Forbidden City in Beijing how to get there. City of Beijing. Forbidden City (Gugong Imperial Palace). Myths and facts

forbidden city (Imperial Palace Gugong in Beijing)- the largest palace complex in the world. Conceived back in 1406, it has been closed to mere mortals for centuries (hence the name of the palace). From this place of the Middle Kingdom, 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties ruled. But even today, 75 years after the last Chinese emperor left the palace, it still remains forbidden, half of the city is still closed to curious tourists and surrounded by an aura of mystery. This Palace was the first of the Chinese sites listed by UNESCO. world heritage humanity (in 1987).

Gugong Imperial Palace was built in 1406-1420. Its total area is 720 thousand square meters. m; The palace complex has 9999 rooms. Surrounded by a wall 3400 m long and a moat called "Golden Water". A million builders and 100 thousand other specialists took part in its construction - stone carvers, wood carvers, artists, etc. The Gate of Heavenly Peace leads into it.

The Forbidden City in Beijing is the largest and most mysterious palace complex in the world. Home to 24 emperors of China for over 500 years, the palace was closed to ordinary citizens. Anyone who dared to break this rule was waiting for death. And despite the fact that most of complex is now open to visitors, the history of the Forbidden City is still a mystery.

Royal complex, comparable in scope to Palace of Versailles in France, occupies 72 hectares and consists of more than 800 buildings with 9999 rooms (in the Potala Palace in Tibet - 999 rooms), with a total area of 150,000 sq.m. The city is surrounded by a ten-meter wall and a moat called "Golden Water". The place for construction was chosen in accordance with feng shui: mountains surround the building from the north, the entrance is oriented to the south, a river flows inside the city, gently enveloping the palaces, which, according to feng shui, allows you to accumulate energy. The Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing was cut off from the rest of the city by moats and purple-red walls. Only the emperor and his entourage had the right to be here, and for mere mortals this part of Beijing was inaccessible. The Forbidden City was the center of the Chinese empire, and in the eyes of the Chinese themselves, the whole world. The rulers of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived here, ruled the country until the fall of the empire in 1911.

There is a legend that the design of the Forbidden City came in a dream to a monk who drew designs for Prince Zhu Di at the end of the 14th century. After becoming the emperor of China, he began to realize his dream. Zhu Di built the Forbidden City in Beijing and declared it the new capital of China and the center of the universe, from where the divine emperors could rule the Celestial Empire more effectively. At the same time, he launched a second major project: Taoist temples and monasteries on Mount Wudang. The Forbidden City took 15 years to build. According to legend, a million workers were involved, 100 million bricks, 200 million tiles and an untold amount of marble were used. The complex was completed in 1421. It was then that Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty moved his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. With great effort, palace buildings were built that corresponded to the greatness of imperial power. 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. By the 18th century, the city had approached the zenith of its splendor.

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. In the closed palace lived the royal families and servants, consisting of thousands of eunuchs and concubines. Entering the city without permission meant death for the intruder, and the punishment was slow and painful. Despite this, many curious people wanted to see what was happening inside. Some received this opportunity in 1644. Emperor Ming lived in luxury when the new taxation literally starved the population. A rebellion broke out into the Forbidden City. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty is said to have been in a drunken stupor when the rebels arrived. To protect his harem from reproach, he killed all the women and cut off his daughter's hand. Then he hanged himself, thus opening the way for the Qing Dynasty. Tradition says that the Qing clan was cursed by the emperor - "the Qing house will fall at the hands of a woman." However, in 1644 the Qing Dynasty settled in the Forbidden City and its mysteries became even more intriguing. The eunuchs of the palace, who numbered about three thousand, began to plot their own plots and recruited spies from the concubines. There are many scandalous stories about this, in which it is impossible to distinguish truth from fiction when the Forbidden City is described.

In 1853, the seventeen-year-old girl Cixi was brought to the palace as a concubine. Over time, she became the most powerful woman in Chinese history, and many believe that she led to the destruction of not only the Qing Dynasty, but imperial China as a whole. Cixi broke with tradition and became empress dowager. She ruled the country until her two-year-old nephew, Pu-Yi, succeeded her. Pu Yi was the last owner of the Forbidden City in Beijing. In 1912, at the age of five, he abdicated, but was allowed to remain in the palace.

A major fire in 1923 destroyed the city's warehouses. Many believe that it was set on fire by eunuchs to hide the theft from the royal treasuries. In 1925, Pu Yi, the last twenty-fourth emperor of China, left the Forbidden City. And twenty-four years later, the complex was opened to the public.

The main entrance to the Forbidden City is from south side through the Noon Gate. The whole complex is divided into Inner and Outer palaces. The main rooms of the Outer Palace, where the emperor held state events and solemn ceremonies: the halls of Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and Preservation of Harmony. northern part, the Inner Palace, were occupied by families of emperors and concubines. Here are the halls of Heavenly Purity, Unification of Peace and Earthly Tranquility. They are surrounded by three imperial gardens: Longevity, Kindness and Tranquility. Behind them is the elegant Imperial Garden with pavilions and picturesque rock formations. The entire city is separated by an eight-kilometer central axis. In the center of this axis is the Throne, symbolizing imperial power. The imperial throne in the Palace of Supreme Harmony, intended for especially solemn occasions.

In the Forbidden City, there are only 9,000 rooms in which the emperor and the women around him (mother, wives, concubines) lived, as well as countless servants and eunuchs. 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 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 winds from Siberia. The main entrance is also on the south side. It is called Wumen (noon gate), where the emperor inspected his troops. Behind the gate is a courtyard, which is crossed by a small Golden River. Five marble bridges are thrown across it, symbolizing the five virtues and leading to the Gate of Supreme Harmony. Behind them is another large courtyard. It is so large that 20,000 people can fit there. On its opposite side, on a high marble terrace, rises the most significant building of the Forbidden City - the Palace of Supreme Harmony.

In this palace, on especially solemn days for the state, the emperor sat on the throne. To the sound of bells, he was surrounded by waves of incense by administrators, dignitaries and nobles.

The palace, which is now a museum, contains about a million precious historical relics of the ancient dynasties of China and is listed as a UNESCO cultural heritage. In Beijing, you can visit the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, also known as Yonghegun Monastery or Lama Temple. Most popular temple Beijing is undoubtedly the Temple of Heaven - the pinnacle of China's cosmic four: the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the Moon and the Temple of the Earth.

Forbidden City video:

The Forbidden City is located in the center of Beijing. Open daily from 08.30 to 17.00, admission costs 40 yuan in winter and 60 yuan in summer.

About one of the main attractions of China - the Beijing Imperial winter palace- so-called. "The Forbidden City", or "Gugun", a lot has been written. But often the description is limited to a simple enumeration of where and what is in it.

The site would like to offer you, in addition, a unique material of the Russian broadcasting of China Radio International about some interesting little-known features of the palace complex that bear the stamp of historical events.

We note only to begin with that the double name of the Beijing residence of the Chinese emperors "Forbidden City", or "Gugong", is due to the fact that after the fall of the monarchy in China in 1911, the country began to gradually abandon official name"Purple Forbidden City" - "Zijingchen" in favor of the more politically correct, especially in communist China, the name "Gugong" - i.e. "palace of the old (former) rulers". Let us also mention that in 1949, after the evacuation under the pressure of the communists Chinese government Kuomintang to Taiwan, part of the Gugun collections containing imperial household items and works of art was evacuated to this island, where the so-called. "Palace-Museum" - something like "Gugun" in exile.

In the illustration from the archive: Panorama of the Forbidden City. In the foreground, you can see the Tiananmen Gate with a portrait of Mao. Very often, these gates, decorated with a portrait of a communist leader and slogans, are gates that have become in this form calling card of communist China, in order not to destroy the atmosphere of the imperial city, in many photographs they are deliberately left behind the scenes. This is how it was done in the picture below, which depicts the Forbidden City itself without the Tiananmen gate, although they historically belong to the imperial residence complex.

Little Known Facts

About the Forbidden City

So, the material of "Chinese Radio International" about some little-known features of the palace complex of the Chinese emperors in Beijing from the archive of the site. The spelling of the original source is preserved:

“The Forbidden City, which to this day delights the traveler with its brilliant splendor, served as the residence of the emperors of the last two Chinese dynasties - Ming and Qing, and in total 24 emperors ruled here for 491 years. The years of their reign are full of numerous dramatic events that left a deep mark on Chinese history. Let's walk through the Forbidden City from the southern gate of Wumen to the northern gate of Shenumen and try to lift the veil over some of its secrets...

signal system,

hidden in the pillars of the marble balustrade

The buildings of the Forbidden City are painted dark red and covered with gilded tiled roofs. The balustrade made of white marble, which surrounded the main palace buildings. The pillars and railings of the balustrade are covered with skillful carvings, in some places it is erected in several tiers. It is interesting that the purpose of the balustrade is not limited to a decorative purpose; in addition, hidden signaling devices are hidden in it in some places. Here, for example, are the columns of the balustrade that encloses the small gates of Xiehe and Xihe, which are located on the sides of the large Taihe gate. The head part of these marble columns is made in the form of a luxuriant flower, and a spherical cavity is hidden in the center of the flower. Small stone balls are placed in this cavity. It will seem to the uninitiated tourist that the holes in these marble pillars, crowned with flowery carvings, are the result of the eroding action of the rains, it will not even occur to him that these holes had a special purpose. In fact, they are nothing more than a secret signaling system. Whenever there was a danger of an invasion by an external enemy or a fire, the guard inserted a special bronze funnel-shaped pipe into the signal hole of the marble pillar and began to blow into it with force. At the same time, the stone balls in the cavity of the column began to move, emitting a low rumble, reminiscent of the rumble of a large sea shell brought to the ear. It is said that this signal could also be heard in the far reaches of the Forbidden City.

figurines,

ridge roofs

On all the buildings of the Forbidden City, you can see glazed ceramic figurines of animals decorating the ridge of the roof. Some of the figurines have a frozen, handsome appearance, while others look more lively. But all of them play not only a decorative role, they are assigned an important role in Chinese architecture as integral elements of the structure.

If you stand facing the Taihedian pavilion, then on both sides of its roof you can see glazed elements in the form of dragon heads. Four paws are raised up, the dragon carries a sword on its back, the eyes are wide open and express ferocity, and the terrible mouth firmly grasps the ridge of the roof. The people of this dragon are called the "second son of the dragon" and are called the "Dragon Wen." According to the Ming and Qing Chinese, the dragon Wen was able to put out fires and eliminate other disasters. The location of the dragon's head is noteworthy: it covers the nodal part where the horizontal ridge of the roof and the falling row of tiles meet. It is in this place that a leak easily occurs during rain. So the dragon head serves as a reliable fastening element.

In the place of the roof, where it passes into its soaring section, small glazed figures lined up in a row. The row is headed by a saint riding a phoenix, followed by animal figurines lined up one after another, and the end of the row is crowned by a larger head of a mythical creature. The number of figures in a row is determined by the rank and importance of the building; on the roof of a large building, up to 10 sculptural images can be counted, and on the roof of an insignificant structure there can be only one barely noticeable figure. There are strict rules regarding the order of their location. The images imprinted in the roofing figurines are the characters of myths. Some of them represent prosperity, others - courage and stern inflexibility. From a distance, they resemble heavenly warriors who have flown down from heaven and stopped over the abyss. They can also be imagined as gods who descended to the roof in order to observe people's secrets.

The tradition of decorating the roof ridge with mythical figures not only aims to give the building splendor, but is also an expression of the wish for favorable weather and state tranquility. Much more important than just a decorative decoration is the role of roofing figurines in preventing roof leaks. These decorative elements also express the idea of well-being and are designed to serve as an amulet that scares away misfortune.

Story

with imperial throne

If we compare the path through the series of passages leading from the Tiananmen stand to the Wumen gate (the official "imperial gate") with an opera overture, then further way to the Golden River, Taihe Square and Taihe Gate can be considered part of the opera libretto. Well, coming close to the Taihedian pavilion, resting on a 6-meter three-tiered white marble foundation, there is no longer any doubt that we hear the magnificent main aria, which embodied all the imperial greatness. The leitmotif of the main aria can be considered the imperial throne raised in the middle of the Throne Hall, decorated with dragon carvings and carefully varnished.

The surface of the details of the throne is covered with gilding, the back is decorated with a carved ornament of three writhing dragons. The throne rests on a solid plinth in the spirit of the lodges of Buddhist saints, it is richly inlaid with precious stones. As an examination of the lacquer coating and the style of the depicted dragons showed, this throne was made during the reign of the Ming under the Jiajing motto, but continued to serve its intended purpose even under the Qing. However, tourists are quite surprised to learn that for almost half a century this throne, worthy of embodying the greatness of the bogdykhan, lay in a closet, covered with dust.

In 1911, the Xinhai Revolution took place in China, overthrowing the emperor and proclaiming Democratic Republic. However, in 1915, the head of the militaristic clan, Yuan Shikai, undertook a restoration by declaring himself emperor. The enthronement ceremony was scheduled to take place in the Throne Room of the Taihedian Pavilion. Yuan Shikai, whose legs turned out to be short, thought it would be better to replace the old throne with a new one, made in the form of a high-backed chair, as is customary in the West. Emperor Yuan Shikai stayed for 83 days, and then was swept away by a wave of popular protest. But the throne made by his personal order has been preserved. For several decades, attempts to find the former throne with carved dragons did not lead to success. Until, finally, in 1959, one of the experts working in the Forbidden City found among the old photographs a photo depicting the interior of the Taihedian Palace Pavilion. Searches were made in the pantries of old furniture, and in the end it was found. In 1963, furniture repairmen restored the old throne, spending whole year. In September 1964, the restored throne took its original place.

Hieroglyph,

denoting peace and harmony, in the names of the three main pavilions of the Forbidden City

The not-so-friendly lion from Forbidden City.

The main buildings of the Forbidden City are three pavilions - Taihedian, Zhonghedian and Baohedian. They are designed to embody the unsurpassed authority of the emperor, they also served as a place for imperial audiences. It is noteworthy and no coincidence that the names of all three pavilions contain the hieroglyph "he" - "peace", "harmony".

According to the teachings of Confucius, the hieroglyph "he" meant universal harmony in the world. Although there is a huge difference between the greatness of a bogdykhan (emperor - Approx. Site) and the position of a mere mortal, but both a bogdykhan and a mere mortal live on the same Earth, under the same Heaven, and there must be a balance between them spiritually. This balance is "he". Everything has its place: the emperor is exalted above the whole world around him, mere mortals are content with their subordinate position; "he" exists between a ruler and a servant, between a father and a son, between older and younger brothers, between husband and wife. Without "he" it is impossible to connect the seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter), it is impossible to understand the relationship in the animal world, it is impossible to understand the relationship between the Earth and the Universe. In a word, the balance of “he” is needed on Earth, in Heaven and in the vast world of things. Otherwise, there will be discord in the world, everything will be turned upside down. The importance of "he" was recognized by scientists of other schools Ancient China. We can say that since ancient times, the Chinese considered "he" the most ideal state of things and affairs. The founders of the Qing Dynasty are newcomers from the north who conquered China. (Manchus - Approx. site) No wonder that for them nothing was more important than the duration of maintaining their power and order in the country. "He" for the Qing rulers was the main wish. Adhering to the idea of \u200b\u200bhe, they sought to unite the country in order to maintain their dominance forever. This idea can be clearly seen in the name of the motto of the reign of the Qing emperor "Shunzhi" (literally meaning "good rule"). All of the above will help you understand the presence of the character "he" in the names of the three main pavilions of the Forbidden City.

Giant

carved stone slab

Located behind the Baohedian Pavilion, a giant stone slab covered with bas-reliefs depicting dragons against clouds is the largest and most highly artistic work of bas-relief art in the Forbidden City. This slab was installed in the Ming dynasty; under the Qings, the old relief pattern was chipped off and replaced with a new one. The pattern is made up of 9 writhing dragons, each of which holds a large pearl ball in its mouth. The relief images of mountains, seas and clouds serve as a background for dancing dragons. Tourists are amazed not only by the skillfulness of the relief carving, but also by the very dimensions of the stone slab. According to experts, the weight of the stone slab before its processing exceeded 300 tons. How, then, was such a gigantic stone brought to the Forbidden City? According to the "Ming History", this stone was obtained in the Fangshan quarry in the western suburbs of Beijing. To take it out of the quarry, more than 10,000 working people and more than 6,000 soldiers had to be mobilized. No less difficult was the issue of delivering the stone to the capital. First of all, it was necessary to make the road leading to Beijing absolutely level, for which several tens of thousands of workers were sent. They filled in and compacted potholes and dug wells along the entire route. With the onset of frost, the roadbed was carefully filled with water from wells, so that a smooth and hard track was obtained. On it, a stone firmly bound by people and horses was dragged to its destination. It took 20,000 men and 1,000 horses, and it took 28 days to transport. Everything cost the treasury 110,000 lians of silver. Unfortunately, no records of the exact date of delivery of the stone have been found. One can only assume that the stone was delivered even before the completion of the construction of the imperial residence, since otherwise such a stone could not have been moved through the numerous gates of the palace. That is, the giant stone from Fangshan is one of the first building details of the palace complex and is more than 570 years old.

Arrow,

pierced into a board with an inscription over the Longzongmen gate

Between the Baohedian pavilion and the Qianqingmen gate lies a square that separates the outer (service) part of the Forbidden City from the inner (family) courtyards. On the sides of the square there are gates: eastern Jingyunmen and western Longzongmen. Penetration into the inner chambers was strictly controlled. Under the Qing, anyone, even princes of imperial blood, was forbidden to enter the gate; only the official on duty and those called to the imperial audience used it. If you carefully examine the banner with the inscription above the Longzongmen Gate, you may notice an arrow stuck in the banner. There is a story associated with it.

On the 15th day of the 9th month of 1813, units of the Peasant Army of the rebels invaded the Forbidden City, who acted in collusion with the eunuchs - servants of the palace. Part of the rebels went to the Yangxindian Pavilion in the northern part of the Forbidden City, where the imperial quarters were located. But at the Longzongmen gate, they were met with fire by the Qing guard troops. The emperor himself was not in the palace at that moment, but the members of the imperial family and the servants panicked from fear. Grand dukes and high-ranking officials began to prepare wagons to take relatives and goods from the Forbidden City. Some even hid in the closet. During a fierce battle, one of the peasant leaders took aim and fired an arrow from his bow, which was stuck in a banner with an inscription above the Longzongmen gate. However, the forces were unequal, and the rebels were crushed. This uprising was a serious lesson for the Qing. In order to preserve the memory of him as a warning to posterity, the court decided not to touch the arrow stuck in the banner above the Longzongmen gate.

Red lanterns

in Yungang lane

Entering the Naishimen Gate, located west of the Qianqingmen Gate, you find yourself in Yungang Lane. Here are the chambers of the empress and concubines. In total, there are 4 such lanes in the Forbidden City.

In each of them, road lamps are installed, reaching the height of human growth, they rest on a stone plinth. The lantern itself is made of bronze, braided with copper wire on the outside. With the onset of dusk, special eunuch lamplighters filled the lanterns with oil and lit them. Lanterns burned all night until morning.

Under the Mines did not exist mandatory, which determines in the chambers of which wife or concubine the emperor will spend the night. The specific choice was made on a case-by-case basis. In front of the entrance to the chambers of each of the wives and concubines, lanterns made of red silk were hung out. The absence of a lantern indicated that it was in the chambers of this wife that the bogdykhan spends the night. The eunuch, who made a night round of Yungan Lane, noticing from the absence of a lantern that the choice had already been made by the emperor, notified the rest of the concubines that they could go to bed.

It is a different matter under the Qing. Already during the evening meal, the emperor decided which wife he would spend the night with or alone. But he certainly slept in the Yangxindian Pavilion. It was not customary for eunuchs to go around the 12 chambers of Yungan Lane.

Refrigerators

Forbidden City

Nowadays, a household refrigerator in the house is the most common thing. Well, what was the situation in ancient times, before the advent of special equipment? It turns out that in the Forbidden City, refrigerators were used to store food and drinks, cooled by natural ice harvested from the winter. In the vaults of the Forbidden City there is, for example, a refrigerator, skillfully finished with cloisonné enamel. It has a height of one and a half chi (1 chi = 33 cm), its shape is cubic, and it consists of two parts, the lower part is narrower than the upper one. The decoration of the cabinet is extremely carefully and brightly, inside the cabinet is lined with lead sheet for better insulation and protection from moisture. In its lower corner there is a hole for draining the accumulated water. In addition, there are two round holes in the cabinet lid through which the cooled air from the refrigerator penetrated into the surrounding space.

But much more often, special wooden chests with a lid were used as refrigerators. Food was well preserved in them, and cold air through the holes in the lid could be used to cool the air in the room. So, we can say that the refrigeration units of the Forbidden City also successfully played the role of the current air conditioners. Ice was harvested on the river during the coldest period of winter, it was stored in underground cellars and, as needed, delivered to the palace premises.

Is there in the Forbidden City

chimneys?

From the eyes of an attentive observer, the absence of chimneys in all of Gugun will not hide. The fact is that for the Forbidden City, where all the buildings are made of wood, the biggest danger is fire. Fire protection measures were given special importance under all rulers. So what was the deal with fire sources for cooking and space heating?

In the era of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the main fuel of the Forbidden City was charcoal. It had a number of advantages: it burned without smoke and had no smell, allowing you to do without chimneys.

Here is how, for example, the issue of space heating was solved. In many pavilions, underground chimneys were dug, the rooms above which were called "warm". The chimney went to a hatch located in the ground passage of the Forbidden City. The depth of the hatch was equal to the height of a person, on top of the hatch was closed with a wooden cover measuring a square meter. Heating was carried out by burning charcoal in a special stove installed inside the chimney. The beginning of the heating of the premises fell on the season of "hoarfrost".

In addition to heating due to the heat coming from the chimney, open braziers were provided in the rooms, in which charcoal was burned. Palace braziers were made with great skill, for example, they were made of bronze and covered with gilding or inlaid with mother-of-pearl. They had a cap on a wire frame, preventing the release of hot coals to the outside. Large braziers weighed up to a thousand jin, small ones could be carried in the hands. So far the braziers different types and sizes can be seen everywhere in the Forbidden City: in the pavilions of Taihedian, Zhonghedian, Baohedian, Qianqinggong, Jiaotaidian, Kunningong, Yangxindian and Western Chambers. At the service of the Empress and concubines were also hand and foot stoves. Thanks to these means, the inhabitants of the Forbidden City were not afraid of the most severe cold. Truly effect, these devices can compete with modern heating devices.

When the gong sounded

In the old days, with the onset of night, guards went out into the street and, with the help of blows on a gong or a mallet, announced the change of guards. The first watch was at about 6 pm.

In the Forbidden City, the northern gate of Shenumen actually served as a clock tower, in which guards were on duty, hitting the gong. In addition, a large bell was installed on the tower. During the absence of the emperor in the palace, every day at dusk the bell tolled 108 times, and after that the sentry beat the gong to announce the change of guards. After the 5th watch, that is, already at dawn, the bell again struck 108 times. Why exactly 108? This number was the sum of the number of months in a year (12), the number of climatic seasons (24) and the number of agricultural seasons (72).

In addition to the bell tower on the Shenumen gate, bell towers were also installed in the Forbidden City on the right and left of the Wumen gate. However, their purpose was different. Since the Wumen gate was the main gate of the Forbidden City, there were strict regulations regarding the circumstances under which the Umen bells should be struck. These circumstances included, for example, the time of the departure of the imperial train to participate in the sacrifices. At that moment the bell-ringer struck the bell. And when the emperor went to the Taimyao Temple for the ceremony of worshiping the ancestors, gongs were struck on the tower. In addition, the ringing of bells and the sounds of gongs on the towers of the Wumen gate announced the surroundings during especially solemn occasions: the enthronement of the emperor, at the time of the celebration of the New Year, the season of winter, on the day of longevity, the announcement of the name of the empress, etc.

How many in the Forbidden City

premises?

The Forbidden City can be considered the largest and best preserved of the ancient palace ensembles that have survived to this day. It covers an area of 780 thousand square meters. meters. According to legend, the Ming Emperor Zhu Di, who ruled under the Yongle motto, originally planned to build a palace with 10,000 rooms. But on the night of the fifth day after the emperor's decision, he was visited in a dream by the Jade Ruler of the Universe. Extremely irritated, he pointed out to the bogdykhan that, planning to build 10 thousand rooms, he encroaches on his divine authority, since there are only 10 thousand rooms in the palace of the gods. In the morning, the emperor immediately ordered the dignitaries to be summoned to discuss the situation with them. In the end, it was decided to build 9999 and a half rooms and thus preserve the authority of both Heaven and the emperor intact.

After 4 years the palace was built. At the sight of the splendor that opened his eyes, Emperor Zhu Di was overjoyed. Here is the Wumen gate, striking in its size and solemnity, here is the Fengtian pavilion (renamed Taihedian under the Qing), decorated with colorful ornamentation of beams and pillars. The structures shone with gilded roofs, creating a sense of grandeur and high style. Truly, the new palace on the shoulder was equal to the transcendental mansions of the Jade God, the image of which was present in the imagination of the bogdykhan. After spending half a day to inspect the palace, Zhu Di finally asked the escorts if there really were 9999 and a half rooms in the palace. The answer was yes. “Well, where is that half of the room?” asked the emperor. “It is considered a small room on the first floor of the Wenyange tower,” was the answer. Zhu Di rewarded the answerer happy smile, saying "excellent, excellent." After this imperial inspection, everyone around already knew that there were 9999 and a half rooms in the Forbidden City.

The dignitary who confirmed the number of rooms palace ensemble name was Liu Bowen. In a conversation with the emperor, his hamstrings were shaking, since in reality it is unlikely that the number of rooms was exactly 9999 and a half. Responsible for the procurement of building materials, Liu Bowen traveled to many places, on his trips he observed the miserable living conditions of the people and considered it unnecessary luxury to build such a magnificent palace, which only made the burden of the common people even more difficult. Liu Bowen even made some changes to the design drawings, reducing the number of rooms by a few hundred.

Currently, the Forbidden City has 980 palace structures, 8,728 rooms. But what about the now famous "half of the room"? It turns out that this half room really exists and is located in the Wenyange chamber, which served as a repository for the complete collection of books of the Four Repositories. It is noteworthy that in the western part of the tower, the pillars painted green were arranged so that the distance between them was 5 chi (about 1.5 m), while usually it was 3 meters. The Wenyange Tower was the only building in the Forbidden City with such a unique layout. Therefore, the room, bounded by two closely spaced pillars, was called "half".

(This site archive material was broadcast by Chinese Radio International's Russian broadcast in Beijing as a series of radio programs in April 2005).

Description

Palace complex "Gugun"

In the illustration: Plan of the "Forbidden City", or, in other words, "Gugun".

In the illustration: Plan of the "Forbidden City", or, in other words, "Gugun". On the lowest edge of this plan is the "Gate of Heavenly Peace" - "Tiananmen". Further up, the Duonmen gate and the front gate of the Forbidden City - Umen (Midday Gate) are depicted. "Umen" are located on the bridge over the moat, surrounding the entire palace complex. On the top edge of the picture is the Shenumen gate. Just above the Wumen gate, the plan shows the Neijinshuihe Golden River Canal. Behind the "Golden River" is the main palace gate Taihemen ("Gate of Supreme Harmony"). Then a huge courtyard in front of the actual palace premises, lined with slabs. And further on the plan shows the main three palace pavilions " various kinds Harmony" - the main pavilions of the palace complex. Again the gate, and around the various auxiliary palace rooms inside the perimeter of the wall and the moat with water.

The State News Agency of the People's Republic of China "Xinhua" in the old version of its Russian Internet page placed quite detailed description of all the buildings of the imperial palace complex "Gugong", or as Xinhua calls this building in the mentioned article - "Museum of Gugong" ("Winter Imperial Palace")". This essay, which we offer below, as usual for Xinhua, accurately places all the accents, according to the official doctrine of the Chinese Communist Party, and therefore contains criticism of the last Chinese emperor and the Kuomintang government for "plundering" the wealth of "Gugong". (The spelling and style of the original source is preserved, with the exception of obvious typos.):

“The Gugong Museum, or as it was also called - Zijingcheng (“Purple Forbidden City”) is located in the center of Beijing, next to Tiananmen Square. To the north of the Tiananmen Gate and the Duonmen Gate is the front gate to the Gugong Museum - Wumen ("Midday Gate"). Above them is erected a splendid structure, usually called Ufenlow ("Tower of Five Phoenixes").

It began to be built during the Minsk dynasty in 1420. It took 14 years to build. The width of the entire Forbidden City from east to west is 760 m, from south to north 960 m. Effective area 150 thousand sq.m. It has more than 9 thousand rooms. On four sides it is surrounded by a wall 10 m high. There are four gates in the walls. The gate facing directly south is called Umen. This is the front gate. In the tower of this gate there is a bell and a drum. When the emperor went to offer prayers to a temple or shrine, he always left the gates of Wumen. When he was heading to the Temple of Agriculture, the bell was struck when he left, and when he entered the Taimiao (“Temple of the Ancestors”), they beat the drum. During the Qing Dynasty, when victories were won, ceremonies were held here according to custom - offerings of prisoners as a gift to the emperor. Now this tower serves as a room for temporary exhibitions. Around the wall there was a canal, the width of which was 52 meters.

The northern gate is called Shenumen. Under the Ming Dynasty, they were called Xuanyumen. But under Emperor Kangxi, they were renamed Shenumen, since the name of this emperor contains the hieroglyph Xuan, and according to custom, the name of any object should not coincide with the name of the emperor. There is also one bell and one big drum on the tower of this gate. Every day at dusk and at dawn, first they made 108 strokes on the bell, and then on the drum. This gate is located in front of Jingshan Park.

The eastern side gate is called Donghuangmen and the western side gate is called Xihuamen. Gugong is the former residence of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Here, for 491 years, 24 emperors managed the affairs of the empire. Under the Ming dynasty, there were 14 emperors, and under the Qing dynasty, 10. And now this residence is a Museum, where over 900 thousand exhibits are stored.

The Gugong Museum is the largest architectural and art museum in our country. The building itself is one of the greatest historical achievements of the culture of our country. Having preserved the traditional forms of Chinese architecture, combining the majesty of forms, architectural perfection and strict order of location, it is one of the most brilliant architectural monuments world and is the pearl of the centuries-old culture of our Motherland. This is the most grandiose and most complete of the surviving architectural ensembles.

The whole complex of the palace consists of two main parts, external and internal.

At the entrance to the front gates of Wumen, first of all, you see the channel crossing the square - Neijinshuihe ("Internal River with Golden Water"), through which five beautiful marble bridges are thrown. Along the banks of the canal, also lined with white marble, winding railings of the most diverse forms stretch, resembling a precious jade belt in their appearance.

To the north of the bridges are the main palace gates of Taihemen (“Gate of Supreme Harmony”). Behind them is another large courtyard. In the center of its northern side rises a massive pedestal, 8 m high, where one after the other pavilions are located: Taihedian ("Pavilion of Supreme Harmony"), Zhonghedian ("Pavilion of Complete Harmony") and Baohedian ("Pavilion of Preserving Harmony"), These three pavilions are the most important architectural complex Outer court of the imperial. They are intended for state and court ceremonies. Taihedian in architecture and decoration is a unique example, not only unparalleled in comparison with other pavilions of Gugong, but also in the entire collection of wooden structures of ancient China.

The Taihedian Pavilion serves as the venue for official palace receptions. He is the most big building Gugun. Its height is 35.5 m, width 63.96 m, depth 37.2 m, area over 2300 sq.m. The roof of the pavilion is supported by 86 wooden columns one meter in diameter, six of them, surrounding the throne, are gilded and decorated with carvings of wriggling dragons. The throne is set on a pedestal, in front of which are graceful bronze cranes - a symbol of success and good luck, incense burners, large copper tripod vessels - a symbol of the throne, behind the throne there is a screen of fine workmanship.

The entrance to the Taihedian Pavilion is guarded by ferociously grinned bronze lions, personifying the power of power.

On a spacious platform in front of the pavilion there is a large bronze tortoise, which raised its fanged, almost wolf-like mouth - a symbol of longevity, a bronze long-legged crane, as a symbol of successful progress up the ladder of ranks, large copper tripods and other superbly executed sculptures and products.

The Taihedian pavilion was built in 1417, rebuilt in 1645, then rebuilt in 1697 after a fire. January 1, according to the old style - a holiday (Winter Solstice), the birthday of the emperor, also on the day of the accession to the throne of the emperor, solemn ceremonies were held. The most important government decrees were announced. After the announcement, the decrees were lowered from the gate tower in the beak of a wooden phoenix, placed in a palanquin decorated with images of a dragon and sent to the Ministry of Ceremonies, from where copies of it were sent throughout the country. On the days of state holidays and celebrations, the emperor accepted congratulations and arranged receptions. And in this pavilion, the emperor appointed commanders of the expeditionary forces and was present at state exams.

A few words should also be given to the completely empty courtyard, which is located in front of the Taihedian pavilion. The area of this yard is more than 30,000 sq. m. Every time during the palace ceremonies in this courtyard, the ranks of armed guards lined up in strict order, in order of subordination, civilian and military dignitaries knelt facing north. Incense smoke rose from numerous tripods and censers, adding to the already mysterious atmosphere that surrounded the emperor.

The Zhonghedian pavilion was built during the Ming Dynasty and was called Huagaidian and Zhongjidian. Under the Qing Dynasty in 1645, it was rebuilt and renamed Zhonghedian. It served as a place where the emperor rested before the start of the ceremonies, the ritual was rehearsed here, the Emperor, before going to the Temple of Heaven (June 21), to the Temple of Agriculture (November 22) for prayers, got acquainted with the content of prayers here. And every year on New Year's Eve, the emperor held banquets here, to which vassal princes were invited.

The Baohedian Pavilion is located behind Zhonghedian. It began to be built in 1420. Its original name was Jinshendian, but later it was renamed Jianjidian. In 1625 it was rebuilt, and in 1645 it was named Baohedian.

The Baohedian Pavilion was originally intended for feasts. Especially under the Qing Dynasty, on January 1, old style, and January 15, the emperor annually invited Mongol and Uyghur princes to the Baohedian Pavilion for banquets. 70 tables were set, 63 sheep were slaughtered and 70 bottles of wine were opened. During such banquets, musicians performed Mongolian traditional music and songs. But from the time of Emperor Yongzheng (since 1723), the Baohedian pavilion was intended to receive the highest state examinations.

If you strictly adhere to the center line to the north, you will see the Qianqingmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Purity) behind the Baohedian Pavilion. This gate was built under the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt under the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1655. Emperors of the Qing Dynasty sometimes received official reports here. On this day, the throne was arranged and the heads of all departments reported on their affairs in turn. To the left of the gate was the office of the highest civil and military dignitaries.

Then you need to go through the Jianqingmen gate to find yourself on the back half of the Gugong Palace Ensemble, where the inner chambers are located. The Qianqinggong (Palace of Heavenly Purity), Jiataidian (Palace of Heaven and Earth Communication) and Kunninggong (Palace of Earthly Peace) lined up along the central line, with six eastern and six western palaces on either side of them.

The Qianqinggong Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1797. The emperor's bedchamber was located in this palace. Here the emperor was engaged in daily state affairs, looked through documents, made orders. On holidays, feasts were held here, to which the emperor invited his dignitaries. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, emperors received heads of foreign diplomatic missions in this palace. In the eastern wing were kept: the headdress, costumes, shoes of the emperor, and in the western wing was the emperor's office.

The second building in a row was the Jiaotaidian Pavilion, built during the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1697. It served as a hall for family celebrations. During the Ming and Qing times, it was in this hall that celebrations were held on the occasion of the birthday of the empress. During the Qing Dynasty, the imperial seal was kept here. 25 main seals were kept under the Jianlong Emperor. On the right side, there is an ancient Chinese water clock - it consists of three copper funnels, under which the Buddha sits, holding a dial in his hands. Water is poured from above and passes through funnels. The dial shows the time. On the left, there are large chimes made by the masters of our country over 200 years ago.

Kunninggong Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1655. During the Ming Dynasty, it was the bedchamber of empresses. During the Qing Dynasty, this palace was used for its intended purpose only during the wedding of emperors, usually religious ceremonies for worshiping spirits and offering sacrifices to them were held in its reception rooms. After the wedding ceremony, the empress was supposed to live here for three days.

Behind the Kunninggong Palace is an exhibition of a wide variety of clocks.

In terms of volume, the Qianninggong, Qiaotaidian and Kunninggong palaces are significantly inferior to the three large pavilions of the outer courtyard.

Behind the Kunninggong Palace is the Kunningmen Gate. Behind them lies the lush imperial garden of Yuhuayuan. Through this imperial garden, the road leads to the exit of Shenumen ("Gate of the Almighty Spirits").

On both sides of the central line of the ensembles there is a labyrinth of palaces, courtyards connected to each other by passages and gates. This is a whole world, once cut off from life, but rich, lush and strictly regulated. The emperor, empress, concubines of the emperor, his children, relatives lived in these palaces - the top of the feudal-serf power, overthrown as a result of the bourgeois revolution of 1911.

The main Western palaces and pavilions (built during the Ming Dynasty) include:

The Taijidian Pavilion was built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1683. Now it houses an exhibition of artistic enamel products.

Yongshougun Palace ("Palace of Eternal Longevity") was built during the Ming Dynasty. For 200 years, this palace was the warehouse for the Yangxingdian Pavilion (Heart Preservation Pavilion). Now lacquer products are exhibited here.

Changchun Gong Palace (“Palace of Eternal Spring”) was built during the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1683. Here is the coffin of the wife of Emperor Jianlong. In 1884, during the reign of Empress Cixi, a musical drama was staged here.

The Xianfugong Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1683. When one of the emperors' relatives died, they were in mourning here. Now there is an exhibition of writing materials.

Ikungun Palace was built during the Ming Dynasty, rebuilt in 1655. Artistic enamel products are also exhibited here now.

The Chusyugun Palace was also built during the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Jiaqing's wife once lived here. Empress Cixi also lived here when she was still a concubine and then when she ruled the country.

The above palaces and pavilions are the main ones in the western half, but it will be interesting to know something about the Tihedian Palace, which was built in 1802. Here Cixi chose a bride for the emperor's son Guangxu. Now art enamel products are exhibited here.

It is also impossible not to mention the Yangxindian Pavilion. It was built during the Ming dynasty. Starting from the third emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty, all the emperors lived in this pavilion and discussed state affairs. Officials from different provinces were also received here.

The western (part) includes several more minor palaces and pavilions, such as the Qiningun Palace. It was built during the Ming dynasty, rebuilt in 1790. The mothers of the emperors of both the Ming and Qing dynasties lived here. When the time came for the princesses to get married, wedding ceremonies were held here.

There is also the Shoukanggong Palace (“The Palace of Longevity and Health”), the Shouangong Palace (“The Palace of Longevity and Peace”), the Chongxidian Pavilion (“The Pavilion of Spring Joys”), there is also a small garden - Qining (“Garden of Kindness and Peace”). To the south, not far from the gates of Wumen, there are the Pavilions of Jinsidyan, Wingdian and several other buildings. Now there is an exhibition of applied art of the Minsk and Qing eras. The premises are partly occupied by an exhibition telling about the life of the empresses.

And the eastern main palaces and pavilions (also built during the Ming dynasty) include:

Jingren Gong Palace, Chengqian Gong Palace, Zhongcuigong Palace, Yanxi Gong Palace, Yonghe Gong Palace, Jinyang Gong Palace ("Sunny Landscape Palace").

In addition to these six palaces, this half also has many minor palaces and pavilions.

We must also mention the famous "Wall of Nine Dragons", built in the eastern part of the Forbidden City at the Huangjimen gate. It is a copy of the same wall in Beihai Park. This wall is decorated with intricate and intricate designs and lined with glazed bricks of many colors. It strikes with the brightness of colors, great expressiveness and dynamism of the images of nine purple and yellow dragons wriggling against a green background. "The Wall of Nine Dragons" is a work of genuine folk art.

During the Ming dynasties, the Gugong Palace served political center Chinese empire.

In 1912, the second year of the Xinhai Revolution, the last Chinese emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Pu Yi, abdicated but continued to live in the palace. Puyi gave away, pawned and sold many ancient relics for 13 years. Thus, many valuables leaked from the palace.

And almost on the eve of liberation, at the direction of the Kuomintang government, books and valuables were stacked in 13,427 boxes and 64 packages. It intended to ship it all to Taiwan. However, a quick victory in liberation war prevented him from carrying out this robbery. It was possible to take away only 2972 boxes.

Gugun is an ensemble of palace buildings, harmonious in composition and perfect in planning, one of the most beautiful medieval palace complexes. Built mainly of wood, Gugong serves as a wonderful example of national Chinese architecture. Here is a harmonious, skillful combination of buildings of different sizes and shapes, gates, passages, and multi-tiered roofs with curved edges, covered with glazed bright golden tiles, and carved folding walls under red lacquer.

Remarkable Chinese architects created all these structures. Tens of thousands of Chinese workers have invested their talent and labor in these historical monuments created for the ages. Huge arches painted with colorful ornaments, artificial lakes and ponds covered with lilies and pale pink lotuses, marble bridges, colossal stone and stucco vaults, walls painted with bright colors, columns decorated with fantastic dragons and phoenixes are unique in their beauty.

After the formation of the People's Republic of China, the People's Government listed the Gugong Palace as one of the most important cultural monuments protected by the state. For a long time in a state of disrepair, old palace changed.

Refurbished old buildings The Gugunas are now shining with their colorful decorations. Gugong Museum, its buildings and treasures are admirable ancient culture and the art of China among the broad masses of the people ... "

(This material was posted by the state news agency of the People's Republic of China "Xinhua" in the old version of the Russian website of the agency).

The review was compiled based on the materials of China Radio International (Russian broadcast) and the state news agency of the PRC Xinhua.

The Forbidden City in Beijing is the largest and most mysterious. Home to 24 emperors of China for over 500 years, the palace was closed to ordinary citizens. Anyone who dared to break this rule was waiting for death. And despite the fact that most of the complex is open to visitors today, the history of the Forbidden City is still a mystery.

Myths and facts

The Forbidden City took 15 years to build. According to legend, a million workers were involved, 100 million bricks, 200 million tiles and an untold amount of marble were used. The complex was completed in 1421.

In the closed palace lived the royal families and servants, consisting of thousands of eunuchs and concubines. Entering the city without permission meant death for the intruder, and the punishment was slow and painful. Despite this, many curious people wanted to see what was happening inside.

Some received this opportunity in 1644. Emperor Ming lived in luxury when the new taxation literally starved the population. A rebellion broke out into the Forbidden City. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty is said to have been in a drunken stupor when the rebels arrived. To protect his harem from reproach, he killed all the women and cut off his daughter's hand. Then he hanged himself, thus opening the way for the Qing Dynasty.

Tradition says that the Qing clan was cursed by the emperor - "the Qing house will fall at the hands of a woman." However, in 1644 the Qing Dynasty settled in the Forbidden City and its mysteries became even more intriguing. The eunuchs of the palace, who numbered about three thousand, began to plot their own plots and recruited spies from the concubines. There are many scandalous stories about this, in which it is impossible to distinguish truth from fiction when the Forbidden City is described.

In 1853, the seventeen-year-old girl Cixi was brought to the palace as a concubine. Over time, she became the most powerful woman in the world and many believe that she led to the destruction of not only the Qing dynasty, but imperial China as a whole. Cixi broke with tradition and became empress dowager. She ruled the country until her two-year-old nephew, Pu-Yi, succeeded her. Pu Yi was the last owner of the Forbidden City in Beijing. In 1912, at the age of five, he abdicated, but was allowed to remain in the palace.

What to see

The main entrance to the Forbidden City is located on the south side through the Noon Gate. The whole complex is divided into Inner and Outer palaces. The main rooms of the Outer Palace, where the emperor held state events and solemn ceremonies: the halls of Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and Preservation of Harmony. The northern part, the Inner Palace, was occupied by the families of emperors and concubines. Here are the halls of Heavenly Purity, Unification of Peace and Earthly Tranquility. They are surrounded by three imperial gardens: Longevity, Kindness and Tranquility. Behind them is the elegant Imperial Garden with pavilions and picturesque rock formations. The entire city is separated by an eight-kilometer central axis. In the center of this axis is the Throne, symbolizing imperial power.

For centuries, only the emperor and his entire family lived on the territory of the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City), which is why it was called the Forbidden City. The entire royal retinue was located outside its walls, until a certain time the entrance ordinary people was banned here.

The building was built in 1406-1420, 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived here for 5 centuries. 1 million builders and more than 100 thousand other specialists took part in the construction, including artists, wood and stone carvers, and many others. This magnificent building and a unique landmark of China is included in the list of world heritage of mankind.

Full title historical building- Zijingchen, which in translation meant the Purple Forbidden City, later another name appeared - Gugong, the Palace of the former rulers, it almost supplanted the first. Very often this city is simply called the Imperial Palace or the Winter Imperial Palace, because the emperor often visited here in winter time, and in the summer he visited one of his country residences.

The last Chinese emperor, Pu Yi, who abdicated in 1912, left the Forbidden City only in 1925. The palace building was often destroyed due to constant fires, after which many sections had to be rebuilt. Most of them date back to the 17th-19th centuries.

Splendor of the Forbidden City

The Imperial Palace is located in the center of the city near Tiananmen Square, it is made in the shape of a rectangle, there are watchtowers at the corners of the walls of the building. Moreover, the Forbidden City is a whole complex of structures, there are 9999 of them here, and an ordinary platform, which is surrounded by columns, is also considered a room. They cover an area of 72 hectares.

The main entrance to the city is south gate Umen, or Midday Gate, they are also called the Middle. Behind them is big square Jinshuihe with a canal ("Golden Water River"). 5 marble bridges rise across the canal, they lead to the Taihemen gate, which encloses the complex of buildings. Ged held official events.

The northern part of the sights of Beijing is decorated with the Imperial Garden, its size is small, but the beauty is indescribable. Here you can walk among stone pools and fancy stones, visit small pavilions and relax in a cozy gazebo. And nearby are some of the best hotels in Beijing.

Beijing Imperial Palace on the map of Beijing

For centuries, only the emperor and his entire family lived on the territory of the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City), which is why it was called the Forbidden City. The entire royal retinue was located outside its walls; until a certain time, ordinary people were forbidden to enter here.

The history of the construction of the Imperial Palace

The building was built in 1406-1420, here on the pro..." />