Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
an imperial palace built on a purple terrace. The artisans who undertook the
construction of Tian An Men have bestowed upon it such majestic beauty as to illus-
trate fully the characteristic of ancient Chinese architecture. The feudal emperors'
aim in building such an enormous structure on this spot was not merely for the sake
of fortifi cation, but also to display the dignity of their kingly abode. According to
the tradition of feudal dynasties, here was the so-called “outer court” where recep-
tions of distinguished foreign guests and celebrations of grand occasions took place.
The last feudal dynasty, Qing Dynasty, also used this “outer court” to celebrate the
issuing of the imperial edict on the coronation day, that is, to publicise the corona-
tion of a new emperor to the subjects of the kingdom. The imperial edict was placed
on a tray carved in the shape of cloud and carried to Tian An Men from the Forbidden
City in a miniature “Dragon Pavilion”. Then, jubilant music was played on Tian An
Men, whose square was strewn with prostrate civil and military offi cials and “elders”
chosen and dispatched here to represent the common people. After the edict was
read by the Edict Reader on Tian An Men, it was placed in the beak of a carved
golden phoenix and lowered slowly down along the middle of the gate where it was
put back into the “Dragon Pavilion” again and carried to the “Ministry of Rites” to
the east of the square, where fair copies of it were made in yellow paper and distrib-
uted to the whole kingdom. The sole purpose of this ritual performance was to show
that the divine rights of monarchs came directly from the Heaven. This is only an
illustration of how feudal emperors used this court square to make a display of
themselves and fool the people.
The square was somewhat T-shaped and closely confi ned by red walls all around,
leaving only one entrance on every side for passage. These entrances, however,
were strictly forbidden to the common people (Figs.
1.8
and
1.9
).
But the dialectics of history is relentless. When Qing Dynasty was overthrown in
1911, it was this square which had been so strictly forbidden to the ordinary people
that became the rallying centre of the revolutionary masses for patriotic demonstra-
tions. And it was here, some 60 years ago, that the May Fourth Movement, which
set the new democratic revolution ablaze, broke out. Again, it was here that the last
mass movement was launched on the eve of the nation's liberation, against Chiang
Kai-shek's attempt to unleash a civil war and his persecution of young students.
Due to this glorious revolutionary tradition, the Tian An Men Square was chosen
to be the site for the grand founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China on
October 1, 1949. Subsequently Tian An Men, the magnifi cent structure erected by
labouring people in ancient times, was engraved on the national emblem of the
republic to symbolize the renaissance of an ancient culture. The square has been
transformed from a feudal court square into a people's square in the new socialist
epoch. It has now become the centre of the country's political life, cherished by
people of all nationalities.
But, at the time when the founding ceremony was being celebrated, the square
was still confi ned on all sides by walls which seriously hindered popular activities
by obstructing their sight and compressing their hilarious atmosphere within the
square. As we look at it today, Tian An Men represents the essence of ancient
Chinese architecture whereas those walls represent the dregs of feudalism.
