Forbidden City

Having arrived at the entrance of the Forbidden City, I was awestruck by its size. This UNESCO-listed micro-city is a perfect rectangular shape measuring 3,153ft (961m) long by 2,470ft (753m) wide, surrounded by a 26ft (8m) high red wall and a 171ft (52m) wide moat. Some of the statistics for this palace are even more staggering, such as the complex's collection of 980 buildings and more than 9,000 bays of rooms, which has its own story that I'll regale you with shortly.

The Forbidden City was built by Zhu Di, Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty, between 1406 and 1420. It was the former imperial palace and winter residence for 24 successive emperors from 1420 to 1924. Once the imperial system was abolished after the Qing dynasty was dissolved, the last emperor was evicted in 1924, and the Forbidden City lost its status as an imperial residence.

In 1925, the Forbidden City was converted into a public museum called the Palace Museum, showcasing more than 1.8 million rare and precious items primarily from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Within the collection, the museum holds more than 340,000 ceramics and porcelains, covering more than 8,000 years of ceramic production, making it one of the largest collections in the world. Tens of thousands of pieces such as paintings, jade, bronzeware, timepieces and personal imperial artifacts line the museum's hallways. Some of these pieces date to dynasties before the common era making them more than 2000 years old, and a few pieces of jade date even further back to the Neolithic period (10,000-2,000 BC). The collection is incredible, and it's not even all of it. During the early 20th century, the threat of invasion and civil war forced the museum to evacuate its most important pieces. A quarter of the evacuated artifacts now form part of the main museum in Taipei, Taiwan. Another collection is in Nanjing, a city that served as the capital of China on many occasions.

Getting back to the Forbidden City, one of its most fascinating stories is the number of rooms. At first glance, 9,000+ bays of rooms seem outlandish, except for when one understands the definition relating to the Forbidden City. Here, a "bay of rooms" refers to the sub-division of larger buildings into smaller interconnected spaces, with each bay being a space defined by four structural pillars. This type of layout was necessary to accommodate the imperial palace's needs, such as ceremonial activities, residential quarters and administrative functions, while keeping cohesion within its architectural design. According to folk legend, there were 9999.5 rooms, although that has never been substantiated. However, in ancient times the emperors saw themselves as the Sons of Heaven, and the Heavenly Palace consisted of 10,000 rooms. Since the son's palace could not exceed Heaven's residence, the emperor cut down the room number by half as a deliberate approximation to the heavenly number, asserting the emperor's connection to celestial rule.

The easiest way to imagine this huge complex is by splitting it in half. The front half, entered via the Meridian Gate (main gate), was the outer court used for official and ceremonial functions, while the back half was the inner court, traditionally the residence of the emperor and his family.
The architectural style of the Forbidden City shows hierarchy, with each building's design following rules outlined in a 12th-century manual called "Yingzao Fashi" (State Building Standards). This manual gave specific design instructions for different-ranked buildings, highlighting how architecture conveyed status and authority within its society.

Another distinctive element of the complex's architecture is the use of two main colours: red and yellow. Red, seen on the walls, is an auspicious colour signifying good fortune and happiness. It is often used during festivities like Chinese New Year. Yellow, on the other hand, is the colour of the emperors. These colours have been used for centuries in Chinese art, architecture and decoration. Combining them in the Forbidden City connects it to a rich historical and cultural tradition while conveying prosperity, authority and the emperor's divine connection.

There is so much more to learn about the Forbidden City, but my journey has come to an end. Although this vast and impressive complex was inaccessible to most people during the imperial era, I am glad that it is no longer the case.

See you on the next adventure.



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Forbidden City - Temple of Heaven

As I forged through the city's commercial streets, I welcomed entering another landscaped park where an avenue led to the UNESCO-listed Temple of Heaven, known as "Tiantan" in Chinese. It is one of China's most iconic and well-preserved examples of imperial architecture and one of its most important religious sites. Construction began in 1406 during Zhu Di's reign, who was also responsible for building the Forbidden City and the first mausoleum at the Ming Tombs.

The temple was visited annually by emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for good harvests and divine blessings. These rituals were very important because emperors were seen as the intermediary between heaven and earth. The emperor and his entourage would camp within the complex twice a year, wearing ceremonial attire and refraining from meat consumption. The procession from the Forbidden City to the temple complex, along with the subsequent ceremony, was not open to the general public, and the execution of the rituals had to be precise and perfect. It was believed that even the smallest errors would bring misfortune to the country in the coming year.

Within the complex are a number of buildings, each with its own symbolic significance. The most notable is The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a triple-gabled circular building atop a triple-level marble stone base with intricate wooden carvings and a distinctive blue-tiled roof. Just like the Long Gallery at the Summer Palace, the hall's interior is highly ornate, with every inch of its roofline painted in exquisite detail and the red support columns covered in gold leaf.

South of The Hall of Prayer is a smaller building resembling it, called the Imperial Vault of Heaven. It is a single-level, single-gabled circular building surrounded by the Echo Wall that transmits sounds a long way.

Not far from the Imperial Vault is the Circular Mound Altar, a large, circular marble platform with three tiers of balustrades decorated with carved dragons. An interesting aspect of the Altar's design is the incorporation of fences and steps in multiples of nine. In ancient China, odd numbers were considered positive, with nine being the most positive value and symbolising imperial authority. Each level contains nine concentric circles of fan-shaped stones. These circles progressively expand outward, each with nine more stones than the previous one. At the centre of the Altar is a round slate called the Heart of Heaven. If you stand on it and shout, the sound waves will clearly echo. This is where the emperor would pray for fair weather, hoping the sound of his prayer would reach up to the heavens.

The colour scheme of the whole complex is also symbolic, with the main colour being blue, which is meant to represent the heavens. One fine example is the Hall of Prayer, where specific dark blue roof tiles symbolise the connection between the emperor and the divine.

The complex is nestled within a park consisting of more than 60,000 trees, including one known as the grandfather tree, a 500-year-old Nine-Dragon Cypress with branches resembling dragons intertwining with one another.
 

Taking my time to explore this serene temple complex, my next and final destination is the legendary Forbidden City.



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Forbidden City - Confucius Temple

After the Summer Palace, I wound my way through another expansive area, Yuanmingyuan Park, also known as the Winter Palace. It was a complex of palaces and gardens built between the 18th and 19th centuries as the imperial residence for the Qianlong Emperor and his successors. The palace was completely sacked and razed to the ground during the Anglo-Sino War and the Boxer Rebellion. Attempts to restore the palace were eventually abandoned due to lack of funds, and today, it remains in ruins.

Heading east, I strolled through the enormous Olympic Forest Park. Located north of the Olympic Stadium, this man-made nature park is an absolute haven for locals and tourists alike. It features walking and cycling paths, forests, flora, wetlands, lakes, the man-made Yanshan Mountain with viewing platforms and the Yangshan River coursing through the entire park.

As I passed the Olympic Stadium, I marvelled at the magnificent interwoven steel framework. The stadium's architectural concept was inspired by Chinese ceramics, giving rise to a "nest scheme" design of a red concrete seating bowl surrounded by an outer steel frame resembling a bird's nest.

As I continued south, I arrived at the Temple of Confucius. Dedicated to the memory of renowned philosopher and teacher Confucius (551-479 BCE), the temple was built in 1302 and expanded over the centuries. The current layout dates back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Confucius is an important sage in Chinese culture because his teachings established a philosophy emphasising morals, family values, and social harmony. These teachings became intertwined with Chinese identity, and his principles impacted art, literature and rituals while offering continuity through dynastic changes.

The temple features several grand halls, courtyards and landscaped gardens. Each building plays a role in honouring Confucius and his teachings. For instance, the Xianshi Gate, the entrance to the complex, symbolises the threshold between the outside world and the sacred space dedicated to Confucianism. Dacheng Hall, where ceremonies honouring Confucius are conducted, makes it one of the most important buildings in the complex. Chongshengci Hall is where scholars, officials, and students gathered to perform rituals emphasising the importance of Confucian values. The last one is the Kuixing Pavilion, dedicated to the deity Kuixing, often depicted holding a brush and book, who is considered the protector of scholars and writers.

Another significant feature inside the temple is a series of 198 stone tablets recording the names of more than 50,000 advanced scholars from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. To have one's name inscribed on the tablet, the scholar would have sat an imperial exam supervised by the emperor himself. Passing the exam would be the culmination of a scholar's dream to become the top talent in China. It's akin to obtaining a doctorate (Ph.D.) in today's terms. Those who succeeded would remain in the capital as officials.

While modern societies have changed and adapted to new challenges, Confucius' wisdom is still cherished and embraced around the world. Temples dedicated to him remain an important place where people can honour him and reflect on his teachings.



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Forbidden City - Summer Palace

Less than 10mi (16km) from Beijing's city centre is the Summer Palace, a vast imperial garden known as "Yiheyuan" in Chinese. A UNESCO-listed site, it is the most well-preserved imperial garden in the country.

The Summer Palace's origins trace back to the Jin Dynasty in 1153 when the emperor at the time relocated his capital to Beijing and built a palace in the Fragrant Hills, west of the Summer Palace. A century later, water was redirected from a spring to create a reservoir and ensure a consistent water supply to the palace. It would later become Kunming Lake, the central lake at the Summer Palace.

Fast-forward another two centuries to the Ming dynasty, when the Honghzhi Emperor built Yuanjin Temple in 1494 for his wet nurse in front of Jar Hill, later renamed Longevity Hill. The temple was eventually abandoned, and the surrounding hill grew lush with vegetation. Hongzhzi's successor cleared the hill, built himself a palace and established an imperial garden.

The Qing dynasty succeeded the Mings, and it was during this era that the Summer Palace really took shape. The Qianlong Emperor built many imperial gardens, and water consumption grew substantially. He decided to expand Kunming Lake and use the excavated soil to enlarge Longevity Hill, on which he built the Summer Palace (c. 1749) as a gift for his mother's 60th birthday.

The design of the Summer Palace was influenced by many architectural features from around the country and also by Chinese mythology, such as the three islands in Kunming Lake symbolising the legendary East Sea mountains and the Phoenix Pier representing Lake Tai, a large freshwater lake in the Yangtze Delta. However, as the Qing Empire declined, the palace was neglected and fell into disrepair. In 1860, at the end of the Anglo-Sino War, the palace was looted and subsequently burned down. It was reconstructed by Empress Dowager Cixi between 1884-95 as her retirement palace. Damaged again in 1900 and repaired, the Summer Palace opened to the public in 1914.

The expansive grounds are adorned with pavilions, halls and manicured gardens. The Seventeen-Arch Bridge is one of 30 bridges in the palace and, as the name suggests, features 17 arches. At 492ft (150m), it is the longest bridge on the grounds, connecting the eastern shore with one of the islands. Its beautiful upward-curved line gives it a sense of grandeur and aesthetic quality.
 

Another magnificent feature is the Long Gallery, a 2,300ft (728m) covered corridor running east to west, linking several attractions at the foot of Longevity Hill. It provided the Qing Dowagers a place to promenade regardless of weather conditions, with pleasant views of Kunming Lake and the gardens. Four octagonal pavilions with double eaves, representing the four seasons, mark the ends of the gallery (two on each side). The most remarkable elements of the corridor are the 14,000 paintings adorned on every beam, cross-member and ceiling, featuring flora, fauna, buildings, and landscapes, along with folk tales, Chinese literature and legendary figures.

There are so many beautiful features of the Summer Palace that it would take another letter to list them all. Instead, I will walk up to the Tower of Buddhist Incense to see the 16ft (5m) tall and 5-ton gilded statue of the 1000-handed Kwan-yin Buddha from the Ming era and take in the panoramic views of the lake and beyond.


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Forbidden City - Ming Dynasty Tombs

It's easy to become overwhelmed by the size of Beijing. First of all, it is a sprawling megacity with a population exceeding 20 million. Second, navigating it can be daunting for the uninitiated like me. But here I am, undeterred by the city's vastness and determined to discover its many wonders, none more stark than the juxtaposition of its modern skyscrapers towering over ancient sites.

Beijing is a very old city, more than 3000 years old, and it is widely believed to be one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The earliest record is from its pre-imperial era when the ancient states of Ji and Yan established the City of Ji as the region's capital during the Warring States period (475-221 BC). This marked the city's beginnings.

Throughout China's history, Beijing served as a capital during different periods. Kublai Khan's establishment of Dadu (one of its earlier names) as the capital during the Yuan dynasty (1270-1368) denoted the first time all of China was ruled from Beijing. Since 1279, except for two intervals, Beijing has continuously remained China's capital, with its longest uninterrupted period spanning from 1421 during the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1912.

Encompassing several centuries, Beijing has evolved into a cultural treasure trove featuring many museums, iconic landmarks, and traditional performing arts such as the Peking Opera and Chinese acrobatics. Of particular note is Beijing's distinction for being the first city in the world to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

Beijing's cultural landscape is so incredibly rich and varied that it boasts seven World Heritage Sites, of which I plan to visit four: the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Ming Tombs.

To begin my journey, I ventured beyond the city's centre to the foothills of Tianshou Mountain. Here, nestled in a carefully chosen landscape, lies the Ming Tombs, a complex of traditional buildings that serve as the final resting place for 13 of the 16 Ming Dynasty emperors. The remaining three found their resting place elsewhere; one vanished without a trace.

Among the tombs, the first to stand was Changling (“Forever Tomb”). It was constructed in 1409 by Zhu Di, Yongle Emperor, the third emperor of the Ming dynasty. As the oldest and largest in the complex, Changling set the tone for the others that followed, each varying in size. Dingling Tomb is the only one excavated with its burial chamber open to visitors.

Zhu Di's choice for this location was strategic. He wanted a place to construct a grand mausoleum befitting an emperor's palace in the afterlife. He adhered to Feng Shui principles, setting the complex in a serene valley surrounded by mountains near a flowing river. It also harmonised with Taoist ideals of unity between nature and humankind. Subsequently, it became the designated imperial mausoleum complex, witnessing the construction of tombs for the twelve succeeding Ming emperors over the next 230 years.

The entrance to the complex is via the imposing Great Red Gate. Painted red, the gate has three grand arches. During the Ming era, the gates were sealed, and guards posted, restricting access to the general public. Even emperors followed certain protocols when entering these sacred grounds.

Once inside the "Sacred Way", a path lined with statues of animals and officials leads to Changling Tomb and the grounds beyond. Taking my time to stroll through here, I enjoy the quietness and solitude and wonder how many Ming emperors were directly involved in constructing the famous Great Wall of China, just north of the Ming Tombs.


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