The layout of the Forbidden City

Construction of the Forbidden City followed the principle of "offices in front, living quarters at the back; ancestors on the left and gods on the right." The emperor held court with his ministers in the halls in the front part of the Palace. The back part was the living quarters of the emperor, empress, consorts and so on.

Sacrificial ceremonies to the imperial ancestors were held in the Ancestral Temple (Taimiao) on the left side, which has now been converted into the Workers' Palace of Culture. On its right lies the area containing the Altars of Land and Grain, which is now called Zhongshan Park. Coal Hill, an artificial hill constructed to balance the feng shui, protects the Imperial Palace.

Located in the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City was built on a north-south axis, and the throne was built right on the axis. This symbolized that the emperor was the center of the universe. It also meant that all land under Heaven belonged to the emperor, and all people under Heaven were the emperor's subjects.

Map and Details

The Meridian Gate-Main Entrance to the Forbidden City Inner Golden Stream-A Splendid Man-made River The Hall of Supreme Harmony-where Grand Imperial Ceremonies Were Held The Palace of Heavenly Purity-Living Quarters of the Emperor The Imperial Garden-Leisure Park of the Imperial Household