The Forbidden City, an ancient and mysterious palace complex, is like a bright pearl embedded in Beijing, the heart of China. It carries hundreds of years of historical vicissitudes and witnessed countless changes. It is a treasure of Chinese traditional culture and a miracle in the history of world architecture.
- The weight of history
The Forbidden City was built in Yongle period of Ming Dynasty, and it took 14 years to complete. Its original builder, Zhu Di, made this palace one of the greatest buildings in the world at that time with a grand vision. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Forbidden City has always been the residence and political center of the royal family, where countless emperors give orders and dominate the fate of the country.
From Yongle, Hongxi, Xuande, Zhengtong, Jingtai, Tianshun, Chenghua, Hongzhi, Zhengde, Jiajing, Longqing, Wanli, Taichang, Tianqi and Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty to Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu and Xuantong in the Qing Dynasty, every emperor left his mark on the Forbidden City. Their joys, sorrows, joys and struggles for power are all quietly staged in this palace.
The history of the Forbidden City is also a history of the rise and fall of the Chinese nation. During its glorious period, the country flourished and culture and art flourished; During its decline, the country suffered from war, and the Forbidden City also experienced vicissitudes. However, no matter how history changes, the Forbidden City always stands tall, silently telling the story of the past.
Second, the brilliance of architecture
The architectural style of the Forbidden City is unique and magnificent. The whole building complex covers an area of about 720,000 square meters, with a building area of about 150,000 square meters. There are more than 70 palaces and more than 9,000 houses. Its architectural layout is rigorous, following the ancient Chinese traditional principle of “the previous dynasty and the future market, the left ancestor and the right society”.
The palace architecture of the Forbidden City is centered on three halls-Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Zhonghe and Hall of Baohe, which symbolize the supremacy of imperial power. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest palace in the Forbidden City and one of the largest existing ancient buildings with wooden structures in China. It is located on a three-story white marble foundation, with a double-eaved verandah roof, and the ridge is decorated with exquisite glazed animals. The hall is magnificent, with carved beams and painted buildings, showing the majesty and style of the royal family.
The Hall of Zhonghe, located behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony, is the place where the emperor rests and receives worship before holding a grand ceremony. The Hall of Preservation of Harmony is the place where the emperor holds palace examinations and entertains princes and ministers. The architectural style of the three halls is solemn and solemn, reflecting the dignity and majesty of the royal family.
In addition to the three main halls, the Forbidden City also has the rear three palaces such as Ganqing Palace, Kunning Palace and Jiaotai Palace, as well as many palaces such as the East and West Six Palaces. These palace buildings have their own characteristics, some are gorgeous and elegant, while others are quiet and quiet, showing different functions and uses.
The architecture of the Forbidden City is not only magnificent in appearance, but also unique in details. The doors and windows, beams and columns, bucket arches and other parts of the palace are carved with exquisite patterns and patterns, including dragons and phoenix, unicorns, flowers, figures, etc., which are lifelike and mean auspicious. The roof of the palace is made of yellow glazed tiles and the walls are red. These two colors symbolize imperial power and dignity in traditional Chinese culture.
- Cultural treasures
The Forbidden City is not only a masterpiece of architecture, but also a treasure house of culture. In the Forbidden City, there are a large number of cultural relics and treasures, covering calligraphy and painting, ceramics, bronzes, jade, gold and silver, clocks, furniture and other categories. These cultural relics not only have extremely high artistic value, but also are important material materials for studying Chinese history and culture.
The collection of paintings and calligraphy in the Forbidden City is a must, including Wang Xizhis “Clear Post in Fast Snow”, Gu Kaizhis “Luoshen Fu Tu”, Zhang Zeduans “Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival” and other rare treasures. These paintings and calligraphy works represent the peak level of ancient Chinese painting and calligraphy art, and show the profoundness of Chinese traditional culture.
The ceramic collection of the Forbidden City is also very rich, ranging from primitive celadon to blue and white porcelain, pastel porcelain and enamel porcelain in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Among them, the porcelain of Ru Kiln, Guan Kiln, Ge Kiln, Jun Kiln and Ding Kiln in Song Dynasty is known as the “Five Famous Kilns”, with exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful shape, and it is a classic in the history of Chinese ceramics.
In addition, the Forbidden City also has a large collection of bronzes, jades, gold and silver wares and other cultural relics. These cultural relics are not only exquisite in craftsmanship, but also contain rich historical and cultural connotations. For example, Simuwu Dafang Ding is the largest ancient bronze ware ever discovered in China. Its solemn shape and exquisite ornamentation reflect the superb bronze casting technology of the Shang Dynasty.
- The charm of the garden
The landscape of the Forbidden City is also a part of its unique charm. The Imperial Garden is located in the north of the Forbidden City, and it is a place for the emperor and concubines to relax and entertain. The imperial garden is lined with trees, flowers compete for beauty, and pavilions and pavilions are strewn at random. Among them, Wanchun Pavilion, Qianqiu Pavilion, Fubi Pavilion, Chengrui Pavilion and other pavilions are beautiful in shape and have their own characteristics.
On the east and west sides of the Forbidden City, there are also Ningshou Palace Gardens and Cining Palace Gardens. Ningshougong Garden, commonly known as “Qianlong Garden”, has exquisite layout and unique architectural style, which combines the characteristics of Jiangnan gardens and northern gardens. Cining Palace Garden is famous for its quietness and tranquility, and it is a place where the queen mother and the concubines cultivate themselves.
- Protection and Inheritance
As a world cultural heritage, the Forbidden City has always been highly valued and protected by the state. Over the years, the government has invested a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources to repair and protect the Forbidden City. At the same time, the Palace Museum also actively carries out cultural relics research, exhibitions and educational activities, so that more people can understand the historical and cultural value of the Palace Museum.
Nowadays, the Forbidden City has become a business card of Chinese culture, attracting tourists from all over the world. It receives tens of millions of tourists every year and has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in China.
However, the protection and inheritance of the Forbidden City still face many challenges. With the increasing number of tourists, the pressure of cultural relics protection and environmental protection in the Forbidden City is also increasing. In addition, how to make better use of modern scientific and technological means to spread the historical and cultural value of the Forbidden City more widely is also an urgent problem to be solved.
- Conclusion
The Forbidden City, a palace complex bearing the thousand-year civilization of the Chinese nation, is our common cultural heritage and spiritual home. Its history, architecture, culture and garden landscape are all worthy of our in-depth understanding and taste. Lets walk into the Forbidden City together, feel its charm, inherit its culture, and make this ancient palace glow with new brilliance in the new era.
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