasties of the Celestial Empire - Ming and Qing.
The place for its construction was determined by astronomers and, in their opinion, it is located exactly in the center of the globe.
Today, when heading to the Forbidden City, you need to go through only three gates: Tiananmen, Duanmen and, finally, the main gate of the palace - Wumen. In earlier times, for foreign ambassadors and officials, the path to the palace was longer: they passed through five gates.
All the decoration and design of the Forbidden City is permeated with philosophical and religious ideas and principles of China, including the fact that the emperor, despite all his greatness, must be fair and wise.
A little history
The construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406. The emperor who gave instructions for its construction was Zhu Di. There is a legend that one of the monks dreamed about the project of the Forbidden City, and he told about it to the prince, who later became the emperor.
The main material used for the construction of the palace is wood, as well as brick, marble, and tiles. Almost all the buildings inside the complex are one-story, and the massive roofs rest on powerful columns; this design is the most resistant to earthquakes. The facades of all the main buildings face the south - thereby the Forbidden City turned its back on all the hostile forces of the north. Main entrance is also on the south side.
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is not easy beautiful name, it is also a statement of fact. Ordinary people did not have access here. The family of the ruling emperor and their numerous servants lived in a closed palace. It was forbidden to enter the city without permission under pain of slow and painful execution - although the most curious were sometimes not frightened even by this. However, it was not only curiosity that forced people to enter the Forbidden City; for example, the last emperor of the Ming dynasty was driven to suicide by residents who broke into the palace and were angry about exorbitant taxes and hunger.
According to legend, the Qing family, the last ruling dynasty in the Forbidden City, was cursed - the Qing house would fall at the hands of a woman. In general, this is what happened. The former concubine Cixi ruled China after the death of her husband, until her nephew, two-year-old Pu Yi, became her successor. The Kid became the last emperor and owner of the Forbidden City. In 1912, at the age of five, he abdicated the throne, but remained to live in the palace.
Currently, the Forbidden City no longer contains the residence of rulers; now it is the Imperial Museum “Gugun”, which anyone can visit.
According to legend, there are ten thousand rooms in the palace of the Heavenly Emperor. The Palace of the Son of Heaven, as the emperors of China called themselves, should be at least a little more modest so as not to overshadow the Heavenly Ruler. So it occupies an area of 72 hectares, on which there are about eight hundred buildings and a total of only 9,999 rooms.
In reality, of course, there are fewer of them there - obviously, the Chinese’s love for the number nine simply seemed to be there.
The city is surrounded by a high wall and a moat filled with water - the Jinshuihe (Golden River) Canal. Several bridges were thrown across the moat - the central two were intended only for members of the imperial family, the next ones - for senior military and civil officials, and the outermost ones were called public and any inhabitant of the Forbidden City could cross them, regardless of his rank and origin.
There are many beautiful and elegant buildings on the territory of the Forbidden City. Pavilions, gazebos, galleries, as well as lakes, rivers, gardens. And their names, as a rule, are in no way inferior to their elegance. appearance- for example, the Pavilion of Contact of Heaven and Earth, the Gate of Heavenly Purity or the Gazebo, from where the arrival of spring can be seen.
The Forbidden City was rebuilt several times after fires, destruction and robberies. However, they tried to reproduce its appearance with maximum accuracy, so what we can see there now is not too different from the original appearance of the palace.
The collection of valuable exhibits is replenished year after year and has already reached a million. The main part of the exhibition consists of paintings, books, bronze items, imperial clothes and jewelry, made with amazing skill.
The Forbidden City is divided by a central axis, eight kilometers long. In the center stands the Taihedian (Hall of Supreme Harmony) pavilion, whose height reaches almost forty meters. For many centuries, it remained the tallest building in Beijing, because during the empire it was not allowed to erect buildings higher than it - the ban did not apply only to temples. In the center of the pavilion is a Throne, a symbol of the emperor’s power on earth.
Practical information
Address: 4 Jingshan Qianjie, Dongcheng, Beijing.
The museum is open from 01.04 to 31.10 - from 08:30 to 17:00; from 01.11 to 31.03 - from 08:30 to 16:30.
Price entrance ticket for adults: from April 1 to October 31 - 60 CNY, on other days - 40 CNY. Discounts are provided for children, students and schoolchildren, and pensioners. Bank cards of major international payment systems are accepted for payment.
