In the front and on each flank ,there is a pair of gilt bronze vats (caldrons ) molded during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty .Each of these weights 2 tons and is filled with water as a precaution in the event of a fire .The structure in the very middle is the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,also known as the throne hall. It is 64 meters in width and is 38 meters from entrance to rear. With terrace exclusive ,the hall is 26.92 meters in height and is 35.03 meters in all .Covering and areaof 2,377 square meters, the Hall of Supreme Harmony is China` s largest exiting wooden structure. The hall is supported by 6 thick ,round pillars carved in a design of coiling dragons. As the holiest place in the hall, the ceiling and colored patterns were made of the finest material available at that time. The throne was placed on a terrace and is flanked by statues of elephants, Luduan (a unicorn which could travel 18,000 kilometers a day and understand all languages), cranes and incense barrels .Over the throne there is the caisson ,or covered ceiling ,which consists of a coiling dragon playing with a ball in its mouth .This ball is known as Xuanyuan Mirror ,and was supposedly made by a Chinese emperor of remote times to serve as a reminder that thee rulers to follow were his hereditary heirs. The throne is made of nanmu and painted in gold .Magnificently built and luxuriously decorated ,this hall did not serve as a place in which the emperor attended to daily affairs. He used his hall for major events such as his birthday, conferral of title of empress or dispatch of generals to war.

    Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,there sits the Hall of Complete Harmony. This structure is square in shape .Each side is 24.15 meters. This was the place where the emperor relaxed and greeted his courtiers before proceeding to the hall of supreme Harmony to observe rites. This was also the place where the emperor prepared prayers or examined seeds and sowers before he attended ancestral sacrifices or participated in snowing ceremonies. A grand ceremony was also held here once every 10 years for the emperor to genealogize the royal blood. There are two sedan chairs on display in the hall. Behind the Hall of Complete Harmony ,you will see the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which was used as a place where imperial examinations were held. The imperial examination was the hignest level of competing for meritorious appointment under the feudal system dating back to the Sui Dynasty. China` s last imperial examination was held in 1904 during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. To the rear of hall there is a marble ramp carved with cloud and dragon designs, the largest of its kind in the whole country . It is 16.57 meters in length, 3.07 meters in width, 1.7 meters thick and weighs 250 tons. It was quarried in Fangshan County in suburban Beijing. To bring this giant piece of stone to Beijing people poured water onto the road and applied rolling blocks during the process.
We are now standing before the square of the Hall of Heaven Purity. It served as a divide separating the forecourt from the inner court .This building is known as the Gate of Heavenly Purity. Emperor Qianlong held court here. Proceeding further north ,you can find three main rear halls ,i.e. the hall of heavenly purity. the Hall of union and peace and palace of earthly tranquility. The hall of heavenly purity if flanked on either side by two gates named after the sun and moon .Inside the enclosure there are 12 palaces and halls symbolizing constellations. All of the other buildings are centered around the Palace of Heavenly Purity , which was meant to suggest that the monarch` s power was endowed by Heaven. The empress and concubines lived in the inner court.

    The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperor lived and attended to daily affairs. Later the emperor moved to live in the Palace of Mental cultivation. Looking up you can see a plaque bearing the Chinese inscription “be open and above-board,” a manifesto to court struggle .Behind the plaque a strongbox was stored containing a will bearing the name of the would –be royal successor. This approach of secretly selecting the next emperor was adopted by Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. Two copies of the will were prepared .One was stashed by the emperor in person ,the other was placed inside the strong box behind the plaque. After the death of the emperor, the two copies would be compared and successor would be announced. It was in this way that Emperor Qianglong and others have ascended the throne.

    Behind the Hall of heavenly purity you will see the hall of union and peace , which is indentical to the hall of complete harmony. It was there that the emperor received congratulations and tributes from imperial officials on major calender occasions , A total of 25 imperial seals are stored there. In the hall, you will see a plaque with the handwritten inscription of “we wei,” exhorting Taoist doctrines.

    Further northward is the Palace of Earthly Tranquillity, which once served as the living room of the empresses` . The hall was later converted into a sacrificial place .Through the windowpanes on the eastern wall you can see the royal bed decorated with dragon and phoenix designs. This hall has also served as the bridal chamber of monarchs.

    The Gate of Earthly Tranquilliity leads to the Imperial garden (known to westerners as Qianlong` s Garden ),which was used by the emperor ,the empress, and the concubines. A magnificent structure stands in the middle. It is called the Qin `s an (Imperial Peace) Hall. It is the only building in the Palace Museum that was built in Taoist style. It served as a shrine to the Taoist deity. The garden covers a space of 12,000 square meters ,and is 130 meters from east to the west and some 90 meters from north to the south. There are a dozen halls, verandahs, pavilions and waterside houses in the garden . On each of the fur corner there is a pavilion dedicated to the four seasons which is different in construction style and shape. The garden also features an imperial landscape. With rare trees and exotic rockery, the Imperial Garden served as a model for China` s imperial parks .In all ,a total of 10-strong building styles were applied.

    The tall building we are now passing is the gate of military prowess, the back door of the Palace Museum. Our visit is now drawing to a conclusion but the architectures of the Palace are not . On the other side of the road is the 43-meter-hign Charcoal Hill , providing natural protection for the Forbidden City. This was also an embodiment of China` s construction style-putting a pool in the front and a hill in the rear. Now let` s climb up to Wanchun (Everlasting Springs ) Pavillion where we` ll have a great view of the Palace Museum.

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