Lost within the grandeur of the Forbidden City stands the Palace of Longevity and Health also known as Shoukanggong. This palace might not be the biggest. Yet its complete structure gives it great significance.
The Palace of Longevity and Health covers 8436 square meters. Building began in 1735 during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty. It finished in 1736 during the Qianlong reign. Restorations occurred in 1820 and again in 1890.
Empress dowagers spent their last years in the Palace of Longevity and Health. Emperors visited them every few days showing respect.
Emperor Qianlong deeply revered his mother Empress Dowager Chongqing. Even after her death he prayed here. He had a gold tower made for a Buddha and his mother’s lost hair. The tower was bejeweled and placed in the east warm room for worship.
Empress Dowager Cixi lived here briefly. Empress Dowager Yu was the last resident of the Palace of Longevity and Health. She left on November 21 1924. The palace then closed.
The Palace of Longevity and Health features three courtyards. A small square sits in front surrounded by houses with yellow glazed tiles. The Huiyin Right Gate connects it to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility.
The Gate of Longevity and Health is made of glaze and stands to the north. Passing through you enter the first courtyard. Here you can admire the Hall of Longevity and Health. This is the palace’s main hall.
The hall has five rooms. The middle room is the Bright Room. The next two are Subordinate Rooms. The last two are Side Rooms used as warm rooms. The east warm room housed the gold tower and was used to worship Buddha. The east and west subordinate halls each have three rooms with yellow glazed tiles.
Dragons and phoenixes adorn the walls symbolizing supreme power. These gilded patterns are intricate. Such paintings are exclusive to imperial palaces and temples.
Behind these halls lies the second courtyard. This was the empress dowagers’ sleeping hall with five rooms. A path connects the rear hall to the main hall.
Leaving the sleeping hall a hallway leads to the third courtyard. Maids once lived here.
So the Palace of Longevity and Health is more than just a building. It echoes with the lives of empress dowagers and emperors. It stands as a testament to their power their reverence and their daily lives within these walls.