Walk in the footsteps of emperors at the Forbidden city

Once home to China’s emperors, the Forbidden City was the very heart of the country for five centuries and even now exerts a powerful pull on the nation’s psyche. So called because an unauthorised visit to the palace would result in instant death, it’s the best-preserved collection of ancient architecture in China and is absolutely unmissable.

Originally laid out by Emperor Yongle, with the help of a mere million labourers, between 1406 and 1420, the complex is so vast – 800 buildings with 9000 rooms spread out over 720,000 sq metres – that a full-time restoration squad is continuously repainting and repairing. It’s estimated that it would take 10 years to do a full renovation.

Most of the buildings visitors see today, though, date back to the 18th century. Fire was always a threat to the wooden palace and blazes were frequent, with wayward fireworks displays and knocked-over lanterns, as well as the odd angry eunuch, the main culprits. Scattered around the complex are the bronze vats that contained the water kept on hand to put out fires.

But the palace isn’t just a collection of buildings. It is actually a huge museum with the largest collection of imperial treasures in the country, including the superb Dragon Throne the emperor sat on and Buddhas bedecked with almost every precious metal and gemstone imaginable. Despite being looted by the Japanese and the Nationalists last century, there are still so many artefacts that only a fraction can be shown at any one time. Most can be found in the pavilions and side buildings that act as mini-museums, with rotating displays of exhibits.

Equally enchanting are the courtyards that separate the buildings. They’re fine places to contemplate the splendour of the palace and the life lived by its inhabitants. Fourteen Ming and 10 Qing emperors called the Forbidden City home and the intrigue, scandal and drama that went on here has inspired countless films and books. The imperial family was catered to by vast armies of servants – cooks, concubines, eunuchs, officials and soldiers – who pampered them while also scheming to improve their own positions.

Unsurprisingly, many emperors were insulated by the luxury they lived in and knew little of the dire conditions endured by most ordinary Chinese outside the palace walls. It was that isolation that caused their downfall. For more info, see the boxed text.

Tile detail, Forbidden City, Dongcheng
GREG ELMS/LONELY PLANET IMAGES

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