The walk over was about the length of two football fields. When we got there I noticed quite a few ornaments on display on the top terrace. There were things like; bronze incense burners and other objects. We could not go in the building since the doors were locked but we were able to look in the windows.
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony
The emperor's throne was surrounded by art treasures that are symbolic of nature. It stands on a hardwood platform that is highly polished about two meters tall and is enclosed within six thick, gold lacquered pillars. The base of the throne and the throne itself were carved out of sandalwood. The floor was paved with golden bricks which were baked in an oven for one hundred and thirty six days and then immersed in tung oil and polished to a shiny, permanent gloss.
Around the throne stood two bronze cranes, an elephant-shaped incense burner and tripods in the shape of mystical beasts. On the ceiling there were two glass carved dragons painted with mercury playing with large pearls.
After this we walked around the Great Hall of Supreme Harmony to the smaller Hall of Central Harmony. As we walked the guide pointed out the Garden of the Palace of Benevolent Tranquility to the left. It looked magnificent from a distance.
We skipped the dozen or more other government buildings and went down a long cobblestone passageway lined with huge earthenware vats that held water incase there was a fire in one of the palaces, which was a common occurance in the olden days. At the end of the passageway we arrived at the Gate of Heavenly Purity that led into the inner court. This is the place where the Emperor lived with his wife, children and concubines.
Inside the Emperor's quarters we were able to look in the windows at the highly styled rooms furnished with very fashionable Ming and Qing Dynasty chairs and furniture with silk on the walls and curtains. Not far from this place was where the concubines lived. These were very small quarters.
After this we made our way down to the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility, which is the entrance to the Imperial Gardens which is at the north end of the city. The garden was built during the Ming Dynasty and covers an area of over twelve thousand square meters. The Hall of Imperial Peace stands in the center of the garden surrounded by a rectangular wall that was built in the fifteenth century.
Two gilded unicorns stand at the entrance. They are supposed to protect the wall from evil spirits. The wall stands among trees, rockeries, flowerbeds, pavilions, terraces and bronze incense burners.
We walked along the decorated walkway through the garden and admired the artistry of the architecture and the layout of the grounds. There were several pagotas which were named for the seasons, such as; the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Springs which stands on the east side of the garden. It was built in 1535 and represents spring. Naturally the other pagotas symbolize summer, fall and winter respectively.
Pavillion of Eternal Spring
Everywhere you looked there were odd shaped rocks strewn around. There is on place called Gathering Beautiful Hill which is an artificial mountain with a cave. It is located on the northeast end of the garden. There are a few fountains around it.
Artificial Mountain
The Pavilion of Imperial View is on top of the artificial mountain. The royal family of the Qing Dynasty used to climb to this spot and enjoy the view of the festivals taking place below.
After looking around in the garden for awhile we went out the back door of the Forbidden City. Looking up to Prospect Hill which is across the way from the Forbidden City, we could see the pagota where the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty hanged himself. After that the bus came to take us back to the hotel.
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony
The emperor's throne was surrounded by art treasures that are symbolic of nature. It stands on a hardwood platform that is highly polished about two meters tall and is enclosed within six thick, gold lacquered pillars. The base of the throne and the throne itself were carved out of sandalwood. The floor was paved with golden bricks which were baked in an oven for one hundred and thirty six days and then immersed in tung oil and polished to a shiny, permanent gloss.
Around the throne stood two bronze cranes, an elephant-shaped incense burner and tripods in the shape of mystical beasts. On the ceiling there were two glass carved dragons painted with mercury playing with large pearls.
After this we walked around the Great Hall of Supreme Harmony to the smaller Hall of Central Harmony. As we walked the guide pointed out the Garden of the Palace of Benevolent Tranquility to the left. It looked magnificent from a distance.
We skipped the dozen or more other government buildings and went down a long cobblestone passageway lined with huge earthenware vats that held water incase there was a fire in one of the palaces, which was a common occurance in the olden days. At the end of the passageway we arrived at the Gate of Heavenly Purity that led into the inner court. This is the place where the Emperor lived with his wife, children and concubines.
Inside the Emperor's quarters we were able to look in the windows at the highly styled rooms furnished with very fashionable Ming and Qing Dynasty chairs and furniture with silk on the walls and curtains. Not far from this place was where the concubines lived. These were very small quarters.
After this we made our way down to the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility, which is the entrance to the Imperial Gardens which is at the north end of the city. The garden was built during the Ming Dynasty and covers an area of over twelve thousand square meters. The Hall of Imperial Peace stands in the center of the garden surrounded by a rectangular wall that was built in the fifteenth century.
Two gilded unicorns stand at the entrance. They are supposed to protect the wall from evil spirits. The wall stands among trees, rockeries, flowerbeds, pavilions, terraces and bronze incense burners.
We walked along the decorated walkway through the garden and admired the artistry of the architecture and the layout of the grounds. There were several pagotas which were named for the seasons, such as; the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Springs which stands on the east side of the garden. It was built in 1535 and represents spring. Naturally the other pagotas symbolize summer, fall and winter respectively.
Pavillion of Eternal Spring
Everywhere you looked there were odd shaped rocks strewn around. There is on place called Gathering Beautiful Hill which is an artificial mountain with a cave. It is located on the northeast end of the garden. There are a few fountains around it.
Artificial Mountain
The Pavilion of Imperial View is on top of the artificial mountain. The royal family of the Qing Dynasty used to climb to this spot and enjoy the view of the festivals taking place below.
After looking around in the garden for awhile we went out the back door of the Forbidden City. Looking up to Prospect Hill which is across the way from the Forbidden City, we could see the pagota where the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty hanged himself. After that the bus came to take us back to the hotel.
posted by THE REAL MIKE BAILEY at 6:50 PM
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