Why is Beijing the forbidden city. Forbidden city googong. Gate of Divine Prowess

The Gugong Imperial Palace is, in fact, not a palace, but a lot of wooden tower-verandahs with red curved roofs and golden tiles, collected in one place. This is a classic of Chinese housing construction, inscribed in 1987 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The complex is one of the main attractions of China and its largest museum.

About a million exhibits are inside, but only a quarter of its premises and half of the territory are open for inspection. But even that is enough to take away half a day with a rather cursory inspection. More than 7 million people visit Gugun every year, and the definition - the Forbidden City - only attracts visitors. For it has been known since antiquity that the forbidden fruit is always sweet.

Gugun is three times larger than the Kremlin - its area is 72 hectares (almost a kilometer long and 750 meters wide), it is aligned strictly along the axis from south to north and has 9999 rooms. Everything is very simple with this: nine is a sacred number for the Chinese, and repeated four times it is generally sacred. Naturally, the Forbidden City is fenced off from outsiders: it is surrounded on four sides by a 10-meter wall and a 50-meter-wide moat.

According to legend, there are 9,999 and a half rooms there also because the heavenly king had 10 thousand rooms, and the emperor, who called himself the son of the heavenly king, could not be equal to him. So he had half a room less.

Gugong owes its origin specifically to Emperor Chengzu, the third of the Ming Dynasty. Having firmly decided to settle in Beijing, he took care of housing. The former palaces of the hated Yuan were completely ruthlessly put on fire, nothing was left of them, and a new one was needed. Gugun was under construction for 15 years, from 1406 to 1421. However, later it turned out that the tree is a short-lived matter. Numerous fires led to the fact that under the Qing, almost the entire palace was rebuilt (gradually, as the towers ignited). Basically, of course, copies of burnt buildings were erected, but the fact is that the main buildings of the present Gugun date back to the 18th-19th centuries. And the legends about the pavilions of Gugong are also told almost everything about the Qing. In total, 24 emperors of two dynasties managed to lodge in Gugong: Ming and Qing.

The best time to visit Gugong on your own is at eight in the morning, right after having breakfast and watching the Tiananmen Flag Raising Ceremony. The entrance fee is 45 yuan. A lot, but worth it. The ticket office is located at the Wumen gate, from Tiananmen you need to go along a long alley to them. The gates of Umen resemble a fortress - you can immediately see that you are approaching something solid, especially since there are old cannons on the side of the alleys. If you know English, there are no problems when visiting Gugun - all signs, except for hieroglyphs, are provided with fairly competent English text. During the tour, you can not only see the pavilions, but also feel like a master of the Celestial Empire for five minutes, trying on imperial clothes. You can dress as a guard. This joke costs something around 20-30 yuan.

The first thing you get in Gugun is a huge stone wasteland, which is crossed by a channel made in the shape of a small bow. It is visible only when you cross the bridge, on which there are stone torches - symbols of masculinity, hinting at you know what. On the sides of the wasteland there are pavilions with tightly closed windows, and around the perimeter there are huge copper vats for water with cool handles - their rings are embedded in the dragon's mouth. They have been standing here for a long time in case of a fire. There is not a single tree around (bad guys could be hiding there, thinking of killing the emperor). And the first feeling from the palace is emptiness and lifelessness. And this emptiness served as a kind of intimidation, suppression of anyone who was here. And only eunuchs, concubines and others from the imperial retinue found themselves here due to the prohibition of the palace. However, the emperors could afford such discomfort. The fact is that they lived in Gugun only in winter, and it was called the Winter Palace. They had much more picturesque places in store for the summer.

Next is the entrance to the pavilions of the outer courtyard. There are only three of them, and the very first, main and largest one is Taihedian (Hall of Supreme Harmony). It is guarded by a terrible-looking stone lions in the amount of two pieces. One of them is a lion with a scepter under his paw, the other is a lioness with a lion cub under her paw. There is a small lift in front of the hall, in the middle of which there is a narrow path with dragons engraved on the stone. Above it, under a palanquin, they carried the chair of the emperor, while the servants themselves descended simple stone steps. And no one, except the emperor, had the right to go there. In the pavilion itself stands the Emperor's Dragon Throne. The throne room was also forbidden for women, and even the all-powerful Cixi did not dare to violate this ban.

Two other pavilions: the Hall of Middle Harmony (Zhonghedian) and the Hall of Preservation of Harmony (Baohe-dian) are of a lower rank. The first is, as it were, an imperial utility room. Here the emperor announced decrees to his offspring, prepared for rituals, changed clothes. As for Baohedyan, New Year's banquets were held there with specific princes. And there are also thrones, about the same as in Taihedian. Now the hall has been turned into a museum of ancient Chinese art (mainly bronze and ceramic items from the 11th century BC to the 13th century). A recognized attraction is a life-size ceramic horse recovered from the tomb of Qin Shi Huang Di. Then we go all the same course to the north, to the inner chambers of the emperor. Here, too, everything is symmetrical: there are three towers in the center, and six pavilions on each side. There were a huge number of concubines and wives, so such a number of towers is not out of place.

The first inner pavilion of Qianqinggong is, in fact, the working office of the emperor, where, to paraphrase in a modern way, the lord of the Celestial Empire “worked with documents”. Now an exhibition of court things is organized here - horse harnesses, clothes, ritual things, everything is mainly from the Qing time.

The second pavilion Jiaotaidian served as the throne room of the empress and is therefore frankly small compared to the rest (woman, know the place!).

And, finally, the third pavilion of Kunning-gun (Palace of Earthly Tranquility) is the holy of holies, the imperial bedroom. Without fail, it was here that the emperor spent his wedding night and the first night of the new year. Moreover, he was obliged to sleep that night with his wife, and not with any concubine. Pu Yi was the last to print here the girlish innocence of Pu Yi, no longer being an emperor, in 1922. The furnishings of the bedroom have remained unchanged since the time of Kangxi (late 17th century): the bed is surrounded by turtles and cranes.

The side pavilions of the courtyard deserve an unconditional visit. The six Western palaces are similar to each other, but two stand out. The first one is the closest, called the Mind Cultivation Hall (Yangxindian), another study with Manchu furniture of the 18th century.

In the farthest pavilion, Chusyugun, Empress Cixi lived. This is the latest example of imperial construction (the end of the 19th century, a lot of budget money was spent on the arrangement).

Six Eastern Palaces are now repositories of treasures and art objects of the 15th-19th centuries. The exhibition of watches deserves special attention (imported samples of the 18th century, for their inspection you need to pay an additional 5 yuan). In the following pavilions there is a museum of jewels (all 25 imperial seals, swords trimmed with jewels, etc.).

In the farthest corner of Gugong is the so-called Zheng Fei Well, in which the beloved of Cisy's nephew was killed.

Well, actually, everything. Gugong ends with the imperial garden of Yuhuayuan (it is also called the Secret Garden of Qianlong). You get into it, leaving the imperial bedroom of Kunning Gong. This is a classic of the landscape gardening genre in China, with bizarre hills of stones, an artificial rock with a gazebo at the top, courtyards, paths, galleries, odd-looking bronze urns - the creation of the same Emperor Qianlong. A popular place for a photo is "trees of lovers". These are two trees with strangely intertwined trunks, which the devil knows how old.

With great effort, palace buildings were built that corresponded to the greatness of imperial power. The earliest fully preserved buildings date back to the 18th century. The Forbidden City itself was built only in 1420. It was then that Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing.

In the palaces of the Forbidden City, there are only about 9,000 rooms in which the emperor and the women around him (mother, wives, concubines) used to live. The Forbidden City also had residential quarters for thousands of servants, eunuchs and concubines who spent their entire lives behind the walls. Life at court was subject to the strictest rules of etiquette. The Forbidden City was something like a cage where, fenced off from reality, the emperor lived with his entourage. The entire Forbidden City was dedicated to satisfying the whims of the emperor. About 6,000 cooks were busy preparing the food. 9,000 imperial concubines, who were guarded by 70 eunuchs, pleased and entertained the emperor.

The emperor and his entourage very rarely went outside the gates of the city, and each time this was accompanied by a magnificent and solemn ceremony. This is how one of the rare exits of the Chinese Emperor Ming outside the Forbidden City in Beijing looked like: 24 drummers went out first, followed by 24 trumpeters; after them came the soldiers of the guard - 100 armed guards and 100 soldiers with maces; four hundred people carried torches. Lancers, fans and government officials also took part in the solemn exit. Finally, a huge chariot pulled by an elephant passed by.

In 1644, when the Ming dynasty was overthrown by the Manchus, the city was sacked. But the Manchu rulers, who came to power under the name of the Qing dynasty, restored it to its former splendor. New temples and palaces were erected, ponds were dug, gardens of incredible beauty were planted.

In 1937, the Forbidden City was plundered by the Japanese, and in 1949, the nationalists took a lot of jewelry from Xijing Chen to.

Early wooden buildings were destroyed by frequent fires and repeatedly destroyed by brutal conquerors prone to looting. The structures of the Forbidden City have been restored and rebuilt many times, but the architects have always tried to preserve the original design and, most importantly, the impressive appearance.

Features of the structure of the forbidden city in Beijing

The territory of the Forbidden City is a square in plan. The city lies on the so-called Beijing axis (from north to south) and is surrounded by wide moats and walls 10.4 meters high. Behind them are palaces, gates, courtyards, streams and gardens symmetrically.

Chinese architects had to take care of more than just how the buildings looked and what materials should be used. They had to create such buildings that would be in harmony with nature and not disturb the spirits of earth, water and air. To achieve this, they followed a set of rules called feng xiu (feng shui). There were strict rules for the location of buildings, with an orientation to the north and south or west and east. Air-light patio gardens and ponds were also part of the elaborate scheme. The restructuring of Beijing on the orders of Emperor Yonglu took place in accordance with the rules of feng xiu. The Chinese believed that if a building was built according to these rules, it would ensure good health and well-being for the inhabitants.

The facades of all the main buildings face south. Thus, the Forbidden City turned its back on all the hostile forces of the north, on the cold ones from Siberia.

The Forbidden City is an architectural masterpiece, its charm lies not so much in the beauty of individual parts, but in the orderly layout of the entire complex:

The Noon Gate is a powerful defensive tower built to protect the entrance to the Forbidden City. Here, at one time, the emperor inspected his troops. Now there is a ticket office where tickets for entering the complex are sold.
The Gate of Supreme Harmony separates the outer court (Golden Stream) from the more formal inner court in the ceremonial area of the Forbidden City.
The Gate of Heavenly Purity marks the entrance to the inner sanctuary, the palace area of the Forbidden City, where only members of the imperial family could enter.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest of the official pavilions (28 m high). It was used for important state events, such as meetings with senior officials or the celebration of the emperor's birthday. In front of the entrance are two incense burners, one in the form of a stork, the other in the form of a dragon. The mosaic floor and gold-painted columns are endowed by artists with intertwining, carved dragons and surmounted by a green-golden ceiling from which hangs a spherical mirror.
Palace of Heavenly Purity. Until the beginning of the XVIII century. the sleeping quarters of the emperors were located in this palace. The palace was lavishly decorated with carvings, stucco and sculptures of dragons and other mythical monsters. A huge throne was placed in the center of the palace. After about 1500, the Ming emperors settled in smaller palaces located in the park, and the Palace of Heavenly Purity became another hall for audiences with visitors.
Hall of Perfect Harmony - an elegant hall (richly decorated, with a painted ceiling and beams), created for imperial banquets, served to dress the emperor before official ceremonies. Three staircases led to the hall, one of which had such a slope that it was possible to carry the emperor's palanquin along it. At the entrance, the roof rested on columns. The six central columns were gilded and decorated with dragon sculptures.
The Hall of Conjunction is a small building, also known as the Hall of Fertility, and is decorated with a water clock, or clepsydra. Here the Empress gathered her "small" court.
The Palace of Earthly Serenity during the Qinn Dynasty was the official residence of the empress, here was the bedroom of the imperial couple in the first days after the marriage.
The Unification Hall is located between the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Peace. Symbolizes the unity of the emperor and empress, heaven and earth, "yang" and "yin", men and women. Behind the palaces are magnificent imperial gardens.
The Imperial Gardens are located north of the Gate of Earthly Serenity and around the Hall of Imperial Prosperity. The area of this garden, designed in classical Chinese style, is approximately 7,000 square meters. m. Impressive stone structures, ponds and plant decoration create an atmosphere of charm and tranquility. The gardens are lined with trees, decorated with statues, stone gardens, ponds and waterfalls. This peaceful oasis can be entered through the Gate of Earthly Peace.
Fierce Beasts - Bronze lions sit on the sides of the Dragon's Entrance. Only through it you can get into the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the emperor sat on the marble filigree Dragon Throne. The city abounds with bronze animals.

Images of dragons, the symbol of the emperor, are found on every corner of the Forbidden City. In other cultures, the dragon often symbolizes evil. But Chinese dragons are not like that: they breathe fire, and this symbolizes imperial power. However, the dragons were also "responsible" for the timely arrival of rains and, thus, protected China and its people from.

From the terraces of the large halls, marble dragons look at you. A road passes through the center of the city, on the marble surface of which dragons are also carved. This road used to be considered so sacred that only spirits could use it. The emperor was carried in a palanquin by servants who walked on either side of the sacred stones.

The buildings and gardens, intended for state ceremonies and the daily life of the imperial family, leave a very strong impression. Turning east, one finds libraries and museums (including a museum of works of art from various dynasties), as well as a number of palaces, pavilions and gardens.

The secrets that surrounded the emperor and his court 100 years ago are gradually disappearing. And yet in every courtyard and at every wall echoes of the past are heard. The imprints of antiquity lie on every object on display: on weapons, jewelry, imperial clothes, musical instruments and gifts brought to emperors by rulers from all over the world.

The Forbidden City (Gugong) is the world's largest imperial palace, an architectural masterpiece and a grandiose idea that has become a reality. Its construction lasted 14 years and was completed by 1420. - about a million workers and 100,000 artisans were involved in it.

Erected in the center of Beijing, the palace was home to 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties, but for ordinary people it was always closed, the daredevils who violated this ban were waiting for inevitable death. Today, even after many years, after Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, abdicated in 1912, some of the buildings are still closed to visitors.

Emperor Ming lived a luxurious life, but in 1644 new taxation took its toll on the population and they literally starved. An uprising broke out, and then broke into the city. The emperor is said to have been drunk when the rebels broke in.

He killed all the women in his harem in order to protect them from reproach, and he himself hanged himself, opening the way for the Qing dynasty with his death.

According to legend, it is known that the Qing clan was cursed by the emperor: "the Qing house will fall at the hands of a woman." However, since 1644, the Qing dynasty began to settle in the Forbidden City. In 1853, the Cixi girl, at the age of 17, was brought to the city as a concubine.

Over time, she turned out to be the most powerful woman in the history of the Chinese Empire and is widely believed to have led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and all of imperial China. Breaking with tradition, Cixi became empress dowager. She ruled the country until her nephew Pu-Yi, at the age of 2, succeeded her.

In 1911, the Qing dynasty was overthrown. After the reign of 24 emperors (14 from the Ming dynasty and 10 from the Qing dynasty), the city lost the title of the political center of China, and Pu Yi got the fate of the last emperor and owner of the Forbidden City. On February 12, 1912, the five-year-old Pu-Yi officially abdicated, but he was allowed to remain in the palace.

We, modern and simple people, are always interested in finding out how the nobility of past centuries lived. The rulers of the Chinese Empire are no exception. The most extensive palace complex - the Forbidden City - belonged to them. So it is definitely worth a visit, as well as. I have personally been there twice and would like to go again if I am in Beijing again. I love spooky historical places. So what if the palace complex is constantly being restored, because without it we would not have been able to see anything! Is it a joke to stand for more than five centuries and survive the change of dynasties, invasions of invaders and revolutions?

The Forbidden City is the historical heart of Beijing, which for almost 500 years has been the center of all of China. Why is it called that? Because no one had the right to enter here and leave here without the permission of the emperor. Commoners (like us :)) were generally forbidden to be there under pain of death. That's why it's forbidden.

But the emperor was expelled, and his residence turned into a historical monument listed by UNESCO. The current official name is 故宫博物馆 , or "Palace Museum". Well, in common people it is called "Forbidden City", "Forbidden Palace", or simply "Gugong" (this is how the first two hieroglyphs from the name sound). In general, now we can take a look at how the emperor lived, what he wore and what dishes he ate from.

A visit to the "Gugong" is also pleasant because its inspection can (and should!) be combined with a tour of other nearby attractions, for example, Tiananmen Square. But what is nearby, I will tell below.

How to get there

The Forbidden City has an official address - Beijing, Jingshanqian Street 4 (北京市景山前街4号). But, really, why such difficulties with addresses? You can safely do without it. And in general, I think that if you give the Chinese an address, it is unlikely that even a native Beijinger will guess what it is about, but the name “Forbidden Palace” will be more dear and understandable to him. So forget about the address :)

So, we have three ways to get to the "Gugun":

Metro. The easiest and most convenient, and perhaps the fastest way: what if you get stuck in a traffic jam in a taxi? There may be two options here.
First, the stations on the first line are Tiananmen dong and Tiananmen Xi (天安门东 and 天安门西) if you want to go straight to the palace. Required exits: for Tiananmen dong - exit B, for Tiananmen Xi - exit A. From these stations you get to the southern entrance to the Forbidden Palace, which is considered the main one.
Secondly, the Qianmen station on the second line, if you want to start the route from Tiananmen Square, which is located right in front of the Forbidden Palace.
The subway fare is 2 yuan.

Buses. There are two stops named the same as the subway stations - Tiananmen dong and Tiananmen Xi (天安门东 and 天安门西). Actually, they are located in the same place as the stations. Route numbers - 1, 2, 52, 59.82, 99.
If you want to enter Gugong from the north, then you need the Gugong (故宫) stop, where routes 58, 101, 103, 109, 124 stop. Walking after getting off the minibuses is very close, you won’t get lost.
Although there are other stops, but those near the western and eastern gates are the most convenient, because they lead to the southern entrance, from which it is best to start exploring the Palace.
Taxi. It will not be difficult to explain to the taxi driver where you need to go - just say Gugong, or show the name, or poke at the map :) The cost of the trip is calculated from the distance, the minimum price is 13 yuan, which includes three kilometers, and each kilometer above this rate costs 2.3 yuan. For example, a trip from Beijing Station to Gugong will cost about 20 yuan. Be careful and see that the taxi driver updates the meter when you get on. And then he will call the amount from the ceiling.

When you get off the bus or metro, you will immediately see a red wall along the road. This is the Forbidden Palace. If you start your tour from the south gate, then do not rush to immediately look for the ticket office: first you need to go through the outer wall of the palace complex, on which the portrait of Mao Zedong flaunts. After it, you need to walk about five minutes ahead, and only then you will see the ticket offices and the entrance to the inner part of the palace.

If you pass through the northern gate, then you need to go over the bridge over the water channel, and there will be ticket offices directly at the entrance.

Ticket prices and schedule

The cost of the entrance ticket is:

from April to October about 10 dollars (60 yuan),
from November to March - about 7 dollars (40 yuan),
entrance to the "Treasure Pavilion" and "Hours Hall", which are not included in the main price, are paid separately - 1.5 dollars (10 yuan).

Thus, if you want to see everything, everything, then you will need no more than 10-15 dollars (80 or 60 yuan).

Working hours:

from April to October - 08:30-17:00, ticket sales end at 16:00, entrance closes at 16:10;
from November to March - 08:30-16:30, ticket sales end at 15:30, entrance closes at 15:40.

On Mondays, the Forbidden Palace is usually closed, except for public holidays and vacations. The opening hours of galleries and museums coincide with the work of the complex itself.

What is inside

Walls, walls, ...and stones... For me, like for many others, a visit to Tiananmen Square smoothly flowed into a visit to the Gugong. It is very comfortable. We took pictures on the square, crossed the road and ended up in the palace.

After the Umen Gate (Midday Gate), which, in fact, is the entrance where tickets are checked, we get to the inner square with a water channel crossing it, through which five bridges are thrown.

After them there will again be a gate, after passing through which, we will finally get to the main imperial hall. This is the center of palace buildings and their main part. There are park areas in the northern, western and eastern parts of the Forbidden City (although in my opinion there is not much vegetation in the side parts). In small houses located on the sides, there are often different exhibitions, the schedule of which can be found on. There you can also see a map of the Palace, inspection, announcements of galleries closed for restoration and other useful information (in English or Chinese).

I upgraded the map below a little :) Dark areas are places that you will not get to: they are either being restored or generally closed to the public. But even without them, you will have to stomp oh-oh-oh!

In the Treasure Pavilion, the Clock Hall and other galleries, items of imperial life are exhibited: clothes, jewelry, dishes and various accessories, jade and porcelain items. In general, everything so that we can feel the luxury of the ruler's life.

There are also exhibitions of paintings and other types of art, both modern and historical. Inspection is free, except for the Treasure Pavilion and the Clock Hall. You can buy a ticket both at the box office and when you go inside.

Having passed almost the entire complex and being rather tired, we will find ourselves in a small but very beautiful imperial garden in the northern part of the Palace.

On both sides of it are "commercial" areas - the focus of eateries and souvenir shops. They sell a lot of jewelry, porcelain, jade products, reproductions of the Gugun treasures and much more. The prices for these things are different - from the dollar to the lawlessness! But for 10-30 dollars, you can definitely buy some pretty decent souvenir or decoration. My eyes flickered, and in the end I didn’t buy anything :)

When I walked into the first part of the palace, I was seized by some strange feeling, which I myself call the feeling of forgotten centuries. Because, passing through the gate and getting to the deserted (relatively, where without the Chinese and tourists -__-) squares surrounded by a ring of walls, you immediately feel that this place has already become history and will never come to life again. Even a little sad becomes from this realization.

The palace buildings are very beautiful, and the complex itself is grandiose. Personally, I really like the decorative painting on buildings and carved decorations.

It is clear that all this is constantly being restored, and the real "historical" paint has long been buried under layers of modern, but still impressive. At first, the complex seems empty - walls and huge spaces, especially in the southern parts of the Palace. This fact is quite understandable, because where else could the troops line up in front of the emperor, if not on these large squares.

The most interesting things are inside buildings and in museums. But not all buildings have access, and those that can be viewed usually have only windows or doors open, and you can’t go inside. And this is also understandable, given the number of tourists there every day - after such crowds, there will be nothing left of the Gugun.

But such things can be seen at exhibitions!

What can I say ... The emperor lived cool :)

By the way, there is a small but very interesting detail. Above, on the roof of each building, small figures sit at the four corners. Their number varies depending on importance building.

The largest number - 9 pieces - on the central buildings. Less on others. Try to count :)

With what to combine the inspection of Gugun

As I said, there are many sights near the palace that are also worth seeing. I believe that the most convenient route will be from south to north: Qianmen Subway Station - Tiananmen Square - Forbidden City - Jingshan Park - Beihai Park (if you have time). Depending on your preferences and desires, of course, you can change it by adding something of your own, or, for example, visit only Jinshan Park and leave Beihai for another day. Beihai itself is quite large and takes at least half a day to complete. You can do the same thing, but only from north to south, that is, in reverse order.

This route will be convenient for those who want to go shopping after sightseeing. For example, you can start at Beihai Park in the morning, drop by at Jingshan, devote the afternoon to Gugong, walk along Tiananmen Square and end at the pedestrian shopping street at Qianmen or Wangfujing. Below is a map showing attractions within walking distance of the Palace. What exactly to choose is up to you.

For example, I visited the square, the Palace and Jinshan Park in one day. But I like to look at everything in detail and take my time. After a short rest in the evening, I even took a walk along the shopping street. But sprinters can do more :)

If you are not going inside the Peking Opera building, but want to admire it from the outside, or just go inside, but not for the sake of performance, but just to look at the local beauties, then this item can be safely included in a one-day walk. As for the National Museum, I recommend leaving this item for later - it is huge! I myself have never been there, but I really, really want to someday compensate for this.

It is better to leave the shopping streets in the evening - the shops there are open until late, until 10 pm, in contrast to the attractions that are open until 6 pm maximum. If you want to try exotic snacks like scorpions, then head to Wangfujing. The architecture on this street is more modern than on Qianmen, where all the shops and cafes are located in historical buildings. In my opinion, Qianmen is more interesting and more beautiful. But they don't seem to offer scorpions there :)

What should you think about before going to see the Palace? As always, about what, where and when to eat :) Of course, I'm joking, but you can't go anywhere without it! So you should consider the following:

Food and drinks. Personally, I always stock up on water, but as for food, it seems to me that eating right in such sights is somewhat indecent. But the Chinese (and maybe not only them) do not have such a feeling, so even here there are small eateries. If you don’t take anything with you, you won’t die of hunger for sure. Eateries are located in the northern part of the Forbidden Palace. Well, in souvenir shops there is always water, ice cream, and other small snacks. But the prices are, of course, higher than in the city. For one person, you will need at least 5 dollars, which is about 35-40 yuan.
Visit time. Never go to Gugong between October 1st and 7th if you can choose another time. It’s better not to go to Beijing at all at this time, because October 1 is a public holiday, and the week following it is a day off. Therefore, many Chinese flock to the capital to relax, join history, and some to honor the memory of Mao Zedong. These are the crowds in front of the main imperial palace at this time. Yes, I had to go through it. Seeing the throne room was not easy...

Which ticket to buy? It is better to buy a full ticket at once to get into all parts of the Forbidden City, including the museum, which exhibits the treasures of the Palace. Yes, it will be a little more expensive, but it will be more interesting. If you bought a regular entrance ticket for 60 or 40 yuan at the entrance, and then decided that it wouldn’t hurt to see exhibitions in museums, there are additional ticket offices inside the complex. Finding out which part of the palace is not included in the price of the entrance ticket is easy - they simply won’t let you in there.
Sun protection. If you came to Beijing in the summer, then get ready for the fact that it will be hot. It is worth taking an umbrella with you in Gugun, especially if you are one of those people who do not tolerate the sun well. Inside the Palace, you will have to walk a lot in open spaces, so it may be worth using sunscreen. But in my personal experience, these products do not work very well, especially since they require that they be reapplied regularly, and in the monstrous Beijing heat, you will quickly and inevitably get dirty.
I highly recommend visiting Jingshan Park along with the Forbidden Palace, without which your impression of the palace will be incomplete. And if you think that walking on the cobbled ground inside the red walls is not interesting, and the treasures displayed in the museum do not interest you, you should go to this park. From here you can look around the golden roofs of the Forbidden Palace, and feel the splendor of this historical monument. After seeing all this, I did not want to leave for a long time :)

Have a good trip!

The gate has five doors - three in the center and two doors on the sides. The side doors were used by maintenance personnel and are now closed. Of the three central doors, the right one was used by officials, the left one by members of the imperial family, and only the emperor himself could pass through the central large door, but there were two exceptions.

The first exception was made only for the Empress and only once - on the wedding day. The second exception was made once every few years for the winners of the imperial examination. Tourists are advised to go through the central door. Feel like an emperor.

Tourists should pay attention to the rivets on the doors. In total, there are 9 rows of rivets and 9 columns (you can count it yourself in the photo in the gallery on the right). 9 is the emperor's lucky number, and you will meet him constantly in the Forbidden City.

The midday gate is stunning in its size - it is 35 meters high, which is equivalent to an 11-story building. At the top are 5 towers, which are called "phoenix towers". The whole structure really resembles this mythical bird.

The main bells and drums of Beijing were installed on the edges of the central tower. The bells rang every year, announcing the departure of the emperor to, the drums beat when the emperor left for the Temple of the Ancestors. At the most important ceremonies, bells and drums sounded simultaneously, announcing the coronation or wedding of the emperor.

The noon gate was a place of “communication” between power and the world. New laws were officially declared here, the emperor greeted subjects on holidays, hosted parades and looked at the punishments of guilty officials.

Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihimen) (2)

After the Midday Gate, you will come to a large square - the Outer Court of the Forbidden City. There is a water channel “Internal Golden River”, through which five bridges have been built. The rules for passing through these bridges were completely similar to the rules for the doors in the Midday Gate.

This channel had several functions. The first is a source of water in case of fire, the second is a natural barrier for attackers in the event of an attack on the Forbidden City. Tourists should pay attention to the balustrades of bridges, decorated with figures of dragons and phoenixes - the symbols of the emperor.

Another interesting point on this square, which is worth paying attention to, is the pavement bricks. These bricks are made using a special technology, they produce a pleasant ringing sound when you step on them. This property of covering the area has almost disappeared, but in some places this sound can still be heard.

The main attraction of the square is two giant bronze lions. The right lion holds a sphere under its paw, symbolizing the power of the emperor, which extends to the whole world. The left lioness holds a lion cub under her paw, symbolizing the prosperity and fertility of the imperial family. The Chinese believe that such lions protect the house from evil spirits and attract good ones. Naturally, these lions are the largest in China.

Behind the lions are the Gates of Supreme Harmony themselves. The name “gate” is a convention, in fact, it is a real pavilion. It was used in all cases when they did not want to let someone go further, but a meeting with the emperor was necessary. For example, receptions of foreign ambassadors or the imperial court.

Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taikhidian) (3)

Passing through the Gate of Supreme Harmony, you will enter the largest square in the Forbidden City - 30,000 square meters. Behind it rises the Hall of Supreme Harmony - the main building of the Forbidden City.

This is the "heart" of the Forbidden City. It was here that the emperor received officials and generals, and all the most important ceremonies and celebrations were held here. The hall is located on a marble base in three tiers. Two large staircases lead upstairs. In the center is a marble slab weighing 250 tons, which we have already talked about above, decorated with bas-reliefs with phoenixes and dragons.

The height of the building is 37.5 meters, and for a long time the Hall of Supreme Harmony was the tallest building in Beijing. It was forbidden by law to build buildings above it. When you look at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the thought does not even come to mind that this building is as high as a 12-story building.

The traditional architecture of China never aspired to gigantism. Harmony of size, form and content is the main goal of ancient Chinese architects. And, to be honest, they did it great.

Some sites on the Internet write that the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest wooden building in the world. Of course it isn't. The Odate Zhukai Dome stadium in Japan is 52 meters high and covers an area of 25,000 square meters. Compared to him, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is tiny.

Even in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, tourists will see a lot of interesting things. Pay attention to the huge vats for water - another fire safety measure. There is also the main sundial in the Forbidden City. Also here you can see very interesting stone columns, similar to lanterns, which served as a repository for standards of measures and weights.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is 64 meters wide and 37.2 meters deep, with an area of 2381 square meters. The roof is supported by 72 columns - 6 rows of 9 pieces. Note that the number 9 is also used here - a symbol of imperial power.

Inside is the main imperial throne. It is called the Throne of Supreme Harmony. It can be difficult for tourists to see it, as it is dark inside. In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, more than four doors are rarely opened, and there is not enough light. The central door is opened very rarely, and the throne has to be viewed from an angle. In addition, at this angle, the throne is blocked by columns. In the photo on the right you can see how sad it looks.

There are a lot of people who want to see the throne, and you still need to “break through” to the open doors. On weekdays, it is quite possible to do this, but on a weekend it is an epic feat. Hence the conclusion: do not go to the Forbidden City on weekends and holidays. On weekends in Beijing, it is better to go to the markets or walk around the shopping centers of the area. Cultural attractions these days are always crowded with visitors.

In addition to the throne, inside you can see six gilded columns decorated with bas-reliefs with dragons. These columns can be seen a little better (see photo on the right). On the roof directly above the throne is a large golden dragon playing with a pearl. There is a legend that if someone usurps the throne, then this pearl will fall on him and crush him to death. This dragon is very difficult for tourists to see, and even more so to photograph.

Hall of Central Harmony (Jonghedian) (4)

It is a small building with a pyramid-shaped roof. This hall served for the emperor to rest and dress before ceremonies. There is also a throne inside, but much more modest than the Throne of Supreme Harmony. The hall was often used as a place for conversations between the emperor and close ministers and generals.

The inscriptions near the throne read: “The way of Heaven is deep and mysterious, and the way of mankind is difficult. Only if you draw up an accurate and unified plan and follow it, then you can rule the country well. These words were left here by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. He knew what he was talking about, because he ruled the country for 60 years.

Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian) (5)

This is the last building of the "outer palace" - the working part of the Forbidden City. After it, you will already be taken to the “inner palace” - the place of residence of the emperor and his family.

The Hall of Preserved Harmony had many functions. During the Qing Dynasty, it most often served as a banquet hall. During the Ming Dynasty, it served as a preparation place for the empress and princes for ceremonies.

In appearance, it is similar to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but smaller. There is also an imperial throne inside, and also smaller.

All these three halls stand on a single base of three tiers. If it rains during your visit to the Forbidden City, then you should not be upset right away. This is a good opportunity to look at the amazing drainage system. Tourists notice stone dragon heads at the base, and it seems that this is just a decoration, but these are the outlets of pipes that bring water down. There are 1412 of these dragon heads in total.