Forbidden city beijing unesco. Beijing Imperial Palace - "Forbidden City" ("Gugong")

Googong, aka Purple or forbidden city, located in the heart of Beijing and, undoubtedly, belongs to the greatest monuments world culture. It was built at the beginning of the 15th century. Emperor Zhu Di. the third ruler of the Ming Dynasty. This sovereign moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing (Beijing) and attended to the creation of a new residence. Over the course of 15 years, from 1405 to 1420, - in those times quite quickly - a palace complex was erected, which included many structures - from majestic temples to miniature arbors and bridges of the ruler of the Celestial Empire, corresponded to the ideas of the Confucian officials surrounding the throne about the greatness of the Son of Heaven.

It was conceived as an impregnable residence, separated from the rest of the world by a powerful fortress wall and a wide moat. Still fresh was the memory of the wars and troubles that accompanied the fall of the former Yuan dynasty in the second half of the 14th century. To emphasize the divine character of the power of the emperors of China, materials of two colors were used in the construction of the palace - yellow and dark red, which were considered sacred in the Celestial Empire. These colors were achieved by firing tiles and bricks in a special way. Hence the name Purple City - Zijingchen. The second name - Gugun - means "the palace of the former rulers", it appeared later and eventually became the main one.

sky city plan

Up to 100 thousand artisans and about a million laborers were employed in the construction of Gugun and its decoration. The palace complex was divided into two parts - the Forbidden City itself and the so-called Imperial City. The latter included government offices, estates of the highest nobility and palace services. There were also parks, temples and secondary palaces.
This grandiose ensemble is the quintessence of Chinese traditional architecture little changed in two millennia. Its territory is a regular square in plan, surrounded by a brick wall 10 m high and surrounded by a canal 60 m wide. Palaces, gates, courtyards, streams and gardens are symmetrically located behind the walls. The total area of ​​the "city" is 72 hectares, of which buildings occupy 15 hectares.

The imperial city with its thousands of officials, courtiers, slaves, slaves and eunuchs was in fact a small state within a state with its own hierarchy, finances, laws, court, prison. The southern wall of this city has survived to this day, and its buildings currently serve as the residences of the leaders of China.

Only the emperor himself and his family lived in the Forbidden City. He rarely left the residence. Only dignitaries closest to the Son of Heaven were allowed into this part of the complex. For ordinary mortals, even very noble ones, the entrance here was closed. The Forbidden City was considered the center of the Celestial Empire, and hence the whole world. It contained Gugong - the actual imperial palaces, Taimiao - the Temple of the Ancestors, Shezitan - the Temple of Fertility, sacred mountain Jinshan and sacred Western Park.

Of all the gates of the Forbidden City, the most famous Gate of Heavenly Peace is Tiananmen, leading to the square of the same name. The wooden gate that used to stand here burned down from a lightning strike in 1456, after which the clergy decided to appease the angry spirits with new ones - with a suitable name. In front of the Tiananmen gate there are two sacred columns - guabiao - made of white marble, decorated with intricate carvings. To the east stretches a magnificent park of cedars and cypresses, many of which are already six centuries old. It houses the Temple of the Ancestors, erected under the Manchu emperors on the site of the destroyed l. Interior. a similar Ming Dynasty temple.
To the west of the Tiananmen gate is the Temple of Fertility, where prayers were made for the harvest and a cult of patron spirits was sent! cereals. Nearby rises the sacred mountain Jinshan, 60 m high. It has five peaks with pavilions on each and is planted with cypresses and pines. On the slope of the mountain grows an old elm, surrounded by a fence. According to legend, the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty hanged himself on it three and a half centuries ago when the Manchus captured the city.

From the gates of Tiananmysh. a special Imperial road passes, rising above the ground thanks to a special embankment and paved with slabs of polished stone. Only the emperor had the right to pass through it during the days of celebrations and ritual sacrifices. The road ends at the Noon Gate - U Myn, crowned with a two-tiered roof. This majestic and at the same time elegant building served as a symbol of the Sun and imperial power. Above the gate was erected the Tower of Five Phoenixes (Ufenlow), or Tower of Drums. last name arose from the fact that during the solemn exits of the emperor they beat a gigantic drum on it.

Contrary to ordinary show, main gate complex is not Tiananmen, namely Wu Men. Behind them begins s creepy city. Passing them, century booty gave into the courtyard, crossed ny kana scrap Neijinshui - Golden River. neijinshui lined with marble and surrounded engraved with a carved stone balustrade. Through the channel spanned by five marble bridges ticks, s symbolizing the five virtues, them to the inner gate, called Gates Supreme Harmony.

Behind them is another large courtyard that can accommodate 20,000 people. On its opposite side, on a high marble terrace, stands the most significant building of the Forbidden City - Taihedian, or the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Its height is 35 m, length - 63 m, and area - a quarter of a hectare. In this huge throne chamber, the emperor appeared only on especially solemn occasions, which included major holidays(Harvest Day, Dragon Day, etc.). Decrees were announced there, commanders were given powers to wage war, and the highest academic ranks were personally approved by the monarch. Inside the chamber is decorated with beautifully preserved paintings. In front of the entrance there are bronze sculptures 16th century: guards-lions and turtles - a symbol of longevity.
Two more buildings are located near the main palace: Taihedian - the Hall of Middle Harmony, where the most important religious rites were performed with the participation of the emperor, and Baohedian - the Hall of Preserving Harmony, where Chinese officials took an exam for the highest academic titles and positions.

Behind the main buildings of Gugun are three less significant, the so-called Back Palaces. The first is the Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong), where ambassadors and governors were received. It was there, on the Altar of Light and True Greatness, that the emperor's lifetime testament was kept, in which he appointed an heir in case of his death. The second is the Palace of Communication between Heaven and Earth (Jiaotaidan), where birthdays of the Son of Heaven were celebrated and especially important documents and royal seals were kept. And finally, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kuinningong), where the marriage ceremonies of members of the imperial family were performed. These pavilions symbolized the absolute power of the Chinese emperors over all parts of the world. They are placed on terraced pedestals, and long stairs made of white marble lead to them. To the north were the living quarters of the emperors, their families and courtiers.
The roofs of the pavilions of the Forbidden City are lined with golden tiles; pillars, doors, window frames are painted with scarlet varnish; ceiling beams, plafonds, walls are completely covered with fine carvings, painting and gilding, front pavilions are surrounded by carved white marble parapets.

The buildings of the Forbidden City are decorated in abundance with images of turtles, deer, cranes, butterflies, flowers, personifying longevity, prosperity, wisdom, happiness and beauty. But most of all, the Chinese loved the dragon - a symbol of the power of the Son of Heaven. The intricately curved cornices of the multi-tiered roofs were designed to scare away evil spirits. The roofs and gates of the palace were covered with colored glazed tiles with bas-reliefs and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The buildings were interconnected by walkways, closed courtyards and ceremonial gates.

To the west of the Wu Myn gate rises Wingdian - the Pavilion of Military Valor. During the Ming era, audiences were held here for the highest military ranks of the empire. In the room to the south of the pavilion was a gallery of portraits of emperors and empresses of antiquity. The portraits survived the storms of wars and revolutions and were among the exhibits taken out in 1949 to Taiwan. Now they are exhibited in the Taipei Museum, which received the semi-official name of New Gugong.

The entire palace ensemble originally consisted of 9999.5 rooms and halls. This seemingly strange number has a religious explanation. According to legend, there are exactly 10 thousand rooms in the Heavenly Palace, and the Son of Heaven did not consider it possible to create a palace that surpasses the divine chambers. Therefore, one tiny closet room was counted as half.
The facades of all the main buildings face south. Thus, the Forbidden City is symbolically "turned its back" to the north, which in Chinese mythology was considered the seat of evil demons and hostile forces.

PHOENIX - SPEAKER OF THE WILL OF THE EMPEROR

Near the gates of Tiananmen, imperial decrees were announced in a solemn atmosphere.

In front of the gate, a special platform for the announcement of decrees was equipped. At the beginning of the ceremony, all the highest civil and military ranks of the court lined up facing north near the bridge over the canal and knelt down. Then the minister of ceremonies brought out the text of the decree on a lacquer tray and placed it on a palanquin carried by eunuchs. The palanquin was carried along the line of kneeling officials to the gates of Tiananmen and raised by a special lift to the gate tower, from where the herald solemnly read out the decree. Then the scroll of the decree was put into the beak of a gilded wooden statue of the Phoenix bird (Fenlu), which was lowered onto the square on silk ropes. She was put on the same palanquin and taken to the Chamber of Ceremonies, where the text of the decree was copied and sent throughout the country. This intricate ceremony was called "Proclamation of the Imperial Will through the Phoenix".

Temple of Heaven and Earth

The complex of museums of the Forbidden City also includes the Temple of Heaven and the Temple of Earth located outside its walls. Temple of Heaven - Huangqunyu - covers an area of ​​28 hectares and is surrounded by two rows of walls. His most an important part- Temple of Prayer for the Harvest, erected in 1420. This is a round building with a three-tiered roof lined with sacred yellow tiles and crowned with a gilded dome. Its height is 38 m, diameter - 30 m. It was erected without the use of rafters and transverse beams, and even without load-bearing internal walls.

One of the temple structures - the Altar of Heaven is a three-level terrace of white marble. Three tiers symbolize the three elements of the universe: Heaven, Earth and Humanity. In front of him is the so-called Threefold Echo Stone. If you stand on the first step of the altar and clap your hands, then the echo will be single, from the second step - twice, and from the third - three times. The second building, the octagonal Vault of Heaven, reaches a height of 20 m and is surrounded by a skillfully built Echo Wall. The Echo Wall is remarkable in that the words spoken in front of it, even in a whisper, are clearly audible from the opposite side of the wall. The third building - Qingyandian, or the Hall of Harvest Prayers, has a height of 27 m. It was built mainly of wood and miraculously survived all the wars and troubles of the last century and a half. Today, the dark blue glazed roof tiles, elaborate wood carvings, and marvelously decorated interior make it one of its most notable attractions.

The architecture of the buildings of the Forbidden City is distinguished by the diversity and originality of forms and decor. On the cornices of the roofs of pavilions and memorial arches (pilou), stucco images of guards - lions and dragons were placed, and stone lions were placed at the entrances to palaces and temples.

BOTTOM HOUSE OF TREASURES

TO mid-nineteenth V. As a result of two “opium wars” and the Taiping uprising, which claimed about 20 million lives, China was very weak and became dependent on the European powers, and soon on Japan. In 1860 Peking was captured by Anglo-French troops. Already after the sack of the city and the flight of the emperor, the winners burned the Summer Palace - one of the pearls of the Forbidden City, motivating this by the need to finally bring the vanquished to their knees. This magnificent pavilion has never been restored. Today, its ruins can be seen in the park of Peking University.

After graduation civil war new government made efforts to restore the expositions of the palace. But already in the early 60s. 20th century work stopped due to the infamous cultural revolution when many of national heritage China was under the ban of the communist government. Access to visitors to Gugun was closed, almost all museum workers were dispersed. Fortunately, the Forbidden City was not subjected to another destruction, although traditional Chinese art was declared "decadent nationalist" and "the product of foreign dynasties that oppressed the people." Since the second half of the 70s. Gugun museums resumed full-scale scientific and cultural activities.

In 1900, after the defeat of the Boxer uprising, the city was again occupied by the troops of the European powers. The interventionists destroyed the palace library), where the rarest old manuscripts and books were kept. Entire trainloads of gold, pearls, ivory and porcelain were taken out of Beijing. During the Xinhai Revolution of 1911-1913. General Yuan Shikai became the sole owner of Gugong, uncontrollably disposing of all the wealth of the imperial residence. In 1924, the family of Emperor Pu Yi was finally expelled from the Forbidden City. During the civil war, the Kuomintang government used imperial treasures to pay off foreign allies.

In 1937, Beijing was taken by Japanese troops. The Chinese managed to evacuate part of the collections, but the lion's share was lost in the chaos of the retreat or was captured by the invaders. In 1949, by order of Chiang Kai-shek, the surviving exhibits were taken to Taiwan.
Currently, approximately half of the territory of the complex is open to visitors. The museum stores about a million exhibits - more than 10% of all museum funds of the PRC, of ​​which only 18 thousand are on display. At the same time, the exposition is continuously updated. There is a kind of circulation of rarities. Tourists who have already been to Beijing and visited the Forbidden City can see completely new collections on their next visit.

General A.I. Vlasov, who was in the late 30s. 20th century Soviet military adviser in China, upon returning to the USSR, two suitcases of Chiang Kai-shek's personal gifts were confiscated at the border from the collections of the Forbidden City: antique porcelain, jade, gold and precious stone items.

Now all museum exposition consists of two large parts. The first is the palaces and living quarters of the imperial family, in which the former atmosphere is recreated. The most significant is Showroom historical and artistic values, where the most important exhibits are presented, including objects from the famous tombs of the emperor of the 3rd century. BC e. Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu Di, who lived in the 2nd century BC. to i. e. In addition, the complex includes the Exhibition Pavilion of Jewelry, pavilions of painting, art of the Ming and Qin dynasties, ceramics, bronzes, and watches.
In general, the Gugong exposition provides an opportunity to get acquainted with the cultural and artistic relics of various periods of Chinese history - from the semi-mythical Zhou dynasty to the last Qin. It is considered the largest palace-museum in the world, surpassing both the Moscow Kremlin and Versailles.

Western and Eastern palaces
Through the south-western gate lies the path from the garden to the Western palaces, where the second-ranking empresses, empress dowager mothers and high-ranking concubines settled. Each of them is a special estate, separated by walls from the rest of the world. Six palaces are arranged in pairs: Concentrated Beauty, Universal Happiness, Honoring the Earth, of Eternal Spring, Longevity and the Highest Beginning.

At the Palace of Pure Bell RingingexposureRuyutsya"four treasures of the scientist's office": unique work paper, ink and writing brushes made the best craftsmen different eras, color woodcuts, early printed books of the 10th-12th centuries.

In the eastern part of the living quarters there are six Eastern palaces: Pure Bell Ringing, Benevolent Sun, Obedience to Heaven, Eternal Harmony, Honoring Kindness and Eternal Happiness. Outwardly, they are very similar to Western palaces, but to a lesser extent retained interior decoration because it houses an exposition of works of art from the imperial collections.
In 1644, when the Ming dynasty fell as a result of another popular uprising, the Manchus captured the country, and the Forbidden City was plundered. But the Manchu rulers who founded the Qin dynasty soon restored it to its former splendor. New temples and palaces were erected, gardens and parks laid out. By the 18th century, Gugun reached its highest splendor. Not only masterpieces were concentrated here Chinese art, but also treasures taken from neighboring countries. According to the chroniclers, in the palaces of Gugun "untold riches from the lands of the barbarians were kept", French missionaries reported: "It is amazing how many interesting and magnificent things this sovereign has of all kinds from all over the world." The English ambassador, Lord Macartney, who visited China at the end of the 18th century, recalled the emperor’s large number of items of European origin: “Music boxes, globes, watches of such exquisite craftsmanship and in such abundance that our gifts looked more than modest in comparison with them. And we were told that all these beautiful things are only a small part of what is available.

A special collection was made up of gifts brought by foreign ambassadors, which in official inventories were called "tribute of the barbarian kings to the rightful ruler of the world." Chinese sources made a clear distinction between "gifts" - items sent on behalf of the emperor, and "tribute", which meant any offering from outsiders.
Unfortunately, little has survived from its former splendor to today. Modern expositions of the museums of the Forbidden City were mainly created in modern times.

In the very center of Beijing, there is a large imperial palace complex, nicknamed by the Chinese "Gugong" (故宫 gùgōng, "Former Palace"). Twenty-four emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties lived in it, replacing each other on the throne of the rulers of the Celestial Empire, installed here.

The complex was built in 14 years under Emperor Zhu Di (Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644). Ancient Chinese astronomers believed that the purple (Polar) star is located in the center of the heavens, and therefore the Emperor of Heaven lives in a purple palace. Accordingly, the abode of the earthly emperor was made in the same colors and was called the Purple City. It was forbidden to enter this city without special permission from the emperor himself. Thus, “Forbidden” (紫禁城 zǐjìnchéng, Purple Forbidden City) was added to the naming of the complex, but soon the color faded into the background, only the name remained, known to this day - “ Forbidden City».

Today it is a famous palace museum north of Tiananmen Square. The strict rectangle of the Forbidden City is the largest palace complex in the world and occupies 74 hectares. 8886 rooms are located in 980 palace buildings, surrounded by a 52-meter (wide) moat with water and a 10-meter (high) wall. Each side of the wall has a gate. The distance between the east and west gates is 750 meters. Unique carved towers rise above each of the four corners of the outer wall. From them, the palaces and cityscapes of Beijing are clearly visible.

Forbidden City split in two. The southern part, or the Outer Palace, was the place where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the people. The northern part, or the Inner Palace, is the place where he lived with his family.

The most important hall in both the Outer Palace and the entire complex is Hall of Supreme Harmony(太和殿 tài hé diàn). It was built in 1420, covers an area of ​​2400 square meters, and with a height of 36.57 meters is the tallest palace in the complex. During the reign of the emperor, no building in Beijing could be higher than the Hall of Supreme Harmony. In this palace is dragon throne- the imperial throne, surrounded by elephants, symbolizing the world.

Until 1924, when the last emperor of China, Pu Yi, was expelled from the Inner Palace, fourteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty and ten emperors of the Qing Dynasty had already lived in the Forbidden City. Being the home of the rulers of the Celestial Empire for five centuries, the palace has preserved many rare treasures and legends.

Construction of the palace complex, on which, according to various sources, more than a million workers, including one hundred thousand artisans, worked in the most difficult conditions, began in 1407 during the Ming Dynasty, and ended fourteen years later. Enormous quantities of timber and other materials were brought from distant provinces. The stone for the construction was quarried in the Fangshan district (an area in the southwest of present-day Beijing). To facilitate delivery, wells were dug every 500 meters along the way, from where they drew water in order to flood the road in winter and roll huge blocks over the ice. For example, in front of the Palace of Supreme Harmony, there is a stone slab called "Imperial Way" or Yunlong. Its area - more than 50 square meters, weight - 239 tons. It took 20,000 workers and 28 days to deliver.

Wood, including very valuable varieties, was mined in the southern provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei and floated to Beijing by waterways.

IN next year after the construction of the palace complex was completed, the capital of the Chinese Empire, as planned, was moved from Nanjing to Beijing.

The ancient Chinese showed their very extraordinary skills in the construction and design of the palace. Take at least the grandiose red city wall. At the base it is 8.6 meters wide, gradually narrowing towards the top, where it reaches 6.66 meters. The angular shape of the wall completely prevents attempts to climb it. The brick from which it is built is made from white lime and glutinous rice, while the cement is made from glutinous rice and egg whites. These incredible building materials make the wall extremely durable.

The palaces themselves are mostly built of wood, and ancient Chinese engineers, fearing fires, developed for them special system heating, in which heat was supplied under the floor of the room through underground pipes leading from bronze coal furnaces located outside the building. Thus, the palaces of the Forbidden City do not have a single chimney, and the floors are always warm.

Since yellow became the symbol of the imperial family, he acquired a dominant position in palace architecture. The roofs are built with yellow tiles; decorations in the palace are painted yellow; even the bricks on the ground are made yellow by special technology. However, there is one exception. Wenyuange, the Imperial Library, has a black roof. The reason is that the ancient Chinese considered black to be a symbol of the water element, and therefore a talisman against possible fires. But still, 90% of the roofs of the Forbidden City are lined with yellow or "golden" tiles. This tile is very heavy, when it is tapped, a clear ringing is heard, and tung oil is used to give it a special shine during polishing.

Another symbol: golden lion statues at the imperial palace they have thirteen curls-bumps on their heads. Exactly this big number, reserved only for imperial house lions. Other high-ranking politicians and officials were ranked by the number of curls: if an official did not deserve more than seven, then lions were not even placed at his house.

The Forbidden City is Beijing's main attraction and, no doubt, well deserved. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site cultural heritage in 1987, the palace complex has already earned the laurels of one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world.

In addition, everyone who is interested in the history of China and, in particular, the life of the Forbidden City, is strongly recommended to watch the wonderful historical and fiction film by Bernardo Bertolucci "The Last Emperor" (1987), which takes place in the real Forbidden City, including the throne room and other notable places. The plot is also extremely interesting, even for non-Sinologists.

Movie trailer:

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 the winter, 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

Imperial Palace located in the city center 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 the southern gate of Umen, or the Noon Gate, also called the Middle Gate. Behind them is a large Jinshuihe square 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 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

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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 the complex is open to visitors today, the history of the Forbidden City is still a mystery.

The royal complex, comparable in scope to the 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. TO XVIII century the city 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 the history of China and many believe that it led to the destruction of not only the Qing dynasty, but also 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 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. 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. The most popular temple in 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.

Forbidden City (Gugong)- 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 luxurious life, but in 1644 the new taxation affected the population and it 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 last emperor and owner of the Forbidden City. On February 12, 1912, the five-year-old Pu-Yi officially abdicated However, he was allowed to stay in the palace.

In 1925 he left the Forbidden City. And 24 years later, the complex was opened to visitors. The Forbidden City was officially renamed the "palace-museum" ("Gugong" from the Chinese language, translated as "Palace of the former rulers").

purple forbidden city

From the very beginning, the Forbidden City was entangled with ritual and religious concepts. Legend has it that the structure of the palace was conceived in a dream by master Yongle, a seer monk. The monk imagined an extraterrestrial city where the Lord of Heaven would live, the polar star was considered the dwelling of the God of Heaven (in China, the star was called purple). According to Chinese cosmology, purple was a symbol of joy and happiness, and also the color guiding star.

Thus, the emperor established himself as the Son of Heaven, with a mandate to maintain harmony between the human and natural worlds. He and his city became connected with the divine powers of the universe. Only the emperor could use purple, his residence, the color of the walls, as well as the special ink with which he signed his name.

The place for the construction of the city was chosen in accordance with Feng Shui. The layout of the Palace-Museum is subject to the "wu-sin" theory, according to her, there are five primary elements in the world, which give rise to all other things and natural phenomena: earth, fire, wood, water and metal.

Its vast territory covers over 700,000 square meters, on which there are about 800 buildings, totaling 8707 rooms, however, as the legend says, these rooms are 9999.

Most rooms have odd number rooms located symmetrically about the axis. However, there were six rooms in the Emperor's library, this was done to protect against fire, because the number six in astrology is associated with water.

Literally, China (Zhonghua) means “country in the center” or “Middle Kingdom”, which leads to the idea that the Forbidden City is located in the very center of the world. It was built according to ancient spatial design rules first used during the Han Dynasty for the city of Chang'an (modern Xian), between 206 B.C. and 220s.

According to the rules, the main buildings should be aligned in a straight line, from south to north. The cold north side was seen as a negative direction. Because all invasions arose from the north: evil spirits, cold winds and unholy warriors from the steppes.

Thus, almost all the buildings in the palace complex face south, in a holy direction, providing protection from the icy north wind, as well as additionally beautifying the city with endless variations of sunlight. The walls of the city have gates on each side. To the south is the Tiananmen Gate; in the north, the Gate of Divine Power.

The Forbidden City is divided into the Outer Palace and the Inner Palace. The outer palace was used for ceremonial purposes (coronation, wedding) and state affairs of the emperor.

The outer palace included three halls: the Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and Preservation of Harmony. The Inner Palace included the "Hall of Heavenly Purity", "Unification of the World" and "Earthly Peace".

Inner Palace - the place where the emperor worked and lived with his family. They are surrounded by three gardens: the Garden of Longevity, Kindness and Tranquility. In the northern part is the Imperial Garden with pavilions and colorful rock formations. The city is divided by a central axis, 8 km long. In the very center is the Throne of the Emperor.

The Forbidden City is the largest palace complex and in 1987 was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It houses about a million historical relics of ancient China, and is also one of the most famous landmarks in the world.

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