These structures were designed in strict accordance to the traditional code of architectural hierarchy, which designated specific features to reflect the paramount authority and status of the emperor. In total, the buildings of the two courts account for an area of some 163,000 square meters. The far north end of the Inner Court is the Imperial Garden. The Inner Court is not only comprised of the residences of the emperor and his consorts but also venues for religious rituals and administrative activities. Other major buildings in the Inner Court include the Hall for Abstinence ( Zhai gong) and Hall of Sincere Solemnity ( Chengsu dian) in the east and the Hall of Mental Cultivation ( Yangxin dian), Belvedere of Raining Flowers ( Yuhua ge), and Palace of Compassion and Tranquility ( Cining gong) in the west. The Six Eastern Palaces and the Six Western Palaces are private imperial residences found on their respective sides of the main axis. The Palace of Heavenly Purity ( Qianqing gong), Hall of Union ( Jiaotai dian), and Palace of Earthly Tranquility ( Kunning gong) lie upon the central axis. Mirroring this arrangement is the Inner Court, which is the northern portion of the Forbidden City. The Outer Court was the venue for the emperor’s court and grand audiences. These three halls are flanked by the Belvedere of Embodying Benevolence ( Tiren ge) and Belvedere of Spreading Righteousness ( Hongyi ge). Known as the Outer Court, the southern portion of the Forbidden City features three main halls – the Hall of Supreme Harmony ( Taihe dian), Hall of Central Harmony ( Zhonghe dian), and Hall of Preserving Harmony ( Baohe dian). This magnificent sight is amplified by the painted ridges and carved beams of the ancient structures. The glowing yellow roofs of the stately buildings seem to levitate above the vermilion walls. Entering from the south, visitors will see a succession of halls and palaces spreading out on either side of the central axis. These four gates are the Meridian Gate ( Wu men) on the south, the Gate of Divine Prowess ( Shenwu men) on the north, and the East and West Prosperity Gates ( Donghua men and Xihua men), respectively. Each side of the rectangular city has a gate. Measuring 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters from east to west, the complex covers an area of 1,120,000 square meters. The Forbidden City is surrounded by 10-metre-high walls and a 52-metre-wide moat. During nearly five hundred years of imperial operation, the palace served as the residence and court of twenty-four emperors. The last emperor, Puyi (who ruled from 1909 to 1911 under the reign name Xuantong), continued to live in the palace after his abdication until he was expelled in 1924. Then, in 1911, the Qing were subsequently overthrown by republican revolutionaries. Over 200 years later, the Ming dynasty fell to the Manchu Qing dynasty in 1644. 1403-1420) who, upon usurping the throne, determined to move his capital northward from Nanjing to Beijing. It was built from 1406 to 1420 by the third emperor of the Ming dynasty, the Yongle Emperor (r. Because of its centrality and restricted access, the palace was called the Forbidden City. They correlated the emperor's abode, which they considered the pivot of the terrestrial world, with the Pole Star ( Ziwei yuan)-believed to be the center of the heavens. Ancient China’s astronomers endowed the location with cosmic significance. Immediately to the north of the Palace Museum is Prospect Hill (also called Coal Hill), while on the east and west are the Wangfujing and Zhongnanhai neighborhoods. Situated in the heart of Beijing, the Palace Museum is approached through the Gate of Heavenly Peace ( Tian'an men). In 1961, the State Council designated the former imperial residence as one of China's foremost-protected cultural heritage sites, and in 1987 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The magnificent architectural complex, also known as the Forbidden City, and the vast holdings of paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, and antiquities of the imperial collections make it one of the most prestigious museums in China and the world. Established in 1925, the Palace Museum is located in the imperial palace of the consecutive Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
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