Zijingcheng, or Gugong, or Forbidden City, is the largest and most famous palace complex in the world.
The palace, which became home to 24 emperors and their families, holds many secrets, the curtain on which we will lift today.
1. It seems incredible, but it took only 14 years to build the palace complex with an area of 72 thousand square meters.
The secret is that, according to official data alone, more than a million people were involved in the construction of the complex.
2. The name “Purple Forbidden City” was given to this place for a reason.
Since the Chinese believed that the emperor was the Son of Heaven, his home was a divine and sacred sanctuary, where there was no place for common people. For 492 years, no commoner set foot here.
3. The entrance through which one can enter the outer courtyard of the imperial palace deserves special attention.
The meridian gate is oriented to the south, and this is also not accidental. According to Chinese philosophy, the southern part of the world is associated with grace, wealth and prosperity.
4. For the same reason, the central facades of the palaces and other structures of the Forbidden City are oriented only to the south, regardless of how they are located on the territory of the complex.
5. Finally, let's pay attention to the special color scheme in which the imperial palace is decorated.
Considering the fact that red is associated with luck and happiness in Chinese culture, and yellow symbolizes supreme power and can only be used by the imperial family, it is not surprising that these shades are used in everything from walls and roofs to furniture and textiles.
