HISTORY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE 3 China: Art, Architecture & Interior THE FORBIDDEN CITY Location of the Forbidden City in the historic centre of Beijing The Forbidden City was the imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five hundred years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government. Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 m 2 (7,800,000 sq ft). The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.

HISTORY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE 3 China: Art, Architecture & Interior THE FORBIDDEN PALACE -Surrounded by a 7.9 metres (26 ft) high city wall. -These walls served as both defensive walls and retaining walls for the palace. - Constructed with a rammed earth core. - At the four corners of the wall sit towers (E) with intricate roofs of 72 ridges. -The Meridian Gate (A) has two protruding wings forming three sides of a square (Wumen, or Meridian Gate, Square) before it. - The gate has five gateways. The central gateway is part of the Imperial Way, a stone flagged path that forms the central axis of the Forbidden City and the ancient city of Beijing. Only the Emperor may walk or ride on the Imperial Way, except for the Empress on the occasion of her wedding, and successful students after the Imperial Examination. One of the corner tower

HISTORY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE 3 China: Art, Architecture & Interior THE MERIDIAN GATE Looking back from the balcony of the Meridian Gate. The Meridian Gate is very grand, with five openings, and is the largest and main gate of the Forbidden City. The gate is 35.6 meters high and surmounted by five pavilions. Because each pavillion resembles a pheonix, this gate is also known as WuFengLou, which means 'Five Phoenix Tower'.

HISTORY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE 3 China: Art, Architecture & Interior THE FIRST COURTYARD After entering the Meridian Gate, visitors arrive in an immense courtyard that begins with five bridges stretching over the 'Inner Golden River'. In part, the five bridges represent the five Confucian virtues of humanity, sense of duty, wisdom, reliability and (ceremonial) propriety. The bridges are well decorated with marble balustrades carved with motifs of dragon and phoenix. On the west side looking south east towards the Meridian Gate The river serves as fire hydrant in case of fire as well as serving the principles of Feng Shui and decoration. Its bed and sides are paved with white stone to enhance the beauty of the water.

HISTORY OF ART & ARCHITECTURE 3 China: Art, Architecture & Interior THE GATE OF SUPREME HARMONY If one simply divides the Forbidden City into two parts - Outer Court and Inner Court - then we now head into the main part of the Outer Court. The Outer Court consists of three grand halls sitting on a raised marble terrace. In front of the halls and terrace lies a courtyard and the gate to the Outer Court. F) The Gate of Supreme Harmony is the second major gate at the southern side of the Forbidden City. One of the two side gates. The gate is guarded by a couple of bronze lions which aimed to show imperial dignity. The west one is male, with its front right paw resting on a ball, symbolizing imperial power extended worldwide. The lioness on the east side has its front left paw on a lion cub, indicating a prosperously growing family and the never- ending secession of the imperial lineage.