The Imperial Palace Of The Ming Dynasty In Beijing
The Imperial Palace sits in the center of Beijing and was the center of rule in China for 500 years. Also known in modern times as “The Forbidden City” the site was home to 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties and now is a world renowned tourist attraction. With brilliant gold roofs and purple hued walls, the palace complex spans 183 acres with over 9,000 rooms. Construction of the Imperial Palace began in 1406 under the Ming emperor YongLe. At this time, the emperor moved the capital of China to Beijing, where the dynasty would rule for the years to come. The palace took 14 years to complete, and took an estimated one million hard labor workers to complete. The palace showcases over 100,000 of China’s artisans, whose skills in classic China architectural spatial designs are prominent in the structure. Stone material used in the construction was quarried from a nearby province where icy roads were used in the winter months to slide the large stones to the construction site. One of the architectural features is the Imperial Palace’s 4 gates named, the Gate of Divine Prowess(Shenwumen), the Merdian Gate(Wumen) , the Eestern Flowry Gate (Donghuamen) , and the Western Flowery Gate (Xinhuamen). The palace has undergone change during tumultuous times of rule and rebellion. The palace was burnt down, rebuilt, and renovated many times over the years, so most of the architecture you see today actually dates from the 1700′s and onwards.
Nowadays, the Imperial Palace is a museum open to tourists. The museum is home to many treasures and collections from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Artifacts such as sculptures and the furnishings and belongings of ruling emperors are for display for all to enjoy China’s rich cultural heritage. Also, UNESCO recognized The Forbidden City site as housing one of the world’s largest collections of ancient wooden structures. There is an abundance of surprisingly magnificent treasures to discover within the Imperial Palace Museum.
