Meridian Gate

Meridian Gate

The Meridian Gate is the main entrance to the Forbidden City, situated along its north-south central axis. This centrally positioned, sun-facing gate stands at the center of the meridian line, hence its name "Meridian Gate." In front of the gate are the Duanmen, Tiananmen, and Daqingmen gates, while behind it lies the Taihemen. On both sides within each gate are rows of neatly aligned corridors and side halls. This layout, where gates and corridors enclose a square and create a layered, progressive spatial arrangement, was influenced by ancient China’s “Five Gates and Three Courts” system, which helped emphasize the dignified and awe-inspiring nature of the imperial palace complex.

The Meridian Gate has five gate openings, but from the front it appears to have only three. Actually, there are two side gates, known as the “side passageways,” located on the inner sides of the eastern and western platforms—one facing west and the other east. These two gateways extend inward into the raised platform, then turn northward and exit through the back side of the platform. Therefore, when viewed from the rear of the Meridian Gate, all five gateways are visible, giving rise to the saying “three visible, five hidden.” The central gateway was normally reserved exclusively for the emperor; the empress was allowed to pass through it only once—on her wedding day. The top three scholars in the imperial examination—the zhuangyuan, bangyan, and tanhua—could exit through this gate once after their success. During the Qing Dynasty, civil and military officials used the left gate, while nobles and royal family members used the right gate. The side passageways were usually closed, but during grand ceremonies at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, all officials would enter and exit through these two side gates.

On either side of the central gate tower of the Meridian Gate are two watch pavilions that house a bell and a drum respectively. There were strict rules dictating when the bell or drum should be sounded. The bell was rung when the emperor left through the Meridian Gate for sacrificial rites at the Altars; the drum was struck when he visited the Imperial Ancestral Temple; and both the bell and drum were sounded together when the emperor presided over major ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Of course, in the Qing Dynasty, the emperor would issue the next year’s calendar from the Meridian Gate on the first day of the tenth lunar month each year, holding a ceremony called the “Calendar Issuance Ceremony” or “Ban Shuo Zhi Li.” During the Ming Dynasty, the emperor would carry out corporal punishment, known as “Ting Zhang” (court beating), in the square outside the Meridian Gate, disciplining officials who had committed offenses. Many Ming officials suffered this punishment, though there are no verified accounts of anyone dying on the spot from it.

The Meridian Gate was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420), renovated in the 4th year of the Shunzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty (1647), and repaired again in the 6th year of the Jiaqing reign (1801). Its floor plan is concave in shape, following the architectural style of the Hanyuan Hall of the Daming Palace from the Tang Dynasty (with a total width of nearly 58 meters) and the Danfeng Gate of the Song Dynasty palaces. It evolved from the gate towers (que) of the Han Dynasty.

At the center of the raised platform stands the main gate tower, which is nine bays wide and topped with a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof. Extending from both sides of the platform are 13-bay corridors on each wing, commonly referred to as the “Wild Goose Wing Buildings.” At the ends of these corridors are square pavilions with double-eaved pyramidal roofs. On either side of the main tower are three-bay bell and drum pavilions. Whenever the emperor personally went to the Temple of Heaven or the Temple of Earth for sacrifices, the bell and drum were sounded together; for sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, only the drum was struck; and for large-scale events, both were sounded in unison. The entire Meridian Gate structure features varied heights, balanced composition, and a design resembling a vermilion bird spreading its wings, hence it is also known as the “Five Phoenix Tower.”

The emperor would bestow spring pancakes on the day of the Beginning of Spring; cool cakes on the Dragon Boat Festival; and flower cakes on the Double Ninth Festival. On the first day of the tenth lunar month, the next year’s calendar was issued. Every year on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, the “Calendar Issuance” or “Ban Shuo” ceremony for distributing the next year’s calendar was held at the Meridian Gate. In times of major warfare, when victorious armies returned, a “Presentation of Captives” ceremony was held at the Meridian Gate, where war captives were offered to the emperor.

For example, in the 14th year of the Zhengde reign (1519), Emperor Wuzong Zhu Houzhao wished to travel to the south to select beauties, but his ministers remonstrated and tried to dissuade him. The emperor became furious. As a result, 130 officials, including Shu Fen and Huang Gong, were subjected to court beating, and 11 of them died on the spot. Additionally, during the reign of Emperor Shizong Zhu Houcong of the Ming Dynasty, after ascending the throne, he attempted to posthumously honor his biological father, Prince Xian of Xing, as emperor, which was opposed by the ministers. Over 100 officials wept and remonstrated at the Left Shun Gate, leading the emperor to order court beatings. Seventeen people died on the spot, which is why the saying “executions at the Meridian Gate” became popular among the people. In reality, executions never took place in front of the imperial palaces during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Convicts were taken to execution grounds such as Cai Shi or Cai Shi markets. During major ceremonies and important festivals, ceremonial guards symbolizing imperial authority were displayed here.

Address: Inside the Palace Museum, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Type: Historical Site

Recommended Visiting Time: 15–30 minutes

Opening Hours:

The area outside the fence can be visited 24 hours a day, following the opening hours of the Palace Museum.

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Admission is included in the Palace Museum ticket.

Palace Museum

Palace of Purity and Tranquility (Zhongcui Palace)

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwumen)

Hall of Preserving Harmony

Hall of Martial Valor (Wuying Hall)

Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunning Palace)

Hall of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing Palace)

Palace of Longevity and Health (Cining Palace)

Studio of the Three Rarities (Sanxitang)

Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin Hall)

Palace of Longevity and Peace (Shou’an Palace)

The Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City

Palace of Eternal Longevity

Hall of Literary Glory

Pavilion of Benevolent Virtue

Gate of Supreme Harmony

Hall of Ancestral Worship