Hall of Vast Righteousness

Hall of Vast Righteousness

The Hall of Vast Righteousness is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Hall of Vast Righteousness, located on the west side of the square in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, stands opposite the Hall of Literary Glory. It was originally built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420) and was called the Martial Tower in the early Ming period and renamed the Hall of Vast Righteousness in the early Qing Dynasty.

During the Qing Dynasty, it functioned as the silver treasury of the Imperial Household Department, storing gold, silver, copper coins, jewels, jade artifacts, and gold and silver utensils. The gold and silver tableware used for imperial and empress banquets was prepared by the treasury and returned there after use.

The Hall of Vast Righteousness and the Hall of Literary Glory serve as symmetrical auxiliary structures flanking the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Their architectural forms are entirely identical. In the Qianlong era, the Hall of Literary Glory was destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt to resemble the Hall of Vast Righteousness. As these two halls flank the Hall of Supreme Harmony, their designs had to reflect hierarchy without significant disparity that might disrupt harmony. Therefore, they were constructed in the form of pavilion-style buildings with an intermediate eave between the two floors, featuring a flat terrace and a single-eave hip-and-gable roof. This design gives them a height of 23.8 meters—equivalent to seven-tenths of the Hall of Supreme Harmony’s height—and taller than the adjacent side halls. This approach neither violates architectural hierarchical regulations nor makes the side structures appear insignificant, while also eliminating the rigidity of the architectural space.

The coordination between these two halls and the main structure enhances the grandeur of the entire architectural complex.

The rulers of the Qing Dynasty were the Manchus, a minority ethnic group originating from the northeast. As part of the northern nomadic, fishing, and hunting peoples, they, like other northern ethnic groups, had a particular fondness for gold and silver artifacts. After entering the Central Plains, they retained their traditional reverence for gold and silver utensils.

Gold and silver utensils used by the Qing imperial family were prevalent in rituals, ceremonies, daily life, and Buddhist practices. Strict and specific regulations governed their quantity, patterns, and purity, reflecting a rigid hierarchical system.

The sources of these gold and silver items included those manufactured by the Imperial Household Department’s workshops and tributes from local governors. Many Qing-era gold and silver artifacts have been preserved, with numerous outstanding pieces. For example, a set of 16 golden bianzhong bells created in the 54th year of the Kangxi reign (1715), weighing over 460 kilograms in total, were used as musical instruments during grand imperial ceremonies. The pure and bright tones of these 16 golden bells heightened the splendor and mystery of court events, serving as symbols of imperial majesty at the time. Additionally, even astronomical instruments featured gold inlay and embedded jade and jewels, such as the gold-inlaid pearl celestial globe housed in the Palace Museum today. This illustrates the unprecedented development of gold and silver craftsmanship during the Qing Dynasty.

As the primary storage site for court gold and silver artifacts during the Qing Dynasty, the importance of the Hall of Vast Righteousness goes without saying. Today, visitors to the hall can admire exquisitely crafted ancient artworks, experience diverse cultural meanings, and find the visit truly worthwhile.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, commonly known as the Golden Throne Hall, represents the pinnacle of ancient Chinese palace architecture and is one of the Three Great Halls of the East. It is the largest existing wooden structure hall in China. Located at a prominent position along the north-south central axis of the Forbidden City (Palace Museum) in Beijing, it was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420) and originally named the Hall of Heavenly Granting.

In the 41st year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1562), it was renamed the Hall of Imperial Supremacy, and in the 2nd year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1645), it received its current name. Although it has been destroyed by fire and rebuilt multiple times since its completion, the current structure reflects the design from its reconstruction in the 34th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1695).

The Palace Museum

Palace of Purity and Harmony

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Gate of Divine Prowess

Hall of Preserving Harmony

Hall of Military Eminence

Palace of Earthly Tranquility

Palace of Heavenly Purity

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 Spring

Meridian Gate

Hall of Literary Glory

Hall of Mental Cultivation

Gate of Supreme Harmony