A View Of The Forbidden City | China - Beijing

• Click here for a full list of Forbidden City Tours »

One of the places that you can visit in China is the Forbidden City. It is located in the middle of Beijing. The Forbidden City is also known as a “Gugong” or the Palace Museum. For at least 500 years, it was controlled by 24 emperors.

There are 9,999 buildings that comprise the Forbidden City and they are shaped in the form of a rectangle. You will find gates on each end. At each corner (there are four), you will see towers. There are two parts to this special area that sits in the middle of Beijing.

The Outer Court is on the southern end and that is where the emperor had control over the people. The Inner court is on the northern end and is where the emperor had his personal residence. His family and lovers also stayed there.

Most of the Forbidden City has a yellow color to it. This is because the official color of the Imperial Family was yellow. With the exception of one roof, the rest of them use yellow tiles that are glazed. Plus, there are many parts of the interior that are yellow in color.

After you enter the gate, you will see five bridges that are made of marble. These bridges are the symbol for the five principles of Confucianism. The five bridges are as follows:

• The Gate of Supreme Harmony
• The Hall of Supreme Harmony
• The Hall of Central Harmony
• The Hall of Preserved Harmony
• The Gate of Celestial Purity

All five of these areas have a special meaning in the Forbidden City. These areas were used for receiving dignified heads of state, social events, meetings, waiting rooms and other celebrations.

Each of these rooms is unique in their own way. Plus, each one was designed differently with architectural features that you would not see anywhere else. These special features and designs were constructed by Chinese artisans.

Now as you tour the Inner Court, you will find a jade museum, museums with paintings and enamel and collectible antiques in addition to other areas that have displays. You will also find the Nine Dragon Screen that sits 100 feet tall and is made of tiles that are glazed.

Everything is not open for visitors to see, such as the buildings that are located on the west side of the court. At least the majority of them are not open to the public. However, the ones that are west of the three palaces are open for visitors.

The Forbidden City is a place that you don’t want to miss if you come to visit China. It is an experience that you will not want to forget.

• Click here for a full list of Forbidden City Tours »