Palace of Shining Harmony

The Palace of Shining Harmony

The Palace of Shining Harmony, one of the six eastern palaces in the inner court, is situated east of the Bell and Drum Palace and north of the Palace of Eternal Harmony. Constructed in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420), it was initially named the Palace of Everlasting Harmony and renamed the Palace of Shining Harmony in the 14th year of the Jiajing reign (1535). The Qing Dynasty retained the Ming structure and renovated the palace in the 25th year of the Kangxi reign (1686).

During the Ming Dynasty, it housed imperial concubines, including Empress Xiaojing, the mother of Emperor Shenzong’s crown prince Zhu Changluo, who lived here for nearly 30 years in what was essentially a cold palace. After renovation in the 25th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1686), it was repurposed as a storage facility for books. Today, it regularly hosts exhibitions of enamel artifacts from the Palace Museum’s collection.

The palace consists of two courtyards. Its main gate faces south and is called the Gate of Shining Harmony. The front courtyard’s main hall is the Palace of Shining Harmony itself, featuring a three-bay-wide structure with a yellow-glazed tile hip-and-gable roof, which differs from the roof styles of the other five palaces in the eastern six. The eaves are adorned with five mythical creatures, and bracket sets (dougong) support the roof. The hall is painted in vibrant colors. Inside, it displays the inscription “Bright Hall.” The interior is paved with square bricks, and a terrace extends in front of the hall. There are three-bay auxiliary halls on the east and west sides, each with a central door opening, topped with single-eave hipped yellow-glazed tile roofs, and decorated with bracket set paintings under the eaves.

The ceiling features a design of two cranes, while the inner eaves are adorned with polychrome paintings in the spiral-cloud style. The interior floor is paved with square bricks, and a terrace sits in front of the hall. Flanking wings on the east and west each have three bays, with central doors, topped with single-eave hipped yellow-glazed tile roofs, and bracket set paintings under the eaves.

The main hall in the rear courtyard is the Imperial Study, spanning five bays, with a central door opening and a double-eave gabled roof covered in yellow-glazed tiles. The side and end bays feature railing walls and lattice windows, with bracket set decorations under the eaves.

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, due to the storage here of the “Book of Songs” handwritten by Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty and the “Illustrations to the Book of Songs” painted by Ma Hezhi, Emperor Qianlong inscribed the plaque “Hall of Learning Poetry.” Each of the east and west sides has a three-bay auxiliary hall, with a central door opening, topped with single-eave hipped yellow-glazed tile roofs, bracket set paintings under the eaves, and a well pavilion located at the southwest corner.

The Palace of Shining Harmony retains the architectural layout from its initial construction during the Ming Dynasty.

Empress Xiaojing, Wang Shi (February 27, 1565 – October 18, 1611), was from Zuowei of Xuanfu Regional Military Command (originally part of Xuanhua, Hebei, now Huai’an County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei). She was an imperial noble consort of Emperor Shenzong and the birth mother of Emperor Guangzong and Princess Yunmeng, Zhu Xuanchen.

Initially a maid, she was titled Concubine Gong in the 10th year of the Wanli reign, promoted to Imperial Noble Consort in the 34th year, and passed away in September of the 39th year. After her grandson, Emperor Xizong, ascended the throne, she was posthumously honored as Empress (Dowager).

From a maid to an empress—on the surface, a position of great honor—but in reality, due to decades of opposition from ministers and the Empress Dowager against her son being named crown prince, contrary to Emperor Shenzong’s wishes, Wang Shi suffered immense hardship throughout her life. She was constantly neglected by her husband, bullied by favored consorts and servants, and long confined. In the end, she died in sorrow, having been driven blind from weeping.

The Palace Museum

Bell and Drum Palace

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Gate of Divine Prowess

Hall of Preserving Harmony

Hall of Martial Valor

Palace of Heavenly Purity

Palace of Earthly Tranquility

Palace of Longevity and Health

Studio of the Three Rarities

Hall of Mental Cultivation

Palace of Longevity and Peace

Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City

Palace of Eternal Longevity

Meridian Gate

Hall of Literary Glory

Pavilion of Benevolent Virtue

the Gate of Supreme Harmony