A Day at the Forbidden City
A Day Trip to the Forbidden City
Spring has arrived, so it’s time to stretch my legs. After thinking it over, the Forbidden City in Beijing seemed the perfect choice. In the past, my visits always felt rushed—just a quick march up the central axis and then out before closing time amid the guards’ urging. This time I was determined to spend a full day there and make up for those earlier regrets.
1. Planning the trip
1) Forbidden City tickets: I booked my entry ticket through the Palace Museum’s mini-program on WeChat. The museum is closed on Mondays, so I chose a Tuesday ticket, paying 40 yuan for the main gate ticket, plus 10 yuan each for the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery. Being the off-season, the prices were a little lower.
2) Train tickets: After comparing flights and trains and considering the transfer time from the airport or station to the hotel, I opted for the train. For the outward journey, I booked an afternoon high-speed train, aiming to arrive in Beijing before 10 p.m. One night at the hotel would let me head to the Forbidden City early the next morning with full energy. The return was a night train with a hard sleeper (upper berth), getting me back the next morning—saving one night’s accommodation and not disrupting my schedule too much. The high-speed ticket cost 576 yuan, the hard sleeper 304.5 yuan.
3) Hotel: Since I wanted to walk to the Forbidden City in the morning, I searched for nearby hotels on Ctrip and finally chose the Wangfujing Yongguang Hotel, less than a kilometer away. I booked a windowless double room for 384 yuan.
2. Getting there
Outward journey: I bought dinner on the train for 65 yuan—a bit pricey but very tasty. At Beijing South Station, I took Metro Line 14, changed to Line 8, and got off at Jinyu Hutong (4 yuan). A walk of under ten minutes brought me to the hotel.
3. The hotel
It was a friendly place. Because the windowless double room was under maintenance, they upgraded me for free to one with a window. The door to the floor, however, banged loudly whenever someone came through, so a room farther from the entrance would have been better. There’s no breakfast at the hotel, but right next door is a Hangzhou-style steamed bun shop. I ordered a steamer of mushroom and pork soup buns (9 pieces for 15 yuan) and a bowl of millet porridge (4 yuan)—hot, comforting, and just right.
4. Visiting the Forbidden City
It took about 30 minutes on foot from the hotel to the Meridian Gate. Along the way, I noticed lots of small shops renting Qing dynasty costumes for photo shoots, which struck me as a little odd. Though I thought I’d set off early, other visitors were already on the road—looks like I’m not the only one with time on my hands, haha. Just before the Meridian Gate, there’s a stretch of moat I’d never seen on previous trips. The moat is not just a protective barrier for the imperial palace; it also lends a gentle, graceful air to the Forbidden City. Willows on the far bank were covered in new green buds—spring was unmistakably here.
At the entrance, I scanned my ID card and rented an electronic audio guide (20 yuan), hoping for more detailed commentary. Once through the Meridian Gate, I spotted a luggage storage on the left. That might be handy for anyone dragging a suitcase, though you’d have to double back later to collect it, then carry it all the way to a different exit—so maybe not quite so convenient. Following the central axis, I first passed the Gate of Supreme Harmony. To its left is the Zhendu Gate and to its right, the Zhaode Gate. Looking down the side corridors, a succession of archways seemed to stretch into infinity. Through the audio guide, I listened to the story of how a fire at the Zhendu Gate disrupted Emperor Guangxu’s wedding procession—it left me thinking Empress Dowager Cixi was a rather decisive person. From the Gate of Supreme Harmony to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, there were more visitors than I’d expected. I also noticed small film crews outside the Tiren Pavilion and the Hongyi Pavilion. At first, I thought some official shoot was underway, but then realized they were tourists having their photos taken in Qing costumes. One little girl was dressed as a little gege, posing with a small fan—very cute. That explained all the costume shops on the way over. It’s a pretty distinctive little business. In front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, I spent a while puzzling over the sundial and the grain measure, trying to work out how they told time and measured volume, but I never quite got it. I also noticed the cleaning staff wiping the window lattices—all their cloths were red. Coincidence or some special meaning? The Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony can only be admired from outside, not entered, but just seeing these centuries-old buildings so well preserved is a blessing.
On reaching the Gate of Heavenly Purity, the Grand Council building on the left was remarkably unassuming. Perhaps a row of modest rooms like that made it convenient for the emperor and his ministers to discuss state affairs at close quarters. Half the morning had almost slipped away. This time, I was determined not to stick solely to the central axis but to explore the side wings properly. So I turned left to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, the Cining Palace Garden, and the Palace of Longevity and Health. The two palaces were open to visitors, each with themed exhibitions. The garden was bigger than I’d imagined and much quieter. I sat on a bench, resting and soaking in the peace. By then it was past noon, and I was exhausted. I headed to the Ice Cellar, bought a coffee at the little shop there (25 yuan), and had a bowl of zhajiang noodles (46 yuan) in the uniquely atmospheric Icehouse Restaurant. Feeling revived, I walked south to the Duanhong Bridge, where the stone lions each had a different posture. Some were well preserved, while others were blurred by time—a reminder of how painstaking it is to protect these ancient relics. Then I went to the Hall of Martial Valor, which also housed a themed exhibition.
Next, I moved on to the buildings on the right side of the axis. The Hall of Literary Glory was closed, so I made for the Treasure Gallery. I had expected a single hall displaying treasures, but it turned out to be a whole complex of sights. First came the Nine-Dragon Screen—I must have seen it as a small child or when I was young, and its image still lingered. Walking through the Hall of Imperial Supremacy, the Yangxing Hall, and the Qianlong Garden, I couldn’t help feeling that the Qianlong Emperor may have retired but never really let go of power. Hard to say whether that was good or bad for his son, the Jiaqing Emperor. I was particularly curious about the Changyin Pavilion—a three-storeyed theatre! It’s said there were trapdoors between the levels so performers could appear and disappear, and the acoustics were cleverly designed so that the audience across the courtyard in the Yueshi Building could hear everything clearly. I’d visited the Well of Consort Zhen before. Her story was pretty much the only thing about the Qing dynasty that stuck with me from history lessons as a child—how varied education is today. Tragic as it is, I took another look at the well’s mouth and was struck once more by how small it seemed. Probably people back then weren’t smaller; more likely, today’s well is not the original one. The Treasure Gallery certainly held many treasures, but what impressed me most was a chrysanthemum carved from red coral. Even though it was coral, the carving was so exquisite that I wondered whether jade could ever achieve the same effect. By the time I left the Treasure Gallery complex, it was already around 3 p.m. I hurried to the Clock Gallery to take a quick tour of the imperial clock collection. I imagined Qing emperors as clock collectors, just like my junior high school classmate who collected all kinds of stamps. Different values, perhaps, but the joy of collecting must have been the same. Leaving the clocks behind, I rushed through the Palace of Abstinence and the Six Eastern Palaces—Jingren Palace, Yanxi Palace, Yonghe Palace, Chengqian Palace, Zhongcui Palace, and Jingyang Palace. Only Jingren and Yanxi seemed to be open. What stays with me most is the unfinished building in Yanxi Palace. It’s said to have imitated Western architecture, and in its rusting frame you could read the imperial family’s longing for change and their helplessness.
With less than half an hour until closing, I dashed back across the central axis, hoping to see the Six Western Palaces and the Hall of Mental Cultivation. But that will have to wait for another visit. Returning to the axis, I hurried past the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and reached the Imperial Garden. I spotted the Yanhui Pavilion, said to be where the emperor chose his consorts. I wondered where exactly the emperor and the young women stood. If the emperor was up in the pavilion and the women below, could he really make out their looks and gestures in detail? On second thought, perhaps the young women’s family backgrounds mattered more. Amid the urging of the guards, I reluctantly exited through the Gate of Divine Might. Speaking of guards, the Forbidden City seems to employ a great many; there were at least two in every small room. When I had questions about the exhibits, it felt like the guards were the only people around, so I either forgot the question or solved it myself. If the Palace Museum could offer more expert guidance, that would be perfect. As for services, the audio guide narrates automatically when you reach each spot, which helps. There were two drawbacks, though: one, it switches automatically when two points are close together—if you’re listening while walking, the first narration gets cut off mid-sentence and the next begins without the chance to go back. Two, if you revisit a spot, the guide won’t repeat the commentary because it registers that you’ve already been there. It would work much better if visitors could manually select each location on the device.
5. The return journey
After leaving the Forbidden City, I walked back to the hotel, cutting through two hutong neighbourhoods. Walking Beijing’s hutongs always gives me a sense of unhurried calm and the flavour of daily life, so different from the busy metropolis. I bought a jianbing and soy milk (16 yuan) for supper, collected my luggage from the hotel, and strolled along the Wangfujing pedestrian street. It seemed less bustling than before, with fewer tourists and passers-by. East Chang’an Avenue, though, was still a river of cars. Lost in thought, I made my way to Beijing Station and headed home (metro + bus: 11 yuan).
6. Trip costs
Transport: 895.5 yuan, accommodation: 384 yuan, food: 171 yuan, tickets and audio guide: 80 yuan. Total: 1,530.5 yuan.
7. Reflections
The Forbidden City always has more scenery to take in and more stories behind those scenes to tell—it’s well worth a visit, and another, and another.
High-speed train dinner
Wangfujing Yongguang Hotel, standard double room
Hangzhou-style steamed bun shop next to the hotel
Moat and budding willows
The Meridian Gate entrance to the Forbidden City
View of the Hall of Supreme Harmony from the Hongyi Pavilion
The corridor between the Gate of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Supreme Harmony
Coffee and zhajiang noodles at the Icehouse Restaurant
A clock in the Clock Gallery—where are the hour and minute hands?
