Forbidden City, Beijing
A curated walk through the world's largest surviving imperial palace complex, following the classic central-axis route from the Meridian Gate to the Imperial Garden.
Trip Stops
- 1
The grand southern entrance and largest gate of the Forbidden City, standing 37.95 m tall. Known as the 'Five-Phoenix Tower' for its five pavilions resembling a soaring phoenix. Fun fact: only the Emperor could pass through the central archway — his Empress was allowed through it just once, on their wedding day. After victorious military campaigns, the Emperor received prisoners of war here from this very gate.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 2
The second major gate of the Forbidden City, opening onto the enormous Hall of Supreme Harmony Square. Five marble bridges cross the inner Golden Water River just before it. Fun fact: the current gate dates from 1894 after the original burned down in 1886 due to a guard's tipped oil lamp — and the replacement was finished just in time for Emperor Guangxu's wedding.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 3
The largest and most important hall in the Forbidden City — and the largest surviving wooden structure in China — rising 30 m above the surrounding square. Home to the Emperor's Dragon Throne, used for coronations, royal weddings and major ceremonies. Fun fact: it is the only building in imperial China permitted to have 10 mythical roof statuettes, including the unique sword-wielding 'Hangshi' monkey-figure at the very front, said to ward off demons.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 4
A smaller, square hall directly behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony, used by the Emperor as a private resting and rehearsal space before major ceremonies. Fun fact: a hidden set of metal balls called the 'Xuanyuan Mirror' hangs from the ornate dragon caisson in the ceiling — legend says it would fall and strike dead any usurper who dared sit on the throne.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 5
The northernmost of the three great Outer Court halls, used for imperial banquets and as the site of the Palace Examination — the final and most prestigious stage of China's nationwide civil service exam. Fun fact: behind this hall lies a 200-tonne marble ramp carved from a single stone, 16.57 m long, featuring intricate dragons — the largest such stone carving in all of China.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 6
The largest palace in the Inner Court and originally the Emperor's private residence. The Emperor slept in one of 27 beds spread across 9 rooms — and chose a different bed each night at random for security reasons. Fun fact: a famous tablet above the throne reads 'zhèngdàguāngmíng' (正大光明), meaning 'let the righteous shine' — Qing Emperors secretly placed their chosen heir's name behind this tablet, to be revealed only upon their death.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 7
A dazzling glazed-tile screen wall 20.4 m long and 3.5 m high, built in 1771 at the entrance to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity. It displays nine vivid dragons in yellow, blue, purple and white, each playing with a pearl. Fun fact: one of the nine dragons has its belly patched with a piece of wood — a craftsman secretly repaired a dragon broken in the kiln to avoid the death penalty that a flawed imperial commission would have brought.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 8
A serene 12,000 sq m garden at the north end of the palace, packed with ancient cypresses, rock gardens, pavilions and colourful pebble paths — over 900 different mosaic patterns underfoot. A private retreat for the imperial family for centuries. Fun fact: hidden among the auspicious pebble mosaics are depictions of wives punishing their husbands — a cheeky contrast to the emperor-centric world of the Forbidden City, and no one quite knows who dared put them there.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
- 9
The northern exit gate of the Forbidden City, facing Jingshan Park. After passing through, cross the road for panoramic rooftop views of the entire Forbidden City from Jingshan Hill's Wanchun Pavilion. Fun fact: a bell and drum on this gate once marked time throughout the palace — the bell tolled 108 times every night to announce a new day, while the drum beat out the hours through the night.
📍 Beijing, Beijing, China
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