The Hall of Preserving Harmony

The Hall of Preserving Harmony

The Hall of Preserving Harmony is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony is one of the three main halls located outside the inner court of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It stands behind the Hall of Central Harmony and was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420). Originally named the Hall of Cultivating Virtue, it was renamed the Hall of Establishing Supreme Harmony after being damaged by fire during the Jiajing reign and subsequently reconstructed. In the 2nd year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was renamed the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which means "to keep one's aspirations undistracted and maintain a tranquil spirit."

This signifies focusing the mind to maintain harmony within the realm, ensuring peace, prosperity, happiness, and tranquility across the land. The plaque in the Hall of Preserving Harmony inscribed with the words "The Emperor Establishes Supreme Principles" was written by Emperor Qianlong.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony is nine bays wide and five bays deep, covering a construction area of 1,240 square meters with a height of 29.5 meters. Its roof is a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof covered with yellow glazed tiles, and both the upper and lower eaves are adorned with nine small mythical creatures. The upper eave features a single-uplift, double-rising, seven-tier bracket set, while the lower eave has a double-uplift, six-tier bracket set. The exterior walls are plastered white, and the wooden columns are painted in a red hue, contrasting sharply with the golden yellow tiles, giving the building an exceptionally majestic appearance. The lower eave is supported by a single-uplift, five-tier bracket set, and carved with intricate coiling dragons. The wooden thresholds are embedded with golden bricks, and the ceiling is decorated with splendid caisson ceilings and colorful paintings, making the hall both solemn and beautifully ornate. At the back of the hall, there is a three-level terrace; the platform’s corner edges are adorned with carved stone drain mouths. The second level is built slightly higher than the first, and the third is even higher than the second. The stone slabs used in the construction were all finely polished, and the entire architectural layout is exquisitely harmonious.

In the center of the stairway behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony lies a large imperial pathway stone intricately carved with clouds, dragons, ocean waves, and cliffs—known as the Cloud and Dragon Stone Carving. This is the largest stone carving in the Forbidden City, measuring 16.57 meters in length, 3.07 meters in width, and 1.70 meters in thickness, weighing 250 tons. Originally carved during the Ming Dynasty, it was re-carved during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. The design features nine dragons playing with pearls amid mountain cliffs, ocean waves, and flowing clouds. Their forms are dynamic and brimming with vitality.

The stone material for the Cloud and Dragon Carving was sourced from the Fangshan Dashiwo Quarry in western Beijing. Transporting such a massive stone to Beijing at the time required over ten thousand laborers, who used dry-dock sledging methods. For this purpose, a well was dug every mile along the route to provide water for the workers. Covering a distance of over 100 li (approximately 50 kilometers) from Fangshan to Beijing, the transport took nearly a month. Though arduous and challenging, this method demonstrated the ingenuity and wisdom of the laborers given the technological limitations of the time.

The “Thousand Dragons” refer to the more than a thousand carved stone dragon heads extending from the bases of the supporting columns. When it rains, water flows out from the dragons’ mouths, combining the practical function of diverting rainwater with the aesthetic appeal of architectural art. This spectacular sight of “thousand dragons spouting water” originates from the three-tiered platform upon which the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony stand. The “Three Terraces” cover an area of approximately 2,500 square meters and are constructed from large blocks of white marble. Each level of the terrace is surrounded by a Sumeru pedestal base, atop which horizontally placed long rectangular stone slabs are laid.

Between the plinths are erected column-like stone balusters, and between the balusters are installed railings. Below them, drainage channels have been carved. Aside from the dragon heads extending from the corners of each level, the other dragon heads have round holes drilled between their lips, connecting to the channels beneath the balusters. Since the terrace surface is designed to be higher in the center and lower around the edges, when it rains, water naturally flows down to the lower periphery of the “Three Terraces” and is then expelled from the dragons’ mouths, creating the remarkable spectacle of “thousand dragons spouting water.” The side halls located east and west of the Hall of Preserving Harmony have now been converted into exhibition galleries.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony had different uses during the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Ming Dynasty, emperors often changed clothes here before major ceremonies, and it was where they received congratulations during the enthronement of empresses and crown princes. In the Qing Dynasty, on New Year’s Eve and the 15th day of the first lunar month each year, the emperor held banquets here for foreign envoys, nobles, and first- and second-rank ministers—an immensely grand occasion. At the end of each year, the Imperial Clan Court and the Ministry of Personnel filled out the Yellow Registers for the Manchu, Mongol, Hanjun, and provincial Han officials of the Eight Banners and external vassal states in the Hall of Preserving Harmony.

From the 3rd year of the Shunzhi reign (1646) to the 13th year (1656), Emperor Shunzhi resided in the Hall of Preserving Harmony, then called the Palace of Nurturing Harmony, and his wedding ceremony was also held here. Emperor Kangxi lived here from his accession to the throne until the 8th year of his reign (1669). Both emperors temporarily resided here, resulting in the hall being renamed accordingly during those periods.

In the 54th year of the Qianlong reign (1789), the location for the palace examination was moved from the Hall of Supreme Harmony to the Hall of Preserving Harmony. The palace examination was the highest level of the imperial examination system in feudal China. The emperor personally set the questions, designated ministers to grade the papers, and reviewed the top ten examinees’ papers himself. The top scorer was named Zhuangyuan (the Number One Scholar), the second was Bangyan, and the third was Tanhua. Those who passed were awarded the title of Jinshi (presented scholar), granted official positions, and assigned important roles. This examination was held once every three years, and participants generally had to pass the prefectural and metropolitan examinations to qualify. The ceremony was highly formal, and its scheduling changed several times. Initially, it was scheduled for early April, later shifted to early May. In the 10th year of Qianlong’s reign, it was moved to April 26th, and in the 26th year, to April 21st, after which the date was fixed.

Location

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

The Palace Museum

Palace of Purity and Tranquility

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Gate of Divine Might

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 Longevity

Meridian Gate

Hall of Literary Glory

Pavilion of Benevolent Virtue

Gate of Supreme Harmony

Hall of Imperial Ancestors