Beijing | Palace Museum Imperial Gardens
Forbidden City Imperial GardensImperial Garden - Yujing & Qiangqiu PavilionThe Imperial garden was constructed using a prized variety of rock known as Taihu Rock that is found at the bottom of Taihu Lake to the west of Suzhou in the Yangtze River Delta. The garden and hill were used to view the Queen to autumn colors that lay outside the palace walls. 
Yujing Pavilion Garden - Duixiu Hill made of Taihu Rock 
Yujing Pavilion on Duixiu Hill (left), Qiangqiu Pavilion (right) Forbidden City Palace Moat & WallsThe heavily fortified Forbidden City palace is surrounded by a 3,800 meter-long moat that is 52 meters wide, and six meters deep. Behind the moat is a 10 meters high red-painted wall, with watchtowers at each corner. 
Northwest Palace Wall and City Moat The Last Emperor - PuyiEmperor Puyi of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro Imperial family was the 12th emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the last Emperor of China, from 1908 to 1924. Puyi ascended the throne at the age of two, under the deathbed edict of Dowager Empress, Cixi (the "Dragon lady"). Puyi was taken from his home in Peking as an infant, and placed in the care of a wet-nurse, Wen-Chao Wang in the Forbidden City. In 1912, China became a Republic following the Xinhai Revolution, and the Monarchy was ended. Under the treaty entitled "Articles of Favourable Treatment of the Emperor of the Great Qing after his Abdication," Puyi would retain the symbolic title of "Emperor," and be provided with an annual stipend of 4 million dollars. After an aborted attempt to revive the monarchy in 1917, Puyi and the rest of his imperial court were held as a virtual prisoners within the walls of the northern section of the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, under the watchful eyes of the court eunuchs, and Imperial Guards. Puyi and his concubines were finally evicted from the Forbidden City in 1924. Being of Manchu descent, Puyi was installed as a puppet ruler of Manchukuo in 1932, at the behest of Imperial Japan. Puyi "ruled" Manchukuo until 1945 when the Soviet Red Army drove the Japanese out of northern China at the end of WWII. Puyi's life story was poignantly told in the 1987 film The Last Emperor, Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. 
Shenwu Gate Palace Watchtower and Southwest City Moat Each year millions of Chinese and foreign visitors stroll through the massive palace grounds to witness the past power, glory, and extravagance of China's notorious emperors. Continue To: Forbidden City - Page 4 Back To: Forbidden City Photos- Page 1 |
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