Beijing Travelogue: Day 6 Palace Museum (故宫博物院) / Forbidden City (紫禁城)

Hooray!!

I am completing my travelogue!! I haven't been blogging about my personal life because i know if i do, i will nv be able to finish my travelogue. HAHAHAHA.

I am actually supposed to do my scrapbooking now, but since my mama is watching TV now, i shall blog instead. 

CLEAR DAY IS A HAPPY VERON. My gamble paid off!

Everything just feels more vibrant and happy with a good weather. Things appear gloomy with grey skies. I must emphasize that. HAHA.

Look at this, tell me how are you gg to have a good mood? This is taken during Day 1. If you didnt know, bad air quality in Beijing is atrociously known throughout the world. Smog panic. Toxic air. Masks. There is no sunlight. Plants cant photosynthesize. Its not really smelly during winter, but its toxic. Oh the PM 2.5
My poor lungs.

Its depressing.

Its stark contrast. I have no idea how to avoid this, except to ask you to pray when you come Beijing. I am not a religious person, but when all things fail, this is the least you can do.

I mean, wind travel in all directions right? There is no guarantee that it will be in your favour.
May the odds be always in your favour.

HAHA. I am fan of The Hunger Games. Woots.

Nvm, its my final tourist of attraction of to go and i am happy. Maybe the heaven heard me after visiting Temple of Heaven. LOL. I decided i have to give credits for my very sincere praying. HA!

Palace Museum (故宫博物院) = Forbidden City (紫禁城)

Any idea why it is called forbidden city?

As the name suggests, it is forbidden because only the people that had permission to enter were allowed to enter; his officials, wives, concubines,servants, maids and soldiers people.

Most are forbidden to come out as well, unless you have permission from the emperor. Its like a jail.
Likewise, people outside are not allowed to get in unless they have the permission.
For the security reasons and a place meant for the royals, hence the name; Forbidden city.

City because, its very big? HAHA.




How to go: 
Subway: Take Line 1 (地铁1号线) to TianAnMen Xi (天安门西) exit B or TianAnMen Dong (天安门东) exit A .

NOTE: Visitors can only enter through the Meridian Gate (午门) and leave from the Gate of Divine Might (神武门).
Admission fee: CNY 40; CNY 10 for the Treasure Gallery; CNY 10 for the Clock and Watch Gallery. Opening hours: 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday: 8.30am to 12pm  (last ticket sales at 11am)
Recommended time for a visit: 3 to 4 hours. (more than enough)

Do you know why it closes at 4.30pm?
Its seems a little early?

Well, alot of innocent and evil (just alot of ppl la) died in the Palace with a vengeance. Sun sets early in winter and everyone MUST evacuate/leave/empty the palace before the night comes.

It is rumored that by 5 pm is the party of the ghosts and headless. (sprinkle holy water to calm your soul)

Its bright daylight now and there is no ghost.
Everyone will enter the Forbidden City via the wumen 午門. You will have to get pass the tight security.
Well, ever since the episode at Tiananmen, security is very tight in Beijing.

Afterall, this is the iconic place for Beijing, apart from Tiananmen.

I find it amazing to see the sun so glaring in Beijing. We have difficulty opening our eyes. HAHA.

Facts you should know:
The Forbidden City was built from 1406 – 1420 and is the "home" for the emperors (and all his concubines, servants, maids) from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. Thats about 500 years.

500 years old ya?


No, its still standing strong in Beijing. Maybe because no earthquake. LOL.


As you alr know, its damn big. Emperors like their compounds to be of an astronomical scale. It has an astounding area of 7,800,000 sq feet (my mama says its as big as Ang Mo Kio. No, Thats a myth) and 980 buildings.

Fret not, alot of buildings are not opened for tourists. Its likely that you will get bored with all the similar buildings anyway. 3 to 4 hours to comb this palace is enough.

Coming to Forbidden City is like a dream come true.


Thanks to Hongkong Tv dramas, it is one of the places i always wanted to go. I am actually v excited and interested to come here. Its the place with the emperors once stayed.


I want to see the high red walls and feel it for myself. I wanted to see how ppl are trapped here with no escape.


Anyone share the same thinking as me?
I pity the emperor. He is a lonely person.

He doesnt have any friends. Because everyone is close to him for a reason. He is always worrying. He is always thinking if anyone is gg to overthrow his empire. He will not have grandchildren to accompany him for night walks. He may have all the money and woman, he may have all the power and ability to kill, but i dont think he is always happy.

He fears death. I know everyone fears death. But he fear the second (not even minute) he becomes the emperor) I wonder if he has nightmares everyday.

In case you are blur with all the different names that i am gg to mention ltr, you may refer to this! I am sorry that this only comes in Chinese, but at least its sth visual!

The bigger white I bubble = Outer court.
Smllaer white I bubble = Inner Court.



After entering from wumen 午門, This is what greets you. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts; The Outer Court which was used for ceremonial purposes and the Inner Court which was the residence of the Emperor and his family.

Lets start off with the outer court.   

You will see a large square, pierced by the meandering Inner Golden Water River, which is crossed by five bridges. Beyond the square stands the Gate of Supreme Harmony.

Thats the gate. You need to pass through the Gate in order to reach the Hall of Supreme Harmony.


Cross the gate and a three-tiered white marble terrace rises from this square;

BTW, thats the royal walkway. Only the Emperor can walk or ride on the Imperial Way, except for the Empress on the occasion of her wedding. Today, everyone gets to walk on it. HAHA.



The Hall of Supreme Harmony  is the China's largest existing wooden building, as well as the highest and grandest structure at the key position in Forbidden City.



It was dedicated to important ceremonies and momentous imperial decrees, such as the enthronement of new emperor, the emperor's wedding, birthday, as well as banquets on every Winter Solstice, Chinese New Year Day, etc.


So big and grand!

One of the bronze lions that symbolize "dignity" and "authority" standing majestically outside of the gate and the beautifully craved and details railings.


There is actually a meaning for the 10 animals found at the roof.

These sculptures identify the grade of halls. The more sculptures it has, the higher grade the hall is.
The number of statuettes represents the status of the building – a minor building might have 3 or 5.

You are right! The Hall of Supreme Harmony has the highest number of roof figures (10) in the Forbidden City and country during those days.

The eaves and roof-ridges of the Hall of Supreme Harmony are the most elaborate in the Forbidden City. Headache ar headache.  Paint (or pain) until you die. HAHAHA.

What dazzlingly decorated hall.


What you see in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.


The white marble terrace around the hall.


HAHA. I am trying to burn off some energy. LOL.


See the details until i giddy.

Anyway, did you all realise sth? Almost all roofs in the Forbidden City bear yellow glazed tiles because yellow is the color of the Emperor.



The Hall of Central Peace is a smaller, square hall, used by the Emperor to prepare and rest before and during ceremonies.

(Note the sharp contrast in colours. HAHA. They didnt bother to re-paint this, cause this is not the most impt hall. ROFL. Now, this is 500 years old of dust and algae. LOL. )


Move on! The next hall we visited was the Hall of Preserved Harmony (保和殿).
The Hall of  Preserved Harmony was used for rehearsing ceremonies, and was also the site of the final stage of the Imperial examination



The words were written by Emperor Qianlong which means “Highest Norm for the Emperor to Found a Regime” (Huang Jian You Ji 皇建有極).


So, thats the 2 main halls that defines that outer court, used mainly for ceremonial purposes.

Move on to the inner court, where is it the residence for the emperor and his family.


The Hall of Heavenly Purity (Qinqing Gong 乾清宫) was where the emperors lived and dealt with daily official matters. It is a double-eaved building, and set on a single-level white marble platform.


In the Ming Dynasty, it was the Emperor's residence as it represents the Yang and the Heavens. The Hall of Heavenly Purity was divided into 9 rooms on two levels, with 27 beds. For security,the Emperor would randomly choose any of the 27 beds. (I told you emperor fear death right!)


Above the throne hangs a tablet reading "Justice and Honour" (Zheng Da Guang Ming 正大光明).

Emperor Yongzheng had 13 other brothers and he witnessed the struggle for throne amongst his own brothers. When he had the throne, he alr wanted his son, Hongli to be the successor.

In order to help Hongli overcome any obstacles he may faced, he left the name of the successor to the throne behind the words written in a sealed box.

His successor will only be announced upon his death, hoping that it will minimize the plotting even among his own sons.



Next is the Hall of Earthly Tranquility (坤寧宮). The final hall of the inner court. But i didnt take any photos of it, its probably too boring. HAHA.

In the Ming Dynasty, it was the residence of the Empress as it represents Yin and the Earth.

In between these 2 halls lie the Hall of Union. It stands between the Hall of Heavenly Purity (emperor) and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility (empress), where the Yin and Yang mixed to produce harmony.




In the courtyard of Hall of Union.



 These three halls together constitute the centre of the Inner Court of the palace complex.

Behind these three halls lies the Imperial Garden! Relatively small, and compact in design, the garden nevertheless contains several elaborate landscaping features like stones walls and pavilions.

HAHA! I am not sure if you are aware of this, but dramas always like to show the empress/concubines taking a walk at the Imperial Garden admiring the flowers. LOL.

The last emperor took a photo here too, tgt with his wife.


I am tired with all the walking and i rest eating popcorn. HAHA. Its cheap anyway!


Thats where the last emperor attended english lessons. HAHA.


One of the few pavilions.


But anyway, the Imperial Garden is surprisingly small! Head off and roam the other areas of the Forbidden city.

Some ppl would have leave the Forbidden city after they reach the Imperial Garden, cause all of them would have covered the main halls.

But, i am someone who wants to make my admission tickets worth while. HAHA. I shall continue looking at the residences of the emperor's concubines, walking through the many misleading red lanes and get ourselves lost in the ancient world.

Nah, its very easy to navigate.

Palace of Earthly Honour: The residence of emperesses and concubines in the Ming and Qing dynasties. (i know,its confusing. They keep changing their residences throughout the dynasties)


Hmm, quite advanced huh? Their mirrors are considered very shiny then. HAHAH.



Next! Hall of Mental Cultivation. I always see this hall in dramas! HAHA.

As mentioned previously, emperors are supposed to reside at the Hall of Heavenly Purity (Qinqing Gong 乾清宫) right?

However, when the Yongzheng Emperor ascended to the throne, he did not wish to inhabit the palace that was occupied by his father for sixty years. He and the subsequent emperors lived at the smaller Hall of Mental Cultivation instead.


It looks old. LOL.

Exactly the same as what i see in TV dramas! HAHA. Anyone reading this now watch 步步惊心?
四爷 read the letter from 若曦 in this room in the last episode. LOL.


I am not sure if this hall rings a bell in your head. Its the residence of the empress dowager in 还珠格格. HAHA. I told you i watched a lot of TV?


It is the residence's of many concubines here.


Left the hall and started to roam around!




Maybe i really watch too much TV. I wonder how the maids commit suicide here or have their bodies buried here. Its so small.


Woots!
I really enjoyed my time at the Forbidden City! I dont think we will ever meet again, but it has been a fruitful journey!

At least, i know all the different Halls now.


Thank you and good bye!


If you have the time, you should visit the Jingshan Park to get an overview of the Forbidden City!
Exit from the Forbidden City (only one exit) and Jingshan Park is just located opp!

But that shall be in the next entry.

Woots.

I feel as if i just wrote a paper on the Forbidden City. HAHA.