My students and I just got back from China. While we were there I was told we would be visiting the Forbidden City. I thought that would be great, but what I really wanted to visit was the Imperial Palace. I believe I am not the only westerner who is confused about this. The Forbidden City and the Imperial
Palace are the same
thing. The different names assign a different meaning to the palace complex.
From a Chinese perspective the Imperial Palace was where the emperors of China's past reigned from. There were 24 emperors who ruled from this location. The purpose of the great wall was to protect the Imperial palace from invaders. Sun Yat Sen is considered the father of modern China because he overthrew the Qing Dynasty and removed the emperor from power. Mao Zedong is considered the last great emperor because he united China as the emperors of old were able to do. China is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. The country has 55 different ethnicity s according to Wikipedia, but I always hear about 57 from the Chinese themselves. The Chinese know that without a strong leader there would be much conflict and even civil war. They respect someone who is able to unite them. This is why Mao's picture appears on the entrance of the Imperial Palace.
The Forbidden City is a westerners view of the palace complex. What is forbidden about the city? A number of things are forbidden. You could not enter the city unless you were a feudal lord, or lady. You could not leave the city if you were chosen by the empress (or principal wife) to be a concubine for the emperor. Perhaps you remember the gilded cage at the back of the palace complex. The concubines spent there entire lives in this garden, and where never permitted to leave. So from a western perspective there were many things forbidden. From the Chinese perspective things are controlled and orderly to maintain peace and harmony. The Chinese Characters at the top of the pagodas reflect this theme of harmony and peace.
What happens when this order is overturned? Perhaps one of the most interesting stories in Chinese history is the story of how one concubine became empress and ruled China. Here is a link to her interesting story.
Please enjoy the video of our visit to the Forbidden City and shopping near this historic area of Beijing.
From a Chinese perspective the Imperial Palace was where the emperors of China's past reigned from. There were 24 emperors who ruled from this location. The purpose of the great wall was to protect the Imperial palace from invaders. Sun Yat Sen is considered the father of modern China because he overthrew the Qing Dynasty and removed the emperor from power. Mao Zedong is considered the last great emperor because he united China as the emperors of old were able to do. China is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in the world. The country has 55 different ethnicity s according to Wikipedia, but I always hear about 57 from the Chinese themselves. The Chinese know that without a strong leader there would be much conflict and even civil war. They respect someone who is able to unite them. This is why Mao's picture appears on the entrance of the Imperial Palace.
The Forbidden City is a westerners view of the palace complex. What is forbidden about the city? A number of things are forbidden. You could not enter the city unless you were a feudal lord, or lady. You could not leave the city if you were chosen by the empress (or principal wife) to be a concubine for the emperor. Perhaps you remember the gilded cage at the back of the palace complex. The concubines spent there entire lives in this garden, and where never permitted to leave. So from a western perspective there were many things forbidden. From the Chinese perspective things are controlled and orderly to maintain peace and harmony. The Chinese Characters at the top of the pagodas reflect this theme of harmony and peace.
What happens when this order is overturned? Perhaps one of the most interesting stories in Chinese history is the story of how one concubine became empress and ruled China. Here is a link to her interesting story.
Please enjoy the video of our visit to the Forbidden City and shopping near this historic area of Beijing.
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