By GOH VERN JAN 

Ever wondered what it is like to transported back into ancient times where Chinese emperors rule? If so, the Forbidden City in China is definitely a place you must visit. This imperial city boasts of architectural grandeur and historical significance. It is filled with a history so rich that one cannot help but be filled with wonder.

The Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, lies at the center of Beijing. It was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the world’s largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. It has 9,999 rooms which are surrounded by a six meter deep moat and a ten meter high wall.

Construction of the palace complex began in 1407. It was completed fourteen years later in 1420. It was said that a million workers including one hundred thousand artisans were driven into long-term hard labor. This splendid city was listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site.


Imperial city: The Forbidden City is the world’s largest palace complex.

I was already struck with awe when the tour guide brought us to the entrance of the Forbidden City. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation and excitement. “The Forbidden City is one of the main reasons why I’m in China with my mother,” said Cordelia Tan, a software test engineer. She then exclaimed excitedly, “I can’t believe I’m actually here!”

We were guided to several places in this imperial city. The Forbidden City has several palaces and it was rather impossible to explore all of them in one day. Thus, the tour guide only brought us to some of the more prominent palaces.

The Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong) is one of the structures that one must see. It is the largest palace in the Inner Court and is superior to any other structures there. It is in this palace that the emperors read and signed documents, interviewed ministers and envoys. Occasionally, banquets and other ceremonies would be held here too.

In the center of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the throne is on a raised dais and is surrounded by cloisonné incense burners, long red candles, and large mirrors. These were placed beside the throne to ward off evil spirits. On the surrounding columns, there are two pairs of couplets written by Qing emperors. Over the throne hangs a plaque engraved with four Chinese characters which were written by Emperor Yongzheng. It means “Justice and Brightness.”


Majestic throne: The throne in the Palace of Heavenly Purity where the emperor carried out official events.

Another extraordinary thing that can be found in the Forbidden City is a huge stone carving behind the Hall of Preserved Harmony. Nine dragons playing with pearls are illustrated on the stone. It is the largest stone sculpture in the Forbidden City. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, anyone who was caught touching this holy stone would receive the death penalty! Weighing about 250 tons, the marble slab is 16.57 meters long, 3.07 meters wide and 1.7 meters thick.

This colossal stone was hauled into the palace all the way from Fangshan which is up to 70 kilometers from Beijing. Twenty thousand men and thousands of mules and horses were employed to transfer it. It is said that a well was dug every 500 meters along the way and the well water was poured on the ground so as to form an icy road which could facilitate land boat transportation.


Blood, sweat and tears: The transportation of this gigantic stone into the palace required the energy of twenty thousand men and thousands of mules and horses.

The Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union (Jiaotaidian) is yet another palace that must not be missed. It is one of the three main palaces in the Inner Court if the Forbidden City. It is situated between the other two main palaces which is the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.

In the Qing dynasty, the empress utilized this hall to hold celebrations for her birthday. It is in this hall that she received worship and congratulations from high-ranked concubines, princesses and other court ladies. During the Winter Solstice and the Spring Festival, people also came here to pay their respect for the empress.


Grand hall: The Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union is one of the three main palaces in the Inner Court of the Forbidden City.

The Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong) is the last of the three main palaces in the Inner Court of the Forbidden City. This was where the empress lived in the Ming dynasty. However, in the Qing Dynasty, it served as the nuptial chamber of the emperor and empress and the altar for worshipping the deities of Shamanism.

The East Warmth Chamber in this palace was the bridal suite for the emperor and empress. The chamber wall was painted red and the palace lamps were hung high with Chinese characters meaning "double happiness" to create a warm and joyful atmosphere.
The exquisite bed canopy and quilt were both embroidered with 100 children playing, hence the name “100 Children Canopy” and “100 Children Quilt.” Emperors who have lived in this nuptial chamber include Kangxi and Tongzhi.


Bridal suite: The chamber was decorated specifically to generate a warm and happy atmosphere.

All in all, it took us four hours to finish touring part of the Forbidden City. The tour guide told us that it would take days to explore the whole city. Thankfully, the weather was cool and forgiving. It would have been appalling if we had to endure extreme heat during the four-hour journey.

The trip to the Forbidden City was unforgettable. When in China, one must certainly pay a visit to this breathtaking imperial city. It is when one is immersed in the rich ancient Chinese culture and impressive architecture that one can truly savor the feeling of being transported back to where the emperors dwell.