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Medieval_14. Forbidden City

[Asia_China]

Background Knowledge of Forbidden City

A historic building located in Beijing, China. It was the center of the Forbidden City, a royal palace in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and was the place where important ceremonies such as the enthronement of the emperor and the enthronement of the empress were carried out. 


  ● Location: Beijing, China  

  ● When constructed: 1420  

  ● Size: 64 m wide, 37 m long and 35 m high. The floor area reaches 2,368 m2.

  ● Materials: Wood 

  ● Features: - Zijincheng (Forbidden City) means “Purple Forbidden City.” The Hall of Supreme Harmony is one of the largest wooden structures in China and is a good example of Chinese traditional architecture.

                        - First constructed in 1420, and while some buildings have been rebuilt due to fire or other reasons.

                        - Important national events such as the Emperor’s throne day, celebration of the birth of a crown prince, and New Year’s ceremonies were held here.

                        - It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.


1. Interesting Story about Artifacts and Historic Sites

Forbidden City: The Home of the Son of Heaven


"This is the palace where the Emperor lives! No one can go in without permission."

Long ago in China, people believed that the Emperor of Heaven lived near the North Star. They thought the Emperor was a powerful warrior and the son of Heaven. That's why they called the palace where the Emperor lived the Forbidden City. It was like a sacred place for the Son of Heaven.


The Forbidden City was built by the Yongle Emperor of Ming China. It took a really long time, about 14 years, and many, many people helped build it. They brought special materials from different parts of China, like marble and wood from far away. The palace was huge, with up to 9,999 rooms and beautiful gardens. It looked like a separate city because it had tall walls and a wide moat around it. Over time, the palace had to be fixed and rebuilt.


The most important building in the Forbidden City was called the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It was where the Emperor did important things like work on important matters for the country, have weddings, meet ambassadors from other countries, and make new laws.


The Forbidden City is very special, and in 1987, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site to show its importance to China's history.