The Forbidden City - history, legends, what to see. Forbidden City (Imperial Palace)

The gates have five doors - three in the center and two doors on the sides. The side doors were used by service personnel and are now closed. Of the three central doors, the right one was used by officials, the left one by members of the imperial family, and only the emperor himself could pass through the central large door, but there were two exceptions.

The first exception was made only for the Empress and only once - on the wedding day. The second exception was made once every few years for the winners of the imperial exam. We recommend that tourists go through the central door. Feel like an emperor.

Tourists should pay attention to the rivets on the doors. In total, there are 9 rows of rivets and 9 columns (you can count yourself in the photo in the gallery on the right). 9 is lucky number Emperor, and in the Forbidden City you will meet him constantly.

The midday gate is stunning in its size - it is 35 meters high, which is the equivalent of an 11-storey building. There are 5 towers at the top, which are called “Phoenix Towers”. The whole structure really resembles this mythical bird.

The main bells and drums of Beijing were installed at the edges of the central tower. Bells were ringing every year, announcing the departure of the emperor in, drums were beating when the emperor departed for the Temple of the Ancestors. In the most important ceremonies, bells and drums sounded simultaneously, announcing the coronation or wedding of the emperor.

The midday gate was a place of "communication" between power and peace. Here new laws were officially declared, the emperor welcomed his subjects on holidays, hosted parades and watched the punishment of guilty officials.

Gate of Supreme Harmony (Taihimen) (2)

After the Noon Gate, you will be taken to large area- Outer courtyard of the Forbidden City. There is a water channel "Inner Golden River" through which five bridges are built. The rules for crossing these bridges were exactly the same as for the doors at the Noon Gate.

This channel had several functions. The first is a source of water in case of fire, the second is a natural barrier for attackers in the event of an attack on the Forbidden City. Tourists should pay attention to the balustrades of the bridges, decorated with figures of dragons and phoenixes - symbols of the emperor.

Another interesting moment in this square, which is worth paying attention to are the bricks of the pavement. These bricks are made according to special technology, they make a pleasant ringing sound when stepped on. This property of covering the area has almost disappeared, but in some places this sound can still be heard.

The main attraction of the square is two giant bronze lions. The right lion holds a sphere under its paw, symbolizing the power of the emperor, which extends to the whole world. The left lioness holds a lion cub under her paw, symbolizing the well-being and fertility of the imperial family. The Chinese believe that such lions protect the house from evil spirits and attract good ones. Naturally, these lions are the largest in China.

Behind the lions are the Gates of the Highest Harmony itself. The name "gate" is a convention, in fact, it is a real pavilion. It was used in all cases when they did not want to let someone go further, but a meeting with the emperor was necessary. For example, receptions of foreign ambassadors or the imperial court.

Hall of Highest Harmony (Taihidian) (3)

After passing through the Gate of Supreme Harmony, you will find yourself on the largest square in the Forbidden City - 30,000 square meters... Behind it rises the Hall of Supreme Harmony - the main building of the Forbidden City.

This is the “heart” of the Forbidden City. It was here that the emperor received officials and generals, all the most important ceremonies and celebrations were held here. The hall is located on a marble base in three tiers. Two large staircases lead upstairs. In the center is a marble slab weighing 250 tons, which we have already described above, decorated with bas-reliefs with phoenixes and dragons.

The height of the building is 37.5 meters, and for a long time the Hall of Higher Harmony was the most tall building in Pekin. It was forbidden by law to build buildings above it. When you look at the Hall of Higher Harmony, the thought does not even occur to you that this is a structure as high as a 12-storey building.

The traditional architecture of China has never aspired to gigantism. The harmony of size, form and content is the main goal of ancient Chinese architects. And, to be honest, they did it great.

Some sites on the Internet write that the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest wooden building in the world. Of course it is not. The Odate Zhukai Dom stadium in Japan is 52 meters high and has an area of ​​25,000 square meters. The Hall of Highest Harmony is tiny in comparison.

Even in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, tourists will see a lot of interesting things. Note the huge water vats - another measure fire safety... There are also the main ones in the Forbidden City. sundial... Also here you can see very interesting stone columns, similar to lanterns, which served as a repository for standards of measures and weights.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is 64 meters wide and 37.2 meters deep, with an area of ​​2381 square meters. The roof is supported by 72 columns - 6 rows of 9 pieces. Note that the number 9 is also used here - a symbol of imperial power.

Inside is the main imperial throne. It is called the Throne of Supreme Harmony. It can be difficult for tourists to look at it, as it is dark inside. In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, more than four doors are rarely opened, and there is not enough light. The central door is rarely opened, and you have to look at the throne at an angle. In addition, columns obscure the throne from this angle. In the photo on the right, you can see how sad it looks.

There are a lot of people who want to see the throne, and to open doors still need to "break through". V weekdays it is quite possible to do this, but on a weekend it is an epic feat. Hence the conclusion: do not go to the Forbidden City on weekends and holidays... On weekends in Beijing, it is better to go to the markets or or walk along shopping centers district. Cultural attractions these days are always crowded with visitors.

In addition to the throne, inside you can see six gilded columns decorated with bas-reliefs with dragons. These columns are seen a little better (see photo on the right). On the rooftop directly above the throne is a large golden dragon playing with a pearl. There is a legend that if someone usurps the throne, then this pearl will fall on him and crush him to death. This dragon is very difficult to see for tourists, and even more so to photograph.

Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian) (4)

It is a small building with a pyramid-shaped roof. This hall was used for the emperor's rest and dressing before ceremonies. There is also a throne inside, but much more modest than the Throne of Supreme Harmony. The hall was often used as a place for conversations between the emperor and close ministers and generals.

The inscriptions near the throne read: “The path of Heaven is deep and mysterious, but the path of humanity is difficult. Only if you draw up an accurate and uniform plan and follow it, you can rule the country well ”. These words were left here by the Qianlong Emperor from the Qing Dynasty. He knew what he was talking about, because he ruled the country for 60 years.

Hall of Preserved Harmony (Baohedian) (5)

This is the last building of the "outer palace" - the working part of the Forbidden City. After that, you will find yourself in the “inner palace” - the residence of the emperor and his family.

The Hall of Preserved Harmony had many functions. During the Qing Dynasty, it most often served as a banquet hall. During the Ming era, it served as a training ground for the empress and princes for ceremonies.

By outward appearance it is similar to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but smaller. There is also an imperial throne inside, and also a smaller one.

All these three halls stand on a single base of three tiers. If it rains during your visit to the Forbidden City, then don't be upset right away. This is a good opportunity to see the amazing drainage system... Tourists notice the stone dragon heads at the base, and it seems that this is just a decoration, but these are the outlets of pipes that bring water down. There are 1412 such dragon heads in total.

The Forbidden City in Beijing is the largest and most mysterious. Having served as the home of 24 emperors of China for over 500 years, the palace was closed to ordinary citizens. Anyone who dared to break this rule faced death. And despite the fact that most of complex is open to visitors today, the history of the Forbidden City still remains a mystery.

Myths and facts

The Forbidden City took 15 years to build. According to legend, a million workers were employed, 100 million bricks, 200 million tiles and an untold amount of marble were used. The complex was completed in 1421.

The closed palace was home to royal families and servants, which consisted of thousands of eunuchs and concubines. Entering the city without permission meant death for the offender, and the punishment was slow and painful. Despite this, many curious people wanted to see what was going on inside.

Some got this opportunity in 1644. Emperor Ming lived in luxury when new taxation literally starved the population. The outbreak of the uprising broke into the Forbidden City. The Ming Dynasty emperor is said to have been in a drunken frenzy when the rebels arrived. To protect his harem from desecration, he killed all the women and cut off his daughter's hand. Then he hanged himself, thus opening the way for the Qing dynasty.

Tradition says that the Qing clan was cursed by the emperor - "the Qing house will fall from the hand of a woman." However, in 1644, the Qing dynasty settled in the Forbidden City and its secrets became even more intriguing. The eunuchs of the palace, of whom there were about three thousand, began to prepare their own conspiracies and recruited spies from the concubines. There are many scandalous stories about this, in which it is impossible to distinguish truth from fiction when the Forbidden City is described.

In 1853, a seventeen-year-old girl, Cixi, was taken to the palace as a concubine. Over time, she became the most powerful woman in the country and many believe that she led to the destruction of not only the Qing dynasty, but also of imperial China as a whole. Cixi broke with tradition and became an empress dowager. She ruled the country until her two-year-old nephew Pu-Yi succeeded her. Pu-Yi was the last owner of the Forbidden City in Beijing. In 1912, at the age of five, he abdicated the throne, but he was allowed to remain in the palace.

A major fire in 1923 destroyed the city's warehouses. Many believe it was set on fire by eunuchs to cover up the theft from the royal treasury. In 1925, Pu-Yi, the last twenty-fourth emperor of China, left the Forbidden City. And twenty-four years later, the complex was opened to the public.

What to see

The main entrance to the Forbidden City is on the south side through the Noon Gate. The whole complex is divided into the Inner and Outer palaces. The main premises of the Outer Palace, where the emperor held state events and solemn ceremonies: the halls of Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and Preservation of Harmony. The northern part, the Inner Palace, was occupied by the families of emperors and concubines. Here are the halls of Heavenly purity, Unification of the world and Earthly tranquility. They are surrounded by three imperial gardens: Longevity, Kindness and Tranquility. Behind them is the elegant Imperial Garden with gazebos and picturesque rock formations. The entire city is divided by an eight-kilometer central axis. At the center of this axis is the Throne, symbolizing the imperial power.

Forbidden City ( Imperial palace Gugong in Beijing)- the largest palace complex in the world. Conceived back in 1406, for centuries it was closed to mere mortals (hence the name of the palace). From this place, the Celestial Empire was ruled by 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties. But even today, 75 years after the last Chinese emperor left the palace, it is still forbidden, half of the city is still closed to curious tourists and surrounded by an aura of mystery. This palace was the first of the Chinese sites to be listed by UNESCO. world heritage humanity (in 1987).

Gugong Imperial Palace was built in 1406-1420. Its total area is 720 thousand square meters. m; the palace complex has 9999 rooms. It is surrounded by a 3400 m long wall and a water moat called "Golden Water". A million builders and 100 thousand other specialists took part in its construction - masters of stone carving, wood carving, artists, etc. The Gates of Heavenly Peace lead into it.

One of the most mysterious, vast and famous palace complexes in the world is called "Gugong", which means "the palace of the former rulers" in Chinese. Better known as " Forbidden City". It was built in the early 15th century under Emperor Zhu Di (Ming Dynasty), who made Beijing the capital of the Chinese Empire. Gugun, this "city within a city", was closed to mere mortals for 500 years, as it served as a home for the "celestials" - the emperors.

Hence, 24 generations of rulers ruled the Celestial Empire - from 1421 to 1912. Gugong is the first of the architectural masterpieces of China, listed by UNESCO as a "world heritage".

Debunking the myths of the Forbidden City in Beijing

The full historical name of the modern Gugong Museum Complex, which covers a total area of ​​720,000 square meters, is the Purple Forbidden City, as it is fenced off from the rest of Beijing by high 10-meter high bright red walls total length 3 400 meters and ditches 52 meters wide filled with "golden" water. And any resident of the country who would dare to enter the territory of the palace complex was to face the death penalty.

In connection with the centuries-old veil of secrecy that reliably surrounded Gugun, there are many legends about the imperial palace. It is believed that the design of the Forbidden City of China was dreamed of by a hermit monk, who created all the main building projects. He showed them to Prince Zhu Di and thereby gave the future wen-huangdi ("cultural emperor") the great dream of building a house for the Sons of Heaven.

The third emperor from the Ming dynasty wanted to make a complex of 10,000 rooms, but the Jade Lord Yu-di himself came to him and forbade Zhu Di to build a palace using the sacred number "Wan". Only the ruler of Heaven could afford it. Then it was decided to make 9999.5 rooms. Whether they were actually built is unknown, since the Forbidden City of Gugun burned down many times and was rebuilt many times. Now it has 8707 rooms.

Curious, but if you spend the night in each room in Forbidden City only once, it will take a person 27 years to have time to sleep in each room. Such a number of rooms also made practical sense: no one, except the trusted eunuch, knew in which room the emperor would sleep today, which reliably protected him from hired assassins.

They have been building the future dwelling of the "earthly gods" for almost 16 years. According to legend, 1 million people were involved in the construction, 200 million tiles, 100 million bricks and marble were used. In 1421 the last apartments were finished. The construction was carried out in accordance with the strict requirements of feng shui: the entrance to the palace and all the main buildings are oriented to the south, and from the north the complex is surrounded by mountains that protect it from cold winds and evil spirits. Each of the parts of the palace corresponded to a certain season, so that the emperor could live in constant harmony with nature.

In general, all Gugun is complex and intricate system of signs and symbols. For example, together with the city gates located on the south-north line, the complex forms a single hieroglyph zhong ("middle") - this is one of the main categories of philosophy and culture of China.

The true history of the Forbidden City with a touch of fiction

Over the five centuries, the owners of Gugong changed 24 times: 14 times representatives of the Ming dynasty ascended the throne and 10 times - emperors from the Qing dynasty. During this time, strangers entered the territory of the palace only a few times. So, in 1644, Zhu Yujian, the last Emperor Ming imposed such exorbitant taxes on the entire country that it caused the population to revolt. The rebels broke into the Forbidden City and plundered it. But how badly the abode of the "earthly gods" suffered then is unknown. But it was thanks to this uprising that the Qing dynasty came to the throne.

Zhu Yujian killed his concubines and daughters, and then hanged himself in order, according to ancient beliefs, to ascend to heaven, riding on a dragon. But this was far from the last blood that stained the marble of the imperial palace. During the Qing reign, the general line of power was reduced to complete isolation China from the rest of the world, which led to the strengthening of intra-palace intrigues.

It is known that at least 3,000 eunuchs lived in the Forbidden City in China and several thousand concubines. Eunuchs were intriguing, concubines were spies, and over the centuries, Gugun's story was replenished with many scandalous stories in which truth cannot be distinguished from fiction. Like the Vatican in Rome, the palace lived its own life, and, of course, the brightest page in the book called "the Qing era" was the almost 50-year rule of Cixi. Having made a career from a concubine to an empress, having ruined many lives in her lifetime, this woman has become an integral and most secret part of the Forbidden City. At the same time, it was thanks to her, or rather, Cixi's passion for photography, that the world saw the pictures for the first time. interior decoration palace.

The death of the empress (1908) almost coincided with the end of the Qing dynasty. After 3 years, the last ruler, the young Pu-Yi, signed the abdication of the throne. He lived in the palace until 1924, and during his time there was the last major fire that destroyed many caches and warehouses in the Forbidden City. A number of historians believe that the palace was set on fire by eunuchs who wanted to hide the scale of the plunder from the imperial treasuries. This theory is also supported by the fact that in the entire huge complex there is not a single chimney: underground pipes provided heat to the buildings, and in general the entire heating system was designed in such a way that it practically excluded the possibility of spontaneous combustion.

The birth of the museum, or the transformation of the Forbidden City into an open temple of art

The first museum was opened in the Forbidden City in 1914 and was located in the Hall of Military Glory. In 1925, an inventory of the palace property was carried out, which included 1.17 million units. Later, the collection of the Gugong Museum was significantly enlarged. In 1933, due to the invasion of the Japanese army into China, a significant number of exhibits were evacuated to Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, but the Beijing part of the collection was preserved. In 1948, almost 3,000 boxes of imperial treasures were sent to Taiwan, and in 1965, the National Museum was opened in Taipei, which displays almost 700,000 bronze sculptures, paintings, ceramics and porcelain products, jewelry, books, historical documents, old coins and others. exhibits from Gugun. And the Forbidden City Museum in Beijing opened in 1949.

Currently, much of the Forbidden City is closed for overhaul, and in all its splendor, Gugun will appear only in 2020. But even the part that is accessible to tourists attracts about 7 million people annually to the chambers of the emperors: in the high season, 70,000-75,000 tourists come here a day.

The main attractions of Gugun

The main entrance to the mysterious Forbidden City of China is considered the Gate of Heavenly Peace, located on the south side. A wide road begins immediately behind them, on the left side of it there is a luxurious imperial garden and on the right is the Taiji cypress forest. The road will lead us to the Gate of Right Conduct.

The Forbidden City itself begins behind the Noon Gate. There are always a lot of people on the huge square: some are resting, others are just getting ready for the trip. Having passed the bridge over the Golden Water, the tourist sees the Gate of the Highest Harmony in front of him. Passing them, before the astonished gaze, another, truly gigantic square, on which military formations were carried out in previous centuries, spreads out. After walking a couple more kilometers, you can reach the Hall of Higher Harmony.

In general, the entire imperial the complex is divided into External and Inner palaces ... In the premises of the Outer Palace, the ruler conducted all solemn ceremonies: the hall of Supreme Harmony was considered the main one, as well as the Halls of Preservation of Harmony, where the throne of the emperor was established, and of Complete Harmony. Families of emperors, eunuchs, servants and concubines lived in the Inner Palace. Here are located such famous all over the world (thanks to hundreds of photos taken by tourists), such as the halls of the Unification of the world, Heavenly purity and Earthly tranquility. How to find - special article raksket.

Also installed here is one of the most popular "wonders" of China - a carved marble slab 16.75 meters long and weighing 250 tons. The pattern on it was carved in 1761: relief images of mountains, foamy seas and cirrus clouds, and dancing dragons holding a huge pearl ball in their mouths, invariably delight tourists from all over the world.

In China, on a vast territory in the center of the capital, there is one of the largest palace complexes in the world - the so-called "Forbidden City". Two great dynasties - Ming and Qing ruled the empire from the walls of this residence. And these are 24 rulers of the Celestial Empire. The place for the erection of the imperial chambers was chosen with great care. According to astronomers of those years, it was this point that was the center of the globe.

According to an ancient Chinese legend, a monk saw the city plan in a dream. He told about the amazing dream to the prince - the future emperor. As a result of the grandiose construction, a luxurious palace complex was erected.

Forbidden - because inaccessible

Why is the city called Forbidden? At the time when the reigning emperor lived within the walls of this palace with his family and numerous retinue, access common man here was closed. Anyone who dared to disobey the order and nevertheless penetrated the city was expected to be executed.

The buildings were erected mainly of wood, but brick and marble are found. The buildings' heavy roofs are supported by powerful columns. These are measures of protection against possible earthquakes.

The guards vigilantly watched who and why went to the imperial chambers. Five gates stood in the way of the ambassadors and local officials who arrived to the emperor. Entrance doors facing south. Thus, the inhabitants of the city fenced off from the enemy threatening the Celestial Empire from the north.

Outside, the city is surrounded by a high wall and a moat filled with water. This is an artificially created channel called the Golden Water River. Several bridges have been laid across the canal. And each resident knew which of the bridges was allowed to enter the city for a person of his class. The two central ones were used exclusively by members of the imperial family. Two bridges were assigned to senior civilian and military officials. And after the two remaining, the rest of the inhabitants could enter the city, regardless of rank and rank.

Museum complex Gugun

Wooden buildings have repeatedly suffered from fires and robberies. But each time, restoring buildings, the architects tried to give the buildings the same look. Therefore, today tourists see the grandeur and beauty of old buildings almost unchanged.

Now the Forbidden City is a museum complex. And now anyone can get into it and admire the rich decoration of the imperial chambers.

The palace complex occupies about 72 hectares of land. Its territory contains 800 buildings. Pavilions, carved pavilions, light galleries interspersed with blooming gardens, lakes, even rivers. In the center is the Taihedyan Pavilion of the Highest Harmony. Its height is about forty meters. For several centuries, this building was the tallest in all of Beijing. In the empire, it was strictly forbidden to build buildings higher. In the center of the pavilion there is a majestic throne - a symbol of imperial power on earth.

The roof of Taihedian is supported by 86 wooden columns. The diameter of each of them is a whole meter. Six gilded columns surround the magnificent throne. Carvings of dragons adorn these powerful pillars. The luxurious hall of the pavilion was used for the most significant palace receptions.

Each palace is beautiful in its own way. Here are collected works of great masters: bronze items, paintings, skillfully made jewelry, rich imperial clothes. The collection of exhibits is replenished annually, and now there are about a million luxurious things in the museum complex.

Gugun, that is, "Former Palace" - this is the name of the imperial possessions today, beautiful place must-see when visiting Beijing.