Getting Lost In The Forbidden City

It was one of those overcast and muggy summer days in Beijing when you could feel the grime from the city clinging to your moist skin. I had gotten up that morning bright and early. I bade my host family good bye with a series of hand gestures headed off towards the center of the city. After a couple of crowed buses and subway ride I found myself looking across the People’s Square and into Mao’s giant eyes. I say giant because there is a giant portrait of the former leader over the main entrance to the Forbidden City.

Forbidden City Gateway

Enter The Forbidden City

Look At The Guy Up There, The Buildings Are Massive

Máo Zédōng’s Gaze

(These videos where my first attempt at recording a trip back a few years back, thus I didn’t know better than to hold the camera still longer. You’ll see what I mean as these videos goes on…)

I was excited to head inside and explore, I had hear of the Great Wall of China, and have been there several days earlier, but I had not heard or learned much about the Forbidden City until arriving in Beijing. What I found was one of the most awe inspiring and amazing places I have ever been.

After walking under Mao’s watchful gaze you find your self in a court yard. Well, court yard does not do this scene justice. More like a vast square surrounded by 30ft high red walls and crammed with several hundred people.

The First Square

One of the things that amazed me all day after this first mystery was how the crowds seemed to mysteriously appear and dissipate as if from the mist. The Forbidden Palace, with 72 ha. (17.2 acres) is gigantic. The city is organized into two halves, the palaces and official buildings occupy the ‘outer court’. Behind there is the ‘inner court’, a vast labyrinth of inter connected courtyards and buildings that was the living quarter for the Imperial family. It’s no wonder that you can find your self utterly alone in one of the thousand courtyards while just a few steps away your picking your way through the crowds.

Layout Of The Forbidden City

My Electronic Map and Guide

After successfully purchasing my ticket and an electronic “tour guide” I stepped into the Forbidden City. The first half of the city is filled with large open squares, massive yet intricately ornate buildings that once housed the working government of the dynasties. The Forbidden City was built in only 15yrs between 1406 and 1420! Considering it had over 1000 buildings, 8700 rooms and covered over 7,800,000 sq ft. (Thanks Wikipedia for the factoids!) that’s an amazing feat of ingenuity! It also helped that they could call up over a million workers. Today these buildings house the priceless works or art and artifacts from the Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. The entire city has been designated an UNESCO world heritage site since 1987. Let me show you some of these beautiful buildings and the art within. Please excuse the poor photo quality, it was an over cast day and I wasn’t supposed to take photos of the art works…I “later” found out.

The Size Of This Place!

Every Surface Is Intricately Decorated

Close Up Of The Stair Case

Close Up Of The Pillars

Rain Water Drains From Their Mouths!

Here’s a sneak peak of some of the great artwork in the buildings.

Love His Expression!

The Emperor’s Clothes

The Chinese Were One Of The Most Advanced Civilization

After walking through the spacious Outer Court I passed through another gateway that led into the Inner Court, the home of the Emperor and his entourage. This is where you can lose the crowd and spend hours getting lost in the maze of red walls and secret courtyards. My electronic guide was a little fussy and didn’t work most of the time but it seemed to always kick in with a juicy tale of romance and espionage when I walked into one of the homes of a specially saucy concubine. I got the gossip loving computer guide I see…

Inner Court Entry

Fast Food Break

People Appear

Then Their Gone!

Turn Around And You Can See How I Might Have Gotten Lost

A Park Inside The Inner Court For The Empress And The Ladies

I hoped you’ve enjoyed a peek into the Forbidden City!