Imperial architecture
4-31 Hall of Supreme Harmony, Imperial Palace, Bejing, Begun 17th c.
The Forbidden City, Beijing
The Forbidden City, Qing period
Imperial Beijing, the Three Great Hall, Qin Dy.
The Forbidden City
• Built during Ming and Qing Dynasties (14-20th centiries;
founded in 1407; many halls were built in the 18th C.
• Purple Forbidden City-identification of the emperor with
the numinous purple radiance of the Pole Star
• As the Son of Heaven, the emperor maintained cosmic
order by performing annual rituals such as those at the
Altars of Heaven and Earth, the Temple Imperial
Ancestors, and the Altar of Society
• Oriented North-south axis; encompassed the main altar
complexes, with the palace building facing south
• The complex surrounded by walls, which protecting the
royal family from the outside world.
Feng Shui
• Qi (energy) is the most important
• Belief that people and nature are linked in an invisible
dialogue.
• The flow of energy along the surface and within the earth
are believed to have the power to influence the lives of
people near them.
• The flow of qi runs from mountains along the outlines of
hills. It may altered and improved along the landscape,
plant, and objects.
• The principles of feng shui reflects the Chinese beliefs in
the wholeness of the universe and the necessity of living in
harmony with nature.
Yin and Yang
• Two opposite forces that emerged from the primordial
Dao, and whose interaction defines and regulates the
mechanisms of the universe
• It is the constant process of changes; countless patterns of
existence; the transformations of energy can be
systematically charted (The Book of Changes)
• In ancient time, Yin and Yang were symbolized by the tiger
and the dragon, and in later period by the yin and Yang
diagram (taiji diagram)
Yin and Yang
• Yin and Yang are two complementary modes of being which
characterize and animate all phenomena
• Yang is seen as a mode of being which included male, the bright,
dryness, and heat, the creative, the sun, characterize the east and the
south
• Yin includes the complimentary, phenomena not opposite: the female,
the dark, moisture, and cold, the recessive, the moon, characterize the
west and the north
• As for the elements, they associated with the 5 elements (Wood, fire,
earth, metal, water), the seasons, and the colors
Yin and Yang
• A color is associated with each elementdirection-season: E=Green; S=Red;
W=white; N=Black; center=yellow
• The associate with colors have a great
important with rituals and liturgy, for
clothes, ornaments, and offering have to
conform with colors
View of the Forbidden City
Hall of Three Treasure, Forbidden City
Palace complex
• Hall of Supreme Harmony-in the center of the
complex; laid in N-S axis; built in 1697
• Housed the Emperor’s thorne
• Used for celebration of the Emperor’s birthday,
the new year, and other important proclamations
or ceremonies.
• 11-bay structure; double eave hipped roof
decorated in the yellow tiles symbolic of imperial
status
Wumen (Meridian Gate, the Forbidden City
Hall of Supreme Harmony, Forbidden City, 17th
Temple of Heaven Complex
Hall for Player for Prosperous Year