The Outer Court of Forbidden City
.jpg)
All government business and ceremonies were held in The Outer Court. The area was the center of the Chinese governmental proceedings. The buildings and courtyards were built to showcase the power and majesty of the Emperor.
Daqingmen (Great Qing Gate)
The southernmost gate to The Forbidden City, the Great Qing Gate no longer exists. It was located where the mausoleum to Mao Zedong now sits. The gate had three openings with a single-eaved roof. Located to the north of the gate were the civil government offices.
Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace)
Located north of the former Great Qing Gate, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, better known by its Chinese name Tiananmen, is the current southernmost gate to The Forbidden City. It has a double-eaved roof with 5 entrances. Located in front of the gate is the moat which is spanned by five arched bridges made of white marble. The gate was where, in 1949, the founding of the People’s Republic of China was announced.
Duanmen (Upright Gate)
Just north of Tiananmen Gate is the Upright Gate. It is a duplicate of Tiananmen Gate. The gate was where imperial ceremonial articles were stored. When the Emperor was leaving The Forbidden City, drummers would beat drums from the top of the Upright Gate.
1. Wumen (Meridian Gate)
Located north of the upright Gate, the Meridian Gate leads to the Outer Court proper. The gate’s design is unique in that it has to forward reaching arms which resemble a phoenix stretching its wings giving the gate its nickname of “Five Phoenix Tower”. The main section of the gate has three openings while there is one small opening on either arm. Each gate had its own ceremonial function with the center being for the sole use of the Emperor. The only exception was on the Empress’ wedding day, she was carried through the central opening and on the Imperial level of the Imperial Exams, and the three scholars with the highest scores were allowed to use it. On top of the gate are 5 buildings connected by covered corridors. The square buildings on the ends of the gate’s arms were a bell and drum tower respectively. They were used when the Emperor left The Forbidden City to announce it to all people within earshot. The drum was used when the Emperor went to worship at the Imperial Ancestral Temple within the palace and both the drum and bell were struck on other occasions. The Meridian Gate was also where the Emperor would announce official declarations which would be spread throughout the country. The Emperor would also examine prisoners of war at the gate.
2. Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony)
Just to the north of the Meridian gate is the Gate of Supreme Harmony. The two gates are separated by a large courtyard which is dissected by the Inner Golden River. There are five white marble bridges which cross the river. The gate stands on a white marble base and in front of the gate stand two large copper lions and four incense burners. The lions are the largest in The Forbidden City. During the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor would often attend to affairs of state in front of the gate and during the Qing Dynasty, the Emperor’s wedding ceremonies were held in front of the gate.
The Three Great Halls (The Hall of Supreme Harmony, The Hall of Central Harmony, The Hall of Preserved Harmony)
The three most imposing and important halls in The Forbidden City, The Three Great Halls were the center of the Chinese imperial world. The three halls stand on an “I” shaped tiered platform of white marble which has almost 1,500 large dragon heads on it. The tiers are surrounded by balustrades decorated with clouds, dragons and phoenixes. The tiers are designed to move the Emperor physically closer to heaven and to show his importance over everyone. The platform has a number of staircases, the largest and most impressive being on the north and south side. The staircase is in sets of three, with the central being for the exclusive use of the Emperor. They are in line with the Imperial path which runs north/south through the entire Forbidden City.
3. Taihedian (Hall of Supreme Harmony)
The most important and imposing building in The Forbidden City, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is also the highest. The hall is located north of The Gate of Supreme Harmony and located is a 30,000 square meter square. The hall stands on a three-tier white marble terrace with many stairs and balustrades. Located on and around the terraces are 18 bronze incense burners and on the top of the terrace is a pair of bronze turtles and cranes which were also incense burners. In the incense burners cedar and pine would be burned to add to the already imposing atmosphere.
The hall was used for the most important ceremonies. It was where the Emperor would be crowned, it was also where celebrations marking the Emperor’s birthday, weddings, Spring Festival, and the dispatching of general into battle.
Inside the hall is the imperial throne sitting on a two meter high dais. The dais and throne are covered with carvings of dragons. Surrounding and on top of the dais are incense burners shaped like different mythological creatures, each symbolizing the might of the Emperor. Located in the ceiling is a large high relief carving of a pair of dragons playing with a pearl. It is said that if an imposter ever claimed the throne, the dragon would drop the pearl which would kill the imposter. The dais and throne used to be in the center of the hall, but after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, when Yuan Shikai proclaimed himself Emperor, he was so worried about the pearl and had it moved back, so it couldn’t harm him.
4. Zhonghedian (Hall of Central Harmony)
Located just north of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, lies the Hall of Central Harmony. Originally built in 1420, the hall was rebuilt in the early 17th century after a fire. The hall has a single-eaved roof and is square in shape with a gilded pearl on the top. Inside the hall is a throne on a dais surrounded by incense burners. Also located in the hall are two sedan chairs used to move the Emperor around The Forbidden City.
The hall was designed as a place for the Emperor to rest and prepare speeches before ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It was also used for the Emperor to review the seeds and plow he would use for the annual sacrificial rites to heaven performed in the Temple of Heaven, where the Emperor would plow a few rows as the symbolic beginning of the agricultural year.
5. Baohedian (Hall of Preserved Harmony)
The northernmost building in the Outer Court is the Hall of Preserved harmony. Its design is very similar to that of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but it is smaller in scale. Originally built in 1420, the hall was rebuilt and renovated several times over the centuries. During the Ming Dynasty, the Emperors would use the hall as a place to change their garments for the crowning of an Empress, or the announcement of a crown prince. During the Qing Dynasty, the hall was used for imperial banquets. Every New Year’s Eve, a banquet would be held for provincial governors, government and military officials, and princes.
Nine Dragon Sculpture
In the center of the stone stairway leading to the north side of the Hall of Preserved Harmony, is a giant marble ramp. The ramp is 16.57 meters long, 3.07 meters wide, and is covered with carvings of nine dragons playing with pearls amongst clouds. It took 20,000 men and thousands of mules to move the 250 ton slab the 70 kilometers from where it was quarried to The Forbidden City. The stone is part of the Imperial path that bisects The Forbidden City from The Great Qing Gate to the Shen Wu Gate. The path was only allowed to be used by the Emperor.
