The Hall of Central Harmony

The Hall of Central Harmony

The Hall of Central Harmony is a cultural tourism attraction.

It is one of the three main halls outside the Forbidden City in Beijing, situated between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony in the Forbidden City. This hall was where the emperor would rest and receive the homage of officials prior to grand ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. During imperial sacrificial events—such as those at the Temple of Heaven or the Temple of Earth—the emperor would review the ceremonial texts here the day before. Before personally conducting the First Furrow Ceremony at the Altar of Agriculture, he would also inspect the seeds and agricultural implements here. When the Empress Dowager was to be conferred an honorary title, the emperor would review the relevant memorials in this hall. Upon completion of the Imperial Genealogy, it would be respectfully presented here for imperial perusal, accompanied by a grand ceremony for its storage.

The Hall of Central Harmony was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420). In the early Ming period, it was called the “Hall of Splendid Canopy.” After being destroyed by fire during the Jiajing reign, it was rebuilt and renamed the “Hall of Central Ultimate,” with traces of the original Ming inscription still remaining. In the first year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644), when the Qing imperial family took over the Forbidden City, the name was changed to the Hall of Central Harmony the following year. The hall’s name is derived from the meaning of a line in the “Doctrine of the Mean” (中庸) from the Book of Rites (礼记): “The Mean is the foundation of the world; Harmony is the Way of the world.” The plaque in the hall inscribed with the characters “Yun Zhi Jue Zhong” (允执厥中, "Uphold the Mean") was written by Emperor Qianlong.

The Hall of Central Harmony has a square floor plan, with each side spanning three bays in both width and depth. It features corridors on all four sides, a floor paved with golden bricks, and covers a construction area of 580 square meters. The roof is a single-eave, pyramidal design with yellow glazed tiles, topped with a gilded bronze finial in the center. The hall has doors on all four sides: the front has 12 three-layered, six-leaf doors, while the east, north, and west sides each have four doors. Stone steps lead up to the hall, with one flight on the east and west sides and three on the north and south sides. The doorways are flanked by blue brick sills with lattice windows above. Both interior and exterior eaves are adorned with golden-dragon and imperial-seal colored paintings, and the ceiling features raised-gold, front-facing dragons.

The design of the doors and windows is inspired by the “Bright Hall” as described in the “Dai Records of Rites” (大戴礼记), ensuring that the three main halls do not look identical.

The term “Central Harmony” conveys the idea that one must remain impartial and appropriate in all matters to maintain harmonious relationships, promoting the philosophy of the “Doctrine of the Mean.”

The Hall of Central Harmony has a square floor plan with a pyramidal roof covered in yellow glazed tiles, topped with a gilded finial in the center. Before proceeding to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for official duties, the emperor would take a short rest here and receive obeisances from cabinet ministers, the Ministry of Rites, and ceremonial guards. On the day before ceremonies such as conferring titles on the Empress Dowager, the emperor would also review memorials and sacrificial texts here.

Inside the Hall of Central Harmony, there are two golden, four-legged, single-horned mythical beasts placed on either side of the imperial throne. These are imaginary creatures believed to travel 18,000 li (approximately 9,000 km) a day, understand all languages, and know of distant affairs. Placed beside the throne, they symbolize the wisdom of the ruler and were also used for burning sandalwood incense. In the Qing Dynasty, the palace used high-quality charcoal known as “Red Radish Charcoal,” which burned warmly and steadily, leaving white ash without sparking. Two sedan chairs, commonly referred to as “palace chairs,” were also placed beside the throne—vehicles used by Qing emperors for travel within the palace.

Address: The Palace Museum, 4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China

Type: Historical Architecture

Recommended Visit Duration: 15–20 minutes

Opening Hours:

Follow the opening hours of the Palace Museum

The Palace Museum

Palace of Purity

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Gate of Divine Prowess

Hall of Preserving Harmony

Hall of Martial Valor

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 Virtue and Harmony

Gate of Supreme Harmony