10 Intriguing Secrets and Facts Revealed in the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City, located in the heart of Beijing, China, is a mesmerizing imperial palace complex that has captivated visitors for centuries. Steeped in history and surrounded by mystery, the Forbidden City holds numerous intriguing secrets that often go unnoticed. In this blog post, we will explore 20 fascinating facts about the Forbidden City you may not know, shedding light on the hidden wonders of this iconic UNESCO World Heritage site.
1. There are 2 Forbidden Cities in China
Emperor Yongle, Zhu Di, is the 4th Son of the first emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Yuanzhang’s oldest Son, Zhu Biao, died young; he passed the throne to his grandson, Zhu Yunwen. Zhu Yunwen feared his influential uncles, so he began curtailing their rights once he became the 2nd emperor of Ming. So Zhu Di had to resist this and win the war. Zhu Di became the new emperor after he conquered Nanjing, the capital. He still found it hard to control the old official groups since they considered Zhu Di to have gotten the throne in a dirty way.
Emperor Yongle decided to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, so a new palace had to be built for the emperor. But Emperor Yongle kept Nanjing as the 2nd capital to control South China. So, the Forbidden City in Beijing is almost a copy of the Palace in Nanjing.
2. Why is it called the Forbidden City?
The Forbidden City, located in Beijing, China, is called so because it was off-limits to the general public for over 500 years. The official Chinese name of the Forbidden City is “Zijin Cheng,” which translates to “Purple Forbidden City.” The term “forbidden” refers to the fact that ordinary people were not allowed to enter the palace complex without special permission from the emperor. This exclusivity was intended to enhance the emperor’s authority and maintain his divine status.
3. The Secret of Numbers
9 and 5
In the old days, people believed that China had nine great mountains and five big rivers. 9 was the most significant number, and five was in the middle, perfect for the emperor’s authority philosophy. So, 9 and 5 mean the whole world, which becomes the number that only belongs to the emperor. For example, all the buildings the emperor used to work and live in are nine rooms long and five rooms wide. The nine dragon screen has nine dragons, but four of them look the same, so it is also an idea to show 9-5. There are many places where you can find 9- and 5-designs. The length-width ratio is also 9:5.
The number of animals on the top of the roof
Each building in the Forbidden City has small animals on the roof. The number of animals tells us the building’s ranking. They are all odd numbers except the Hall of Supreme Harmony. 9 is usually the number for the emperor’s palaces, but the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the key to the Forbidden City, so ten roof animals are put there to show the building’s importance.
4. How many wives did the emperor have?
Many people claim that the Chinese emperor had 3000 wives, which may explain the fascination with the throne. Traditionally, the emperor could have one queen and multiple concubines.
So, the number 3000 also includes all the other palace maids in the Forbidden City. The concubines were also ranked as officials; if they made the emperor happy, for example by giving birth to a son, they could be promoted and earn more income.
5. How to move a piece of 200 tons of rock from Beijing back 600 years ago?
This rock is located on the north side of the Hall of Preserving Harmony. This job could only be done in winter. Thousands of water wells were dug on the way, and people poured water on the road. After the water froze, put the wood bars on the road to make the rock slide to Beijing. It is a single piece of rock over 200 tons. It took 20,000 people and 1,000 mules 28 days to move it from 80 km away to the Forbidden City.
6. Why is there no tree in the outer court?
When you enter the Square of the Supreme Harmony, you will find a vast, tree-free square. In China, the word “困” means “trap”: a tree inside a courtyard surrounded by walls on 4 sides. The emperor doesn’t want himself in a trap, so trees are not allowed here.
Another reason is that this design can show the emperor’s authority. The Forbidden City is open only to high officials to pay respects to the emperor; the plan here is more like a place where a god lives. There are no trees in heaven and no trees here.
7. 9999.5 rooms
The design of 9999 rooms is because the god in Taoism—the Jade Emperor —lives in a palace with 10000 rooms; by showing respect to the god, the emperor makes his palace 1 room fewer than the god’s.
But the imperial library housed the most important books, and the palace was made entirely of wood, so it was easy for lightning or people to start a fire. The buildings always have an odd number of rooms, such as 9, 7, and 5. This building should have five rooms, but the number 6 means fire protection. So the half room was made. Not to break the rule for the construction, but to stop the fire.
8. Golden Water River is like an arrow bow
In China, there are many feng shui sayings, which the emperor particularly enjoys. When entering the Forbidden City, we first come across a lovely bridge named the Golden Water Bridge. Its shape resembles a bow and arrow, and the bridges serve to protect the emperor, who resides within and conducts his affairs.
9. A popular fake glazed tile
Inside the Nine Dragon Screen is a dragon with a wooden body, and the others are all glazed tiles. Emperor Qianlong planned to move to this palace to retire. All the materials were well designed before proceeding here. A few days before the project finished, when the workers were focusing on their work, a glazed tile fell and broke. The emperor would check this in 2 days. If he found the screen was unfinished and broken like this, all the artists and workers would be heavily punished. There was not enough time to make the same tile quickly, so one of the chief artists spent two days making a wooden tile that looked identical to the original. So the emperor didn’t find this, and it stayed like this until today.
10. The doorsills are cut off by the last emperor, Puyi
The doorsills are very important in Chinese culture. It symbolizes the family’s social status. Especially in the Forbidden City, there are plenty of doorsills, all of which are pretty high. The government also regulated the height.
When you visit the six western palaces in the inner court of the Forbidden City, you may find some doorsills like this.
The last Emperor, Puyi, wanted to ride his bike, so he asked people to cut them off. This made the imperial family super angry. So Puyi had to keep the doorsills. After he rode the bike, the servants put these doorsills back in place.
Hidden Treasures: Permanent Galleries in the Forbidden City | Beijing Walking Tours
