chinese imperial palace dynasty end dynasty years located centre beijing china houses served home emperors households ceremonial political centre chinese government years constructed complex consists buildings covers acres palace complex traditional chinese architecture influenced cultural architectural developments declared listed largest collection preserved ancient wooden structures world charge extensive collection artwork artifacts built imperial collections museum collection located museums descend institution split chinese civil war million annual visitors visited museum world common english translation chinese chinese pinyin literally forbidden city formally appeared english similar origin forbidden palace significance levels purple refers ancient china called traditional chinese heavenly surrounding region enclosure chinese pinyin realm family residence terrestrial emperor counterpart forbidden referred fact enter leave palace emperor permission means city today site commonly known chinese means palace museum based buildings known chinese pinyin history emperor son moved capital beijing construction began construction lasted years required million workers material include logs precious wood chinese pinyin found south western china large blocks marble near beijing floors major halls paved golden bricks chinese pinyin specially baked paving bricks seat dynasty april captured rebel forces led proclaimed emperor dynasty soon fled combined armies general forces setting fire parts process october achieved supremacy northern china ceremony held forbidden city young ruler china dynasty rulers changed names principal buildings emphasise harmony supremacy plates bilingual chinese introduced elements palace second war anglo french forces took control occupied end war empress fled boxer rebellion leaving occupied forces treaty powers following year home emperors dynasty dynasty ceased political centre china emperor china agreement new government remained given public use evicted coup established japanese invasion china forced evacuation national treasures collection returned end world war evacuated taiwan orders losing chinese civil war relatively small high quality collection kept storage public core establishment damage country swept revolutionary zeal cultural revolution destruction prevented premier sent army battalion guard city declared significant place development chinese architecture culture currently administered carrying sixteen year restoration project repair restore buildings state recent years presence commercial enterprises controversial store opened sparked objections eventually closed july chinese media took notice pair shops refused admit chinese citizens order price foreign customers description metres north south metres east west consists surviving buildings bays rooms common myth states rooms including based oral tradition supported survey evidence designed centre ancient walled city beijing enclosed larger walled area called turn enclosed south lies remains important civic scheme beijing central north south axis remains central axis beijing axis extends south gate square ceremonial centre north extends bell drum towers axis exactly aligned north south slightly degrees researchers believe axis designed dynasty aligned capital empire walls gates surrounded metres high city wall metres deep metres wide moat walls metres wide base tapering metres walls served defensive walls retaining walls palace constructed rammed earth core surfaced layers specially baked bricks sides filled mortar corners wall sit towers intricate roofs ridges appeared song dynasty paintings towers visible parts palace outside walls folklore attached according legend corner tower dismantled renovations early dynasty rebuilt intervention carpenter immortal wall pierced gate southern end main gate north gate divine faces east west gates called east glorious gate west glorious gate gates decorated array golden door nails rows gate protruding wings forming sides square gate square gate central gateway stone path forms central axis ancient city beijing leads way gate china south north emperor walk ride empress occasion wedding successful students traditionally divided parts court includes southern sections ceremonial purposes palace includes northern sections residence emperor family day day affairs state approximate dividing line shown red dash plan generally vertical axes important buildings situated central north south axis entering encounters large square pierced inner golden water river crossed bridges square stands white marble terrace rises square halls stand terrace focus palace complex south largest rises metres level surrounding square ceremonial centre imperial power largest surviving wooden structure china bays wide bays deep numbers symbolically connected majesty emperor set ceiling centre hall intricate decorated dragon mouth issues like set metal balls called mirror dynasty emperor held court discuss affairs state dynasty emperors held court far frequently location instead ceremonial purposes imperial weddings smaller square hall emperor prepare rest ceremonies ceremonies site final stage imperial examination halls feature imperial largest elaborate hall supreme harmony centre ramps leading northern southern sides ceremonial ramps featuring elaborate symbolic relief carvings northern ramp hall preserving harmony carved single piece stone metres long metres wide metres thick weighs tonnes largest carving china southern ramp longer stone joined joint hidden overlapping relief carvings discovered widened gap 20th century south west south east halls military times emperor receive ministers hold court later housed palace printing house ceremonial lectures highly regarded scholars later office grand copy stored north east southern places residence crown prince separated courtyard lying city main axis home emperor family dynasty emperor lived worked exclusively ceremonial purposes centre set halls south smaller halls halls official residences emperor empress emperor representing yang heavens occupy empress representing earth occupy yang mixed produce harmony double building set single level white marble platform connected south raised walkway dynasty residence emperor beginning emperor dynasty emperor lived instead smaller west respect memory emperor emperor audience hall set roof featuring dragon throne hangs tablet reading justice honour chinese pinyin double building bays wide bays deep dynasty residence empress dynasty large portions palace converted worship new rulers reign empress moved palace rooms palace harmony retained use emperor wedding night palaces square shape roof stored imperial seals dynasty ceremonial items halls lies imperial garden relatively small compact design garden contains elaborate landscaping features north garden gate divine directly west originally minor palace facto residence office emperor starting decades dynasty including held court eastern partition hall located offices key government bodies north eastern section taken complex built anticipation retirement mirrors set proper features outer court inner court gardens temples entrance marked tile dragons screen section restored partnership long term project expected finish religion religion important life imperial court dynasty place ceremony time native chinese religion continued important role imperial garden central area prevalent form religion dynasty palace buddhism number temples scattered including buddhism buddhist interior decorations buildings pavilion rain flowers important housed large number buddhist statues icons placed arrangements surroundings surrounded sides imperial gardens north known artificial hill created soil excavated build moat nearby lakes west lies royal garden centred connected lakes serves central headquarters north west lies centred lake connected southern popular royal park south important pinyin chinese pinyin emperor spirits ancestors spirit nation respectively today beijing people cultural hall commemorating respectively south nearly identical stand main axis upright gate chinese pinyin famous gate decorated portrait centre left right long live people republic china long live great unity world peoples gate connects modern symbolic centre chinese state square development tightly controlled vicinity past century politically motivated demolition reconstruction changed character areas surrounding beijing municipal government worked governmental military institutions occupying historical buildings established park remaining parts wall ordinance relating building height planning restriction renewed establish area northern city area zone extension item summer palace included world heritage site beijing symbolism design overall layout smallest detail planned reflect philosophical religious principles majesty imperial power noted examples symbolic designs include yellow color emperor roofs bear yellow tiles exceptions library black tiles black associated water fire prevention similarly crown prince residences green tiles green associated wood growth main halls outer inner courts arranged groups shape representing heaven residences hand arranged groups shape representing earth sloping ridges building roofs decorated line led man riding phoenix followed imperial dragon number represents status building minor building building country permitted imperial times result 10th called ranked tenth chinese pinyin unique layout buildings follows ancient customs laid classic rites ancestral temples palace storage areas placed palace complex residences collections collections based imperial collection according results million pieces art stored addition imperial libraries housed large collection rare books historical documents including government documents threat japanese invasion forced evacuation important parts museum collection end world war collection returned communists victory imminent chinese civil war nationalist government decided ship pick collection taiwan boxes evacuated artifacts boxes housed boxes returned beijing boxes remain today storage charge museum conducted new thorough search number important items addition government moved items museums country collection purchased received donations public today million rare valuable works art permanent collection including paintings seals sculptures inscribed bronze objects etc according inventory museum collection conducted holds total artifacts includes items designated nationally protected valuable cultural relics holds pieces include imperial collections dynasty song dynasty pieces commissioned palace emperor personally holds pieces imperial collection rest held painting holds close paintings date dynasty largest collection china collection based palace collection personal interest emperors meant palace held important collections paintings chinese history significant portion collection lost years transferred paintings palace subsequently lost destroyed works moved taiwan collection subsequently donations purchases transfers museums bronze collection dates early dynasty pieces held inscribed items pre period significant collection ceremonial imperial court largest collections mechanical 18th 19th centuries world pieces collection contains foreign pieces chinese pieces came palace workshops foreign pieces came countries including britain france switzerland united_states japan largest portion come britain jade jade unique place chinese culture museum collection derived imperial collection includes pieces pre dynasty collection includes pieces famed history artifacts recent archaeological discoveries earliest pieces date period dynasty dynasty pieces hand include items palace use tribute items empire palace artifacts addition works art large proportion museum collection consists artefacts imperial court includes items imperial family palace daily life ceremonial bureaucratic items important government administration comprehensive collection preserves daily life ceremonial imperial era influence culmination thousand year development classical chinese east asian architecture influential subsequent development chinese architecture providing inspiration artistic works specific examples include depiction art film literature popular culture served scene works fiction recent years depicted films television series notable examples include fiction film chinese emperor american emperor biographical film feature film authorised government filmed joint nbc miniseries broadcast early 1980s filmed inside note present exist dynasty met live performance concert venue served performance venue use purpose strictly limited heavy impact equipment performance ancient structures performances said held outside palace walls opera story chinese princess performed outside time greek born composer keyboardist performed live concert concert recorded later released tribute album sang main gate performances french musician performed live concert accompanied musicians year france china festivities
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