Beijing: Heaven and Earth Bless the Empire, Red Walls and Yellow Tiles Reveal the Forbidden City!
The great affairs of state are sacrifices and warfare.
On the Spring Equinox, worship the sun; on the Summer Solstice, the earth;
on the Autumn Equinox, the moon; on the Winter Solstice, heaven.
Thus, Beijing is home to the Altars of Heaven, Earth, Sun, and Moon.
Three front halls, six rear palaces,
glazed tiles, vermilion walls, white marble,
dragon totems, golden bricks paving the floor, carved beams and painted rafters...
Imperial majesty, the Purple Forbidden Enclosure at the center,
the Heavenly Emperor's Purple Palace forbidden ground — the Forbidden City.
1. Foreword — Old Beijing
I've visited many ancient capitals —
Xi'an, Luoyang, Nanjing —
but Beijing always stirs a different emotion.
Perhaps because its dynasty is closer in time,
or perhaps because it is today's imperial capital.
From architecture to food,
everyone can rattle off a long list of names:
Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Old Summer Palace, douzhi, roast duck, zhajiangmian...
So let's begin with a bowl of douzhi in a hutong.
An old man who just filled his douzhi flask.
2. Beijing Flavor — Douzhi
Yin San Douzhi, operating since 1997.
The owner originally traded in tobacco.
After a setback, he was guided by an elderly neighbor skilled in the art of douzhi,
and set up a stall in his own building. Being next to a market
and praised for its taste, it quickly won the locals' approval.
It has relocated five times so far, always staying true to its roots,
preserving the richest flavor of old Beijing douzhi.
Listed in the Beijing Michelin Guide's 'Bib Gourmand' recommendations,
it still keeps the air of a market breakfast shop —
a good thing, unchanged.
Douzhi, jiaoquan, and small pickles — the basic set.
In the small room, the chatter is all in a Beijing accent.
One minute ago, you were still haggard from an early winter morning;
now you're already touched by this steaming, lively scene.
Truly, the warmest thing is always the smell of everyday life.
Address: 176 Dongxiaoshi Street.
Opens at 5:30 AM, closes at noon.
Douzhi, jiaoquan, sugar shaobing, braised meatballs.
3. Temple of Heaven — Sacrifices
Yin San Douzhi is near the north gate of the Temple of Heaven.
After breakfast, with the same elderly folks who sat across from you,
you can casually encounter the Temple of Heaven.
The great affairs of state are sacrifices and warfare.
Since ancient times, emperors held four seasonal sacrifices, solemn and rigorous.
Spring Equinox: sun; Summer Solstice: earth; Autumn Equinox: moon; Winter Solstice: heaven.
The Temple of Heaven was first built during the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty,
modeled after Nanjing's design, jointly worshipping Heaven and Earth, called the Altar of Heaven and Earth.
During the Jiajing reign, a separate Altar of Earth (Fangze) was built in the northern suburbs,
and from then on, Heaven and Earth were worshipped separately.
It was renovated during the Qianlong and Guangxu reigns of the Qing.
Signature building — Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
The Temple of Heaven has two encircling walls, creating an inner and outer altar, in a concentric square shape.
The northern corners are rounded,
the southern corners are square, symbolizing 'round heaven, square earth.'
Inside, two altars stand north and south, separated by a wall.
To the north is the Altar of Prayer for Grain, on which the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests was built,
the tallest structure in Beijing during the Ming and Qing.
To the south is the Circular Mound Altar, and the two are linked by the Danbi Bridge.
South of the bridge is the Echo Wall — stand against it and speak,
sound waves travel along the curved wall to the other side.
Together with the Pagoda of Pujiu Temple in Puzhou, Shanxi,
the Toad Tower in Sanmenxia, Henan,
and the Stone Musical Instrument of Dafo Temple in Tongnan, Chongqing,
it forms one of China's Four Great Echo Structures.
The north gate of the Temple of Heaven today is the outer wall's north gate.
How do you tell the inner wall?
You enter the inner altar area when you buy a second ticket to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.
The Circular Mound Altar encased in white marble.
4. Forbidden City — Purple Forbidden City
The Forbidden City, the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, the forbidden ground of the Purple Palace where the Heavenly Emperor resides.
Built after Emperor Yongle moved the capital to Beijing, taking 14 years.
Three front halls, six rear palaces, glazed tiles, vermilion walls, white marble,
dragon totems, golden bricks paving the floor, carved beams and painted rafters...
All display the grandeur of imperial majesty.
Climb the steps to the Hall of Supreme Harmony,
the largest and most exquisite surviving wooden structure in China.
It has witnessed 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties,
in less than 300 years suffering four lightning fires and destructions,
and four reconstructions, each time slightly smaller.
It ultimately survived amid the smoke of war,
by heaven's favor and ancestral protection,
allowing us to see its splendor today.
The Forbidden City's walls are 12 meters high, with a perimeter of about 3.4 kilometers,
forming a rectangular fortress, surrounded by a moat
about 50 meters wide.
It is composed of the Outer Court and Inner Court.
The Outer Court centers on the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and Hall of Preserving Harmony,
flanked by the Hall of Literary Glory on the east and Hall of Martial Valor on the west,
where grand ceremonies were held.
Behind the Outer Court is the Inner Court,
with the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Union, Palace of Earthly Tranquility, Imperial Garden,
and the Six Eastern and Six Western Palaces.
This was where the emperor handled daily affairs
and lived with his consorts.
The Palace of Tranquil Longevity area on the east side
was built by the Qianlong Emperor for his retirement as the Retired Emperor.
Forbidden City red wall (palace wall).
5. Gates and Towers — Meridian Gate
The Meridian Gate is the main gate of the Forbidden City, the south gate.
Its east, west, and north sides are connected by 12-meter-high platforms,
forming a square plaza.
On the gate tower stand halls and watchtowers,
the highest point among the Forbidden City's buildings.
The Meridian Gate was where the emperor issued edicts and ordered military expeditions.
The central gate was reserved for the emperor only;
the empress could enter once on her wedding day.
The top three scholars of the palace examination — Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, Tanhua —
could exit through this gate once.
Civil and military officials used the east side gate, while imperial clan members used the west side gate.
The Gate of Divine Might was originally called Xuanwu Gate (Black Tortoise Gate), as Xuanwu governs the north,
and the north gate of an imperial palace was often named Xuanwu.
Later, to avoid the personal name of the Kangxi Emperor, it was renamed Shenwu (Divine Might).
The Gate of Divine Might features the highest-grade
hip-and-gable roof of a gate tower,
one rank lower than the Meridian Gate in formality.
In ancient times, it served as the daily access gate, and is now the main entrance to the Palace Museum.
The East Glorious Gate and West Glorious Gate face each other, identical in design.
Outside the gates are dismounting steles, and inside, the Golden Water River meanders through,
with five stone bridges spanning its middle section.
6. Imperial Audience — Gate of Supreme Harmony
Entering the Meridian Gate brings you into the Outer Court,
where the emperor handled state affairs.
The main buildings are the Three Great Halls: Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, Hall of Preserving Harmony.
The halls stand on a three-tiered marble terrace,
8 meters high, forming an I-shape.
The edges are adorned with white marble balustrades,
balusters, and dragon-head spouts.
The terrace center is carved with coiling dragons, set against waves and clouds.
Beneath the floor joists of the balustrades and at the dragon heads of the balusters,
small openings are carved.
During heavy rain, water flows down the three tiers through these openings and out the dragon mouths.
Besides its opulent decorative function, this is also the drainage system.
The majestic white marble terrace.
The Gate of Supreme Harmony is the main gate of the Outer Court,
the largest gate in the Forbidden City.
Built during the Yongle reign, originally called Fengtian Gate.
Later renamed Huangji Gate during the Jiajing reign, and Gate of Supreme Harmony during the Shunzhi reign.
The square in front covers about 26,000 square meters.
From the Ming to early Qing, this was the location for the 'imperial audience at the gate,' later moved to the Gate of Heavenly Purity.
7. Hall of Supreme Harmony — The Golden Throne Hall
The Hall of Supreme Harmony, commonly known as Jinluan Dian (Golden Throne Hall),
was built during the Yongle reign, originally called Fengtian Hall.
Renamed Huangji Hall during the Jiajing reign, then Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Shunzhi reign.
This is where the emperor held grand ceremonies.
It was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt after completion;
the current structure dates from the Kangxi reign reconstruction.
It is 11 bays wide and 5 bays deep, with a total height of 35 meters including the platform,
covering over 2,000 square meters, the largest hall in the Forbidden City.
Here, 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing held enthronement,
wedding, empress investiture, and military expedition ceremonies,
with thousands shouting 'Long live the emperor' and hundreds of ritual instruments sounding together,
fully displaying imperial grandeur.
Additionally, on the emperor's birthday (Wanshou Festival),
New Year's Day (the first day of the lunar year), and the Winter Solstice,
the emperor received congratulations from civil and military officials here
and granted banquets to princes and high officials.
The main hall of the Hall of Supreme Harmony (dragon throne).
Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the Hall of Central Harmony.
Before ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony,
cabinet ministers and officials from the Ministry of Rites would pay respects to the emperor here.
The emperor could rest or rehearse rituals.
Before sacrificing to Heaven, Earth, or the Imperial Ancestral Temple, he reviewed the prayer texts here.
Before the ceremonial plowing at Zhongnanhai (the imperial garden), he inspected the farming tools here.
After the Hall of Central Harmony comes the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
On New Year's Eve, the emperor hosted banquets for princes of outer vassals,
and it was also the venue for the palace examination of the imperial civil service exam.
8. Inner Court — The Imperial Harem
The rear section of the Forbidden City is called the Inner Court.
Passing through the Gate of Heavenly Purity, flanked by glazed screen walls,
you enter the Three Rear Palaces.
The Inner Court centers on the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Union, and Palace of Earthly Tranquility,
flanked by the Six Eastern Palaces and Six Western Palaces, with the Imperial Garden behind.
This is where the emperor handled daily affairs and where the consorts lived.
The Palace of Earthly Tranquility has warm chambers at both ends.
From the Ming to the early Qing (before Yongzheng), it was the empress's residence.
The eastern warm chamber was the bridal chamber for the emperor's wedding;
Emperors Kangxi, Tongzhi, and Guangxu all held their weddings here.
Later it became a place of sacrifice.
After the Yongzheng reign, the western warm chamber became a site for Shamanist rituals.
9. Jingshan — Imperial Garden
Jingshan is an artificial hill built to enhance the Feng Shui of the imperial city.
It was made from soil excavated for the moat and the South Lake,
fulfilling the principle of backing against yin for the palace
and suppressing the previous dynasty's Feng Shui, hence also called Suppressing Mountain.
During the Ming and Qing, fruit trees were planted all over, and deer, cranes, and other animals were raised.
The lower area was once called Baiguoyuan (Hundred Fruit Garden), and the hill was called Wansui Mountain.
In the Shunzhi reign, it was renamed Jingshan, meaning 'lofty and admired.'
Jingshan Park sits on Beijing's central axis,
facing the Gate of Divine Might across the street, and is the highest point in the city.
From the summit, you can overlook the entire city.
At the end of the Ming, when Li Zicheng's rebel army captured Beijing,
Emperor Chongzhen (Zhu Youjian) fled to Jingshan, feeling he had failed his ancestors,
and hanged himself with his belt from a crooked locust tree below Guanmiao Pavilion.
During the Cultural Revolution, the old tree was cut down as one of the 'Four Olds.'
In 1981, a new tree was replanted at the same site.
In 1996, a 150-year-old locust was transplanted there.
Lofty Wansui Mountain, dense trees like misty smoke;
Within dwells the soul of the gazing emperor, grieving, no one knows where.
Jingshan Park ticket: 2 yuan, hours: 6:30–21:00.
View of the Forbidden City from Jingshan.
10. Other Tips — Practicalities
1. Forbidden City tickets: 60 yuan in peak season, 40 in off-season. Hall of Clocks and Treasure Gallery each 10 yuan.
2. After finishing the Temple of Heaven in the morning, lunch can be at Siji Minfu near the Forbidden City — a roast duck restaurant that locals rate higher than Quanjude. It's a chain, prices aren't much different, but the overall ambiance and taste are praiseworthy.
3. Visiting Yin San Douzhi made me realize not every shop in Beijing is expensive; prices here are similar to daily breakfasts in other cities.
4. Both the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City are very photogenic. On a clear day, press the shutter at any corner and it's pleasing to the eye.
5. Ten years ago, you could still enter the Hall of Supreme Harmony; now you can only view it from behind railings. What hasn't changed: still many people, many tour groups, many guides and narrators. If you're willing, you can stand in front of different buildings and hear different people's explanations — and half a day passes.
6. For dinner, consider old Beijing zhizi barbecue or yangxiezi (spine hotpot). There are plenty of evening spots, like the bars and night scenes of Houhai and Sanlitun.
Siji Minfu roast duck.
The jianghu (world of wanderers) has no strangers, only those who haven't yet met.
Thank you, every lovely reader, for taking the time to read.
One cup of wine, one jianghu; one person, one horizon.
If I happen to meet you, it's not by chance — it's me waiting for you.
Photos by Xiuli, Yushu. Text by Yushu.
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Traveling a thousand waters and mountains, here is Chongqing.
