Page 15 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Beijing

Forbidden City ❮❮ 13

Hall of
7 THE LAST EMPEROR
Preserving
Harmony Pu Yi rose to power aged
The most spectacular three in 1908, but he was
aspect of this hall (left) forced to abdicate in 1912
is the great carved ramp by the new Republican
on the north side, government. The
sculpted with dragons ex-emperor continued
and clouds, and made to live in the Forbidden
from a single piece of City until 1924. He was
marble weighing more later imprisoned by the
Communists, until Mao
than 200 tons. granted him amnesty in
1959. He died in 1967,
after working for seven
years as a gardener.

Forbidden City
6 3 4 5 8

0 9 1 2 7
Gate of
0
Supreme
Harmony
The fourth and final
great gate gives
Gate of
Eastern
5 8 access to the Outer
Heavenly
Palaces
Court, the heart of the
East of the Inner Court Purity Forbidden City. The gate
are smaller halls. This The oldest hall of all is guarded by two large
is where the emperor’s is the boundary between bronze lions, classic
harem once lived. the Outer Court (official) imperial symbols of
and Inner Court (private). power and dignity.
Western
6 Golden Water
Palaces
It took a decade to 9
Five bridges span the Golden Water (below),
restore the Western which flows from west to east in a course designed
Palaces, with six now to resemble the jade belt worn by the court officials.
open to the public. These
include the Palace of
Gathered Elegance and
the Palace of Eternal
Spring, both associated
with the Empress
Dowager Cixi (see p29).
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