Behind the Crimson Walls - Secrets of The Forbidden City

The enormous Imperial Palace complex, commissioned by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty in 1406AD, is the world largest palace and contains the most extensive amount of preserved wooden structures on the planet. Located in the heart of Peking, one of the great ancient capitals of China, the Forbidden City was built to legitimise Yongle's supreme authority after he usurped the throne and to assert the power and grandeur of the new capital Beijing, as a stronghold to threats from the north.

The Gate of Supreme Harmony - Punishment for unauthorised entry to the City was instant death

Listed as a national cultural relic in 1961, construction for this huge palace took more than 14 years to complete and it is believed the total workforce exceeded one million people. The conscripted workforce included engineers, architects, craftsmen, artisans and brute force labour. With nearly 1000 buildings and over 8000 rooms sprawling over 180 acres, it is not only an architectural masterpiece but also a treasury museum, housing 1.8 million pieces of art, including imperial antiquities, paintings, royal jewels and ancient archives. It is a majestic symbol of China's imperial past.

The Emperor was regarded as the "Son of Heaven" and the ultimate ruler of the land. He lived a life of absolute power, surrounded by a complex court system and many advisors, yet remained isolated from the outside world. According to Chinese cosmology, he was the link between heaven & earth and the palace was constructed in alignment with the ancient principles of Feng Shui and the Zeiwei Star, which was believed to be the centre of the heavens and the Emperor's celestial abode in the afterlife.

Over 3000 Eunuchs served the Emperor and their "treasured parts" were displayed in jars as proof of their devotion to the usurper King

The city is divided into two main parts, the Outer Court for ceremonial purposes and the Inner Court, where the Emperor, his family and his concubines had their private living quarters. Many rooms are adorned with intricate decorations including many dragon motifs, which represent imperial authority, and phoenixes, symbolising the Empress. The colour yellow represents the emperor's divine right to rule and red for good fortune & happiness.

Favourite concubines of the Emperor were handed a blood red square of exquisite silk. This signified they were "the chosen ones", picked to demonstrate their eternal fidelity by following Yongle to his grave

Yonlge came to power after a violent military bloodbath, known as the Jingnan Rebellion. At the encouragement of an old soothsayer, he launched a brutal civil war and forcibly overthrew the legitimate heir, his cousin Emperor Jianwen. After 3 years of intense fighting, he emerged victorious and declared himself Emperor in 1402. He purged Jianwen's entire family, his consorts and all high ranking officials loyal to the rightful Emperor and set about erasing him from the history books.

One of Yongle's greatest cultural achievements was the commissioning of the Yongle Encyclopaedia (the Yongle Dadian), an immense project intended to compile all known knowledge of the time into one comprehensive text. The largest of its kind, the encyclopaedia consisted of over 11000 volumes, containing information on all topics from philosophy, medicine, history, astronomy, literature, agriculture and technology. It was a monumental effort to preserve and systemise Chinese knowledge for future generations and took over 2000 scholars 5 years to complete. Sadly less than 4% of it has survived the test of time.

While the centralisation of his power helped strengthen the empire, it also led to despotic and tyrannical rule. He bypassed all traditional checks of power, including the role of ministers & advisors and concentrated all power in his own hands. Despite his early focus on military expansion and stability, his lavish spending was to the detriment of the already struggling peasantry. He demonstrated immense brutality to anyone who could challenge his authority, including family members, leading to widespread discontent.

The Imperial Garden is situated behind the Palace of Earthly Tranquillity in the Inner Court and was built by the emperor as a peaceful place to connect with nature

The last Emperor to reside here was Puyi, though after the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, the imperial system was abolished and his power was largely symbolic, with no political authority. After a failed coup in 1924, Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City and became a common citizen, marking the end of the Qing Dynasty and over 2000 years of imperial rule. In 1925 the historical complex became the Palace Museum and extensive efforts were undertaken by a now communist China to preserve its rich heritage and monumental historical importance.

Visiting the Forbidden Purple City is like stepping back in time, into a world of lavish ceremonies and ancient traditions. For over 500 years, this palace complex not only served as a royal residence for 24 Emperor's of the Ming and Qing Dynasties but it was the political and ceremonial heart of China itself.

Auspicious animal statues, such as dragons, phoenixes and lions grace the grace the grounds of the palace, invoking prosperity and good fortune

Location : 4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng, Beijing, China

How to get there: The most convenient way is taking subway line 1 to Tiananmen West or East, or line 2 to Qianmen and walk north to reach them. There are also many city buses or taxi's available to take you to the main entry gate

Attraction Info : The Palace Museum is open between 8:30am-5pm from April to October and 8:30am to 4:30pm from November to March, with the city closed on all Mondays (except for public holidays). Tickets cost 60 yuan per person. They are released 7 days in advance and MUST be booked in advance online, as they run out very quickly. Entry to the Forbidden City for tourists is only through the south Meridian Gate. Audio guides in English are available at the gate for an extra fee.

Offical Website : https://bookingticket.dpm.org.cn/

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