China's Forbidden City endures as a UNESCO treasure

Situated at the heart of Beijing's central axis, the Palace Museum, originally known as the "Forbidden City," began construction in 1406 and served as the imperial palace for the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. As a prime example of ancient Chinese palace architecture, the Forbidden City is one of the largest and best-preserved wooden structures in the world.

Spanning 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters from east to west, the Forbidden City is surrounded by a 10-meter-high wall and a 52-meter-wide moat, providing formidable defense. The complex has four gates, and each corner of the wall is adorned with a beautifully crafted corner tower.

The Forbidden City, with its over 8,000 rooms, is divided into two main sections: the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court is where the emperor conducted government affairs and held state ceremonies, while the Inner Court served as the residential area for the emperor, empress, and concubines.

With a history of over 600 years, the Forbidden City is not only a treasure trove of royal artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasties, but also a living record of imperial history. It houses an extensive collection of ancient art, making it the richest repository of cultural relics in China and one of the most renowned museums of ancient art in the world. In 1987, the Forbidden City was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Today, the Palace Museum preserves imperial palaces and treasures from ancient times while constantly enriching its collection. With over 1.86 million artifacts, the museum offers visitors a comprehensive understanding of the remarkable achievements of Chinese arts and crafts.