Beijing is an Ancient City with a large number of historic Monuments and Hotspots. At the very center of the City stands its crown jewel, the Forbidden City, the Former Imperial Palace of the Emperors, home of the Dynastic Dragon Throne.
Starting with the settling of the Mongol Kublai's who invaded from the North and devasted the original city of Beijing, then named Zhong Du, and through the subsequent Yuan Dynasty , Beijing has been the Capital City of China, with only brief intersessions, since the Year 1280 AD. The first break was made during the first three Reign Periods of the Ming Dynasty, who moved the Capital to Nanjing (Jiangsu Province) in 1368 AD. Only half a century later, in the year 1406 AD, during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 AD ) the Capital City was moved back from southern Nanjing, the early Capital of the Ming, to Beijing, the key city underneath the Northern Defenses, the Great Wall of China holding off the Hsueng Nu (Northern Tribes), China's Main Enemy.
During the subsequent Ching Dynasty (1644 - 1911 AD) Beijing remained the Imperial Capital and the City population and area were enlarged, leaving roughly the layout of the (Central) City today with at its very (geographic) center the Imperial Palace, the "Gugong" so called "Forbidden City" now known as The Palace Museum. Today the Imperial Palace, last restored in the year 2006 AD is largely open to the Public and the Main Tourist Attraction in Beijing.
Jingshan Park / Coal Hill / Prospect Hill Imperial Pleasure Garden.
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Maps to find your way to and inside the Palace Museum.
1) A Map depicting All Sites in Downtown Beijing in the Area around TiananMen Square.
2) The TiananMen Square Area, north of which stands huge the Palace Museum, a city within the City.
The Palace Museum of Beijing was designed and constructed during the Reign of Emperor Yongle, the 3rd Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. In 1406 AD Beijing, the Capital of the personal Fiefdom of Yongle, the Prince of Yan, was once more designated the Capital of the Chinese Empire. Construction on the Huge Imperial Palace, the largest Palace since the Tang Dynasty, was begun in the same year. Construction would last for only 15 years.
The Palace Museum and its Halls follow the traditional Ming Dynasty Confucian Style of Architecture similarly displayed in its predecessor, the Imperial Palace of Nanjing. The
Interiors of the Palace of Heavenly Purity (Inner Court).
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between the two Main Halls. The Last and most Northern Hall of the outer court is Bao He Dian, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which is another large Throne Hall used for several purposes depending on Time and Era. The Hall of Preserving Harmony gives access through to the Inner Court and its large ceremonial entrance square. Today's visitors pass west- and east- of Bao He Dian, using Minor passages leading away from the Ceremonial Platform and Halls.
Wider Perimeter & Gates of the Palace
Nightview of an illuminated Tian An Men - the famous Gate of Heavenly Peace at Tian An Men Square and gateway to the Palace Museum.
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The Outer Walls and Gates of the current Palace officially begin at Wu Men
- the Southern Gate and Entrance of the Imperial Palace, significantly located halfway between
the status of this separating wall. To the East- and West adjacent, the perimeter Walls lead away and around the Palace. This is what is known as The Purple Forbidden City, the Inner Palace City. Only High Officials could enter through Wu Men, and then still only on official invitation by the Palace. Entrance was that exclusive.
Go across the giant square in front of Wu Men and leave through one of the side gates. Taxi's and small busses drive through here all the Time. This is Beijing's First Ring Road. The First ring road enters at the West Flowery Gate, the circles south along the Palace Wall and Moat and passes through a small gate onto the square south of Wu Men. From Wu Men the first ring road the continues on between Wall and Moat to leave the Route at Dong Hua Men, the East Flowery Gate more or less famous for its nightmarket with peculiar foods like snakes and scorpions.
The Palace Walls turn to their normal color of grey brick once outside the view of the magnificent Meridian Gate and its square. From Wu Men and the side-gate a road and walking path lead around both to the East and the West Gates. The Northern Half of the Palace Walls cannot be approached. That is, there is only a narrow strip of land between the Palace Wall and the Moat on the East side, leading North from DongHuaMen. Usually the Gate is closed as this area is reserved as make-shift parking for Palace Workers. There is nothing worthwhile to view anyhow.
The Moat in the East, beyond DongHuaMen is equally un-approachable due to the dense housing built immediately on its banks. Only in the North-East Corner great views of both Palace Wall and Watch-towers return.
In The West, North of the Western Gate the Moat is wide and equally difficult to approach. High two- or three-story wooden structures are built against the Palace Wall on the Palace Side, making it appear even higher. A single strip of housing prevent a walk along the Moat to the North.
Today's Palace Museum is not the same Palace that stood during the Ming Dynasty. Today's Palace (Museum) covers 720.000 square meters and includes the largest wooden hall in China (TaiHe Dian).
The entire palace officially totals 9 Thousand 999 + 1/2 rooms, making it the largest preserved collection of wooden structures in the World. The number of rooms in the Palace is considered very auspicious and of vital symbolic significance as it refers to the number 10.000. The Emperor was the Lord of 10 thousand years, however, as he would bow only to God himself, symbolized by the complete number 10, his power was symbolized as 9 (or here 9,999), the closest as a human could come to being God himself.
According to our sources the 1/2 room is not located inside the Walls of the Forbidden City itself, but should be found at the (former) Imperial Library and Academy (XiCheng District), located due West of Beihai Park and located on BeiHai's Shore. This was a place where the Emperor would regularly confer with his Highest Advisors as well as teach to young officials in training. The HanJin Imperial Academy has its own Holy and Symbolic Imperial Architecture.
In reality, in the current Palace there are over 980 wooden buildings and at least 8700 rooms.
During its lifetime as the Imperial Palace of China the complex has been home to no less than 24 Emperors of the Ming & Ching Dynasty. Its last Emperor, Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi, was evicted from his Palace in 1924 AD. The Imperial Palace has been open as a Public Museum since the year 1925.
The Palace Museum of Beijing was designated a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 AD.
The Museum has a collection of well over 1 million items, the number of which has been steadily growing in the years since China's economic succes and new archeological finds and excavations. The bulk of the original collection includes articles of daily use by the emperors, empresses and consorts, stone tablets and carvings, gold and silverware, ceramics, lacquer ware, cloisonné, enamelware, items used for calligraphy and painting, textiles, clocks with frames embedded with precious stones, and many other valuable articles which had been amassed by the imperial court. Many valuable items which had been in private collections beforehand, have been bought at auctions by the Museum or Private Chinese Donors and have returned to the Palace Museum today.
New Exhibitions have been added in the years since 2002 AD.
Angry chinese rickshaw-driver-who-wants-to-be-payed outside of the Eastern Side Gate of the Meridian Gate Ceremonial Square.
Follow the moat here to Dong Hua Men or visit the Imperial Ancestral Temple !
The Yu Huan Yuan, or Palace Garden in the Palace Museum is found in the Northern Half, where it is part of the Nei Ting, or Inner Court. The Palace Garden was the largest but certainly not the only Garden inside the Palace and Forbidden City. Not all, but many of the larger North-Western, as well as North-Eastern Palaces have or had their own smaller garden or rockeries.
Furthermore, the Imperial Family had extensive and exclusive access to various other Parks & Gardens. First there was JingShan Park, just North of the Palace. Then there was Bei Hai Park and the Imperial Yong An Temple due West of the Forbidden City. BeiHai connects South to the Middle Lakes Zhong Hai and Na Hai in which the Yingtai (Water Terrace Pavilion) Island on which the Guanxu Emperor was held captive. This is now the ZhongNanHai Complex, the reclusive Chinese Leadership compound dubbed the new Forbidden City.
Further away on the outskirts there were two Summer Palaces. Of these today only the YiHeYuan Summer Palace remains. The older Palace, just East of the
English Tutor to Last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Pu Yi (Xuan
Tung). Currently, it is not open to the Public. The most treasured structure in the Palace Gardens however is the central Palace of Imperial Peace. The Palace of Imperial Peace is surrounded by its own red chalked walls which are decorated with Colorful Ceramic depictions of animals and pierced by a colorful ceremonial gate that is guarded by a set of small golden Lions. It is a magnificent little jewel inside an otherwise already impressive garden.
The Palace Garden further features the necessary smaller open pavilions, wooden halls, many old trees, stone rockeries, garden ponds and its own look-out mountain with a small Temple on Top.
The quickest and shortest route to the Palace Garden is the one through the Palace North Gate - Shen Wu Men in the outer wall, then directly south into the Garden through Chun Cheng Men in the Inner Wall.
During the Qing Dynasty this route was used in an assasination attempt on the Emperor.
behind of the Gate of Supreme Harmony lies the main ceremonial square. On the North Side of the Outer Court and this huge Square, atop their elevated white marble
platforms stand the three Main Ceremonial Halls of the (former) Imperial Palace.
The Palace Museum has many exhibitions on site, and the number has been
growing in the Last Few years. With newfound affluence in Beijing, and larger donations from wealthy supporters the Palace Museum has opened several new wings and opened several dedicated exhibitions on new subjects.
Walk either West or East around the Palace, quite a distance, and end up at Shen Wu Men. Shen Wu Men, the Northern Gate and another public entrance with a ticket office stands across from Jingshan (Coal Hill) Park, which was once a part of the Imperial Palace Structure and a favorite pleasure Garden of Emperor Qianlong (of the Ching Dynasty). Jingshan was created with the debris of the raised Yuan Dynasty Palace which stood North of the Ming Palace location. In Agony, Shame and Despair over his sudden impotence, The Last Ming Emperor, Chong Zhen, killed himself at Jingshan when faced with the advancing Paeasants & Ching Armies in an undefended City.
Find the "China Ware" - Ceramics at adnex Halls immediatly West of BoaHeDian, the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Enter either adjacent the Right Hind Gate or pass through it and turn left and west. The permanent exhibition of original and famous Ceramic Treasures is inside of here.
The Bronzes Exhibition is found more northernly inside the Courtyard Adnex Halls of the Qian Qing Gong - Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Central Palace in the Inner Court (Nei Ting). It holds the fabulous archeological wealth aquired by the Palace & Museum and gives a very acurate overview of the history of chinese bronze casting. China's was one of the first cultures in human history to achieve this technical feat, and their skills were unprecedented in Time. An impressive and interesting display of artifacts of all times and ages (See our Summary of all Chinese Dynasties) can be viewed upclose.
Exhibition of Imperial Treasures and Gifts : at the Palace of Peaceful Old Age.
Information on where exactly to find the other exhibitions is under research and will be available here at a later date.
Naturally, the original collections of the Museum are the Ceramics Ware's that China is so Famous
Clocks & Watches Museum at the Hall of Worshipping Ancestors, holding mainly remnants of Ching Dynasty Era imported clockery. There are some of the first chinese made mechanical clocks on display too. They date to the 1800's AD. Hidden away in one of the many palaces of the Inner Court are a multitude of other displays, permanent or just temporary. Among them the cloisonne (clausenet) exhibition, the Jade's exhibition at the Palace of Immortality, the Exhibition on symbolic Back-Scratchers studded with Jewels - a famous gift of the Ching Dynasty, the Exhibition on Empress-Dowager Cixi, and a few surprises more.
Military Council during both the Ming and the Ching Dynasties. The Central structure here is the Hall of Military Eminence, Wu Ying Dian, the council Hall with its own white marble access bridge over the Golden River and a ceremonial Gate and Courtyard. Inside is a huge exhibition, so far in Chinese language only. The other exhibitions include an authentic wooden slab Buddhist library, the official one used by the Ching Court. You can have a peak at them yourself in the Eastern annex Hall! (only through glass, not to handle).
Other buildings include the BaoYun Tower and the Yingsi Gong. The Yingsi Gong houses part of the exhibition, but the BaoYun Tower is not open to the Public at the moment.
Detail of Pond Theme Decorations on Cup, Eggshell porcelain, Qianlong Period of Ching Dynasty.
for, the Bronzes Exhibition displaying China's long and early tradition of high quality bronze casting is equally impressive. Other highlights include the
Even newer is the renovated West-Flank of the Palace. Go West immediately after passing through Wu Men and find a new part of the Palace Museum Grounds opened to the Public. Here the Western Gate of Harmony (Xi He Men) gives access to a large swath of Garden Green inside the Palace. This section was not another Palace Garden but in use as the
The Palace Museum Location - How to Get There
Due to the Imperial design of the City (author Ming Emperor Yongle), much of which still determines the lay-out of the Inner City today, the Palace Museum of Beijing is very easily located. Find it as the centerpiece of the Former Imperial City, right in the geographic middle point of City Center. Technically it is part of DongCheng District which starts out across Chang An - Eternal Peace - Avenue from TiananMen Square. Any Map will do. For those who need more, here a few handy maps examples useful for navigation to and from the Palace.
Follow the customary Route through the original Main Entrances, passing from TiananMen Square via Tian An Men and DuanMen to Wu Men, the Main South Gate.
Tickets can be bought at the Ticket Office West of and outside Wu Men.
Those who are already familiar with the Palace can also buy a ticket and enter the Palace through Shen Wu Men, the North Gate of Divine Military Might standing across from Jingshan, the Coal Hill, and its Park. From here pass through to the Palace Garden, Yu Huan Yuan.
Tickets cannot be bought at the Western and Eastern Flowery Gates. The East Flowery Gate, in walking distance of Wanfujing Street is reserved strictly for the Palace Museum Administration and Workers. The West Gate is usually closed.
Names for The Palace Museum
The official name of the former Imperial Palace Grounds Museum is: The Palace Museum of Beijing. However, locally the Palace is known as the Gugong.
Internationally the Palace Museum mainly goes by the slang-nickname " Forbidden City". Historically it was known as " Da Nei ", the Great Within, which signified the inaccessibility and Forbidden Nature of the Palace Grounds leading eventually to the name nickname Forbidden City cast by Sir Reginald Flemming Johnston, aptly naming his book on his years at the Imperial Court of Qing Dynasty Emperor Pu Yi "Twilight in the Forbidden City".
THE Chinese & Asian Friend Network
Sir Reginald Flemming Johnston was the only western Tutor to the secluded last Ching Emperor, the boy Pu Yi. He left a unique account of the Court & Life in his Book "Twilight in the Forbidden City".
Hall of Abstinence (Zhai Gong), Eastern Palaces of the Inner Court.
Display window at a temporary exhibition of Clay & Ceramic Statues excavated during archeological digs at several locations in China's Provinces.
