Beijing's Top Sights - Beijing - page 126

Diàn) and the particularly good Ceramics Gallery , housed inside the creaking Hall of Lit-
erary Glory OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Wén Huà Diàn) .
CLOCK EXHIBITION HALL
The Clock Exhibition Hall OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Zhōngbiǎo Guǎn; admission ¥ 10; 8.30am-4pm summer,
to 3.30pm winter) is one of the unmissable highlights of the Forbidden City. Set in the Hall for Ancestral Worship
(Fèngxiàn Diàn), the exhibition contains an astonishing array of elaborate timepieces, many of which were gifts to the
Qing emperors. Many 18th-century examples were crafted by James Cox or Joseph Williamson (both of London) and
imported through Guǎngdōng from England; others are from Switzerland, America and Japan. Exquisitely wrought,
fashioned with magnificent elephants and other creatures, they display astonishing artfulness and attention to detail.
Standouts include the Gilt Copper Astronomy Clock equipped with a working model of the solar system, and the Gilt
Copper Clock equipped with a robot writing Chinese characters with a brush. The Qing court must surely have been
amazed by their ingenuity.
Arrive at 11am or 2pm to see the clock performance in which timepieces strike the hour and give a display to
wide-eyed children and adults.
Three Great Halls
Raised on a three-tier marble terrace with balustrades are the Three Great Halls (Sān
Dàdiàn), the glorious heart of the Forbidden City. The recently restored Hall of Supreme
Harmony OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Tàihé Diàn) is the most important and largest structure in
the Forbidden City. Built in the 15th century and restored in the 17th century, it was used
for ceremonial occasions, such as the emperor's birthday, coronations and the nomination
of military leaders. Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony is a richly decorated Dragon
Throne (Lóngyǐ), from which the emperor would preside over trembling officials. The
entire court had to touch the floor nine times with their foreheads (the custom known as
kowtowing) in the emperor's presence. At the back of the throne is a carved Xumishan,
the Buddhist paradise, signifying the throne's supremacy.
Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the Hall of Middle Harmony OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP ( Zhōnghé Diàn) , which was used as the emperor's transit lounge. Here he would
make last-minute preparations, rehearse speeches and receive ministers. On display are
two Qing-dynasty sedan chairs, the emperor's mode of transport around the Forbidden
City. The last of the Qing emperors, Puyi, used a bicycle and altered some features of the
palace grounds to make it easier to get around.
The third of the Great Halls is the Hall of Preserving Harmony OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (
Bǎohé Diàn) , used for banquets and later for imperial examinations. The hall has no support
pillars, and to its rear is a 250-tonne marble imperial carriageway carved with dragons
and clouds, which was transported into Běijīng on an ice path. The emperor was conveyed