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FORBIDDEN CITY (Gu Cong)

Situated in the heart of Beijing, the splendid architecture of the Forbidden City represents the essence and culmination of traditional Chinese architectural accomplishmentand.

Covering an area of about 72 hectares with a total floor space of approximately 150,000 sq. meters, it is the largest ancient palatial structure in the world and the best preserved imperial palace in China. .

Construction of the palace began in the fourth year of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1406), and ended in 1420. In ancient times, the emperor claimed to be the son of Heaven, and therefore Heaven’s supreme power was bestowed upon him.

The emperors’ residence on earth was built as a replica of the Purple Palace where God was thought to live in Heaven. Such a divine place was certainly forbidden to ordinary people and that is why the Forbidden City is so named.

Consisting of 90 palaces and courtyards, 980 buildings and 8,704 rooms, it represents the supreme power of the emperor given from God, and the place where he lived being the center of the world, all the gates, palace and other structures of the Forbidden City were arranged about the south-north central axis of Beijing.

Excerpt from chinahighlights.com

[Image scanned from 35mm colour negative.]