Imperial Garden

　　Originally built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1420), it has undergone several expansions since then, yet still retains its fundamental layout from the time of its initial construction. The entire garden stretches 80 meters from north to south and 140 meters from east to west, covering an area of 12,000 square meters. The main structure in the garden, the Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin’an Dian), is a double-eaved hip-and-gable roof building, situated along the central north-south axis of the Forbidden City. Centered around this hall, pavilions and towers extend forward and to both sides. Lush pines, cypresses, and bamboos throughout the garden are interspersed with rockeries, creating a perennially green garden landscape.

　　Starting from the Qing Dynasty's Yongzheng reign, it came to be called the Imperial Garden. Located at the northern end of the central axis of the Forbidden City, its southern side connects to the Inner Three Palaces through the Gate of Earthly Tranquility (Kun Ning Men). To the left are the East and West Qiong Yuan Gates, which lead to the East and West Six Palaces. To the north are the decorative archways and gates enclosed by the Gates of Blessing Collection (Ji Fu Men), Prolonged Harmony (Yan He Men), and Bearing Light (Cheng Guang Men), facing directly the northernmost gate of the Forbidden City, the Gate of Divine Might (Shen Wu Men). The eastern section includes structures such as the Hill of Accumulated Elegance (Dui Xiu Shan), the Imperial View Pavilion (Yu Jing Ting), the Glass Ripples Hall (Li Cao Tang), the Floating Jade Pavilion (Fu Bi Ting), the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Springs (Wan Chun Ting), and the Crimson Snow Veranda (Jiang Xue Xuan). The western section includes the Extension Glorious Pavilion (Yan Hui Ge), the Cultivation Studio (Wei Yu Zhai), the Clear Jade Pavilion (Cheng Rui Ting), the Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns (Qian Qiu Ting), the Cultivation Studio (Yang Xing Zhai), as well as the Four Gods Shrine, the Well Pavilion, and the Deer Terrace. Most of these buildings were used for leisure, sightseeing, or worship, with the exception of the Glass Ripples Hall, which since the Qianlong era has housed the “Essentials of the Complete Library in Four Branches of Literature” (Si Ku Quan Shu Hui Yao) for the emperor’s reference. The buildings mostly line the walls, with only a few exquisitely designed pavilions standing within the garden, allowing for an open spatial feel. The garden is planted with ancient cypresses and locust trees, arranged with unique rocks, jade pedestals, golden-scaled bronze statues, and potted plants, adding variety and depth to the scenery. The ground of the Imperial Garden is paved with multicolored pebbles forming patterns such as “Fortune,” “Prosperity,” and “Longevity,” offering a rich and colorful display. The famous Hill of Accumulated Elegance is where the imperial family would go for hiking on the Double Ninth Festival. Its rock arrangement is unique, with winding stone steps, a carved stone dragon spraying water at the base, and the Imperial View Pavilion at the top offering views of the surrounding scenery.

　　First, the architectural layout is symmetrical yet not rigid, expansive yet not scattered. With the Hall of Imperial Peace at the center, nearly 20 various structures are evenly arranged on both sides—whether wall-attached or freestanding pavilions—all are delicate and appropriately spaced. Two pairs of pavilions are symmetrically placed from east to west: the Floating Jade and Clear Jade Pavilions are square pavilions spanning over pools, each with a projecting porch on the southern side; the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Springs and the Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns are polygonal pavilions with round tops and square bases, featuring projecting porches on all four sides in a cruciform layout, embodying the traditional concept of “the round heaven and the square earth.” These two pairs of delicate and elegant pavilions add significant charm to the Imperial Garden.

　　Second, the garden is dotted with unique rocks and lush fine trees. Its ancient cypresses and wisterias, some hundreds of years old, make the garden full of character. There are currently over 160 ancient trees scattered throughout the garden, along with a variety of rockery potted plants, all uniquely shaped. For example, in front of the Crimson Snow Veranda, there is a potted plant made from petrified wood that at first glance looks like a sun-bleached rotten log, but when tapped, it resonates with a crisp sound—it is indeed stone, making it especially precious.

　　Third, the pebble-paved paths are quaint and distinctive. The garden walkways are all meticulously laid with pebbles of various colors, forming more than 900 different patterns, including figures, flowers, landscapes, theatrical scenes, and historical allusions. Walking along the paths offers endless amusement.

　　The Imperial Garden was originally built for the rest and enjoyment of emperors and imperial consorts, but it also served purposes such as worship, recuperation, book storage, and reading.

　　The rockery “Hill of Accumulated Elegance,” built against the northern palace wall using Taihu rocks, features steep slopes and precipitous steps, constructed with highly innovative rock-stacking techniques. The Imperial View Pavilion atop the hill was where the emperor and empress went for hiking on the Double Ninth Festival. The garden is dotted with unique rocks and lush fine trees. Its ancient cypresses and wisterias, some hundreds of years old, make the garden full of character. There are currently over 160 ancient trees scattered throughout the garden, along with a variety of rockery potted plants, all uniquely shaped. For example, in front of the Crimson Snow Veranda, there is a potted plant made from petrified wood that at first glance looks like a sun-bleached rotten log, but when tapped, it resonates with a crisp sound—it is indeed stone, making it especially precious. The garden walkways are all meticulously laid with pebbles of various colors, forming more than 900 different patterns, including figures, flowers, landscapes, theatrical scenes, and historical allusions. Walking along the paths offers endless amusement.

The Palace Museum

Palace of Purity and Harmony (Zhong Cui Gong)

Hall of Supreme Harmony (Tai He Dian)

Gate of Divine Might (Shen Wu Men)

Hall of Preserving Harmony (Bao He Dian)

Hall of Imperial Supremacy (Huang Ji Dian)

Hall of Martial Valor (Wu Ying Dian)

Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kun Ning Gong)

Hall of Heavenly Purity (Qian Qing Gong)

Palace of Compassion and Tranquility (Ci Ning Gong)

Studio of the Three Rarities (San Xi Tang)

Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yang Xin Dian)

Palace of Longevity and Peace (Shou An Gong)

Palace of Eternal Longevity (Yong Shou Gong)

Meridian Gate (Wu Men)