Merdian Gate (Wumen) on the south
Wumen in Chinese, is the southern entrance of the Forbidden City. It is also called Meridian Gate because the emperor believed that they were sons of Heaven, and his residence was the center of universe and that the meridian line went right though the city.
The Meridian Gate was first built in 1420 and rebuilt in 1647. It is 35.6 meters high with five openings. There were strict rules to follow when people enter the Forbidden City. The central one was only for the emperor. High-ranking civil and military officials went through the side gate on the east and royal family members on the west. Further side gates were for the low-ranking officials.
Empress was granted the privilege of using this entrance once, and only once, on her wedding day. As a special honour, the three finalists who achieved the highest awards in the national examinations presided over by the emperor, would be permitted to march through this archway, following their interview with the emperor. The smaller arch to the east was used by ministers while that to the west was used by the royal family. The remaining arches were used by petty officials.
Ordinary people were forbidden to enter the city.
In the ancient time, emperors would bestow foods to ministers on days of important Chinese solar terms. On the first day of October on solar calendar every year, emperors would issue next year' calendar. After wars, Emperors would receive captives themselves here. Also on the left side of the Imperial Way, which goes through the central opening, baculine penalty would be executed on those who offended emperors.
The Meridian Gate was the place to announce the new lunar calendar for the following year, to celebrate victories and accept prisoners of war from the dispatched generals. This was also the place where emperors in the Ming Dynasty would punish the offending officials by heating them with sticks. It was recorded that in 1519 as the emperor wanted to select beauties from the lower Changjiang valley, ministers tried to dissuade him. The emperor got infuriated and 146 officials got beaten on one occasion and 11 were beaten to death on the spot. This punishment, known as "court beating", was abolished in the
Qing Dynasty.
The gate is surmounted by five towers known as the Five-Phoenix Tower, the main gate-tower is the rectangular in shape and flanked by massive wings to the east and west. On each wing are two square towers connected by covered galleries. Drums (on the east) and bells (on the west) were installed in the towers. When the emperor went to Tiantan( the Temple of Heaven), bells were struck, and when he offered sacrifices to the deceased emperors in Taimiao (the Ancestral Temple), drums were beaten to make it known to the public.
Supreme Harmony Gate (Taihemen)
Behind Wumen (the Meridian Gate), one can see five bridges and the courtyard beyond. Further north in the center, it is Taihemen, the Gate of Supreme Harmony.
The river is called the Inner Golden River and the bridges called the Inner Golden River Bridges. The central bridge is reserved for emperors exclusively. The two flanking it are reserved for royal family members while the two outside are for ordinary officials. The bridges are well decorated with marble balustrades carved with motifs of dragon and phoenix. The river serves as fire hydrant as well as decorations.
The large courtyard beyond the Inner Golden Water River covers ten thousand square meters. In Imperial China, the emperor was regarded as the Son of Heaven. Born to rule the empire, he has the loftiest position, no one and nothing could appear higher. so the large courtyard is treeless. Occupying the centre of the northern side of this courtyard is Taihemen, the Gate of Supreme Harmony.
Taihemen (Gate of Supreme Harmony) is located in the north. It is guarded by two bronze lions, one on each side. Lions were supposed to be good doorkeepers because of their mighty and awesome look. They were regarded by the ancient Chinese as divine animals, capable of warding off evil spirits.
The male lion is playing with a ball, which is said to represent the control of the whole universe by the emperor. The female lion is playing with a cub, which symbolizes prosperity of the royal family's offspring.
The gate was burnt down in 1888, and rebuilt in the following year. During the Ming Dynasty and early
Qing Dynasty, this was where the emperor held his court to handle the state affairs. The emperor would sit in the gateway, accept documents from his ministers and make the decisions.
Beyond the Gate of supreme Harmony, there is a courtyard, 10, 000 square meters (12, 000 square yards) in area. When the ceremonies were held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the civil and military officials stood in lines in the courtyard with the high ranking officials in the front, all dressed in their splendid ceremonial robes. A long whip cracked three times as a signal and the whole assembly in unison performed the nine prostrations.
In the courtyard, there are big cauldrons for storing water against fire. There used to be 308 in the whole palace but now only 231 are left. They were made of iron, bronze or gilded-bronze. The iron cauldrons ere made in the
Ming Dynasty the bronze ones ere made in the
Ming and
Qing , and the 18 gilded ones were works of the
Qing Dynasty.
The ground in the palace was laid in a very special way -- seven layers lengthwise and eight layers crosswise, totaling fifteen layers to protect assassins from digging tunnels into the palace. And the bricks were specially made to sound nice when walking on. The rooms on each side were said to serve as warehouses for storing such items as fur, porcelain, silver, tea, silk, satin and clothes.
Though the Forbidden city was heavily guarded and surrounded by high walls with watch towers, the emperor had the foundation beneath the courtyard paved with fifteen layers of bricks in a special way: seven layers lengthwise, and eight layers crosswise, one layer lengthwise upon one layer crosswise, to prevent potential assassins from digging underground tunnels into the palace.
The gate is an important place where emperors' wedding ceremonies were usually held.
Celestial Purity Gate (Qianqingmen)
Gate of Heavenly Purity, also called Qianqingmen (Gate of Celestial Purity) is the main entrance to the inner court. In front of the gate, there is a square which runs 200 meters long from east to west and extends only 30 meters from north to south. The square separates the Outer Court and the Inner Court and integrates them.
The Qing emperors sometimes give audience to government officials here. There used to be a throne in the gate. The emperor sat there and listened to reports from officials. This ceremony was held to show that the emperor attached great importance to the state affairs.
North of the Gate of heavenly purity is the inner court, the living quarters for the emperor and his royal family. The three halls on the central north-south axis, the heart of this area, are surrounded by six eastern palaces and six western palaces, just like a myriad of stars surrounding the moon.
Outside of the gate, against the red wall are ten gilded bronze vats, shining. The huge vats are decorations and reservoirs in case of fire. Every one of these vats weighs 4 tons itself and can hold 4 tons water. There are totally 308 vats in the whole palace, including 22 of this kind.
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