locatedinthecenterofbeijing,theentirepalacearea,rectangularinshapeand72hectaresinsize,issurroundedbywallstenmetershighandamoat52meterswide.ateachcornerofthewallstandsawatchtowerwithadouble-eaveroofcoveredwithyellowglazedtiles.themainbuildings,thesixgreathalls,onefollowingtheother,aresetfacingsouthalongthecentralnorth-southaxisfromthemeridiangate,thesouthentrance,toshenwumen,thegreatgatepiercinginthenorthwall.oneithersideofthepalacearemanycomparativelysmallbuildings.symmetricallyinthenortheasternsectionliethesixeasternpalacesandinthenorthwesternsectionthesixwesternpalaces.thepalaceareaisdividedintotwoparts:theoutercourtandtheinnerpalace.theformerconsistsofthefirstthreemainhalls,wheretheemperorreceivedhiscourtiersandconductedgrandceremonies,whilethelatterwasthelivingquartersfortheimperialresidence.attherearoftheinnerpalaceistheimperialgardenwheretheemperorandhisfamilysoughtrecreation.
themainentrancetothepalaceisthemeridiangate(1),whichwassonamedbecausetheemperorconsideredhimselfthe"sonoftheheaven"andthepalacethecenteroftheuniverse,hencethenorth-southaxisasthemeridianlinegoingrightthroughthepalace.thegateiscrownedwithfivetowers,commonlyknownasthefive-phoenixtowers(2),whichwereinstalledwithdrumsandbells.whentheemperorwenttothetempleofheaven,bellswerestrucktomarkthisimportantoccasion.whenhewenttotheancestraltemple,itwasthedrumsthatwerebeatentopublicizetheevent.beyondthemeridiangateunfoldsavastcourtyardacrosswhichtheinnergoldenwaterriverrunsfromeasttowest.theriverisspannedbyfivebridges,whichweresupposedtobesymbolsofthefivevirtuespreachedbyconfucius--benevolence,righteousness,rites,intelligence,andfidelity(3).
onthenorthfaceofthehallinthecenteroffourcoiled-goldendragoncolumnsisthe"goldenthrone",whichwascarvedoutofsandalwood.thethronerestsonatwo-meter-highplatformwithascreenbehindit.infrontofit,totheleftandright,standornamentalcranes,incenseburnersandotherornaments.thedragoncolumnsentwinedwithgoldendragonsmeasureonemeterindiameter.thethroneitself,theplatformandthescreenareallcarvedwithdragondesigns.highabovethethroneisacolor-paintedcofferedceilingwhichchangesinshapefromsquaretooctagonaltocircularasitascendslayeruponlayer.theutmostcentralvaultiscarvedwiththegildeddesignofadragontoyingwithpearls.whentheemperormountedthethrone,goldbellsandjadechimessoundedfromthegallery,andcloudsofincenserosefromthebronzecranesandtortoisesandtripodsoutsidethehallontheterrace.theauraofmajestycreatedbytheimposingarchitectureandsolemnritualweredesignedtokeepthesubjectsofthe"sonoftheheaven"inaweandreverence.
theimperialgardenwaslaidoutduringtheearlymingdynasty.hundredsofpinesandcypressesoffershadewhilevariousflowersgivecolorstothegardenallyearroundandfilltheairwiththeirfragrance.inhecenterofthegardenisthehallofimperialpeace,adaoisttemple,withaflatroofslightlyslopingdowntothefoureaves.thistypeofroofwasrareinancientchinesearchitecture.inhenortheasterncornerofthegardenisarockhill,knownasthehillofthepiled-upwonders,whichistoppedwithapavilion.atthefootofthehillaretwofountainswhichjettwocolumnsofwaterhighintotheair.itissaidthatontheninthnightoftheninthmonthofthelunarcalendar,theempresswouldmoundthehilltoenjoytheautumnscene.itisalsobelievedthatclimbingtoahighplaceonthatdaywouldkeeppeoplesafefromcontagiousdiseases.
thesixwesternpalaceswereresidencesforempressesandconcubines.theyarekeptintheiroriginalwayforshow.thesixeasternpalacesweretheresidencesforthemtoo.butnowtheyserveasspecialmuseums:themuseumofbronze,themuseumofporcelainandthemuseumofartsandcraftsofthemingandqingdynasties.inthenortheastern-mostsectionoftheinnerpalacearethemuseumoftraditionalchinesepaintingsandthemuseumofjewelryandtreasureswhererarepiecesofimperialcollectionsareondisplay.