This was the palace for the last two dynasties of emperors in China, Ming and Qing. It is the largest and best-preserved ancient building group in China. Since it covers 720,000 square meters, 800 buildings and 9,000 rooms, it is impossible for tourist to remember all the spots by memory. The Palace receives more than 10,000 visitors a day and it may take several visits to cover the famous spots.

The Palace Museum

All collections are brought from other museums or newly discovered after 1949. Japanese rubbed all the previous collections during their invasion into China. The remaining were all removed by Kuomintang to Taiwan. Taipei's National Palace Museum is now hosting all the collections that had removed from the Palace when Kuomintang were forced out to Taiwan.

Gates

Meridian Gate

A gate reserved for the emperors coming and going, or announcing news.

Supreme Harmony Gate

A gate overlooking a curt yard holding over 100,000 imperial audiences.

Three Great Hall

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Middle Harmony, Hall of Preserving Harmony.

They were used for imperial celebration, examination, meetings, etc.

Palaces

Palaces of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Union, Imperial Garden, Western Palace, Palace of Eternal Spring. All these belong to inner part of the palace where emperors and the royal family lived.

Chinese, even the emperors, are brought up with the philosophies to live in harmony with the nature. That is why Harmony was used to form the name of many buildings.

There is a very famous Chinese classic literature, "The Dream of Red Chamber", which gives very detail descriptions about the royal life behind the scene.