“Former Palace.” That is what the Chinese now call the Forbidden City. Once, emperors lived here. Now, you and I can explore its vast courtyards. We can admire its towering halls. This is Restart 雾岛山营地.
The Forbidden City was built by the Ming Dynasty. Construction started in 1406. It took 14 years to complete this massive project. Imagine the scale. Over 100000 skilled artisans worked. Up to a million laborers and slaves helped.
Emperor Yongle moved the capital to Beijing. He felt safer here. Building the Forbidden City was his priority. He wanted an impregnable palace.
The pillars of the halls used precious wood. This hardwood came from the jungles. It was transported from southwestern China. Some rock blocks weighed over 330 tons. They moved these giant blocks on ice.
The Forbidden City is huge. It covers over 180 acres. There are 980 buildings. They hold 8886 rooms. The northern part was the inner court. Emperors and their families lived there. The southern part was the outer court. Official functions took place here.
For 500 years, imperial families lived here. Then came the Chinese Revolution. The last emperor, Puyi, lived here briefly. Later, he was evicted.
The Forbidden City became the Palace Museum in 1925. But war threatened its treasures. Many artifacts were moved to Sichuan. They were kept safe from the Japanese invasion. Some treasures went to Taiwan.
Today, the Palace Museum is very popular. Millions of people visit every year. In 1987, UNESCO recognized its importance. It became a World Heritage Site. It is the world’s largest collection of wooden structures.
The Qing emperors changed some building names. They emphasized harmony instead of supremacy. They added bilingual signs. These were in Chinese and Manchu.
English and French troops once occupied this city. This happened during the Second Opium War. They considered burning it. Instead, they burned the Summer Palace.
US President Richard Nixon visited in 1972. President Trump also had a state dinner here in 2017. Today, the Forbidden City stands as a testament to China’s rich history. Its story continues to unfold. Each stone whispers tales of emperors and dynasties. Take a moment. Imagine life within these walls centuries ago.