Chinese Palace — Ultimate Introduction to Imperial Palaces in the History of China
Chinese Palace mainly refers to grand building complexes for the Emperors to work and hold important ceremonies and for the imperial family to live.
They are representatives of majesty, imperial aesthetics, supreme authority, hierarchy, and philosophy across time.
From the first unified empire, the Qin Dynasty (221 BC — 207 BC), to the last feudal empire Qing Dynasty (1636 — 1912), generally, each unified dynasty constructed a main palace complex in the capital city, and each emperor did some construction or redecoration to some extent.
Common Architectural Layout and Characteristics of Chinese Palaces
List and Introduction to Grand Imperial Palaces in China by Dynasty
Chinese Palace Buildings in "Seascape at Sunset" by an artist of Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644)
Common Architectural Layout and Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Palaces
Grandest Halls and Gates in Central Axis
As the representative of the emperor's divine right and paramount authority, the Five Main Gates and Three Grandest Halls, where emperors held important ceremonies and worked, were located on the central axis of a Chinese palace.
Hall of Supreme Harmony (or Tai He Dian) the Largest Hall in Central Axis of the Forbidden City of Beijing; Photo from the Official Site of Palace Museum.
Symmetrical Buildings
On each side of the central axis were symmetrical smaller buildings, which symbolize the balance of Yin and Yang.
Panoramic View of the Symmetrical Forbidden City, Photo from the Official Site of Palace Museum.
Clear Separation of Work and Rest Areas
Generally, an ancient Chinese palace complex would be divided into two parts:
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The outer court (usually the southern section) was for emperors to hold grand ceremonies, work, and meet with officials;
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The inner court (usually the northern section) was for the entire imperial harems to live.
Building Complex in the Inner Court of the Forbidden City of Beijing, Photo by Ma Wenxiao.
Fixed Locations for Important People
In the inner court where the imperial families lived, the emperor's palace was in the center.
Since the Han Dynasty (202 BC — 220 AD), a convention regarding the location in the inner court of the palace had been formed, in which the Empress lived in the middle (usually right behind the residence of the emperor), the crown prince in the east and empress dowager lived in the west.
Therefore, even with some exceptions, the fixed locations had been used as a way to address those important people:
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Middle Palace for the empress;
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West Palace for empress dowager;
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East Palace for the crown prince.
Other imperial consorts would be living in houses around the emperor and empress' palaces.
Standard Locations of Sacred Imperial Temples
Since the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC — 256 BC), constructing two important temples in front of the royal palace had been a custom that all successive Chinese palaces followed.
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Imperial Ancestral Temple on the East (left front), where enshrined ancestors of the emperors were for royals to worship.
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Imperial Divine Temple on the West (right front), where emperors held sacrificial ceremonies to worship the God of Land and the God of Food.
Two Temples in Front of the Forbidden City, Depicted by People of the Ming Dynasty (1368 — 1644) — National Museum of China
Mountain and River of Fengshui
In traditional Chinese Fengshui Culture, the location of mountains and rivers is an important factor in residence.
Generally, a vibrant mountain in the north, and a clear river flow through the south, is a perfect Fengshui structure.
Therefore, most palaces in China followed this rule strictly, even if they needed to construct artificial mountains and rivers, such as the Forbidden City, the imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 — 1912).
Corner Tower and Moat of the Forbidden City, Photo from the Official Site of Palace Museum.
Three Islands in Lake
In ancient Chinese Mythology, there are Three Mountains in the sea in the east that have deities living: Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou.
Qin Shi Huang (259 BC — 210 BC), therefore, commanded to build three islands in a big lake in his palace to simulate the mythical wonderland.
Since then, constructing a lake with three islands has been an important layout most emperors followed in their imperial palaces.
Taiye Chi Lake of Daming Palace, the Imperial Palace of the Tang Dynasty (618 — 907) — Photo from Yue Xi'an
Supreme Authority and Hierarchy to Details
As the representatives of the emperors' paramount majesty, palaces in China, from scale and layout to interior decorations, all contain significant political and philosophical meanings.
Forbidden City, the well-protected imperial palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 — 1912), is a great example; from its main colors, the wide use of dragon and phoenix figures, to the use of the Number Nine, every detail is the showing of the supreme authority of the emperors.
Click to Read More About Hierarchy Symbolism in the Forbidden City
Nine Mythical Animals and Leading Deity on Roof of the Forbidden City, Photo from the Official Site of Palace Museum.
List and Introduction to Grand Imperial Palaces in China
Xianyang Palace — Grand Combination of Imperial Palaces of Seven Kingdoms
Location: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Area: Unknown
Construction:
In 350 BC, Duke Xiao of Qin (in Chinese Qin Xiao Gong) migrated his capital to Xianyang City to better implement Shang Yang's Reform.
The Xianyang Palace Complex had been constructed since then.
Expansion:
From 230 BC to 221 BC, the Qin State defeated the other six kingdoms of the Warring States Period (403 BC — 221 BC).
During this period, once a kingdom perished, its imperial palace would be copied next to the old Xianyang Palace under the command of Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 BC — 210 BC).
After the unified Qin Dynasty was established, the Xianyang Palace was expanded into a vast and spectacular palace with countless mansions connected using different flying corridors.
Main Hall of Xianyang Palace, based on Architectural Historian Yang Hongxun's Restored Model.
Destruction:
In 207 BC, the Qin Dynasty was overthrown by uprising armies. The Xianyang Palace was set on fire by the leading general Xiang Yu, who was respected as the Hegemon-King of Western Chu.
This fire lasted for over three months, and half of the Xianyang Palace was burnt down to ashes.
The next empire rebuilt some of these remaining palace buildings, and everything was destroyed in chaotic wars in the late Tang Dynasty (618 — 907).
Chariots and Horses Fresco unearthed from Ruins of the Xianyang Palace — Shaanxi Academy of Archeology (Photo by Dongmaiying)
Epang Palace — Unfinished Feat
Location: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Construction Time: 212 BC — 207 BC
In the year 212 BC, under the command of Qin Shi Huang, Epang Palace was constructed to be the new imperial palace of the unified Qin Dynasty.
The Epang Palace was designed to be the grandest palace, which should surpass the spectacular Xianyang Palace.
Restoration Map of Main Hall of the Epang Palace
However, Qin Shi Huang passed away in 210 BC, large-scale peasant uprisings outburst in 209 BC, and the Qin Dynasty ended in 207 BC.
Therefore, the Epang Palace had never been finished.
Jade Cup unearthed from Ruins of the Epang Palace — Xi'an Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)
Those constructed building complexes were later used as imperial hunting places and military garrison bases and gradually became farmland.
As an unfinished palace from over 2000 years ago, the ruins of the Epang Palace are still quite impressive: only the relics of the front hall of the Epang Palace are around 800 acres.
Ruins of Front Hall of the Epang Palace, Photo by Gou Bingchen.
Changle Palace — Palace of Empress Dowager
Changle means Eternal Happiness
Location: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Area: 6 square kilometers or about 1483 acres
Construction Time: 202 BC — 200 BC
Under the command of Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty, Changle Palace was rebuilt on the foundation of a palace of the late Qin Dynasty.
After Emperor Liu Bang moved to the newly constructed Weiyang Palace in 198 BC, the Changle Palace was the residence of empress dowagers until the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 — 220) was established in another city.
Ruins of A Hall of the Changle Palace, Photo by Shen Weilong.
Weiyang Palace — Symbol of the Han Empire and the Longest Living Imperial Palace in China
Weiyang means Endless
Location: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Area: 5 square kilometers or about 1236 acres
Construction Time: 200 BC — 198 BC
After Weiyang Palace was constructed under the command of Emperor Liu Bang, it was the political center and symbol of the Han Empire.
Emperors of the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC — 8AD) lived, worked, and held grand ceremonies in the palace.
Front Hall of Weiyang Palace, based on Architectural Historian Yang Hongxun's Restored Model.
After the Western Han Dynasty ended, the Weiyang Palace was the imperial palace and political center of Emperor Wang Mang (reigned 9 AD — 23 AD), Emperor Xian of Han (reigned 189 — 220), and some successive separatist regimes.
Sui (589 — 619) and Tang (618 — 907) Dynasties also included the Weiyang Palace as part of their imperial complex, which turned into ruins in chaotic wartimes in the late Tang Dynasty.
Hence, Weiyang Palace is the imperial palace in China that lasted the most extended period (1041 years) so far and is a model of successive palaces.
Ruins of the Front Hall of the Weiyang Palace, Photo from Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Administration.
Jianzhang Palace — Fabulous Palace of Emperor Wu of Han
Location: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Construction Time: 104 BC
Jianzhang Palace was constructed under the command of Emperor Wu of Han, who later held meetings and worked there.
It is bigger than the Weiyang Palace, the main palace of the Han Empire, and was believed to be quite extravagant.
The Empire was largely expanded and flourished during the reign of the ambitious Emperor Wu of Han, which was reflected in this splendid palace.
After Wang Mang usurped the throne in 8 AD, the Jianzhang Palace buildings were gradually torn down and later destroyed in wars.
Restored Map of Jianzhang Palace, by Jiang Xiaolu.
Daxing Palace - Taiji Palace — Magnificent Political Center of Sui and Early Tang
Daxing means grand prosperity
Taiji means the great origin and ultimate
Location: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Area: 1.92 square kilometers or about 474 acres
Construction Time: 582 — 583
Daxing-Taiji Palace was built under the command of Emperor Wen of Sui, and it had been the imperial palace and political center of the Sui and early Tang Dynasties.
Originally named Daxing, it later changed to Taiji Palace in Tang Dynasty; even though some emperors had lived in other palaces for different reasons, it remained the political center where emperors held grand activities, such as enthronement and worship ceremonies.
This grand palace was destroyed with the fall of the Tang Empire.
Ziwei Palace — Extravagant Palace of Deities
Ziwei is the place in Ancient Chinese Astrology where the Emperor of Heaven lives
Location: Luoyang, Henan Province
Area: 4.2 square kilometers or about 1038 acres
Construction Time: 605
Under the command of Emperor Yang of Sui, the spectacular Ziwei Palace used 1.7 million laborers and was finished in 60 days.
Restored Yingtian Gate Complex of the Ziwei Palace, by National Cultural Ruins Date Center.
Since 656, Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu Zetian renovated and expanded the Ziwei Palace and spent lots of time in this city.
After the destructive An-Shi Rebellion outburst in 755, Ziwei Palace was extensively destroyed in wars.
Though it had been restored a few times by successive regimes, the Ziwei Palace had never regained its prosperity until everything turned into ruins centuries later.
Restored Main Building Complex of the Ziwei Palace, Photo from Official site of Luoyang.
Daming Palace — Symbol and Political Center of the Tang Empire
Daming means great wisdom and brightness
Location: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Area: 3.2 square kilometers or about 791 acres
Construction Time: 634 and 662
Daming Palace was the most orthodox political and cultural center of the Tang Dynasty.
In the year 634, under the command of Emperor Taizong of Tang, the palace started to construct as a retirement mansion for his father. However, it stopped about half a year after his father passed away.
Emperor Taizong of Tang Receiving the Tibetan (Tu Bo) Envoy, Painted by Yan Liben (601 — 673) the Designer of the Daming Palace — Palace Museum
In 662, Emperor Gaozong of Tang commanded to continue constructing this palace.
About ten months later, the grand Daming Palace was finished, and the emperor and his queen Wu Zetian moved in.
Afterward, the Daming Palace became the political and cultural center of the Tang Empire.
Building Complex of Daming Palace, based on Architectural Historian Yang Hongxun's Restored Model.
In the mid to late Tang Dynasty, with the ups and downs of the empire, Daming Palace was ruined and renovated several times.
Gilt Brass Door Knocker unearthed from Ruins of the Daming Palace — Shaanxi History Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)
In 904, Zhu Wen commanded to destroy the capital city, including all palaces.
The Daming Palace encountered the biggest destruction this time when countless splendid building complexes turned into dust.
Ruins of the Front Hall of the Daming Palace
Imperial Palace of Yuan Dadu
Location: Beijing
Construction Time: 1267 — 1285
Yuan Dadu, or Dayidu, the capital city of the Yuan Dynasty, was around 50 square kilometers or 123,55 acres big.
The whole city, with a grand imperial palace in the middle, was constructed under the command of Kublai Khan and took about 18 years.
After the city was finished and the royals and governments of the Yuan moved in, Yuan Dadu became the political center of the Yuan Empire.
In 1368, when Zhu Yuanzhang'a army was marching closer, Yuan's last emperor Toghon Temür took his people and escaped from the capital city.
Afterward, the grand imperial palace of Yuan was gradually abandoned.
Restoration Map of Yuan's Imperial Palace in Yuan Dadu
Ming Palace the Forbidden City of Nanjing — Grand First Imperial Palace of the Ming Empire
Location: Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
Area: 1.16 square kilometers or about 287 acres
Construction Time: 1366 — 1392
Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, chose Nanjing as his empire's capital city, where he commanded the building of the splendid Forbidden City as Ming's imperial palace, also called the Ming Palace.
In 1402, Zhu Di usurped the throne and decided to migrate the capital city to Beijing.
Under Zhu Di's command, modeled on the Forbidden City of Nanjing, another smaller imperial palace also named the Forbidden City was constructed in Beijing and finished in 1420.
Dragon Decorated Stone Chapiter unearthed from Ruins of the Forbidden City of Nanjing — Nanjing Museum (Photo by Dongmaiying)
Afterward, Ming's capital officially moved to Beijing.
The Forbidden City of Nanjing, however, suffered extensive destruction with the fall of the Ming Empire, in wars between Ming and the next dynasty Qing, in dismantles and rebellious wars during Qing's reign, and in countless chaotic wars afterward.
Ruins of Gate of the Forbidden City of Nanjing, Photo by Tevatron.
Forbidden City — Largest Existing Imperial Palace in World
Location: Beijing
Area: 0.72 square kilometers or about 178 acres
Construction Time: 1406 — 1420
Constructed under the command of the Yongle Emperor, the Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing was the imperial palace and political center of the Ming Empire.
Imperial Palace of Shenyang — Manchu Style Royal Palace
Location: Shenyang, Liaoning Province
Area: 63,272 square meters or about 15.63 acres
Construction Time: 1625 — 1636
It was built under the command of Nurhaci as the imperial palace of Manchu's Qing Regime.
In 1644, Qing's Shunzhi Emperor moved to the Forbidden City of Beijing.
Since then, Shenyang Imperial Palace became the place that Qing emperors lived in when they were touring there and had expanded during Qianlong Emperor's reign period.
Imperial Palace of Shenyang
Forbidden City — Largest Existing Imperial Palace in World
Location: Beijing
Area: 0.72 square kilometers or about 178 acres
After Shunzhi Emperor moved to the Forbidden City of Beijing, it was the political center of the Qing Dynasty.
Click to Read More about Forbidden City in Beijing
Nowadays, the Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang are listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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