Top 8 Intriguing Facts About the Forbidden City - China

The magnificent and splendid architectural complex, which every Chinese citizen proudly considers the most marvelous wonder in the world, is actually a masterpiece of architecture that significantly benefited from the contributions of a Vietnamese eunuch known as Nguyen An. As we know, during the time of the Hồ dynasty, the Ming army invaded Đại Việt (Vietnam) and captured many young men from our country to take them to China. It was during that period that Nguyen An (1381 - 1453) was captured to serve as a eunuch in the Ming royal court at that time.

When Emperor Ming Thành Tổ - Chu Đệ decided to commence the construction of a grand structure rivaling heaven and earth, it was the eunuch Nguyen An who was entrusted with the crucial task of being the 'chief architect' for the entire Forbidden City project. According to numerous historical records, Nguyen An was a remarkably talented architect, and he was the one who drafted the design for this magnificent structure. Hence, his fame persists to this day along with the majestic existence of the Forbidden City amidst the vicissitudes of time and history.

The Forbidden City is situated in the heart of Beijing, China's capital. Construction began in 1406, and it took 14 years to complete. From 1420 to 1911, it served as the seat of power for Chinese dynasties.

The Forbidden City was meticulously constructed over a span of more than 14 years, a lavish project that required the sweat and toil of countless laborers. They employed specially designed wheels to transport massive stone blocks weighing between 200 and 300 tons, each measuring 9.5 meters long, from quarries located 70 kilometers away to Beijing. It took 50 strong men to continuously transport each block for 28 days. It was the labor and wealth of the people that created such a magnificent complex, all to serve 24 generations of Chinese emperors.

In the Chinese feudal system, every emperor was considered a 'son of heaven,' and thus, the imperial family lived in the utmost luxury. This was epitomized by the Forbidden City, the residence of the emperor. Spanning a total area of 720,000 square meters and comprising 9,999 rooms of varying sizes, every detail of the Forbidden City exuded opulence and grandeur, adorned with precious materials such as gemstones, glazed tiles, and rare woods.

Most notably, the roofs of the buildings were adorned with yellow glazed tiles, the most revered color reserved exclusively for the emperor according to Chinese beliefs. Furthermore, the Forbidden City houses over 1,000,000 ancient artifacts and treasures from various feudal dynasties. Consequently, the Chinese government continually reinforces security to safeguard this invaluable treasure trove.

We are all familiar with the term 'forbidden chamber' from Chinese historical dramas. It is said, 'close to the king is like being close to a tiger,' which is why anyone, from the Empress to concubines, who displeased the emperor often endured imprisonment and suffering in the 'forbidden chamber.'

So, where is this famous 'forbidden chamber' located within the Forbidden City? In fact, according to historical records, there is no specific place named the 'forbidden chamber.' Some places used to imprison disgraced concubines include the West Tranquility Palace (during the Ming Dynasty) and the Northern Three Palaces (during the Qing Dynasty),...

The Forbidden City is a place of solemnity reserved exclusively for the emperor and the royal family's activities. Any commoner who dares to trespass without permission faces the penalty of death. The defenses here are incredibly strict, with layers upon layers of guards and thick walls surrounding it. For an ordinary citizen to set foot here is nothing but a distant dream. However, there are exceptions.

In 1851, during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty, a bun seller named Wang Kho Ni accidentally found a pass to enter the palace. After successfully testing the pass several times without any difficulty, Wang came up with the idea of ​​bringing his bun stand into the palace to sell. Strangely, he remained peaceful and made a lot of money selling buns at ten times the market price to the courtiers inside the palace. However, after bragging to a drunken relative, Wang's secret was discovered, and he was apprehended by the guards before he could flee to Beijing.

This can be explained by the fact that the chief architect Nguyen An, who designed the Forbidden City, was Vietnamese. Therefore, it's not surprising that this structure bears traces of the architectural style of ancient Dai Viet. According to research by Professor Tran Ngoc Them, there are two main characteristics of the Forbidden City that resemble ancient Vietnamese architecture. First, the shape of the Forbidden City is rectangular (while other ancient capitals are predominantly square).

Secondly, similar to the ancient Co Loa Citadel during the reign of King An Duong Vuong, the Forbidden City is protected by three layers of walls (while other constructions in China before usually had only 1 or 2 layers of walls). A unique feature of the Forbidden City is the intentional arrangement according to specific Feng Shui meanings in every smallest detail.

The vast society within the Forbidden City has always been plagued by endless power struggles, intrigues, and bloody rivalries among concubines, eunuchs, and palace maids. Countless souls have perished in the brutal conflicts within these palace walls. Therefore, it's no surprise that tales of ghosts and spirits abound, often appearing in the imperial palace as dusk descends.

There are numerous accounts of witnessing ghosts in the Forbidden City during twilight:

• Two soldiers guarding the Forbidden City were struck by a ghostly concubine without a face one evening in 1995.
• Many tourists have witnessed the apparitions of eunuchs and palace maids gliding past them.
• Mysterious sounds like ghostly music emanating from the imperial palace on full moon nights.

With the steadfast belief of the people living around the Forbidden City in these ghosts, every time night falls over this ancient imperial capital, strange occurrences continue to unfold...

The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace, is situated in the heart of Beijing. It served as the palace for dynasties from the mid-Ming to the end of the Qing Dynasty in China. The museum within the Forbidden City is called the Palace Museum (Palace Museum of Artifacts).

The total area of the Forbidden City is 720,000 square meters, comprising 800 palaces and 9,999 rooms. Consequently, UNESCO categorized it as the largest ancient wooden architectural complex in the world and recognized it as a World Heritage Site in China in 1987 under the name 'Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang.' The Forbidden City is located in the southern part of Tiananmen Square, and access is through the Tiananmen Gate. It is surrounded by the Imperial City. The Forbidden City was designed by numerous architects and designers. The chief architects were Sai Jin Tran Khue, Ngo Trung, and the Vietnamese courtier Nguyen An, while the chief construction supervisors were Khoai Tuong and Luc Tuong.

UNESCO categorized the Forbidden City as the largest ancient wooden architectural complex in the world and recognized it as a World Heritage Site in China in 1987.