• What the emperor left is grand. Gugong Palace or The Purple Forbidden City was imperial palace for the Ming and Qing and built from 1406 to 1420 by the third Ming emperor Yonglewas, and a whole area is 720,000 square meter, and the building area is 150,000 square meter. There are 9,999 buildings. It is enclosed in the rampart wall of 961m south to north, 753m in east and west, and 10m height. It becomes endless to look around if the target is not set. This time, traced the passage which the emperors used looked around the buildings near the passage. Even for the limited way, it took two hours at least.

• Jingshan Park is on the north of the palace. It is at the position to get the panoramic view of the palace if it is clear weather. But unfortunately it was hazy. Prospect hill park consists of hill but actually the soil was piled up to make the artificial hill in the age of MIng Dynasty in the surprise. It is unbelievable scale.

• QIAN QING GONG (Palace of Heavenly Purity)
  This palace was constructed in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty and was rebuilt in 1798 during the Qing Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperor lived and handled political affairs in this palace. After Emperor Yongzheng ascended the throne, he lived in Yang Xing Dian (Hall of Moral Cultivation) and held ceremonies and met officials and foreign envoys in this palace. In the Qing Dynasty, after an emperor passed away, his coffin was kept in this hall, to prove that he had died peacefully. After the memorial ceremony, the coffin was moved to Guan De Dian (Hall for Observing Military Virtue) in Jingshan (Prospect Hill) Park.Finally, the funeral ceremony was held and the deceased emperor was buried in the imperial mausoleum. The "Heir Apparent Box", a system secretly set up by Emperor Yongzheng, was placed behind the board inscribed with the words "Zheng Da Guang Ming" (Open and Aboveboard). The name of the emperor's successor, written by the emperor himself, was kept in this box. after the emperor passed away, the secretly appointed crown prince would ascend the throne. Qian Qing Gong and Kun Ning Gong (Hall of Earthly Tranquility) were where the emperors and empresses lived. According to The Book of Changes, "Qian" refers to Heaven, and "Kun," to earth. Flanking the pa[aces are named Ri Jing Men (Gate of Sun Excellence) and Yue Hua Men (Gate of Lunar Glory), implying "Heaven and earth are bright under the sun and moon, and the whole world is open and peaceful." Source : Signboard

East Gate and 10-meter high wall.	Corner tower. Each locates at the four corners.	Right Gugong and left, Heavenly Gate.	The palace is surrounded with the 52m wide moat.
Famous Heavenly Gate gathers people from everywhere.
The front of Tiananmen.	Same pole as in Shuri Castle, Japan Okinawa	Big foo guards the gate.	Zuimen Gate view from Tiananmen Gate.
Tiananmen square, 440,000-square-meter, is large enough to hold 1 million people. The Tiananmen Square was seen from the Tiananmen Gate. The size is understood although backlight.
Exhibition rooms of the Tiananmen Gate are also big.			Ceiling of Tiananmen
Looking at Zuimen Gate from upper floor of Tenanmen Gate. This width continues.		Stone are spread all over.	Next to Tenanmen is Zuimen Gate.
The Meridian Gate (Wu men) on the south is the entrance to the palace and 35.6m high.		Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihemen)	Right to Taihemen is Gate of Cooperate Harmony.
Two bronze lions guard the front of the Gate	Big incense burner is more than 2 meter high.	The gate looks like a huge building.	It decorates also in the internal ceiling.
Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian), main building of the palace. Right is Taijingkaku House.		Taihedian and the central passage only for emperors.	Relief of dragon on the passage only for emperor.
Big incense burner in front of Taihedian too.	The last emperor, Puyi, ascended in this Hall in 1908 at the age of three. He lived here until he was expelled in 1924. The center is emperor's throne.
Big incense burner next to right of Taihedian.	Long building is the History and Art Museum.	Left "Back-left Gate" and higher "Lofty Tower"	Hall of Central Harmony & Hall of Preserved Harmony
Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian) is a stopover before Hall of Supreme Harmony.		The stairs with platform are distinctive Chinese.	The stone pavement like terraced field is unique.
In the Hall of Preserved Harmony(Baohedian), Emperors presided the final stage of national examinations.		Gate of Heavenly Purity. Eunuchs control here after	Square of the Gate of Heavenly Purity
Right side is the Gate of Fortune.	Male golden lion in the east in front of Gate of Heavenly Purity.	Palace of Heavenly Purity(QIAN QING GONG), During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the emperor lived and handled political affairs in this palace.
Hall of Union and Palace of Earthly Tranquility	Hall of Union is a place where empress's birthday is celebrated.		Gate of of Earthly Tranquility
Relief of Gate of of Earthly Tranquility	There is little green in the palace except this Imperial Garden.		Go up the bower through center of the rock.
Walls continue 961m south to north, 10m high.	The Gate of Spiritual Valor (Shenwu men) on the north is seen on brochure	The panoramic view of the palace from top of the Jingshan Park.

2005/03/01