The corridors are located to the east of the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests, forming an L-shape that connects the eastern brick gate of the Altar of Prayer for Good Harvests with the Divine Kitchen Courtyard and the Slaughter Pavilion. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, these corridors served as the passageway for transporting sacrificial offerings. Ancient ceremonial regulations stipulated that the slaughterhouse should be at least two hundred steps away from the altar. To protect the offerings from wind, rain, snow, and sand, these winding corridors were constructed. The corridors are five meters wide, and stretch
Located south of the Six Eastern Palaces in the Forbidden City and west of the Yude Palace, it served as the place where the emperor observed a ritual fast before performing ceremonies to worship Heaven and Earth. During the Ming Dynasty and the early Qing Dynasty, such fasts were observed outside the palace. In the later years of Emperor Kangxi’s reign, intense competition among the princes for the succession culminated in the fourth prince, Yinzhen, ascending the throne—though he also made powerful enemies. After his enthronement,
The Linyi Chashan Tourist Area mainly consists of three scenic zones: Jiuding Lotus Mountain, Peach Blossom Garden, and Moon Bay. It features the scenic wonders of nine mountains, eight waters, and twelve gullies, with a high coverage of forest vegetation. Major attractions include Tianqi Temple, Li Xiaozhai, Magpie Bridge, Tingtao Pavilion, Li Xiaoting, Wangyue Tower, Huanggu Nunnery, Lotus Pond, Sanxing Spring, and Chengjin Spring.
Introduction The Swan Café is the place where the proletarian revolutionary mentors Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels once lived and worked. It is located on the side of the Grand Place in the heart of Brussels, adjacent to the famous Town Hall. The café is a five-story building, named for the image of a white swan with wings spread, ready to take flight, decorating its entrance.
The Palace of Eternal Spring, one of the six eastern palaces in the inner court, was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420). Initially named the Palace of Everlasting Peace, it was renamed the Palace of Eternal Spring in the 14th year of the Jiajing reign (1535). The Qing Dynasty retained the Ming name and renovated the palace in the 12th year of the Shunzhi reign (1655), followed by further repairs in the 15th year of the Daoguang reign (1835) and the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (189...
The China Post Stamp Museum is a national-level "leading industry museum" in China, built under the auspices of China Post Group Corporation. It houses thousands of cultural relics and stamps. The museum officially opened to the public on August 22, 2007. Located at No. 6 Gongyuan, Jianguomen, East Chang’an Avenue, Beijing, it has four floors spanning a total of 7,500 square
Lao She Teahouse is a teahouse named after the People's Artist Mr. Lao She and his famous play. Established in 1988, it now covers an operating area of over 2,600 square meters and is a multifunctional comprehensive teahouse that integrates a book teahouse, dining teahouse, and tea art teahouse. In this classic Chinese-style setting full of Beijing charm, you can enjoy
White Dagoba of Beihai Park: Located atop Qionghua Island in Beihai Park. It is the most prominent structure in the park. Built in the eighth year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1651), the dagoba stands 35.9 meters tall. It rests on a tall brick platform base, with a stepped Sumeru pedestal as its foundation, supporting a bulbous stupa body. The front features an arched “eye-opening” niche engraved with Tibetan mantras.
On the day of Xu Beihong’s passing in 1953, his wife, Madam Liao Jingwen, donated their former residence at No. 16 Dongshoulu Street, Dongcheng District, to the state. In 1954, the “Xu Beihong Memorial Hall” was established on the site of the former residence, making it the first individual art museum in New China. The name of the memorial hall was inscribed by Guo Moruo himself.
Huoshen Temple, also known as the "Imperially Commissioned Temple of the God of Fire Virtue," is located outside Di’anmen in Beijing, adjacent to Shichahai. The temple was originally built in the sixth year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (632 AD) and has a history of over 1,300 years. It was renovated in the sixth year of the Zhiyuan era of Emperor Shundi of the Yuan Dynasty (1346 AD). During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, due to repeated fires in the imperial palace…
Xianyukou, a famous hutong in Beijing, is a representative of the city’s traditional folk and commercial culture. Together with Qianmen Street, it forms a landmark traditional commercial district in old southern Beijing. The Xianyukou Old Brands Food Street features distinctive Beijing flavors, with many time-honored shops such as Zhengmingzhai Bakery, Changchuntang Pharmacy, Tianxingju, Xinghuachi, and others.
Also known as the Memorial Temple of Lord Wen, Wen Tianxiang Memorial Temple is located at No. 63 Fuxue Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing. It was the place where Wen Tianxiang, a national hero of the Southern Song Dynasty, was imprisoned and executed. The temple was built in 1376 during the ninth year of the Hongwu reign in the Ming Dynasty. The existing structures include the main gate, front hall, and rear hall. In 1979, the Wen Tianxiang Memorial Temple was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Beijing. In 1984,
The Princess Gulun Mansion was originally located in Dongcheng District. In the eighth year of the Tongzhi reign, it was converted into the residence of Princess Rong’an, the daughter of Emperor Xianfeng, and later bestowed upon Princess Rongshou. Since Princess Rongshou was the eldest daughter of Prince Gong, it became known as the “Princess Gulun Mansion.” But why was the eldest daughter of Prince Gong not called a “junzhu” (noblewoman), but rather a “gongzhu” (princess)?
Pudu Temple in Dongcheng District, Beijing, is located on Nan Chizi Street. Originally built as a temple during the early Qing Dynasty, it stands on what was once part of the Hongqing Palace in the southern city during the Ming Dynasty. It also served as the residence of Dorgon, the Prince Regent (Rui Prince) of the Qing Dynasty. In the 33rd year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign (1694), the old Rui Prince Mansion was converted into the Mahakala Temple. In 1776, Emperor Qianlong bestowed the name “Pudu Temple” upon it.
Dongcheng District Special Education School was formed in 2002 through the merger of the former Beijing No.1 School for the Deaf and the Dongcheng Training Center for Intellectually Disabled Children. It now primarily enrolls students from Dongcheng District, while also accepting students from Beijing’s other districts and other provinces and cities. On this unique campus live intellectually disabled students whose various abilities are impaired due to intellectual disabilities, as well as hearing-impaired students whose language learning and communication are severely affected by hearing loss.
The Museum of Chinese in America History is a public welfare institution directly under the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC), and it is also the first national-level thematic museum to comprehensively showcase the history and current status of Chinese overseas migration. In 1960, Mr. Tan Kah Kee, a renowned patriotic overseas Chinese leader and the first president of the ACFROC, proposed the establishment of the Museum of Chinese in America History in the capital city of Beijing.
The Dongcheng District Children’s Palace Theater (Tiandi Theater) is located on the east side of the northbound ramp of Dongsi Shitiao Overpass along the East Second Ring Road, on the first floor of the Dongcheng District Children’s Palace building. It covers a construction area of over 3,000 square meters, with nearly 915 seats offering good sightlines. The stage is equipped with motorized rigging, lighting, sound systems, and film projection equipment. In recent years, the theater has hosted various events organized by municipal and district-level authorities as well as primary and secondary schools.
Originally built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420), it has undergone subsequent expansions but retains the basic layout of its original construction. The garden stretches 80 meters from north to south and 140 meters from east to west, covering an area of 12,000 square meters. Its main structure, the Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin’an Dian), features a double-eaved roof and is situated along the central north-south axis of the Forbidden City. Centered around this hall, pavilions and towers extend forward and to the sides. The garden is adorned with lush pines, cypresses, and bamboos interspersed with rockeries, creating a verdant landscape throughout the seasons.
The upper part of the Nine-Dragon Wall is covered with yellow glazed tiles and features a hip-and-gable roof. Beneath the eaves are wooden-style imitation rafters, purlins, and bracket sets. The wall surface is made of colored glaze bricks, with dragons depicted in various postures. The dragons are arranged along the wall’s central axis. The dragons on the dark blue background are crafted using high relief techniques, with the highest points protruding 20 cm from the wall surface, creating a strong three-dimensional effect. A craggy mountain rock formation runs vertically through the center of the wall, dividing the nine coiled dragons into five sections. The yellow central dragon, depicted facing forward, has its front claws in an embracing position and its rear claws kicking up ocean waves. Its serpentine body coils as it holds a flaming pearl beneath its head, with wide eyes and an open mouth, exuding an imposing and majestic aura. On either side, there are two dragons each in blue and white — the white ones are rising dragons, while the blue ones are descending dragons. The two dragons on the left face each other, while those on the right move in opposite directions. All four dragons chase after flaming pearls, full of dynamic movement as if they might leap out of the wall. The two outer dragons, one yellow and one purple, show intense motion — the yellow dragon on the left stands tall with its neck tucked in, its upper claws spread wide, and its legs thrusting forward and backward. The purple dragon lowers its left claw while raising its right, with its tail swooshing forward. The vivid motion of these two dragons makes their struggle for dominance come alive. On the right end, the yellow dragon arches its back, dynamically poised, with vividly carved movements of leaping and bounding. The purple dragon raises its head and tucks in its belly, striking the waves with its front claws, displaying a vigorous and majestic posture. This fully showcases the wisdom and artistic talent of the ancient Han Chinese laboring people.
Each of the four cardinal directions of the “Forbidden City” wall has a gate: the Meridian Gate, the Gate of Divine Prowess, the Donghua Gate, and the Xihua Gate. Majestic gate towers stand atop these gates, while the four diagonal corners feature four solemn, elegant, and exquisitely crafted corner towers. Elders used to say, “The corner towers are the treasure of the Forbidden City.” Some say the corner towers of the Forbidden City are like an elder who both