The world-renowned Forbidden City in Beijing, the capital of China, was created at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It served as the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, housing 24 Ming Dynasty emperors and many other royal members of the Chinese imperial family. While much of the palace conforms to traditional Chinese architecture, its captivating grandeur and impressive scale have resulted in it being dubbed the “eighth wonder of the world.”
The Ming Dynasty was founded by the dynasty-founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang. It was ruled by 14 emperors over the course of 276 years, and the Forbidden City served as the center of the dynasty’s governance. Yuanzhang, and some of the 13 successive Ming emperors, lived in the Forbidden City palace. Over the centuries, they added to the palace’s grandeur and used it to symbolize the imperial court and its undeniable authority. All fourteen Ming emperors were said to have at least partially resided in the palace.
Over the years, the Forbidden City has effectively preserved a wealth of palatial architecture, cultural relics, and evidence of the life style of the emperor. Each emperor had his own palace within the complex and added to the collection of artifacts and artwork, as well as to the physical structure of the city. This offers a rare sight into Chinese imperial lifestyle, housing layouts and rituals. The palace served not only as the residence of the ruler, but also as the main center for the whole imperial court. Meanwhile, the walled city was considered to be the exclusive preserve of the emperor, serving as the home of the imperial family, their staff, and even the imperial harem.
Today, the Forbidden City is a World Heritage Site, as listed by UNESCO in 1987. Being Beijing’s most popular tourist attraction, it is estimated that it receives up to 16 million visitors a year. The complex consists of over 9,000 rooms and palaces and is encircled by a moat, four parks, a number of gardens, and various religious sites. It is the largest existing palace complex in the world, offering rare insight into the inner secrets of emperors and their courts.
Relationship with the People
Ming emperors were mandated to maintain a good relationship with the people, and establish and adhere to strict rules and regulations, as well as guidelines for proper behavior. Their relationship to their people was communal and close; with almost familial ties and obligations. Imperial aid came in the form of monetary, material and spiritual assistance, helping to improve the livelihoods of the people. This societal approach was foundational to the emperor’s power, and demanded their continual presence in the Forbidden City.
The Ming Dynasty was progressive in developing social ties – especially through their relationship with the people. Emperors made occasional trips from the palace grounds to the prefecture of Mong Kok, located two kilometers away. During these visits, they held public court, and met with local peoples to discuss matters concerning their welfare. These public meetings served to keep the community informed and held the emperor accountable to both the local officials and the people.
A Decline of the Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty began to weaken and decline late in the 1500s, due in part to a series of military defeats. This caused difficult and powerful political factionalism within the imperial court. It weakened the authority of the emperor, and their involvement in the lives of the people in Beijing. Increasing poverty, social unrest, and eventually the fall of the Ming Dynasty left the Forbidden City vulnerable and open to attack.
In 1644, the ‘Army Revolt’ saw Beijing being overrun by the peasant revolt led by Li Zicheng. This led to the fall of the Ming dynasty, marking the end of their 276 year rule. The Ming court fled the Forbidden City and moved their capital to Nanjing, never to return.
Reoccupation of the Imperial Palace
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the Forbidden City was used as the imperial palace, where the Shunzhi, Kangxi and Qianlong emperors resided. While the palace grounds were renovated and refurbished, the buildings and artifacts were also left in place. During Qianlong’s reign (1735-1796), imperial buildings were created in the palace in a unique style known as the ‘Qing style’.
Qianlong also served to strengthen the imperial court and royal families’ grandeur within the palace. He set a trend which saw imperial buildings being destroyed and rebuilt by successive emperors, as well as introducing furniture specifically designed for the imperial court. He also believed in remodeling his predecessors buildings and artifacts, creating a new imperial atmosphere.
Imperial Art
The Forbidden City played a major role in cementing the imperial court’s power and its display of grandeur. It gave prominence to awards and gifts presented to the emperor. Objects presented to the court included delicate porcelains, lacquers, furniture, embroidery, textiles, and sculptures. The emperors also used their power through art, utilising these objects in their living quarters, as a way of impacting their people.
The emperor’s involvement in art went beyond just his possessions. He also commissioned artists to create objects which served as a visual expression of his authority. Beautiful works of art were produced in the imperial palace and spread throughout the wider community. This provided further opportunities for the people to find inner-strength and belief in their ruler by seeing visible signs of his power.
Yesteryear’s Influence on Today
Despite being over 600 years old, the Forbidden City still stands today. Its walls of knowledge carefully preserve both the art and culture of the Ming and Qing emperors. This offers contemporary visitors a much needed reminder of the history and grandeur of the past dynasties. The Forbidden City’s interior design and structures provide a unique tangible connection to the lives of the emperors and their communal relationships with the people, preserving it in its original form.
Today, the Forbidden City continues to document royal history and provide an insight into the superior lives led by past emperors, and how their lives influenced their people and the wider world. It allows us to appreciate our past, and gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the social and political history of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The Power of Education
It is believed by many that education is the key to unlocking deeper knowledge and understanding of our past, enabling us to make better decisions for the present and future. It is for this reason that the Forbidden City strives to offer educational programmes and experiences for its visitors in order to keep the legacy and teachings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties alive.
These programmes allow us to appreciate the history of the Forgotten City, while promoting the importance of embracing cultures past and present. This includes interactive talks, video shows, classical music concerts, traditional yard games, and other fun education activities. These experiences not only teach the public about the history of the emperors and their courts, but also serve to remind them of the Forbidden City’s impact on our world today.
Ming Dynasty Legacy
The legacy of the Ming Dynasty and the Forbidden City can still be seen throughout China today. The civil service exams, magistracies, and the constructions of the Grand Canal were all instituted during their rule. These, and other ideas, would be followed and made part of the culture by future rulers. Even in today’s world, the teachings of the dynasty are felt in Government system and governance, ethics, and many other cultural aspects of life in China.
The Ming Dynasty and its emperors left a lasting impression on Chinese culture, no more so than with their relationship to the Forbidden City. This storied palace is adorned with vibrant history and intricate culture, linking us to a unique past, and providing us with an insight into the lives of its royal residents. Through this royal heritage and its museums, the knowledge and teachings of the Ming Dynasty is still passed down today, allowing us to understand the trials and tribulations of emperor life for the past centuries.
The Legacy of the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is a historical reminder of our past, and a representation of Chinese culture across time. It provides us with a glimpse of the era when Imperial power was seemingly unstoppable and where the emperor was perceived as divine. This divine power and influence was used due to its proximity to Beijing, allowing it to easily maintain the emperors control over the people and respective provinces.
The immense and grandiose palaces which make up much of the Forbidden City provided the Ming and Qing emperors with lavish lifestyles, elevating them beyond their citizens. Yet, the regal lifestyles they housed within the walls of this remarkable structure also created a legacy of its own, testimony to the era in which they were built and the lives they were made to live.
Conclusion
The Ming Dynasty and its emperors provided a deep and lasting legacy to China, most notably felt in the Forbidden City. This grand palace acted as physical representation of the emperor’s power, allowing his rule to be seen in many aspects of life, from relationships with his people to his influence on art and culture. By preserving its grandeur, the Forbidden City to this day offers a window back in time, allowing us to appreciate and learn from the lives of those who resided within its walls centuries ago.
