Beijing's Forbidden City and Summer Palaces
June 24, 2017
Beijing has been on my bucket list for a long time, and as a history nerd it is a great starting point for delving into China's imperial past and its ancient traditions. So after a few days in Shanghai, I spent a good week in the capital taking in some of its most renowned historical sights. If you're thinking of visiting Beijing and it is your first time, be sure to check them out!
But first a little history about Beijing. Beijing has been the capital city of China since the Ming Dynasty, after the third Ming emperor moved the capital from modern day Nanjing to Beiping, which he later renamed to Beijing, meaning northern capital. Thus most of the imperial architecture and imperial gardens are remnants from both the Ming Dynasty and the subsequent Qing Dynasty. Almost every local I spoke to had a story of Beijing passed down from their ancestors; stories about the Imperial family, lost treasures and much more.
Yuanmingyuan Park
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| Jianbi Pavilion, Juchi Lake. |
- Garden of Perfect Brightness (Yuanmingyuan)
- Garden of Eternal Spring (Changchunyuan)
- Elegant Spring Garden
Ever since I was a child, I heard stories about the grandeur of the Yuanmingyuan gardens, its collection of both Chinese and European-style gardens and perhaps its most famous attraction – the Western-style mansions/palaces and fountains in the Garden of Eternal Spring, hence it was once known as the 'Versailles of the East'. However, very little of the original architecture survived after British and French sackings during the second Opium War, which led to the eventual burning of the entire park that lasted up to three days.
What survived the great fire of Yuanmingyuan are the stone ruins of the Western-style mansions and pieces of what once were magnificent fountains and labyrinths. Though little remain, it still inspires and instils a sense of awe and pride in the Chinese people today.
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| Ruins of Dashuifa Waterworks, Xiyang Lou. |
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| Ruins of Haiyantang, Xiyang Lou. |
The Summer Palace
The Summer Palace, also known as Yiheyuan was originally built by Emperor Qianlong in the mid 18th century to celebrate his mother's birthday and mainly served as a place of leisure. Befittingly, the entire palace houses many grand temples, halls, pavilions, towers and bridges, all overlooking Kunming Lake. It is so large that it almost feels like it is never ending, and there is some serious leg work involved as one has to climb over Longevity Hill to make their way to the lake.
The fate of The Summer Palace is similar to that of Yuanmingyuan Park, it was burned down by Anglo-French Forces in 1860, then damaged by the Allied Forces in 1900 and was only rebuilt in 1902. There are many styles of architecture within the Summer Palace, such as Along the way, you will pass the Four Great Regions, which is a group of Buddhist structures built in the Tibetan style architecture. These were rebuilt in 1980 based on the original design.
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| The Four Great Regions, The Summer Palace. |
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| Marble Boat, The Summer Palace. |
The Forbidden City
My most anticipated visit was to the one and only – The Forbidden City; once the residence of the Imperial family. I've watched countless documentaries about its colourful history and its priceless treasures, and now I can finally walk the same path as the Emperors once did...along with thousands of other keen tourists.In order to get to The Forbidden City, also known as The Palace Museum, you have to pass through Tiananmen or Gate of Heavenly Peace, which has been the main entry into the Forbidden City since the Ming and Qing Dynasties. These days, the square outside is full of tourists from all over the country and overseas and security is tight, so make sure you allow ample time. If you like, you can go up Tiananmen to take in panoramic views of the square before heading to the palace.
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| Meridian Gate - Entry to the Forbidden City, Beijing |
Three great halls form the outer court:
- Hall of Supreme Harmony
- Hall of Central Harmony
- Hall of Preserved Harmony
all of which lie on the central axis of the entire palace complex. From their names, it isn't hard to tell that harmony was central to the Imperial rule and paired with the many gates that surround the Forbidden Palace which contains the word peace (Tiananmen being one of them), the balance of Peace and Harmony is therefore achieved.
Everything from the architecture to ornate decorative details were designed with a single intent of conveying Imperial power and the rule of the Emperor ordained by heaven. The three main halls all sit on multi-tier terraces lined with dragon heads, not only are dragons considered auspicious but they act as a drainage system.
Everything from the architecture to ornate decorative details were designed with a single intent of conveying Imperial power and the rule of the Emperor ordained by heaven. The three main halls all sit on multi-tier terraces lined with dragon heads, not only are dragons considered auspicious but they act as a drainage system.
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| Hall of Supreme Harmony, The Forbidden City. |
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| Dragon heads line the multi-tier terraces. |
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| Dragon carvings adorned door and window frames. |
The inner court consists of two main palaces:
- Palace of Heavenly Purity
- Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
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| Bronze lion guard The Gate of Heavenly Purity. |
It takes about two hours to visit the main halls and palaces of both the outer and inner courts, most of which are on the main axis of the Forbidden City. You exit the Forbidden City via the Gate of Divine Prowess, and from here it is only a short walk to Jingshan Park, where you can look back and take in panoramic views of the entire Forbidden City. It is only then you realise its sheer size and that what you've only seen is only but a tiny piece of the puzzle.
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