The Forbidden City in Beijing (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

BEIJING – If the millennia during which China built and renovated palaces is viewed as an epic, Beijing’s Forbidden City is an awe-inspiring final chapter. 

In the heart of Beijing stands a 720,000-square-meter palace complex made of wood and earthen bricks, the largest surviving specimen of its kind in the world. This compound served as the imperial palace from 1420 to 1911, where 24 emperors once lived. 

For centuries, the Forbidden City, officially known as the Palace Museum today, has stood in the heart of Beijing and witnessed the rise and fall of dynastic power and the nation’s ongoing rejuvenation. It was open to the public in 1925. 

The star of this UNESCO World Heritage Site is really its stunning ancient architecture. The 600-year-old Forbidden City must rate as one of the most stupendous relics of history, with more than 800 imperial buildings having been meticulously restored to their former glory. Only about half of these palatial buildings are open to the public, allowing you an insight into the high life led by the descendents on the dragon throne. 

Taihe Dian is one of the biggest draws for visitors to the imperial complex. (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

On show are the best examples of Chinese architecture, engineering and traditional artistry. It holds over 1.86 million rare and valuable artworks, including ceramics, paintings, calligraphy, bronze ware, timepieces, ancient books and historical documents. 

In 1406, Zhu Di, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), proposed moving the national capital from Nanjing, capital of today’s Jiangsu province, to Beijing, where he once resided as a prince and could better safeguard the northern frontiers. 

(PHOTO PRIVED TO CHINA DAILY)

The complex was completed in 1420, after about 10 years of preparation and a massive three-year construction. The capital was officially relocated the next year.

The Forbidden City was built following rules inherited throughout Chinese history. It regulates a symmetrical layout for capital cities, which should be centered by a palace with a north-south axis. The historical areas of today’s Beijing, including the Forbidden City, precisely echo the rule. 

The Forbidden City in Beijing (JIANG DONG / CHINA DAILY)

Rites are represented through architectural details. For example, only the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian), the palace’s highest-status building, where the most important ceremonies took place, can have 10 deified creatures as ornaments on the roof. The fewer the roof ornaments, the lower the building’s rank. 

For people who cannot visit in person, the Palace Museum has developed its internet presence to maintain links with the public and take advantage of the digitization and digital communication work carried out on its collections.