SOUTHERN AXIS (OR LINE) OF THE GARDEN OF THE PALACE OF PEACEFUL
OLD AGE:
The Official schematic Map of The Forbidden City, by The Palace Museum. New parts of the Forbidden City have been opened to the public in 2014 and 2015.
The Gate of Lasting Happiness is also often dubbed the Gate of Spreading Happiness, a slightly different interpretation of the same name.
Positioned on the central line of the Palace of Peaceful Longevity complex, the Gate of Lasting Happiness is in fact the first and southernmost structure of the northern half of the Palace entire. As such, it gives access to the Inner Court and private living quarters of the Qianlong Emperor (and later Empress-Dowager) when residing here.
The Inner or Northern Courts of the Palace incorporate the large halls of the Central Line of the "Qianlong Palace" which today serve as museum of gold jewelry items in the Palace Museum, but also includes various side pavilions as well as the obligatory Regal Garden reserved for the Emperors most private useages. As one will find described below, within this garden are hidden a number of wonders unavailable in other older Palaces within the realm of the Forbidden City of Beijing.
Close up view of the Gate of Lasting Happiness. Fronted by two golden lions this Gate, divides between the Outer (Front) Court of the Palace, which was used for Official functions, and the Inner Court which functioned as the Private Quarters or home of the Emperor when residing there.
After reviewing the impressive decorated gate and its details, either head straight northward along the central line of the Palace complex to the main exhibitions, or instead turn left and west to gain access to the Palace Garden directly.
PAVILION OF ANCIENT GLORY:
Due to the route traditionally taken by most visitors and tour groups making their way through the many halls, alleyways, paths and pavilions of the Palace of Peaceful Old Age, most of those who reach the garden are first confronted with the unique architectural features of the Pavilion of ancient glory, which, surrounded by towering cypress trees, sits nearly squarely in ones path.
Although one of many pavilions already seen by the public on their way in from the main gate, the Pavilion of ancient Glory yet manages to entice many a visitor to have a closer look, yes even an inspection.
The Pavilion itself is topped with a gable-rolling roof which of course is decorated with the obligatory golden ceramic tiles of Imperial Dignity yet is lined with a line of green glazed tiles for enhanced esthetics.
Below the rim of the roof another line is added consisting of delicately crafted nanmu wood-carvings created by the best artists available at the time. In addition, the outer facade of this pavilion is decorated with a wooden panel carrying an inscription by the Qianlong Emperor himself.
Reflecting the exterior works, the interior design of the Pavilion further incorporates nanmu wooden decorations, mostly as seen as brown namu wooden screens lining the usual red supporting pillars of the building.
Being mostly simple in design and consisting of a platformed square structure, there is otherwise nothing much to see or describe about the Ancient Glory Pavilion. The true genius of the building lies in the design and the details of the interior now mostly faded. Take some time to study the many images and inscriptions in order to have a fuller appreciation.
Notably, an old Chinese catalpa tree stands in front of the Pavilion of Ancient Glory. Although no one is sure when it was first planted in this location it is known that it is now ell over 400 years old. It is this tree which lends its name to the pavilion as "Veranda of Ancient Glory (or Splendor depending on mood, interpretation and translation)"
With its 400+ years the catalpa tree is older than the Pavilion and all of the Palace of Peaceful Old Age.
As one now understands in full, the preservation of the tree within the garden of the retiring palace added yet another magical Feng Shui element to the overall design of the compound which was hoped to ensure the good health and longevity of the Emperor Qianlong.
Indeed, the Qianlong Emperor must have been extra-ordinarily pleased when first visiting. And thus was just one element of this (almost) magical garden.
A view of the southerwestern court of the Qianlong Garden with the Bestowing of Wine Pavilion on the left and the Pavilion of Ancient Glory squarely across. Visitors are seen entering the court after having their curiosity raised by the unsual (and expensive!) nanmu linings of the Ancient Glory Pavilion.
The symetrical and linear interior of the Ancient Glory Pavilion, which even when stripped from its former assecories such as exquisite ceramic pottery, jade flowers, carved ivory and bejeweled buddhas can hold its own as one of the most resplendid garden pavilions in history.
The Qianlong Emperor's Gardens include a tower with viewing Platform that resembles the "Hill of Soaring Elegance" found in the north east corner of the Yuhuan Yuan - which is the central garden of the Inner Court of the Imperial Palace. The name of the platform in case is Cheng Lu Tai, meaning Terrace for Gathering Dew, which is name that accurately explains one of the functions of this Pavilion during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor.
The name also refers to several Chinese traditional tales and histories. Among them is the tale of the "Immortal gathering Dew" (a statue of which used to stand on the north shore of the Beihai Lake), a sage who - in order to prepare the best and purest tea, had selected the use of dew as his waters, therefor having to go through the tedious process of gathering enough dew drops for preparing his pot of tea. As the platform used to demonstrate by the time of the reign of the Qianlong
Resembling the arrangements of the "Forbidden City" Palace itself, the northern half of the Retirement Palace of the Qianlong Emperor (and later inhabited by the Empress Dowager Cixi) includes an Imperial Garden as well as a variety of rockeries among which the Cheng Lu Tai ("Terrace of Gathering Dew").
Emperor culture had been refined to a point where dew drops could be collected more efficiently and almost automatically making use of the coolness of bronze to induce dew drops to form and the collecting them on the bottow.
TERRACE FOR GATHERING DEW:
CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN OF THE CHENG LU THAI:
According to the records of the Qing Dynasty (1644 AD - 1911 AD), during the design stages of this greatest of living Palaces to stand within the "Forbidden City", the Emperor chose to have this platform constructed in his garden as reminder of a similar construction alledgedly found within the Palace of Emperor Wu, the founding Emperor of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD).
After the construction of the Cheng Lu Tai platform as ordered by the Qianlong Emperor, large bronze dishes were installed atop the rim of the platform for the very purpose of gathering dew for the morning tea of the Emperor (Today, such bronze dishes may still be viewed in Beihai Park where the statue of the Immortal seeking dew is also kept under protection).
A fact that goes slightly less advertized on the spot is that the tall stone tower which holds up the platform is also endowed with
"secret" inner mechanical and hydrological workings.
Although the fact will be completely lost on most passing visitors, suspended on the inside of the tower is a large vat which serves the create the water pressure needed to run the nearby "stream" which flows inside the next Pavilion, the Xi Shan Ting or "Pavilion for Bestowing Wine".
The Rockeries and Stone Platform known as the Cheng Lu Tai ("Terrace of Gathering Dew"). As with its larger twin, the Hill of Soaring Elegance in the central garden on the Palace, the "Hill" has a small little door which gives access to tiny stairs leading to the Platform.
This wildly colorful and unique garden Pavlion includes a renowned architectural wonder which is counted among the highpoints of Chinese Garden architecture during the Qing Dynasty Era. What goes unmentioned and even today is not explained to the public is that the installation inside the tower was built upon design and instructions by Europeans, i.e. the Jesuit Priests who had
Full view of the Cheng Lu Tai ("Terrace of Gathering Dew"). The rock tower and platform truly serve as a water tower. Not only as the name suggests by means of collecting dew, but more importantly by serving as the highpoint which provides water pressure to the main marvel of the Pavilion for Bestowing Wine (Xi Shan Ting).
A large vat and pumping system hidden within the tower are able to create a continuously flowing stream in the floor pattern of the Bestowing Wine Pavlion creating an at the time unheard of wonder.
first found their way Beijing around the year 1600 AD, and who since had established a reputation and even official function at the Manchu Qing Court there.
Although the relations between the Christian Church and the functioning State in China have over time been frought with
troubles, at the time of the construction of the retirement Palace of the Qianlong Emperor, the Jesuits found themselves in fairly good standing and the many artists, mathematicians and engineers found among the educated men of the Jesuit order were greatly appreciated and frequent use was made of their talents. Among things this resulted in the installing of an ingenious hydraulic works to pump water from the artifical rock hill to the adjacent Pavlion and back, recycling the available water. It was an entirely new feature for a Chinese Palace, although its known that various fountains and other hydrolic devices were installed in various imperial gardens and palaces later on. Other than this, the Jesuits also created various livelike official Court Portraits of the Qianlong Emperor, images of regal grandeur which are still popular depictions in China today.
