【正文】 al of 24 monarchs ascended the throne and wielded power for some 500 years. The Palace Museum, as the most beautiful spot of interest throughout Beijing, is unique for its location: to the northwest is Beihai(North Sea) Park, famous for its white pagoda and rippling lake。此資料由網(wǎng)絡收集而來，如有侵權請告知上傳者立即刪除。資料共分享，我們負責傳遞知識。 to the west is the Zhongnahai (central and south sea)。 and to the north id Jinshan Park. Standing in the Wanchun (Everlasting Spring) Pavilion at the top of Jingshan(Charcoal Hill) Park, you overlook the skyline of the palace Museum. At the southern end of the palace is Tian` anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) and the famous square named after it . This is the symbol of the People` s Republic of China.
A worldfamous historical site, the Palace Museum is on the World Heritage List of UNESCO and is an embodiment of oriental civilization.
The Palace Museum is rectangular in shape, 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meters wide from east to west, covering a space of 720,000 square meters of which 150,000 is building area . It has 9000strong rooms in it . According to legend there are roomunits in all .The whole pound is enclosed by a 10meterhign wall and is accessed through four entrances, namely, the meridian Gate in the south ,the Gate of Military Prowess in the north, Donghua(Eastern Flowery ) Gate in the north, Donghua ( Eastern Flowery) Gate in the east and Xihua(Western Flowery ) Gate in the west. On each corner there is a turret consisted of 9 roof beams, 18 pillars and 72 ridge . Encircling the pound there is a 3,800meterlong and 52 meterwide moat, making the Palace Museum a selfdefensive citywithina city.
The Palace Museum was made a center of rule during the Ming Dynasty by Zhun Di, The fourth son of the founding emperor Zhuyuanzhang. The whole plex straddles on an 8kilometerslong central axis that stretches from Yongding (Forever Stable) Gate in the south to Gulou (Drum Tower) in the north. Prominence was given to the royal power by putting the “three main front halls” and “three back halls ”on the axis while
arrange other subsidiary structure around them .The construction of the Palace Museum involved manpower and resources across China. For example, the bricks laid in the halls ,known as “gold brick, ” underwent plex, two –dozen processes. As the final touch ,the fired bricks were dipped in Chinese wood oil. Involving plicated processes and high cost, these brick are called “golden bricks.” The Palace Museum serves as a living embodiment of good tradition and styles unique to China` s ancient architecture. It reflects to the full the ingenuity and creativity of the Chinese working people. A carefully preserved and plete group of royal residences, the Palace Museum is a prominent historical and tourist site. What we are now approaching is the main entrance to the Palace Museumthe Meridian Gate, which is characterized by red walls, yellow glazed –tile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this walls, yellow glazedtile roofs and upturned eaves. On top of this magnificent building ,there stand five lofty halls with a main hall in the center. The main hall is roofed by multiple eaves and covers a space of 9 roomunits. It is flanked by two wings on each side .The wings are square in shape ,plete with multiple and four edged eaves and pinnacles. All of these structures are connected by a colonnade. Because these halls resemble a soaring bird, it was also know as wufenglou (Fivephoenix Tower) . Inside the main hall there is a throne. Drums and bells were stored in the wings. Whenever the emperor presided over grand ceremonies or observed rites in the Hall of Upreme Harmony, drums, bells and gongs would be struck to mark the occasion.
As the legend goes, the Meridian Gate used to be a place where condemned ranking officials would be executed. This not true. However, flogging was carried out here by the Ming emperors ,If a courtier falls afoul of the emperor, he would be stripped of his court dress and flogging with a stick .At one point the punishment became so harsh that a total of 11 people died from fatal wound on a single occasion .On the other hand, this building was also used to observe important occasions like the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival (15th day of the first lunar month). On these occasions, Chinese lanterns would be hanged and sumptuous banquets would be given in honour of the whole court of ministers and other ranking officials.
Upon entering the Meridian Gate we began our tour of the Palace Museum. The river foowing in front of us is known as Jin Shui He (Golden Water River) and the five marbles bridges spanning it are known as the Inner Golden Water Bridges. The on in the middle was used exclusive by the emperor and its banisters we