THE GUIDE - The Rough Guide to Beijing - page 73

Jinshui He and Taihemen
On the far side of Wumen you find yourself in a vast paved court, cut east-west by the
Jinshui He , or Golden Water Stream, with its five marble bridges, one for each Confucian
virtue , each decorated with carved torches (a symbol of masculinity). Beyond is another cere-
monial gate, Taihemen , the Gate of Supreme Harmony, its entrance guarded by a magisterial
row of lions, and further on a larger courtyard where the principal imperial audiences were
held. Within this space the entire court - up to 100,000 people - could be accommodated.
They made their way in through the lesser side-gates - military men from the west, civilian
officials from the east - and waited in total silence as the emperor ascended his throne. Then,
with only the Imperial Guard remaining standing, they prostrated themselves nine times.
The galleries running round the courtyard housed the imperial storerooms. The buildings
either side are the Hall of Martial Valor to the west and Hall of Literary Brilliance to
the east; the latter under the Ming emperors housed the 11,099 volumes of the encyclopedia
Yongle commissioned, though is now the Ceramics Gallery .