The Forbidden City as seen from Coal to the south.

Introduction

The residences of kings, sovereigns or emperors that we’re used to seeing in Western countries, though being rich and opulent, are the size of a large palace or at most, especially from pre-Renaissance times, a castle.

In China, starting in the late Medieval period, when the darkness of the Holy Inquisition dominated the scene in Europe, and up until the early years of the 20th century, the emperor lived in a true fortified city constructed entirely around him and designed to allow him to carry out his public functions, and at the same time, take care of his human and personal needs.

In this citadel you could come and go only with the permission of the emperor. Those who disobeyed this rule paid with their life.

This is the origin of the name “Forbidden City” (“Zi Jin Chen”, in Chinese), a historic place, perfectly preserved, that hosted the emperor of the Middle Kingdom for about 500 years, from 1420 up until 1912, when the last emperor was forced to abdicate to the forces of the first Chinese revolution.

From that point on the name was changed to what it is called even today on maps and directions: “Palace Museum”.

The term “Museum” is there to underscore the fact that this is a historic relic and no longer the seat of any political power. [Read more…]