Front Palace

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gura.jpg (14821 bytes) We enter the "Forbidden City" via the Meridian Gate. 

There is a large square between the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Supreme Harmony. Guards of honor would line up in this square during important ceremonies.
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The Forbidden City was divided into two parts: The Front Palace and the Inner Palace.                  The Front Palace consists of the 3 great halls (see above) built from South to North on a   8-meter-high marble foundation, together with the Hall of Literary Glory on the east side and the Hall of Military Prowess on the west side.                                                                                           The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Also called Hall of Throne) is 35-meter- high. It was used for important ceremonies, i.e. enthronement, Emperor's birthday celebration, military expedition etc.   The Hall of Medium Harmony was a resting place for the Emperor before major ceremonies.   The Hall of Protective Harmony was where the Emperor gave banquets or interviewing new officers. gurf.jpg (14550 bytes)

Inner Palace

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guilc.jpg (12929 bytes) The Inner Palace was the residential area of the Emperor and imperial household.  

The Palace of Heavenly Purity was where the Emperor attended to state affairs daily.  

The Hall of Union & Peace kept 25 jade seals of the imperial court that represented the authority of the monarchy. Those jade seals were placed in golden boxes covered with yellow silk.
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This is the east chamber of the Hall of Earthly Peace - the residence of the Empress.  

This chamber served as the bridal chamber for the Emperor & Empress. During their wedding, they stayed here for 3 days together, then return to their respective residences. 

In the Inner palace there are many other buildings: The Palace of Peace & Longevity, the Palace of Benevolent Peace, the Hall of Mental Cultivation, six east halls and six west halls. 

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This is a famous painting from 12th century, "The Han Palace",
it describes the Inner Palace of China at 140 - 86 BC.

The Emperor could have as many wives as he liked. The Emperor also kept > 3,000 pretty girls in the Inner Palace. These palace girls were not allowed to go out or to see their parents, not allowed to have any affair or marriage. Their whole lives were wasted - waiting for the Emperor's pleasure.

There are many stories about these beautiful girls. Some are very sad, some are exciting. Can you imaging? - One of them was clever enough to became the Emperor herself.

Also there were thousands of male servants in the Inner Palace. However their male organs hadto be operated on before they went in there. (That might be the earliest sex-transition.) These servants had a special name: TaiJian.   Some TaiJian had huge power because they were very close to the Emperor.

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