Qugong (meaning the Old Palace) was the official residence of the Chinese Emperor for the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was completed in 1420 and took 15 years to build. It is a model of Chinese palatial architecture. In this version, it includes the recently restored Qianlong’s retirement garden apartments (倦勤斋), which mothballed for the last 100 years. The apartment was built at the zenith of the Qing Dynasty. The interior decorations are extravagant in design, using the finest materials and employing the best of Chinese and European craftsmanship. It was recently restored and many of the original materials have survived relatively unaltered in the last 230 years. The restoration cost $25m and planning began in 2002 and expected to be completed in 2019.

1. The Forbidden City
故宮 - 紫禁城
First created 20 Feb 2011. Version 2.0 -21 Mar 2014, Version 2.0. Jerry Tse. London.
Architecture
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2. Plan
The Outer Court
The Inner CourtThe palace was divided into two
parts.
In early Ming Dynasty, there were
about 1630 halls. In early Qing
there were 1800 halls. Currently
the palace has 2631 halls and 90
courtyards.
The Inner Court was the residence
of the Emperor and his family. It
was also used for running the
day-to-day affairs of state. It was
run by eunuchs.
The Outer Court was used for
state ceremonies.

3. The Ming
Builders
Zhudi was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty. He
decided to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. He
was a megalomaniac. Not only he built the Forbidden
City In Beijing, he also restored the Great Wall & the
Grand Canal and sent his armada of ships into the Indian
Ocean reaching Saudi Arabia and Africa.
Zhu Di
A late 15C to early 16C painting depicting
the Heavenly Succession Gate 承天門
and the Outer Five Dragons Bridge 外五
龍橋 near today’s Tiananmen.
In 1406, he started building the Forbidden City, which took
15 years to complete in 1421, employing 200,000
craftsmen and million of labourers to build. It created an
architectural complex unmatched in history. It is the
biggest palace the world have ever seen, with some 1630
halls.
Unfortunately, it was burned down 3 times by major fires
during the 273 years of the Ming Dynasty and had to be
rebuilt again.

4. Construction Materials
Bricks and Golden Bricks – Bricks were used for paving
and for the external walls. Floor tiles are known as Golden
Bricks, made in Suzhou. These were made of clay and took
two months firing in kilns. A floor tile took two years to make,
and can last for centuries. They are called Golden Bricks
because they are expensive to make.
Timber – All palace buildings used timber frame structures. The
most important of timber are the pillars of Nanwu wood
(Phoebe Zhennan). These logs were transported from south
western China and took 4 years for the journey. Some 100,000
Nanwu pillars were used in the construction. The wood work
were covered by a secret formulated paste, mixed with pig’s
blood, flour and earth for preservation.
Marble – The main buildings of the palaces were
build on marble terraces. There is a huge inclined slab, with
carved dragons, weighs 300 tons. These were transported on
sheets of ice pulled by 20000 men and horses and took a
month to travel the 50km journey.
Glazed Roof Tile – By far the most common roof tiles are the
yellow glazed tiles. Yellow being the colour of the emperor. A
few houses are covered with green tiles for the princes.

5. Qing
During the Qing dynasty, the palace was rebuilt many times after
fires. Many buildings were also added to the palace. Below is a
view of the palace on the wedding of the Qing Emperor Guangxu.

6. Qianlong
The longest reigning emperor
(1736-95) of Qing Dynasty. He
started a 60 years major
upgrade of the palaces.
He was a highly cultured
emperor, with a diverse range of
interests – from collecting jade
to calligraphy etc. It was his
collection more than any other
emperors that form the
backbone of the collection of
the Qugong Museum in Beijing
and of the Palace Museum of
Taipei.
Under him, imperial China
reached the zenith of her
power.
(1711-95)

7. Moat The palace is surrounded by a 52 m wide moat.

8. Walls
The exterior walls is 10m high, 8.6m thick at the base. The core of the
wall is filled with earth, surfaced with three layers of special bricks

9. Corner Towers
There are four watch towers
at the four corners of the
palace walls.

10. Gates
There are some 10,000 gates in the palace.

11. Meridian Gate
This is the grandest of all the palace gates. It is nearly 38m high. This marks
the beginning of the palace complex.
Entrance to the Outer Court

12. Decorative Glazed Tiles
Apart from the distinctive yellow glazed tiles used for
the roofs, tiles were also used as decorations on
screens and walls.

13. Distinctive yellow glazed tiles make
the palace stand out from the rest of
the city.
Mythical creatures
on the roof ridges
showing the status
of the building.
Roof
Because most Chinese roofs were curved,
the timber frame that supported the roof
became more complicated.

14. Wooden Construction
Chinese carpenters developed
some of the most complicated
wooden joints used in buildings
(see diagram on the right). One of
these complicated joint is the
Luban Locking Joints ,
which is a joint used for three
intercepting perpendicular beams.
Timber Frame
Traditional large Chinese buildings were mainly built of wood. All
the weight of the building are supported by a wooden frame. Thus
the wall are light and not weight bearing.
Bracketing Dougongs are brackets that lock
beams together with pillars together.
The technique dated back to two
thousand years.

15. Ceilings
Coffered ceilings.
Caisson

16. Terraces
The use of terraces in Chinese architecture dated back to over 3000
years. The three main buildings of the outer court were built on a three
tiers of marble terraces decorated with beautiful carved balustrades.

17. Carved Slab The carved slab on the central staircase of the main terrace. Only
the emperors were allowed to be carried over it.

18. Outer Court
During the Ming Dynasty, the Outer Court is used by the emperor to attend the daily affairs of the state.
During the Qing Dynasty, this usage was moved to the Inner Court. However, the Outer Court was always
used for the special state occasions and ceremonies.
The three most important buildings lies on the central north-south axis. They are the Hall of Supreme
Harmony (first building on the photo), the Hall of Central Harmony (the small building
behind) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony .

19. Supreme
Harmony
太和殿
The original Ming building was twice as large as the current hall. It is one
of the largest wooden structure within China. The building is the focal
point of the palace. It was used in Ming Dynasty to administration state
affairs. In Qing Dynasty it was used only for ceremonial occasions.

20. Hall of Supreme Harmony - Interior
Richly decorated with
beautiful carvings, the
Dragon Throne stands on
a raised platform,
surrounding with urns,
incense burners, carved
dragons, cranes and
elephants.
Envoys were required to
kneel and kowtow to the
floor nine times on
approach to the emperor.
太和殿

21. Supreme Harmony
太和殿
It is the largest timber frame building in China. The building was
destroyed 7 times. The last rebuilt was in 1695-1697.

22. Central Harmony
中和殿
It is small square hall, serving as a rest room. It was a stop over room for
the emperor for last minute preparations before conducting state or
ceremony affairs.

23. Throne
A beautifully carved dragon standing on the
back of the throne. There are several
thrones in the palace. They are all
beautifully carved. Some are in gold colour
and others with natural wood colours.

24. Hall of Preserving
Harmony
保和殿
The hall was used for the ‘imperial examination’,
as well as banquets on Lunar New Year’s Eve to
entertain ministers, generals, as well as
Mongolian and Tibetan nobles.

25. Musical
Instruments
A rack of gilded musical
bronze bells used
during ceremonial and
state occasions. The
bells are similar in size
and different notes are
produced using bells
with different thickness.

26. Gate of Heavenly Purity
The Gate of Heavenly Purity (above) leading into the Inner Court. The three most important buildings in the
Inner Court echoes the group of the three buildings in the Outer Court. They are the Hall of Heavenly
Purity 乾清宫(first building on the photo), the Hall of Union (the small building behind) and the
Hall of Earthly Tranquillity 坤宁宫.
The Inner Court was the home of the Emperor and his family. In Qing Dynasty the some halls within the
Inner Court were used by for administering state affairs.
Entrance to the Inner Court

27. The Gate of
Heavenly
Purity
乾清門
Entrance to the private
world of the emperor.

28. Palace of Heavenly Purity 乾清宫
In early Qing Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, it is
here that the emperor conducted the day-to-
day affairs. In late Qing, it was used as an
audience hall to receive foreign envoys and
high ranked officials.

29. Hall of Union
The building was used as the empress’ dressing
room or celebrations of her birthdays. The
imperial seals were also kept in here in Qing.

30. Clepsydra
(Water clock)
The main mechanism of the
water clock consists of three
copper containers filled with
water. Water drips from the top
container to containers below in
turn. The amount of water
collected at the bottom is used to
tell the time.

31. Hall of Earthly Tranquillity 坤寧宫 The last of the Inner Court halls.

32. 坤寧宫
Hall of Earthly Tranquillity
In Ming Dynasty, the
building was used as
the residence of the
empress.
In Qing it was
converted into several
rooms and set out in
Manchurian style for
religious services. The
building included a
kitchen for preparing
food for worship. It
also has a bridal room
and a study for the
emperor.

33. The Qing emperor Yongzhen moved the emperor
residence here. The empress Dowager Cixi (reign
1861-1908) used the place to received state officials and
ruled China.
Hall of Mental
Cultivation

34. Hall of Mental
Cultivation
The main reception room where later Qing emperors
attended state affairs.

35. Hall of Mental
Cultivation
This is the Cixi throne room. Behind the screen of
the throne was another throne, on which the Dowager
Empress ruled China.

36. Hall of Mental
Cultivation
This was the emperor’s bedroom behind the reception
room of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

37. Imperial Garden
A giant incense burner in the garden.
There are four gardens in the Inner Court
of the palace. The Imperial Garden being
the largest of them all.

38. Imperial Garden Pavilion of Imperial Prospect overlooking the garden.

39. Imperial Garden Studio of Spiritual Cultivation.

40. Imperial Gardens This is the First Gate of Heaven .

41. Court Life
Emperor Qianlong watching princes playing in snow.
To maintain the palace during the Qing
Dynasty, 280,000 taels of silver were
needed each year or approximately
340,000 troy ounces of silver.
Last emperor and empress of China.

42. Theatre – Pavillion of Pleasant Sounds, .
The largest stage of the three stories theatre in the palace.

43. Painted decorations
Painted beams and bracketsSuzhou style polychrome painted decorations

44. Bronze Animal sculptures
Bronze tortoise incense burner.
Gilt bronze
elephant in the
garden.
Gilt bronze lion.
Bronze lion at the Gate of Supreme Harmony.

45. Doors decorations
Gate of Martial Spirit.
Hall of Union.
Carved panel
on the doors at
the Hall of
Imperial
Supremacy
Hall of Mental Cultivation

46. Qugong Museum The Forbidden City is also the home to the Palace Museum, Beijing.

47. Qianlong’s Retirement Garden Lodge - 斋
Qianlong’s
Retirement
Garden
Lodge.

48. The entrance to the main lodge. Apart from the first row of roof tiles, the rest of the roof is not yellow. The lodge was intended
for a retired emperor. Qianlong in fact never retired, the lodge was never used as intended.
Retirement Lodge

49. Retirement Lodge

50. The panelled reception with its throne room before restoration. The cost of the restoration is $25m, jointly
undertook by the Qugong Palace Museum and the World Monuments Fund.
Retirement Lodge

51. The panelled reception after restoration, the throne room was intended for meeting visitors. A series of
studios on the first level for resting and recreations.
Retirement Lodge

52. The panelled partition screen are made of rare red sandal wood carved and inlaid with bifacial embroidery,
jade and bamboo thread marquetry.
Retirement Lodge

53. The exquisite Theatre Room with its Western single-point perspective mural and wall papered ceiling,
creating an illusion of a garden and buildings beyond.
Retirement Lodge

54. The gold leave covered theatre roof and the wall papered ceiling of the Theatre Room.
Retirement Lodge

55. The mural in the Theatre Room with painted magpies, crane and peonies are auspicious symbols of good
fortune.
Retirement Lodge

56. Music – An extract of the violin concerto ‘Butterfly
Lovers’ performed by Takako Nishizaki.
Note on Chinese
Palatial
architecture
Advance to next slide to see brief
notes on Chinese architecture.

57. Using timber as primary building material, this is the most important single
characteristics of Chinese architectural approach. Transportation costs can be very
high. Using timber also put a limit on the size, the height and the age of buildings.
The availability of large hard wood timber is also a limitation.
Chinese Traditional Palatial (Dian ) Architecture
Chinese Dian buildings are based on a timber frame. The walls of the buildings are not
weight bearing. This allows more light and airy interior. Buildings are cool in summer
but difficult to keep warm in winter. Buildings are inherent ‘earthquake proof’.
To give the timber frame strength, interlocking joints were developed to a very high
level of sophistication. This can be seen in the Dougong bracketing techniques. The
basic principles and architectural designs did not changed much for centuries.
Chinese architecture uses modular architectural plan. Buildings are connected by
corridors or unified by courtyards. Buildings are not integrated to form a larger
building.
Chinese buildings are very colourful and timber does not preserved well. The
maintenance costs are very high. Finally Chinese buildings are very vulnerable to
fire. The Hall of Supreme Harmony was rebuilt 7 times, in 500 years.

58. The
End
Carved dragon on wooden screen behind the throne.

59. Qianlong’s Retirement Garden Lodge - 斋
The apartment was built at the zenith of the Qing
Dynasty. The interior decorations are extravagant in
design, using the finest materials and employing the
best of Chinese and European craftsmanship
Throne Room & Studios
The Theatre Room
The Theatre