1406
The Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di, begins plans to build an imperial palace in his new capital, Beijing, four years after overthrowing his nephew from power.
The unique architecture of the Forbidden City
chapter 1
The origins of Beijing’s Forbidden City
A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THIS GRAPHIC WAS PUBLISHED ON MAY 29, 2018. IT HAS BEEN UPDATED AND WAS REPUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 10, 2025.
Marco
Hernandez
The 14 years spent planning and building the Forbidden City (1406-1420) were defined by painstaking detail: a decade alone was dedicated to designing the Yongle Emperor’s new home. Architects had to account for location, building orientation, and the complex logistics of sourcing, preparing and transporting raw materials.
SHAPES AND SYMBOLISM
The Forbidden City complex was the beating heart of Beijing. The rectangular walled palace was surrounded by two square ring roads that defined and protected the ancient city. As Beijing expanded over the years, square ring roads radiated outwards from the Forbidden City. Even today, the seventh ring road - which links Hebei with Tianjin to form the megacity known as Jingjinji - retains this square orientation, with the palace at the centre.
Traditionally, circles represent perfection due to the Chinese belief that no human could make a flawless circle by hand. In contrast, the straight lines of squares and rectangles are associated with law and order, according to Chinese convention. Cities and official complexes were subsequently planned as rectangles. Housing the head of state at the centre of a walled complex made it easier to protect him and, no doubt, provided his family with a sense of security and well-being.
The orientation of the Forbidden City is centred along a north-south axis, which is about one degree shy of the geographical north. Remarkably, this feat was achieved 150 years before Gerardus Mercator, a German-Flemish cartographer, introduced the first map to accurately project ratios of latitude and longitude. It remains the central axis of Beijing to this day.
FENG SHUI AND PRAGMATIC MYSTICISM
Chinese culture sets great store by the mystical and spiritual, but frequently blurs the lines between metaphor and function. Feng shui is a case in point, as it seeks to balance and harmonise people and buildings with the surrounding environment.
Hierarchy
Those among the higher social echelons were housed in the far northern end of the complex, with the area to the south reserved for wives, sons and concubines. Servants were housed closer to the southern sector to receive visitors.
Facing south
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was at the heart of the complex, with the courts designed to symmetrically orbit the hall. All doors faced south so that visiting diplomats could be ushered straight to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Sculpting mountains
A total of 29,000 cubic metres of mud was excavated for the moat and used to build a protective hill. According to feng shui principles, this hill - Jingshan Hill, also known as Prospect Hill - restored the balance between water and earth.
Wind protection
The artificial hill behind the city reduced wind currents from the north and served as protection from attack.
THE RISE OF THE PALACE
The Forbidden City is a rectangle with a total area of about 720,000 square metres (7.75 million square feet). The construction phase of the complex was swift, lasting just four years (1416–1420). A total of 100,000 artisans and one million labourers made this feat possible. Here are some key historical events:
1420
Construction of the new palace is completed. It would serve as the home of emperors for almost 500 years.
1421
A fire burns down three of the main halls in the Outer Court. Restoration takes 19 years to complete.
1557
A fire burns down the three main halls in the Outer Court and the Meridian Gate.The restoration takes four years.
1597
The six main halls of the palace are burned down in a fire.The complete restoration takes 13 years.
1644
Chinese rebel leader Li Zicheng captures the Imperial Palace and sets fire to parts of the Forbidden City as he retreats from combined Ming and Manchu forces. Restoration takes 14 years to complete.
1925
The Forbidden City is officially transformed into the Palace Museum. Shortly after opening, treasures are removed as China’s civil war and war against Japan threaten their safety.
1949
Following war, the artefacts are moved back to Nanjing and Beijing, and the Palace Museum is reopened to the public. Restoration work is put on hold during periods of uncertainty, such as the Cultural Revolution.
2002
A massive, multi-year restoration of the Palace Museum is launched.
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1406
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1420
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1421
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1557
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1597
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1644
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1925
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1949
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2002
Sourcing and transporting materials
Materials used to construct the Forbidden City came from all over China. Timber came from forests in faraway southwest China, and stones from lakes were transported to Beijing to create rock gardens. One of the most astonishing stories concerns the huge engraved stones found in the main entrances to the temples.
ASTONISHING LOGISTICS
Carved stones of various sizes decorate the main entrances to the halls in the Forbidden City. Most of those stones were transported from a quarry 70km (43 miles) away during winter.
Working in average winter temperatures of −3.7 degrees Celsius (25 Fahrenheit), labourers created an icy surface by sloshing water in front of the sled so that the quarried sandstone could be slid over rough ground.
By using sleds, 40 to 50 men could transport a huge stone the 70km distance from the quarry to the palace in as little as 30 days. In summer, the same stone would have taken around 1,500 men at least 40 days using wheeled transportation.
GOLDEN TILES: THE SECRET BEHIND THE NAME
Another special material was prepared in Suzhou: millions of golden tiles. It is estimated that some 100 million tiles were used throughout the Forbidden City, with the courtyards alone requiring 20 million paving tiles.
The floors of buildings frequented by the emperor were of the highest quality. Making these floor tiles was an expensive process. During the Ming dynasty, a single brick cost the equivalent of 750kg (1,650 pounds) of rice, or three months of a Qin dynasty magistrate’s salary.
1.
The clay is collected and processed before being stored for one year.
2.
Once ready, the clay is submerged in a container full of water. The resulting sediment is then filtered and dried in the sun.
3.
Humectants are used to moisten the clay again, which is then processed into a thick paste.
4.
Wooden moulds shape the tiles, which are then leveled with a string attached to a stick.
5.
The tiles are dried in a cold, shaded place for eight months.
6.
The tiles are pre-baked for a month to remove moisture.
7.
The tiles are then baked and set to rest for three days before going back into the kiln. This process is repeated for 130 days. The temperature is increased each time until the tiles are strong enough.
8.
Finally, the kiln is filled with water to reduce the temperature, and then drained four to five days later.
9.
Each tile is cleaned and polished with oil before being inspected for quality.
10.
Court officials choose only the best tiles; the rest are destroyed. Each chosen tile is inscribed with the year of manufacture, measurement, production site, and producer.
The slow kilning process results in a highly durable material, but surprisingly, given the name, the tile does not resemble gold. The term “Golden Tile” actually refers to the steep cost and time invested in the manufacturing process.
FURTHER READING
We invite you to explore other chapters of this special Post presentation for a glimpse into a unique part of Chinese history.
The Palace Museum
By the South China Morning Post graphics team
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I
PARTThe Forbidden City’s unique architecture
By Marco Hernandez
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II
PARTLife inside the Forbidden City
By Marcelo Duhalde
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III
PARTThe collection, the odyssey of the objects
By Adolfo Arranz
