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For nearly 500 years (1420-1911), twenty four emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties ruled China from inside the Forbidden City. It has lavishly decorated ceremonial halls and royal palaces that were built to impress the eye.
The emperors who lived within the massive walls seldom ventured outside.
It was rampant. So were internal political power struggles.
The compound has three appellations:
The complex gained its ominous sounding sobriquet because entry was once strictly prohibited without royal authorization. A visit without that sanction would automatically cost your life.
The Forbidden City is in much better condition today than it was on my first visit several decades ago. The government has been making a major effort in renovating the palace, bringing it back to its former architectural grandeur.
The Forbidden City in Beijing is huge by any standard:
The Hall of Supreme Harmony (see photo) wins that honor. Imperial ceremonies were held here.
In its heyday, some six thousand people lived in the Forbidden City. This included the emperor and his royal family, and his concubines, servants and eunuchs (who were prolific instigators of royal intrigue).
He was Puyi, the young male depicted in Bertolucci's 1987 epic, "The Last Emperor." Puyi was permanently evicted in 1924.
The Forbidden City is so expansive that I recommend you reserve a minimum of a half day on your first visit just to become acquainted with it. Then return to absorb the details.


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