The Forbidden City, now known as the Palace Museum, is located at the heart of Beijing. Serving as the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties, its construction began in the fourth year of the Yongle reign (1406) and was completed in the eighteenth year (1420). With a history spanning nearly 600 years, it witnessed 24 emperors ruling the nation from its halls for almost five centuries.
The Forbidden City features majestic palaces, tiered pavilions, white marble balustrades, red walls, and yellow tiles, creating a resplendent golden splendor. This vast “sea of palaces” covers an area of 720,000 square meters, with a building area of 150,000 square meters. It comprises 890 palaces of various styles and over 9,000 rooms. Encircling the Forbidden City stands a 10-meter-high, 3,428-meter-long palace wall. At each corner of this square wall stands an exquisitely crafted, uniquely beautiful corner tower. Four gates open in the wall's sides: the Meridian Gate to the south, the Divine Martial Gate to the north, the Eastern Flower Gate to the east, and the Western Flower Gate to the west. Beyond the palace wall lies a moat 52 meters wide and 3,800 meters long. It truly was a fortress of impregnable defenses, guarded with utmost vigilance.
Within the magnificently constructed Forbidden City, one finds both majestic halls and expansive plazas, as well as ornate imperial quarters, secluded paths, and secret chambers for deliberations. There are also imperial gardens where emperors and their consorts rested and entertained themselves. The Forbidden City is divided into two major sections: the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court centers on the three grand halls—Taihe, Zhonghe, and Baohe—flanked by the Wenhua and Wuying Halls. This was the venue for grand court assemblies, imperial ceremonies, banquets, and the exercise of imperial authority. The Inner Court, anchored by the Qianqing Palace, Jiaotai Hall, and Kunning Palace, served as the emperor's private quarters and the place where daily state affairs were conducted. North of Kunning Palace lay the Imperial Gardens. Within these grounds, ancient pines and cypresses, rare flowers and exotic stones, pavilions and terraces, winding ponds and water pavilions formed a natural landscape painting. It served as a place for the emperor, empress, and imperial family to enjoy leisure and recreation.
Four gates opened on each side of the rear three halls, leading to the Six Eastern Palaces and Six Western Palaces respectively. These were the living quarters for the empresses, consorts, and imperial family members. The Western Six Palaces comprise Yongshou Palace, Taiji Hall, Yikun Palace, Changchun Palace, Chuxiu Palace, and Xianfu Palace. The Eastern Six Palaces include Jingren Palace, Chengqian Palace, Zhongcui Palace, Yanxi Palace, Yonghe Palace, and Jingyang Palace. Each palace follows a two-courtyard compound layout, featuring a front hall for ceremonial receptions, a sleeping chamber, and ancillary halls.
South of the Western Six Palaces lies the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the emperor resided and handled daily state affairs. South of the Eastern Six Palaces are the fasting palaces where the emperor stayed during periods of abstinence. The palaces behind both the Eastern and Western Six Palaces served as residences for imperial princes. West of the Western Six Palaces are the Palace of Benevolent Tranquility and the Palace of Longevity and Well-being, residences for the empress dowager and consort dowagers. East of the East Six Palaces lie the Imperial Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Palace of Eternal Peace, a complex constructed during Emperor Qianlong's reign as retired emperor.
Forbidden City Museum Admission Information
Opening Hours: Daily 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (last admission at 4:00 PM). Closed Mondays (except national holidays).
High Season (April 1 - October 31): 60 RMB per person.
Low Season (November 1 - March 31 of the following year): 40 RMB per person.
Clock Gallery & Treasure Gallery: 10 RMB per person.
Ticket booking website: https://bookingticket.dpm.org.cn/
Forbidden City Route Planning
Essential Tour Route Through the Forbidden City
Meridian Gate → Gate of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Central Harmony → Hall of Preserving Harmony → Gate of Pure Heaven → Palace of Pure Heaven → Hall of Union → Palace of Earthly Tranquility → Imperial Garden → Gate of Divine Might
If you have limited time at the Forbidden City but wish to gain a solid understanding of its history, this route is perfect for you.
The primary locations where Ming and Qing emperors held court were the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Gate of Pure Clarity, the Palace of Pure Clarity, and the Hall of Mental Cultivation—not the Hall of Supreme Harmony itself, which served mainly as a venue for grand ceremonies. During the early Qing dynasty, the imperial palace examination was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony before being moved to the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
The Grand Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony were where the emperor held court assemblies. The Qianqing Palace, the Hall of Union, and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility served as the emperor's administrative offices and resting quarters. The Six Eastern and Six Western Palaces, centered around these three palaces, were the living quarters for the emperor's consorts.
In-Depth Tour Route of the Palace Museum
Meridian Gate → Hall of Supreme Harmony Gate → Hall of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Central Harmony → Hall of Preserving Harmony → Jingren Palace → Yanhui Palace → Chengqian Palace → Hall of Union → Kunning Palace → Qianqing Palace → Yongshou Palace → Yikun Palace → Chuxiu Palace → Imperial Garden → Shenwu Gate.
If you love the Forbidden City and wish to gain a relatively comprehensive understanding without spending too much time, this route will allow you to delve deeper into the palace while minimizing your time commitment.
Jingren Palace served as a residence for imperial consorts. Emperor Kangxi was born here, and Consort Zhen also resided here. This palace offers a glimpse into the touching love story between Consort Zhen and Emperor Guangxu.
When mentioning Yanxi Palace, one cannot overlook the TV series “Story of Yanxi Palace.” This was the residence of Wei Yingluo... Chengqian Palace, Yongshou Palace, Yikun Palace, and Chuxiu Palace were all dwellings for imperial consorts in ancient times.
The Palace Museum Quality Tour Route
Meridian Gate → Hall of Military Valor → Hall of Literary Brilliance → Gate of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Central Harmony → Hall of Preserving Harmony → Qianqing Palace → Hall of Union → Kunning Palace → Hall of Mental Cultivation → West Six Palaces Area → Imperial Garden → East Six Palaces Area → Hall of Ancestral Worship (Clock Museum) → Ningshou Palace Area (Treasure Gallery, Opera Gallery) → Shenwu Gate.
If you're visiting Beijing and plan to spend a day at the Forbidden City, this route is perfect for you. History buffs should definitely choose this path to deepen your understanding of Ming and Qing dynasty history while appreciating the grandeur of ancient imperial life.
Transportation Routes to the Palace Museum
Meridian Gate:
Subway: Take Subway Line 1 and exit at Tian'anmen East Station or Tian'anmen West Station. Exit via Exit C at Tian'anmen East Station for a short walk to Meridian Gate. Similarly, exit via the designated passageway after disembarking at Tian'anmen West Station.
Bus: Tian'anmen East Bus Station serves Routes 1, 120, 2, 52, 82, Night 1, Sightseeing Line 1, and Sightseeing Line 2. Tiananmen West Bus Stop serves routes 1, 5, 52, Night 1, Sightseeing Line 1, and Sightseeing Line 2.
Note: The route from Tiananmen Gate through Duanmen Gate to Meridian Gate is accessible Tuesday through Sunday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. It is closed all day on Mondays (closed day). Actual opening hours are subject to on-site announcements.
Shenwu Gate:
Bus: Shenwu Gate Bus Stop serves trolleybus routes 101, 103, 109, 124, and buses 58, Night 13, Sightseeing Line 1, Sightseeing Line 2; Jingshan East Gate Bus Stop serves trolleybus routes 111, 124, and buses 58, Night 2.
Donghuamen (currently serving as an exit):
Subway: Take Subway Line 8 to Jinyu Hutong Station.
Bus: Donghuamen Bus Stop, Forbidden City East Gate Bus Stop
