Beijing's Top Sights - Beijing - page 127

over the carriageway in his sedan chair as he ascended or descended the terrace. The outer
housing surrounding the Three Great Halls was used for storing gold, silver, silks, carpets
and other treasures.
A string of side halls on the eastern and western flanks of the Three Great Halls usually,
but not always, houses a series of excellent exhibitions , ranging from scientific instru-
ments and articles of daily use to objects presented to the emperor by visiting dignitaries.
One contains an interesting diorama OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP of the whole complex.
Other Central Halls
The basic configuration of the Three Great Halls is echoed by the next group of buildings,
which is accessed through Heavenly Purity Gate OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP . Smaller in scale,
these buildings were more important in terms of real power, which in China traditionally
lies at the back door or, in this case, the back gate.
The first structure is the Palace of Heavenly Purity OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Qiánqīng
Gōng) , a residence of Ming and early Qing emperors, and later an audience hall for receiv-
ing foreign envoys and high officials.
Immediately behind it is the Hall of Union OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Jiāotài Diàn) , which
contains a clepsydra - a water clock made in 1745 with five bronze vessels and a calib-
rated scale. There's also a mechanical clock built in 1797 and a collection of imperial jade
seals on display. The Palace of Earthly Tranquillity OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Kūnníng Gōng)
was the imperial couple's bridal chamber and the centre of operations for the palace har-
em.
Imperial Garden
At the northern end of the Forbidden City is the Imperial Garden OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (
Yù Huāyuán) , a classical Chinese garden with 7000 sq metres of fine landscaping, including
rockeries, walkways, pavilions and ancient, carbuncular cypresses. Before you reach the
Gate of Divine Prowess OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Shénwǔ Mén) , note the pair of bronze ele-
phants OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP whose front knees bend in an anatomically impossible fash-
ion just before you reach Shùnzhēn Gate OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP ( Shùnzhēn Mén . They signi-
fy the power of the emperor; even elephants kowtow before him!
Western & Eastern Palaces
About half-a-dozen smaller palace courtyards lie to the west and east of the three lesser
central hall. They should all be open to the public, although at the time of research many