The Forbidden City of Beijing

From the Tainanmen square to the entrance of the Forbidden City

Many people think that the gate at the Tainanmen square is part of the Forbidden City. It is probably the place most associated with China and Beijing with the portrait of Mao Zedong (毛泽东) prominently above the entrance. The entrance is the green section on the map to the right. The gate is where Mao Zedong announced the People's Republic of China on October 1st, 1949

Inside the Forbidden City

The Forbidden City can be divided into the official section with the big halls for official business and the private quarters where the emperor and his family lived their lives. The atmosphere between these section is completely different.

The official buildings

The buildings where the state affairs took place and official gatherings were held. It is divided in the Outer Court in the south and Inner Court on the north side. The Inner Court is enclosed by walls and is the older part. The Gate of Heavenly Purity is the main access to the Inner Court and is located on the south side of the Inner Court

The area previously inhabited by the imperial family

A number of buildings were used by the emperor and his family, for example for studying, eating and living and are smaller in size. They are located east and west of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The buildings are linked through various allies. You will also find some screens. These screens made sure there was no direct sight into the buildings for people passing through the allies.

Gardens

On the north side of the palace you will find the imperial gardens

Outside the Forbidden City

Outside the walls of the Forbidden City there are some other complexes to be found, like for example the "Imperial Ancestor Temple" and other gardens.

The working people's cultural palace ("Imperial Ancestral Temple")

Located just outside the forbidden City complex, the working people's cultural palace is not frequented by tourists. The central part of the park consists of three magnificent halls, each with its own auxiliary halls. The front hall, the largest of the three, has a double-eaved roof and tests on a three-layer stone base. Before it to the south is a spacious courtyard with long corridors enclosing it on each side. At the southern end of the courtyard is a compound with a pavilion and several exquisite stone bridges spanning the Golden River (Jinshuihe). A forest of ancient cypress trees surrounds these buildings, which, with their strong yet simple style, from a single integrated whole with the Imperial Palace.

In the past, the temple was known as the Imperial Ancestral Temple and served as a repository. During the Ming (1368~1644) and Qing (1644~1911) Dynasties on occasions such as an emperor' s ascending the throne, a triumphant return from battle or the presentation of prisoners of war, the emperor would first come here to offer sacrifices to his ancestors. On May Day 1950, Chairman Mao opened it to the public and the name was changed to the present. Nowadays it acts as a place for exhibitions.

The walls and moat surrounding the Forbidden City")

The forbidden City is surrounded by walls and a moat