Simplified Chinese name: 故宫
Traditional Chinese name: 故宮
Other names: The Forbidden City, The Palace Museum
Address: No.4 Jingshanqian Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Opening hours:
08:30-17:00(April 1 - October 31 Tuesday-Sunday)
08:30-15:40 (November 1st - March 31st Tuesday-Sunday)
Closed on Mondays
Tickets:
60 RMB in peak season (April 1st - October 31st Tuesday-Sunday)
40 RMB in off-season (November 1st - March 31st Tuesday-Sunday)
Recommended duration of visit: 3-5 hours
The Forbidden City, located in the center of Beijing, is the imperial palace of China's Ming and Qing dynasties and one of the largest palaces in the world. Built between 1406 and 1420, the Forbidden City covers an area of about 720,000 square meters, with a floor area of about 150,000 square meters. There are more than 70 palaces and more than 9,000 houses. The architectural layout of the Forbidden City is rigorous, with a symmetrical central axis. The Forbidden City is centered on the three great halls (the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony), with symmetry on the left and right, reflecting the characteristics of ancient Chinese palace architecture. As one of the cultural treasure of Chinese civilization, the Forbidden City has a large collection of precious cultural relics, including paintings, porcelain, jade, gold and silver ware, etc. It is an important window for people to understand Chinese history and culture.
Past and Present of the Forbidden City
The history of the Forbidden City can be traced back to 1406, when Zhu Di, the Ming Emperor Yongle, decided to build a grand imperial palace to enforce his rule. After 14 years of construction, the palace was basically completed in 1420. For more than 200 years of Ming Dynasty history, the Forbidden City has been the residence of emperors.
After the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains, the palace continued to be used as a royal palace, and was expanded and repaired several times. After the China’s liberation, the palace underwent extensive repairs and was established as the Palace Museum, which is open to the public. As an important cultural heritage and tourist attraction in China, the Forbidden City was listed as the first batch of national key cultural relics in 1961. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 by UNESCO as the "Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties". Today, the Palace Museum attracts visitors from all over the world every year. It is not only an important carrier of ancient Chinese culture, but also a witness of Chinese history.
Recommended Classic Visiting Route
There are many ways to visit the Palace Museum. Here are some of the recommended routes:
1. Central Axis Line Route:
Meridian Gate (Wu men) -Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian) - Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghe dian)- Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe dian)-Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing gong)- Hall of Union (Jiaotai dian) - Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunning gong) - Imperial Garden (Yuhua yuan) -Gate of Divine Prowess. (Shenwu men) .
This route is the highlight of a visit to the Forbidden City, where you can learn about the history and culture of the imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
2. Eastern Route:
Meridian Gate (Wu men)- Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian) - Six Eastern Palaces (Doliugong)
Six Eastern Palaces include
l Palace of Great Benevolence (景仁宫)
l Palace of Heavenly Grace (承乾宫)
l Palace of Accumulated Purity (锺粹宫)
l Palace of Prolonging Happiness (延禧宫)
l Palace of Great Brilliance (景阳宫)
l Palace of Eternal Harmony (永和宫)
This route mainly displays artifacts such as palace furniture, ceramics, jade and other cultural relics, allowing you to have an sight of the details of life in the palace.
3. Western Route
Meridian Gate (Wu men) - Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian)- Six Western Palaces (Xiliugong).
Six Western Palaces include
- Palace of Eternal Longevity (永寿宫)
- Hall of the Supreme Principle (太极殿)
- Palace of Eternal Spring (长春宫)
- Palace of Earthly Honour (翊坤宫)
- Palace of Gathering Elegance (储秀宫)
- Palace of Universal Happiness (咸福宫)
This route allows you to appreciate palace costumes, paintings and other artworks, as well as learn about the architectural style and historical changes of the palace.
4. Treasure Hall Route:
Meridian Gate (Wu men) - Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian) - The Treasure Gallery.
The route offers an appreciation of the palace's precious relics and artworks, including gold and silver, jade, and porcelain.
5. Royal Garden Route:
Meridian Gate (Wu men) - Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian) - Imperial Garden (Yuhua yuan).
This route allows you to enjoy the garden scenery of the Imperial Palace and learn about the artistic style and historical background of the royal garden.
Fun Facts about the Forbidden City
1. Sunshine Bell in the Forbidden City:
It refers to the phenomenon that every day at midday, the sun's rays shine through the five gates of Meridian Gate (Wu men) onto a large bell inside the palace, attracting many tourists to come and witness this miracle.
The authenticity of the relics is open to doubt.
2. Bronze Crane in the Palace of Gathering Elegance:
There is a bronze crane in the Palace of Gathering Elegance. Its left leg has a dent with some red rust. It is said that when Emperor Qian Long went to Jiangnan area, this crane ran to Jiangnan to guard the Emperor, but it was shot by Qianlong with an arrow, and the dent on the left leg is Qianlong's arrow mark.
3. The Footprint in the Hall of Imperial Peace:
In the Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin’an dian), there is a footprint on a brick, which is said to be left when a fire broke out in the Palace of Heavenly Purity during the Qianlong period. At that moment, Emperor Zhenwu appeared, and quenched the fire. Since then, this footprint is believed to be the sacred mark left by Emperor Zhenwu, representing his divine power and protection.
How to get to the Forbidden City?
There are many ways to get to the Palace Museum, the following are recommended:
1. By Subway: Take subway Line 1 or 2, get off at "Tian 'anmen East" or "Tian 'anmen West" station, exit from exit A, walk about 10 minutes to reach the Forbidden City.
2. By Bus: Take bus No. 1, 5, 52, 99, Sightseeing Line 1, Night Road 1 etc. Get off at Tian 'anmen East Station or Tian 'anmen West Station and walk about 10 minutes to reach the Forbidden City.
3. By Car: You can choose to drive to the Palace Museum, but it is recommended to reserve a parking space in advance as parking is limited.
Related Service Facilities
The Forbidden City provides tourists with a variety of convenient services. Here are some of the service facilities of it:
1. Luggage: The Palace Museum provides bag storage service, and visitors can leave their luggage in the designated storage area. The storage area is usually located in the Service Center near the Meridian Gate.
2. Souvenir Shops: There are many souvenir shops in the Forbidden City, selling a variety of unique and creative souvenirs and cultural products, which are excellent gifts for relatives and friends.
3. Service Center: The Palace Museum has a number of service centers, providing consultation, guided tour, bag storage and other services. Service centers are usually located near the Meridian Gate or near important attractions.
4. First Aid: There is a medical first aid station in the Palace Museum to provide basic first aid services to ensure the safety of visitors.
