Principles Behind the Design
The Forbidden City was built in the 15th century during the time of the Ming dynasty, and at that time the Chinese Emperor Zhu, wanted to move the Chinese capital north to Beijing. He commissioned the palace to be built so that the emperor and his court could live there.It was designed with strict, hierarchical rules.The palace as a whole was built around a central axis, with four gates leading to the four directions. Almost every inch of spaces and layouts were designed based on principles of feng shui and yin and yang.
Magnificence of the Forbidden City
Comprising 980 buildings, the vast Forbidden City includes courtyards, ceremonial halls, gates and enclosures, as well as gardens and other leisure areas. It covers 74 hectares, with a total area of 72 hectares. The construction of the city was mainly done by manpower, without the use of machines. The grandest assembly in the palace is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which has five tall marble pillars lined up, stretching for 12 meters wide, 7 meters deep and 14.7 meters high. To the north of the Hall lies the Imperial Palace Garden, a verdant paradise of tranquil beauty and harmony. The pavilions, terraces, and halls within are also a remarkable landmark.
Protection of the City from Thieves
Thieves were always trying to access the Forbidden City and steal its treasures, so the painstakingly intricate walls, tiles and bricks were designed to confuse thieves and make it more difficult for them to enter the palace. After an extensive period of research, experts came to the conclusion that the bricks used in the palace were not only impervious to fire but also held a unique mixture of chemicals that could not be replicated. Furthermore, tiles and bricks are also used extensively on the palace walls in order to deter potential thieves.
From Forbidden to Enlightened
Apart from its grandeur, one of the most remarkable aspects of the Forbidden City is its ability to reflect centuries’ worth of history. From the time of its construction in the 15th century till 1949, when the rule of the Qing dynasty ended, the Forbidden City witnessed the rise and fall of different Chinese dynasties. Then in 1949, it became the Palace Museum and opened to the public. It is now a place of great historic and cultural significance for the people of China, providing an insight into the lives of different Chinese dynasties.
A Record-Breaking Tourist Destination
For a long time people thought of the Forbidden City as an unapproachable palace. But nowadays, it has been open to the public and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with more than 15 million visitors every year, making it one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world. It has even entered the Guinness World Records as the “Most Visited Place in China”, making it the go-to destination for anyone interested in China’s rich history and culture.
Vision of the Future: Preserving and Protecting
According to the Chinese government, they have been making great efforts to protect this genuine surviving masterpiece of Chinese cultural heritage. In 2006, the Chinese government launched a new project called “Protection of the Forbidden City” to renovate over 420 buildings in the palace and restore the ancient architecture for future generations. They are also making a comprehensive system to collect and store cultural data associated with the Forbidden City, in order to pass down the culture from certain points of the period of the Forbidden City and develop it in modern times.
Conservation of Historical and Cultural Treasures
The conservation of the Forbidden City is taken very seriously by the Chinese government. In recent years, the Chinese government has implemented various projects to protect the cultural relics of the Forbidden City, such as the renovation of the outer walls of the palace, the relocation of illegally encroached houses, the dispatch of professional conservators, the restoration of old buildings, and the expansion of the Forbidden City Museum. Government funding is also used to build a digital archive, which will be open to the public soon and allow people to access the cultural relics of the Forbidden City online.
Conclusion without Concluding: What is Left Unsaid?
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Forbidden City is its ability to captivate people’s imaginations with its unique blend of grandeur and history. While the Forbidden City is undoubtedly a landmark in China, its legacy is often under appreciated. The Forbidden City was an important place where culture was preserved, admired and created, and it continues to be one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world. While much has been said about the Forbidden City, much remains to be explored and discovered.
