FORBIDDEN CITY (紫禁城)
(In front of the meridian gate)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am pleased to serve as your guide today.
This is the palace museum; also know as the Purple Forbidden City. It is the largest and most well reserved imperial residence in China today. Under Ming Emperor Yongle, construction began in 1406. It took 14years to build the Forbidden City. The first ruler who actually lived here was Ming Emperor Zhudi. For five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence of23 successive emperors until 1911 when Qing Emperor Puyi was forced to abdicate the throne. In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized the Forbidden City was a world cultural legacy.
It is believed that the Palace Museum, or Zi Jin Cheng (Purple Forbidden City), got its name from astronomy folklore, The ancient astronomers divided the constellations into groups and centered them around the Ziwei Yuan (North Star) . The constellation containing the North Star was called the Constellation of Heavenly God and star itself was called the purple palace. Because the emperor was supposedly the son of the heavenly gods, his central and dominant position would be further highlighted the use of the word purple in the name of his residence. In folklore, the term “an eastern purple cloud is drifting” became a metaphor for auspicious events after a purple cloud was seen drifting eastward immediately before the arrival of an ancient philosopher, LaoZi, to the Hanghu Pass. Here, purple is associated with auspicious developments. The word jin (forbidden) is self-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-explanatory as the imperial palace was heavily guarded and off-limits to ordinary people.
The red and yellow used on the palace walls and roofs are also symbolic. Red represents happiness, good fortune and wealth. Yellow is the color of the earth on the Loess Plateau, the original home of the Chinese people. Yellow became an imperial color during the Tang dynasty, when only members of the royal family were allowed to wear it and use it in their architecture.
The Forbidden City is rectangular in shape. It is 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meter wide from east west. It has 9,900 rooms under a total roof area 150,000 square meters. A 52-meter-wide-moat encircles a 9. 9-meter—high wall which encloses the complex. Octagon —shaped turrets rest on the four corners of the wall. There are four entrances into the city: the Meridian Gate to the south, the Shenwu Gate (Gate of Military Prowess) to the north, and the Xihua Gate (Gate of military Prowess) to the north, and the Xihua Gate (Western Flowery Gate ) to the west, the Donghua (Eastern Flowery Gate) to the east.
Manpower and materials throughout the country were used to build the Forbidden City. A total of 230,000 artisans and one million laborers were employed. Marble was quarried from fangshan Country Mount Pan in Jixian County in Hebei Province. Granite was quarried in Quyang County in Hebei Province. Paving blocks were fired in kilns in Suzhou in southern China. Bricks and scarlet pigmentation used on the palatial walls came from linqing in Shandong Province. Timber was cut, processed and hauled from the northwestern and southern regions.
The structure in front of us is the Meridian Gate. It is the main entrance to the forbidden City. It is also knows as Wufenglou (Five-Phoenix Tower). Ming emperors held lavish banquets here on the 15th day of the first month of the Chinese lunar year in honor of their counties. They also used this place for punishing officials by flogging them with sticks.
Qing emperors used this building to announce the beginning of the new year. Qing Emperor Qianlong changed the original name of this announcement ceremony from ban li (announcement of calendar) to ban shou (announcement of new moon) to avoid coincidental association with another Emperor's name, Hongli, which was considered a taboo at that time. Qing Dynasty emperors also used this place to hold audience and for other important ceremonies. For example, when the imperial army returned victoriously from the battlefield, it was here that the Emperor presided over the ceremony to accept prisoners of war.
(After entering the Meridian Gate and standing in front of the Five Marble Bridges on Golden Water River)
Now we are inside the Forbidden City. Before we start our tour, I would like to briefly introduce you to the architectural patterns before us. To complete this solemn, magnificent and palatial complex, a variety of buildings were arranged on a north-south axis, and 8-kilometer-long invisible line that has become an inseparable part of the City of Beijing. The Forbidden City covers roughly one –third of this central axis. Most of the important buildings in the Forbidden City were arranged along this line. The design and arrangement of the palaces reflect the solemn dignity of the royal court and rigidly –stratified feudal system.
The Forbidden City is divided into an outer and an inner count. We are now standing on the southernmost part of the outer count. In front of us lies the Gate of supreme Harmony. The gate is guarded by a pair of bronze lions, symbolizing imperial power and dignity. The lions were the most exquisite and biggest of its kind. The one on the east playing with a ball is a male, and ball is said to represent state unity. The other one is a female. Underneath one of its fore claws is a cub that is considered to be a symbol of perpetual imperial succession. The winding brook before us is the Golden Water River. It functions both as decoration and fire control. The five bridges spanning the river represent the five virtues preached by Confucius: benevolence, righteousness, rites, intelligence and fidelity. The river takes the shape of a bow and the north-south axis is its arrow. This was meant to show that the Emperors ruled the country on behalf of God.
(In front of the Gate of Supreme Harmony)
The Forbidden City consists of an outer courtyard and an inner enclosure. The out count yard covers a vast space lying between the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Heavenly Purity. The “three big halls” of Supreme Harmony, Complete Harmony and Preserving Harmony constitute the center of this building group. Flanking them in bilateral symmetry are two groups of palaces: Wenhua (Prominent Scholars) and Wuying (Brave Warriors). The three great halls are built on a spacious “H”-shaped, 8-meter-high, triple marble terrace, Each level of the triple terrace is taller than the on below and all are encircled by marble balustrades carved with dragon and phoenix designs. There are three carved stone staircases linking the three architectures. The hall of supreme Harmony is also the tallest and most exquisite ancient wooden-structured mansion in all of China. From the palace of Heavenly Purity northward is what is known as the inner court, which is also built in bilaterally symmetrical patterns. In the center are the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Union and Peace and Palace of Earthly Tranquility, a place where the Emperors lived with their families and attended to state affairs. Flanking these structures are palaces and halls in which concubines and princes lived. There are also three botanical gardens within the inner count, namely, the imperial Garden, Caning garden and Quailing garden. An inner Golden Water River flows eastwardly within the inner court. The brook winds through three minor halls or palaces and leads out of the Forbidden City. It is spanned by the White Jade Bridge. The river is lined with winding, marble –carved balustrades. Most of the structures within the Forbidden City have yellow glazed tile roofs.
Aside from giving prominence to the north-south axis, other architectural methods were applied to make every group of palatial structures unique in terms of terraces, roofs, mythical monsters perching on the roofs and colored, drawing patterns. With these, the grand contour and different hierarchic spectrum of the complex were strengthened. Folklore has it that there are altogether 9,999 room-units in the Forbidden City. Since Paradise only has 10,000 rooms, the Son of Heaven on earth cut the number by half a room. It is also rumoured that this half –room is located to the west of the Wenyuange Pavilion (imperial library) . As a matter of fact, although the Forbidden City has more than 9,000 room-units, this half-room is nonexistent. The Wenyuange Pavilion is a library where “Si Ku Quan Shu”- China's first comprehensive anthology-was stored.
(After walking past the Gate of Supreme Harmony)
Ladies and Gentlemen, the great hall we are approaching is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the biggest and tallest of its king in the Forbidden City. This structure covers a total building space of 2,377 square meters, and is know for its upturned, multiple counterpart eaves. The Hall of Supreme Harmony sits on a triple “H”-shaped marble terrace is 8 meters high and linked by staircases. The staircase on the ground floor has 21 steps while the middle and upper stairways each have 9.
The construction of the Hall of Supreme Harmony began in 1406. It burned down three times and was severely damaged once during a mutiny. The existing architecture was built during the Qing Dynasty. On the corners of the eaves a line of animal-nails were usually fastened to the tiles. These animal-nails were later replace with mythical animals to ward off evil spirits. There are altogether 9 such fasteners on top of this hall. The number nine was regarded by the ancients to be the largest numeral accessible to man and to which only the emperors were entitled.
There was a total of 24 successive emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties who were enthroned here. The ball was also used for ceremonies which marked other great occasions: the Winter Solstice, The Chinese Lunar New Year, the Emperor's birthday, conferral of the title of empress, the announcement of new laws and policies, and dispatches of generals to war. On such occasions, the Emperor would hold audience for his court officials and receive their tributes.
This area is called the Hall of Supreme Harmony Square, which covers a total of 30,000 square meters, Without a single tree or plant growing here, this place inspires visitors to feel its solemnity and grandeur. In the middle of the square there is a carriageway that was reserved for the Emperor. On both sides of the road the ground bricks were laid in a special way seven layers lengthwise and eight layers crosswise, making up fifteen layers in all. The purpose of this was to prevent anyone from tunneling his way into the palace. In the count yard there are iron vats for storing water to fight fires. In the whole complex there are altogether 308 water vats. In wintertime, charcoal was burned underneath the vats to keep the water from freezing. Why so vast a square? It was designed to impress people with the hall's grandeur and vastness. Imagine the following scene. Under the clear blue sky, the yellow glazed tiles shimmered as the cloud-like layers of terrace, coupled with the curling veil of burning incense, transformed the hall of supreme Harmony into a fairyland. Whenever major ceremonies were held, the glazed, crane-shaped candleholders inside the hall would be it, and incense and pine branches burnt in front of the hall. When the Emperor appeared, drums were beaten and musical instrument played. Civilian officials and generals would kneel know in submission.
The last Qing emperor Puyi assumed the throne in 1908, at the age of three, His father carried him to the throne. At the start of the coronation, the sudden drum-beating and loud music caught the young emperor unprepared. He was so scared that he kept crying and shouting, “I don't want to stay here. I want to go home.” His father tried to soothe him, saying, “It'll all soon be finished. It'll all soon be finished” The ministers present at the event considered this incident inauspicious. Coincidentally, the Qing dynasty collapsed three years later and there with concluded China’s feudal system that had lasted for more than 2,000 years.
(On the stone terrace of the Hall of Supreme Harmony)
This is a bronze incense burner. In it incense made of sandalwood would be burnt on important occasions. There are altogether 18 incense burners, representing all of the provinces under the rule of the Sing monarchs. On either side of the Hall, 4 bronze water-filled vats were placed in case of fire. Next to the terrace on either side, there is a bronze crane and tortoise, symbols of longevity. This copper-cast grain measure is called “jialiang.” It served as the national standard during the Qing dynasty. It was meant to show that the imperial ruler were just and open to rectification. On the other side there is a stone sundial, an ancient timepiece. The jialiang and the sundial were probably meant to show what the Emperor represented: that he was the only person who should possess the standards of both measure and time.
In the very forefront of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, there are 12 scarlet, round pillars supporting the roof. The hall is 63 meters from east to west and 37 meters from north to south. It is 35 meters in height. In front of this architecture, there stands a triple terrace with five staircases leading up to the main entrance. It has 40 gold doors and 16 gold-key windows with colored drawings on the pillars and beams. In the middle of the hall, a throne carved with 9 dragons sits on a 2-meter-high platform. Behind the throne there is a golden screen and in front of it, there is an imperial desk. The flanks are decorated with elephants, Luduan (a legendary beast), cranes, and incense barrels. The elephant carries a vase on its back that holds five cereals (i. e. rice, two kinds of millet, wheat and beans), which was considered a symbol of prosperity. As ancient legend has it that luduan can travel 18,000 li (9,000 kilometers ) in one day and knows all languages and dialects. Only to a wise adjust monarch will this beast be a guardian.
The Hall of Supreme Harmony is also popularly known as Jinluan Dian (gold bell hall or the throne hall). The floor of the hall is laid with bricks that turn it into a smooth, fine surface as if water has been sprinkled on it. The so-called golden brick, in fact, has nothing to do with gold. Reserved exclusively for the construction of the royal court, it was made in a secretive, and complex way, and, when struck, sounds like the clink of a gold bar. Each brick was worth the market price of one dan (or one hectoliter) of rice.
The hall is supported by a total of 72 thick pillars. Of these, 6 are carved in dragon patterns and painted with gold and surround the throne. Above the very center of this hall there is a zaojing, or covered ceiling, which is one of the Specialities of China's ancient architecture. In the middle of the ceiling is a design of a dragon playing with a ball inlaid with peals. This copper ball, hollow inside and covered with mercury, is known as the Xuanyuan Mirror and is thought to be made Xuanyuan, a legendary monarch dating back to remote antiquity. The placing of the caisson above the throne is meant to suggest that all of China's successive emperors are Zuanyuan's descendants and hereditary heirs. Now you might have noticed that the Xuanyuan mirror is not directly above the throne. Why? It is rumored that Yuan Shikai, a self-acclaimed warlord-turned emperor moved the throne further back because he was afraid that the mirror might fall on him. In 1916 when Yuan Shikai became emperor, he removed the original throne with a Western-style, high-back chair. After the foundation of the People's Republic of China in 1949 the throne was found in a shabby furniture warehouse. It repaired and returned to the hall.
(Leading the tourist to the bronze vats either on the east or the west)
the water vats in front of the palaces or house were called “menhai,” or sea before the door by the ancient Chinese. They believed that with a sea by the door, fire could not wreak havoc. The vats served both as a decoration and as a fire extinguisher. They were kept full of water all year round.
During the Qing Dynasty, they were altogether 308 vats in the palace enclosure. They were made of gilt bronze or iron. Of course, the gilt bronze vats were of the best quality. When the allied forces (Britain, Germany, France, Russia, the United States, Italy, Japan and Austria) invaded Beijing in 1900 under the pretext of suppressing the Boxer Rebellion, the invaders ransacked the imperial compound and scraped and gold off the vats with their bayonets. During the Japanese occupation of Beijing, many vats were trucked away by the Japanese to be made into bullets.
(In front of the Hall of Complete Harmony)
The square architecture before us is called the Hall of Complete Harmony. It served as an antechamber. The Emperor came here to meet with his countiers and add his final touches to the prayers which would be read at the ancestral Temple. The seeds, snowers and prayer intended for spring sowing were also examined here. The two Qing sedan chairs here on display were used for traveling within the palace during the reign of Emperor Qianlong.
(In front of the hall f Preserving Harmony)
This is the Hall of Preserving Harmony. During the Qing Dynasty, banquets were held here on New Year's eve in honour of Mongolian and Northwestern China's xingjiang princes and ranking officials. The Emperor also dinned here with his new son-in-law on the wedding day. Imperial examinations were also held here once every three years. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were three levels of exams: the county and prefectural level, the provincial level and national level. The national exam was presided over by the emperor. The civil service exam in ancient China started during the Han Dynasty. It served the purpose of recruiting Confucian scholars to the ministers and high officials. During the Tang and Qing dynasties reinstituted and ancient system. Once every three years, three hundred scholars from all over the country came to Beijing and took exams for three day and night. This system was abolished in 1905.
(Behind the hall of preserving harmony)
this is the largest stone carving in the palace. It is 16. 73 meters long, 3. 07 meters wide and 1. 7 meters thick. It weighs about 200 tons. The block was quarried in Fangshan County, roughly 70 kilometers away. To transport such a huge block to Beijing, laborers dug wells along the roadside half a kilometer apart, and used the groundwater to make a road of ice in the winter. Rolling blocks were used in the summer. In 1760, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty ordered the carving of the existing cloud and dragon design in place of the old one which dated back to the Ming Dynasty.
Note : From here, the tour can be conducted via three different routes: a western route (Route A), a central route (Route B) or an eastern route (Route C) . The commentary for each follows.
Route A
Ladies and Gentlemen:
You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City. Now I 'd like to show you around the hall of mental cultivation and the imperial garden. The hall of mental cultivation is situated is in the western part of the innermost enclosure and is symmetrical to Fengxian (enshrinement of forebears) Hall in the east. This hall was built during the Ming Dynasty. IT is a H-shaped structure consisting of an antechamber and a main building. The hall is surrounded by corridors. In front of the hall is the Office of Privy Council.
Before Emperor Kangxi of Qing the Dynasty came to power the Hall of Heavenly Purity served as the living quarter of the emperors. Emperor Yongzheng chose to live in this hall and attended to every day state affairs from here. For the sake of protecting cultural relics, this hall is not open to the public. You can have a look at the inside from the door. The central hall was the audience chamber where the emperor read memorials, granted audience to officials and summoned his minsters for consultation. The western chamber of the hall was where the emperor read reports and discussed military and political affairs. The hall consists of many inner rooms and is decorated with images of Buddha and miniature pagodas. On the screen wall there hangs a picture of two emperors in the Han costume. In a southern room there three rare calligraphic scrolls, hence the name of the room “Sanxitang” (Room of Three Rare Treasures) . The room on the eastern side is of historical interest because it was here that Empress Dowager Cixi usurped power and made decisions on behalf of the young emperor. A bamboo curtain was used to separate them.
Empress Dowage Cixi was born in 1835 in Lu'an Prefecture of shanxi province. She's of Manchurian nationality and her father was a provincial governor from south China. When she was 17 years old, she was selected to become a concubine of Emperor Xianfeng and moved into the Forbidden City. She gave birth to a son when she was 21years old and was made a concubine the following year. When the emperor passed away in the summer of 1861, her son ascended the throne and title of Cixi, meaning “Holy Mother” was conferred upon her and she became the Empress Dowager. In that same year Empress Dowager Cixi carried out a count coup d'etat and ruled behind the scenes with another empress dowager, Ci'an, for 48 years. She passed away in 1908 at the age of 73. It was in reference to this situation that the term “attending to state affairs behind a bamboo curtain” developed. In 1912, Empress dowager Longyu declared the abdication of the last Qing emperor Puyi. They were allowed to remain in the Forbidden City for the next 13 years. The royal family was forced to move out permanently in 1924.
Behind the central hall were the living accommodation of 8 successive Qing emperors. Three of them actually passed away here. The side rooms flanking the hall were reserved for empresses and concubines. Now let's continue with our tour. It will take us to the Hall of heavenly purity, the hall of union and peace, the palace of earthly tranquility, and the imperial garden.
Route B
(Inside the Hall of heavenly Purity)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are now entering the inner court. From the Gate of Heavenly Purity northward lies the inner court where the emperors and empresses once lived. The Hall of heavenly Purity is the central hall of the inner court, and was completed during the Reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. There are 10 pillars supporting the entire structure and the hall is 20 meters in height. In the center of the hall there is a throne. Above it hangs a plaque with an inscription that reads “Be open and above-board,” written by Shenzhi, the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Beginning with Qianlong's reign, the name of the successor to the throne was not publicly announced. Instead, it was written on two pieces of paper, one to be kept on the emperor's person throughout his reign, and the other placed in a small strongbox that was stored behind his plaque. The box was opened only after the emperor passed away. Altogether there where 4 emperors who ascended the throne in this way, namely Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang and Xian feng.
The hall of heavenly purity was where the emperors lived during the Ming and Qing dynasties. According to tradition, extravagant annual banquets were held here on New Year's Eve in honour of royal family members. Foreign ambassadors were received here during the late-Qing period. Two important “one thousand old men's feasts” of the Qing Dynasty were also held here. All the invitees had to be at least 65 years of age. This hall was also used for mourning services.
(Inside the Palace of Union and Peace)
this hall sits between the Hall of heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, symbolizing the union of heaven and earth, as well as national peace. It was first built in 1420 and reconstructed in 1798. The hall is square in shape, and is smaller than the Hall of complete Harmony. You will see a plaque here inscribed with two Chinese characters, wu wei, which were handwritten by Emperor Qianlong. A throne sits in the middle of the hall with a screen behind it. Above the throne there hangs a caisson, or covered ceiling. The emperor held birthday celebrations and other major events here.
In 1748 during Emperor Qianlong's reign, 25 jade seals representing imperial authority were kept in this hall. No seals were allowed out of the room without the prior consent of the emperor. On each flack there is a water clock and a chiming clock.
(Inside the palace of earthly tranquility)
This used to be the central hall where successive Ming empresses lived. During the Qing dynasty, it was converted into a place where sacrifices and wedding ceremonies were held. The room on the western side was used for sacrifices and the room on the east was the seeding chamber.
Route C
Ladies and Gentlemen:
You have seen the three main halls of the Forbidden City. Now I'd like to show you around scenes of interest along the eastern route. The first is the Treasure Hall. This mansion is called the Hall of Imperial Zenith. This is where Sing Emperor Quailing lived after abdication. Nearly 1,000 artifacts and treasures are on display here, among which the Golden Hair Tower is one of the most famous. This tower is 1. 53meters in height and its base is 0.53 meters in circumference. It was built under the order of Emperor Quailing to be used to collect fallen hair in commemoration of his mother. There is also a “Day harnessing Water Jade Hill” on display here. Yu was a legendary monarch of the remote Ixia dynasty. Under his leadership, the people learned how to harness the Yellow River. This jade assemblage, 224 centimeters in height and 5 tons in weight, is the largest jade artwork in China. This mat was woven with peeled ivory. These artifacts are among China's rarest treasures.
(In front of the Nine-Dragon Screen)
This is the Nine-Dragon Relief Screen. Erected in 1773,it is 3.5 meters in height and 29. 4 meters in width. Underneath is a foundation made of marble. The surface of the screen is laid with a total of 270 colored, glazed tiles in the design of 9 dragons, some rocky mountains, clouds and the sea. It was meant to ward off evil spirits The ancient Chinese regarded 9 dragons, some rocky mountains, clouds and the sea. It was meant to ward off evil spirits. The ancient Chinese regarded 9 as the largest numeral and the dragon as a auspicious beast. The 9 dragons are different in color and posture and all are made of glazed tiles. Interestingly a piece of the third dragon from the left is made of wood. It is believe that when the Nine-dragon Screen was almost finished, a piece of glazed tile was damaged. Emperor Qianlong was scheduled to inspect the work the following day. Using quick wits, the craftsman in question molded the missing piece with clay and sailed through the imperial inspection. Later, he asked a carpenter to carve a wooden one to replace the one made of clay.
(Approaching the Imperial Garden)
Behind the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and trading the north-south axis is the imperial Garden. There are old trees, rare flowers and exotic rock formation in this garden. It cover a space of 11,700 square meters, or roughly 1. 7 percent of the Forbidden City. Most of the structures in the garden are symmetrically arranged. However, each is different in terms of pattern and decoration. Woods clumps of bamboo screen off the garden and strengthens its deep and serene atmosphere.
There main structure of the Imperial Garden is the Qin'an Hall. Positioned in the central-northern part of the garden, this hall is flanked by other halls and pavilions on the east and west. The hall sits on a marble pedestal. The Taoist deity of Zhenwu is enshrined here and emperor would pay homage here a quarterly basis. Taoist rites were held during the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty. In front of the hall there is a cypress that is 400 years old. In all there are a dozen such rare trees in the garden, and most of them are cypresses or pines. To the northwest of the hall, there is the Yanhui (Sustaining Sunshine) Pavilion and to the northeast there lies the Duixiu (Accumulated Refinement) Hill. This Hill was built over the foundation of the Guanhua (Admiring Flowers) Hall of the Ming Dynasty. It is 14 meters in height and made of al kinds of rocks quarried in Jiangsu province. At its base stand two stone lions, each carrying a dragon shooting water 10 meters up into the air from its mouth. There are meandering paths leading to the hilltop. At the top of Duixiu Hill sits the Yujing (Imperial Viewing) Pavilion. Traditionally, On the day of the Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month), the emperor, his consort, and his concubines would climb up to Yujing Pavilion to enjoy the scenery. At the southeastern corner of the Garden is Jiangxue (Crimson Snowy) Verandah. Nearby to the southwest lies Yangxing Study (study of the cultivation of nature). The yangxing study was used as a royal library during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Puyi once studied English there. In front of the Jiangxue Verandah some Chinese flowering crabapples grow. The structure got its name from the crabapples who blossoms from crimson to snowy white. In front of the Verandah, there grows a rare flower that was brought from henna Province under the order of Empress dowager Cixi. In the northeast is Chizao Tang (Hall of Using Flowery Language), once used as a library where rare books were stored.
There are also specific pavilions symbolizing the four seasons. The halls of Wanchun and Qianqiu, representing spring and autumn respectively, are square in shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shape and are coupled with multiple eaves and bell-shaped ridges. The halls of Chengrui and Fubi, dedicated to winter and summer, are characterized by two verandahs and bridges at their bases. Paths were paved with colorful pebbles and arranged in 900 different designs.
The Imperial Garden can be accessed through the Qiong yuan (Jade Garden ) West gate or the qiong yuan east gate. A third gate, the shunzhen (Obedience and Fidelity) Gate, opens to the north. Its doors are laid in glazed tiles and it was only used by the empress or concubines.
As our tour of the Forbidden City draws to a close, I hope that I have helped you understand why the Palace is a treasure of China and one of the cultural relics of the world. It is under the strict protection of the Chinese government. Since 1949 when the people's Republic of China was founded, nearly one trillion RMB was spent on its restoration and refurbishment. The Forbidden City has undergone four major facelifts to date. Each year, the government earmarks a large sum to gather, sort and study cultural relics. The Palace now contains a total of 930,000 cultural relics. Well, so much for today. Let's go to board the coach. Thank you!
北京导游词六大景点英文导游词之颐和园
(out side the east gate)
ladies and gentlemen: welcome to the summer palace.(after the self-introduction of the guide -interpreter) i hope this will be an interesting and enjoyable day for you .
during our tour, you will be introduced to time honored historical and cultural traditions, as well as picturesque views and landscapes.
the construction of the summer palace first started in 1750. at that time, the qing dynasty was in its heyday and china was a powerful asian country with vast territories. the monarch in power then was emperor qianlong. with supreme power and large sums of money, he summoned skillful and ingenious artisans from all over the country to carry out this construction work in honor of his mother `s birthday. after 15 years and one seventh of the nation` s annual revenue spent, the garden of clear ripples was completed and served as a testimony to china` s scientific and technological achievements. in 1860, this vast royal garden was burnt down along with the yuanming yuan (garden of perfection and brightness) by angol-french allied forces. in 1888, empress dowager cixi reconstructed the garden on the same site and renamed it the garden of nurtured harmony (summer palace). characterized by its vast scope and rich cultural embodiments, the summer palace has become one of the most famous tourist sites in the world. this is the main entrance to the summer palace-the east gate on top of the eaves of the door there is a plaque bearing a chinese inscription which means “garden of nurtured harmony” , whose calligrapher was emperor guangxu. the gate that you are now entering was used exclusively by the emperor, the empress and the queer mother. all others used the side doors.
(inside the east gate)
the summer palace can be divided into two parts: longevity hill and kunming lake .the whole garden covers an area of 290 hectares, of whih three- fourths consists of a lake and rivers .this imperial garden features 3,000 room-units and covers an expanse of 70,000 square meters with more than 100 picturesque spots of interest. the layout of the summer palace includes three groups of architectures: palaces where the emperor attended to state affairs, resting palaces of the emperor and empress, and sightseeing areas. entering the east gate we will come the the office quarters. entering the east gate we will come to the office quarters. the annex halls on both sides were used for officials on duty. this is the gate of benevolence and longevity. above the door there is a plaque bearing the same name in both chinese and manchurian characters. the gigantic rock in the foreground is known as taihu rock, or eroded limestone, quarried in jiangsu province and placed here to decorated the garden. on the marble terrace sits a bronze mythical beast, known as qilin or xuanni . it was said to the one of the nine sons of dragon king. a point of peculiar interest is that it has the head of a dragon, antlers of a deer, the tail of a lion and hooves of a ox, and is covered with a unique skin. it was considered an auspicious creature that brought peace and prosperity. this grand hall is the hall of benevolence and longevity. it was built in 1750 , and was known as the hall of industrious government. emperor qianlong ruled that the halls where monarchs attended to state affairs would be named after them . after the rebuilding of the summer palace, the hall was renamed, suggesting that benevolent rulers would enjoy long lives. the arrangement of the hall has been left untouched. in the middle of the hall stands a throne made of sandalwood and carved with beautiful designs. in the background there is a screen carved with nine frolicking dragons. on either side of the throne there are two big fans made of peacock feathers, two column-shaped incense burners, crane-shaped lanterns and an incense burner assuming the form of luduan, a mythological animal which was suppose to have the power to prevent fire. the small chambers on eight side were where the emperor qianlong and empress dowager cixi rested and met officials on formal occasions. on the verandah in the foreground of the hall there are bronze statues of dragon and phoenixes which served as incense burners on major occasions. they are hollow and smoke comes through holes on their backs. also on the veranda are tai ping (peace) bronze water vats made during the reign of emperor qianlong. as a precaution in case of fire, a fire was lit underneath the vats in the winter to keep the water in them from freezing.
(at the entrance of garden of virtuous harmony)
we are now visiting the garden of virtuous harmony, where emperor qianlong and empress dowager cixi were entertained with beijing opera performances. it mainly consists of the dressing house, the grand theater building and the hall of pleasure smiles. the grand theater building known as the “cradle of beijing opera” was uniquely laid out and magnificently decorated. on september 10, 1984, the garden of virtuous harmony opened its doors to visitors. there are also 7 exhibition halls with articles of daily use on display here. the staff here put up court dresses of qing dynasty in order to give the visitor a more vivid impression.
(in front of the grand theater building)
this building is 21 meters in height and 17 meters in width and features three tiers of tilted eaves and stages. all of the stages are connected to a raise ,and a winch is installed at the top. a well and 5 ponds were sunk under the ground stage. there are trapdoors in the ceiling for fairies to descend, as well as on the floor for demons to surface. the underground passages also served as a means of improving resonance and making the performers` voices more audible .of the three main theater building of the qing dynasty, the grand theater building is the tallest and the largest. the other two are changyin (fluent voice ) pavilion in chengde, an imperial summer resort. the building played a major part in fostering the birth and development of beijing opera: since the completion of the grand theater building, many performances were held in it in honor of the empress dowager cixi.
(a lakeside walk from the garden of virtuous harmony to the hall of jade ripples)
we are now standing in the middle of a rockery behind the hall of benevolent and longevity. it appears that there` s nothing special ahead. however, after we clear the rockery, we will reach kunming lake. this is a application of a specific style of chinese gardening. not far away in the lake there is a islet. it is filled with peach and weeping willow trees and serves as a ideal place to appreciate the scenery. the pavilion on the islet is called zhichun (understanding spring) pavilion and is chardcterized by four- edged, multiple eaved roofs.
(in front of the hall of jade ripples)
this group of special and quiet courtyard dwelling is the hall of jade ripples. it was first used by emperor qianlong to attend to state affairs. it was also where emperor guangxu of the late qing dynasty was kept under house arrest. this hall is a hallmark of the reform movement of 1898, emperor guanxu was empress dowager cixi` s nephew. after emperor tongzhi died, empress dowager cixi made her nephew, who was at that time four years old a successor in order to continue her wielding of power behind the scenes. when emperor guanxu was 19 years old ,empress dowager cixi relinquished power to him but continued to exert considerable influence. in 1898, the reform movement took place with the aim of sustaining the corn principles of the qing dynasty while reforming outdated laws. the movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by empress dowager cixi. the emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and emperor guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .all the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. emperor guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. the wall remains intact for tourists to see.. dynasty while reforming outdated laws. the movement lasted for 103 days until it was suppressed by empress dowager cixi. the emperor` s six earnest reformists were beheaded and emperor guangxu was placed under house arrest which lasted for 10 years .all the back doors were sealed and a brick was was put up behind the wooden partition on each side of the two annexes of the courtyard. emperor guangxu was closely watched by eunuchs. the wall remains intact for tourists to see. (in front of yiyunguan (chamber of mortal beings) this was where empress and empress dowager of china` s feudal system. however, emperor guanxu was not the last emperor of the qing dynasty. the last in the line was emperor puyi, who ascended the throne in 1908 at the age of three, too young to be married . in 1912, he was forced to abdicate. during the short reign of emperor puyi. empress longyu handled state affairs on his behalf in the name of empress dowager. in 1911, a revolution led by dr. sun yat-sun succeeded, and the year after, empress longyu announced the abdication of the last emperor of china.
(in the hall of happiness and longevity)
the aged empress dowager cixi was so fond of the summer palace that she decided to live here from april through october of every year. this group of buildings served as her residence. this group of courtyard dwellings consists of a forecourt and a backyard with annex courts on each side .the whole compound was basically made of wood, which is ideal for ventilation and lighting . with its quiet and tasteful layout, the hall of happiness and longevity made life very easy and convenient. no wonder one of empress dowager cixi` s pleasure boat. on the pier there is a tall lantern post. flanking the staircase leading to the main entrance of the hall, there are bronze cranes, deer and vases, symbolizing universal peace. the interior layout is the same as the imperial court, with throne, a large table and incense burners placed in the middle. at mealtime, eunuchs-in –waiting would make a gigantic table out of this table and empress dowager cixi would dine on 128 courses. because of this more than 1,800 tales of silver would be spent each month on meals. on the east side of the living room is the cloak room. the bedroom in on its west. in front of the yaoyue (inviting the moon ) gate of the long corridor the famed long corridor is ahead. facing kunming lake and in the foreground of longevity hill, the long corridor stretches from yaoyue (inviting the moon ) gate to shizhang (stony old man) pavilion. it is 728 meters in length and consist of 273 sections and connects four octagonal pavilions. in 1990 ,it was listed in guinness book of world records.
(strolling along the long corridor)
the long corridor is one of the major structures of the summer palace .since the corridor was designed to follow the physical features of the southern slope of longevity hill , four multiple-eaved, octagonal pavilions (beauty-retaining pavilion, enjoy-the ripples pavilion, autumn water pavilion and clarity distance pavilion) were placed at bends and undulation. thus sightseers will hardly notice the rise and fall of the terrain. as a major part of the architectural style of the summer palace, the long corridor serves as an ingenious connector between the lake and the hill. scattered buildings on the southern slope were linked to creat a unified complex. this corridor can also be called a “corridor of paintings ”: there are more than 14,000 paintings on its beams. some of them are of birds, flowers and landscapes of the west lake in hangzhou, zhejian province. others present scenes from literary classics. the majority of the landscape painting were done under the order of emperor qianlong, who preperred the scenery of south china.
(by the door leading to the exhibition of cultural relics)
this group of temple-shaped structures are known as qinghua (clarified china) hall ,also known as arhat hall during the reign of emperor qianlong. the original hall burned down in 1860. after it was reconstructed, it was renamed. qinghua hall is now used as a exhibition hall displaying rare cultural relics collected in the summer palace. the hall consists of 6 exhibition rooms with tens of thousands of articles of treasure on display in turn. among the exhibits there are bronze ware, porcelain, jade assemblages from the ming and qing dynasties, and rare and paintings. there is also a gigantic stone slab, which is more than 3 meters in height and width. it bears the handwritten inscriptions of emperor qianlong is commemoration of the suppression of a rebellion in the xinjiang region. only this slab survived when the angle-french allied forces set fire to the summer palace.
(in front of the gate of dispelling clouds)
now we are approaching the central part of the structures on the lakeside slope, the tower of buddhist incense within the hall of dispelling clouds. the hall of dispelling clouds was where numerous palatines kowtowed to empress dowager cixi. it was surrounded by galleries and flanked by annex halls. in the forecourt there is a pool and marble bridges . starting from the lakeside, there lies in succession a memorial archway, the gate of dispelling clouds, the hall of dispelling clouds and the tower of buddhist incense. all of these structures are built on a central axis and each is taller than its predecessor. this was designed to give prominence to the last structure, the tower of buddhist incense, which was a symbol of imperial power. the layout of this group of architectures was based on scenes described in buddhist sutras. this group of structure are among the most magnificently constructed here in the summer palace.
inside the hall of dispelling clouds)
the original buildings on this site were burned down by the anglo-french allied forces in 1860. a new set of structures was built during the reign of emperor guanxu, and was called the hall of dispelling clouds, suggesting that it was a fairyland. the hall was built on a high terrace, and has 21 room. inside the hall are a throne, screens, tripods and mandarin fans. on a platform you will see bronze dragons, phoenixes and tripods. at the foot of the platform there are four bronze water vats, the ancient form of fire extinguishers. the 10th day of lunar october was ,empress dowager cixi` s birthday. on that day ,she sat on the throne here to receive congratulations and gifts. now we are going to pay a visit to the highlight of the summer palace- the tower of buddhist incense. what we are now standing on is a stone terrace which is 20 meters in height. it has a semi housed stairway of 100 steps, you will live for 100 years. so, let` s go !
(in the front of the tower of buddhist incense)
an octagonal structure with three storeys and quadruple eaves, the tower of buddhist incense is the very center of the summer palace, and is one of the masterpieces of ancient chinese architecture. the tower is 41 meters in height, and is buttressed by 8 solid pillars made of lignumvitae logs. with its complex structure, ingenious layout, towering terrace and convincing grandeur, the tower of buddhist incense was artfully set out by the imperial gardens and beautiful scenery surrounding it .the tower overlooks kunming lake and other picturesque spots within an area of tens of kilometers .on the west side of the tower stands baoyunge (precious cloud pavilion). it is made of bronze and is7.5 meters in height and 270 tons in weight. it resembles its wooden counterparts in every detail. it is one of the largest and most exquisite bronze pavilions still on existence in china. lamas prayed here during the reign of emperor qianlong in honor of the monarchs and their families. at the turn of the century 10 bronze windows were spirited abroad. in 1992 an american company bought the windows and returned them intact to china.
(on a hilltop leading from the back door of tower of buddhist incense)
now we can see the long and snaking western causeway and a shorter dike that divides kunming lake into three areas that contain south lake island, seaweed-viewing island and circle city island. the three island represent three mountain in ancient chinese mythology, i. e. penglai, fangzhang and yingzhou. this peculiar method of incorporating a lake a three mountains within a single garden was a brainchild of emperor wudi of the han dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, bearing testimony to feudal monarchs` s longing for longevity. as the legend goes many heavenly elixirs grew on the three mythical islands. using artificial building techniques, the ancient chinese built this masterpiece based on the myth to make the mythical on appear to be accessible to humans.
(inside the garden of harmonious interest)
setting a garden within a larger garden has been one of china traditional architectural styles. the garden of harmonious interest serves as a fine example of this. this garden was built under the order of emperor qianlong and modeled after the jichang garden (garden of ease of mind )at the foot of mount huishan, jiansu province. it was renamed by his son emperor jiaqing in 1811. the existing garden was rebuilt by emperor or guangxu. empress dowager cixi used to go fishing here. the garden features 10 waterfront platforms, pavilions and halls as well as hundreds of galleries with all of its structures facing the lake and pools, the garden of harmonious interest is basically a garden of waterscape. spanning the vast expanse of the lake and pools are five bridges, each quite different from the others. the most famous of them is the bridge known as “knowing –the fishing-bridge.” it is said that more than 2,500 years ago during the warring states period, two philosophere named zhuang zi had an interesting argument by the side of a pond. zhang said, ”fish swim to and fro in the water. what happy fish!” hui asked , ”you are not a fish. how do you know they are happy? ” zhuang replied, “you are not me .how do you know i don’t know? ” hui signed, “i am not you ,therefore, i don’t know you . and you are not a fish ,so how do you know that fish are happy? ” zhang said, “you ask me how i know fish are happy, why do you keeping me the same question?” although the garden of harmonious interest was designed after jichang garden, it not only absorbed the original designs, but exceeded it .
(outside the south entrance to suzhou shopping street)
now lets have a look at longevity hill. on the back slope of the hill stands a group of architectures. the centerpiece of structures there are known as the four continents and are dedicated to buddhism. this group was laid out and arranged in accordance with buddhist cosmology. aside from a main shrine and structures embodying the four continents, there are eight towers representing minor continents. the shrine is surrounded by four lamaist pagodas and between the major and minor continents, there two platforms representing the sun and the moon. the qing authority attached great importance to buddhism. to further strengthen ties with the ethnic minorities who practiced buddhism, the monarchs incorporated both han and tibetan styles of architecture into this group of temples. further north at the foot of the four major continent lies the suzhou shopping street. built along the back lake of the summer palace, this street stretches about 300 meters and features more than 60 stores. it includes restaurants, teahouses, pawnshops banks, drugstores dye houses and publishing houses. in order to recreate the atmosphere of ancient times, visitors will have the chance to exchange their money to ancient style chinese coins for use here. storefronts are trimmed with traditional signboards and ornaments. the commercial culture of the mid-18th century has thus been recreated.
(atop the stone bridge inside the suzhou shopping street)
visitors may be surprise to see that this shopping street is almost the same as that in south china. as a matter of fact, this street was designed after the shops along the canals in suhzhou. originally known as emperor` s shopping street, it was built during the reign of emperor qianlong. after making several inspection tours to south china and being duly impressed by its commercial prosperity, emperor qianlong ordered the construction of this street. the imperial shopping street was burnt down by anglo-french allied forces in 1860. the site remained desolated until 1987, when reconstruction began. it was opened to the public in september 1990. with commercial culture as its hallmark, the suzhou shopping street is a vivid representation of china` s traditional cultures.
(on the road from the south fate of the suzhou shopping street to the marble boat)
this is the hall of pines. from it to the west we can walk to the marble boat. the path we aree taking stretches between longevity hill and back lake. monarchs and their cohorts used to stroll along it .hence it was named central imperial path. along this path you will see lilacs all around. hence, this road is also known as the path of lilac.
(in front of the ruins of the garden of complete spring)
quite a few unique structures were burnt down during the reign of emperor qianlong, among which the garden of complete spring was one of the most famous. the ruined and desolate courtyard by the roadside was its original site, it remains to be restored. this group of structures cover an area of 4,000 square meters and features a number of halls built on three different levels. all of the structures were connected with galleries and stone staircases. with its natural and ingenious combination of pavilions, a hall, galleries and rooms, the garden of complete spring serves as a fine model for other gardens. emperor qianlong frequently visited this compound.
(along the lakeside by the marble boat
now we have returned from the back of longevity hill to the front. there is the famous marble boat. this structure is 36 meters in length and its body was made of marble. on top of it is a two storeyed structure. the floor was paved with colored bricks. all of the windows are inlaid with multi-colored glass and the ceiling was decorated with carved bricks. the drainage system channels rain water down through four hollow concrete pillars and into the lake through the mouth of dragon heads. according to a book written by emperor qianlong, the boat was used for enjoying the scenery and was supposed to be symbolic of the stability of the qing dynasty. halfway up the slope there stands the hall for listening to orioles . the ancient chinese liken the warble of an oriole to beautiful songs and melodies, hence the name of the hall which used to be a theater. now the hall is one of the most famous restaurants in china, featuring imperial dishes and desserts. it is a must for many foreign visitors to have lunch here when then come to beijing. more than one hundred heads of state worldwide have dined here and the late premier zhou enlai has held banquets here in honor of state guests. (sightseers who want to try the restaurant can go boating after they eat. those who do not can go abroad right away. those who do not feel like taking the boat can stoll along the long corridor to the outside of the east gate). (boating on kunmin lake) we are now going to enjoy the lakeside scenery from a pleasure boat. as a main part of the summer palace, kunming lake covers an area of 220 hectares, or three fourths of the combined space of this summer resort. this natural lake is more than 3500 years old. this lake was originally called wengshan lake. in 1749 emperor qianlong ordered the construction of qingyi garden, the predecessor of the summer palace. involving nearly 10,000 laborers, the lake was expanded and turned into a peach-shaped reservoir, the first of its kind for beijing. from 1990 to 1991, the beijing municipal government ordered the first dredging of the lake in 240 years .involving 200,000 men and hundreds of dredgers and other tools, a total of 625,600 cubic meters of sludge was dredged and 205 bombs dropped by the japanese during the anti-japanese war were removed. the summer palace set a precedent for sightseeing by boat. there used to be a large imperial flotilla, of which the “kunming merry dragon” was the most famous. it was destroyed by the anglo-french allied forces in 1860. to make the tour of the summer palace a more pleasant one, a large pleasure boat “tai he ” (supreme harmony )was built. this double –decked boat is 37.09 meters long,8,59 meters wide and 10.49 meters high. it can travel at a speed of 9 kilometer per hour. small pleasure boats are also available to tourist. another major spot of interest on the western causeway is jingming (bright view ) hall. both its front and rear face the lake. this structure also features three two- storeyed halls of varying heights. our tour is drawing to a close as we approach the shore. today we only visited the major scenic areas of the summer palace. i have left other spot of interest for your next visit. i will show you out through the east gate. i hope you enjoyed today` s tour. thank you .good-bye and good luck.
北京导游词六大景点英文导游词之十三陵
At a distance of 50 km northwest of Beijing stands an arc-shaped cluster of hills fronted by a small plain. Here is where 13 emperors of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) were buried, and the area is known as the Ming Tombs.
Construction of the tombs started in 1409 and ended with the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. In over 200 years tombs were built over an area of 40 square kilometres, which is surrounded by walls totalling 40 kilometres. Each tomb is located at the foot of a separate hill and is linked with the other tombs by a road called the Sacred Way. The stone archway at the southern end of the Sacred Way, built in 1540, is 14 metres high and 19 metres wide, and is decorated with designs of clouds, waves and divine animals.
Beijing served as the national capital during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Unlike Ming and Qing rulers who all built massive tombs for themselves, Yuan rulers left no similar burial grounds. Why the difference?
This has to do with people's different views on death. Beijing nomads came from the Mongolian steppe. Mongols who established the Yuan Dynasty held the belief that they had come from: earth. they adopted a simple funeral method: the dead was placed inside a hollowed nanmu tree, which was then buried under grassland. Growth of grass soon left no traces of the tombs.
By contrast, during the Ming Dynasty established by Han Chinese coming from an agricultural society in central China, people believed the existence of an after-world, where the dead "lived" a life similar to that of the living. Ming emperor, therefore, has grand mausoleums built for themselves. Qing rulers did likewise.
Stone Archway
The stone archway at the southern end of the Sacred Way, built in 1540, is 14 metres high and 19 metres wide, and is decorated with designs of clouds, waves and divine animals. Well-proportioned and finely carved, the archway is one of the best preserved specimens of its kink in the Ming Dynasty. It is also the largest ancient stone archway in China.
Stele Pavilion
The Stele Pavilion, not far from the Great Palace Gate, is actually a pavilion with a double-eaved roof. On the back of the stele is carvedpoetry written by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty when he visited the Ming Tombs.
Sacred Way
The Sacred Way inside the gate of the Ming Tomb is lined with 18 pairs of stone human figures and animals. These include four each of three types of officials: civil, military and meritorious officials, symbolizing those who assist the emperor in the administration of the state, plus four each of six iypes of animals: lion, griffin, camel, elephant, unicorn and horse.
Yongling Tomb
Yongling, built in 1536, is the tomb for Emperor Shizong, Zhu Houcong (1507-1566). He stayed in power for 45 years.
Dingling Tomb
The Dingling Tomb is the tomb of Emperor Wanli (reigned 1573-1619), the 13th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, whose personal name was Zhu Yijun, and of his two empresses, Xiao Duan and Xiao Jing. The tomb was completed in six years (1584-1590), it occupies a total area of 1,195 square meters at the foot of Dayu Mountain southwest of the Changling Tomb.
Maoling Tomb
Emperor Xianzong, Zhu Jianshen, and his three empresses are entombed within Maoling. Zhu Jianshen (1447-1487) was the first son of Emperor Yingzong. He stayed in power for 22 years.
We have covered some of the most significant tombs of the 13 Ming tombs in the tour. If you are also interested in the other tombs, the best way is to come and experience yourself. Changling Tomb
Changling is the tomb of emperor Yongle (reigned 1403-1424), the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty whose personal name was Zhu Di, and of his empress. Built in 1413, the mausoleum extends over an area of 100,000 square metres. The soul tower, which tells people whose tomb it is, rests on a circular wall called the "city of treasures" which surrounds the burial mound. The "city of treasures" at Changling has a length of more than a kilometre.
Underground Palace
The underground palace at Dingling Tomb consists of an antechamber, a ceniral chamber and a rear chamber plus the left and right annexes. One of the pictures shows the central chamber where the sacrificial utensils are on display. Two marble doors are made of single slabs and carved with life-size human figures, flowers and birds. More than 3,000 articles have been unearthed from the tumulus, the most precious being the golden crowns of the emperor and his queen.
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