What are the domestic cultural heritage attractions in the national museum ranking list?

Speaking of the current domestic cultural heritage, the first thing everyone thinks of is the Forbidden City. In fact, there are many good viewing places in the country that are worthy of your attention, such as the Potala Palace and the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. etc., so if you want to understand Chinese history, these top places in France must be visited. Suzhou Museum

Exhibits aside, the Suzhou Museum, designed by the famous Chinese designer Mr. I.M. Pei, is an architectural feast in itself - taking into account the color of the pink walls and black tiles of Suzhou City, and incorporating the Modern design elements such as logs, steel frames, and glass, as well as the patchy rockery and waterscape in the atrium, complement each other well with the patchwork garden separated by a wall.

The museum has more than 30,000 collections and more than 1,000 cultural relics on display, ranging from prehistory to modern times, including pottery, jade, porcelain, stationery and brocade, etc., all concentrated in 15 different themes on the west side in the exhibition hall. The five-dynasty Yue kiln secret-color porcelain lotus bowl unearthed from Yunyan Temple in Huqiu and the pearl relics unearthed from Ruiguang Temple are the treasures of the museum. Particularly worth visiting is the "Wu Zhongya" series of exhibition halls, where you can see various handicrafts from Suzhou's heyday, each displaying ingenious craftsmanship.

While walking through the museum, you can also inadvertently discover the beauty of Suzhou gardens, with stacked hexagonal glass windows; sitting on a soft chair in the exhibition hall and looking out the window, you can see the green bamboo and the atrium garden. .

There are free explanations at 9:45, 13:30, 13:45 and 14:15 every day, and some volunteers even give more detailed explanations than the paid explanations. Next door to the museum is the ruins of Prince Zhong's Mansion of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, including the restored military meeting hall, ancient stage, chapel, etc., which are also free to visit in the museum. Yin Ruins Yin Ruins Museum

How long is China’s written history? From 1928 to 1937, more than 100,000 pieces of oracle bone inscriptions were unearthed from Yin Ruins, which shocked the world and moved forward the written history of China with tangible evidence. It has been advancing for more than 1100 years. In 2006, the Yin Ruins were included in the World Cultural Heritage List. The ruins of the dynasty back then have become a place of pilgrimage for Chinese people to trace their roots.

The Yin Ruins that travelers see today are centered on the Yin Ruins palace and temple ruins in Xiaotun Village. There are also royal tomb ruins and Huanbei Shopping City ruins scattered along both sides of the Huan River. Entering the Yin Ruins Museum, the buildings on the ground are all built in contemporary times. The ruins introduction hall is the beginning of the introduction to the history and culture of the Shang Dynasty. Behind the main hall is the oracle bone pit pit exhibition hall. More than 13,700 tortoise shells with inscriptions (extant in Taiwan) were unearthed here. ). There are also sacrificial pit exhibition halls and chariot and horse pit exhibition halls that can be visited inside. Sacrificial pits and corpses sealed under glass covers can be seen in some open-air ruins.

The most worth seeing in the east is the underground Yin Ruins Museum. The entrance has a novel design. A metal timeline marked with historical dynasties guides you into the exhibition hall to admire the bronzes, jades and oracle bone inscriptions unearthed over the years. , every piece is a fine product. Of course, the largest bronze in China, the 875-kilogram Houmuwu Dafang Ding, is just a replica. The original is firmly regarded as a treasure in the National Museum of China. To the west of the park is the ruins of Fuhao's tomb and the corridor with oracle bone inscriptions. The bronzes and jades unearthed from Fuhao's tomb are exquisite. One of the bronze statues has a novel shape and once represented Henan Museum on the popular "National Treasure" program at the end of 2017. (However, most of the cultural relics in Fuhao's tomb are collected in Henan Museum, and those seen in Yin Ruins are only replicas). There are thousands of oracle bone inscriptions displayed in the text corridor. How many characters can you read?

The royal tomb ruins are about 5 kilometers away from the palace and ancestral temple ruins. Take the shuttle bus (free) at the service center at the entrance of the scenic spot. ; Departs on the hour and half o'clock) and can be reached in about 10 minutes. There are three exhibition halls in the park: the chariot and horse pit, the mausoleum cultural relics, and the unearthed tomb of Houmu Wu Dafang Ding. There is not much to see. However, the park is extremely quiet. The 13 excavated tombs have been backfilled. There are shrubs planted on the ground along the periphery of the tomb area, and the "A"-shaped or "Ya"-shaped tomb passages can be vaguely recognized. There are several elk grazing on the grassland, the grass is lush and the deer croak. Sanxingdui Museum

In 1929, farmer Yan Daocheng's hoe knocked out jade fragments, which also sparked people's interest in Sanxingdui. Over the next 60 years, scholars, archaeologists, and even antique dealers arrived one after another. In 1986, two sacrificial pits were unearthed, confirming its status as an ancient Shu capital. Sanxingdui shocked the world with its magnificent and bizarre bronze cultural relics, and also rewrote the historical picture of Bashu.

The museum has two major exhibition halls: the comprehensive hall and the bronze hall. The former mainly displays jades, pottery, stone tools, etc. unearthed in Sanxingdui, and depicts the appearance of the ancient Shu civilization and the historical context of Sanxingdui through cultural relics; the latter is the essence of the museum, and almost all unique sacrificial cultural relics are here.

Sanxingdui is worth spending 2 to 3 hours browsing carefully, but if time is limited, start visiting from the sixth exhibition hall of the comprehensive museum. The bronze sacred tree here is the largest single bronze cultural relic in the world. It is considered to be the incarnation of the ancient sacred tree "Fuso" and symbolizes the worship of the sun in ancient Shu. The whole Bronze Hall is wonderful, but the bronze longitudinal mask in the first exhibition hall, the bronze standing figure in the fourth exhibition hall and the golden staff in the fifth exhibition hall are the best among the best. If you are interested in the background story of Sanxingdui, remember to go to the third floor to see the display about the excavation process and the "eternal mystery" behind it.

The free commentary on the WeChat public account of the same name is very good, and the voices recorded by the three tour guides have their own styles.

If you are still not satisfied with the ancient Shu civilization after visiting, there are also many wonderful exhibits at Jinsha Ruins, the "successor" of Sanxingdui.

There are no restaurants near the museum. If you want to taste Guanghan delicacies, go to the Guanghan Famous Snacks in the city center (No. 10, Section 2, Wanshou Street). The 25 yuan set menu allows you to taste 10 kinds of special delicacies at one time.

Decrypting Sanxingdui

Sanxingdui is known as the most important archaeological discovery in the 20th century. Since its excavation, research and discussion surrounding it have not stopped. So far, its significance in history mainly has three points: first, it confirms the records of the ancient Shu Kingdom in the literature; second, it advances the history of the ancient Shu civilization to 5,000 years ago, proving that the Yangtze River Basin and the Yellow River Basin are also part of the Chinese culture. The birthplace of Shu is known as the "Source of Yangtze River Civilization"; 3. More than 5,000 seashells from the Indian Ocean were excavated from the ruins, and many jades and pottery have traces of the influence of Central Plains culture, proving that the ancient Shu Kingdom was not as closed as the legend . On the contrary, it was probably a fairly open civilization. However, although Sanxingdui has filled many archaeological gaps, it has also left many unsolvable mysteries due to the lack of documents and texts. Including its origin, reasons for its rise and demise, cultural nature, etc., all are still left to be answered by future generations. Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Museum

In 1974, the Terracotta Warriors and Horses accidentally appeared in the world, which was a ground-breaking event. The Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Museum built on the site has always been the first choice of Xi’an’s tourist destinations. While admiring this majestic underground army, people are also looking forward to more mysteries gradually emerging with the development of archaeological technology.

Only when you stand in front of the No. 1 pit can you feel the magnificence of Qin Shihuang’s underground army. The lifelike warriors and soldiers seem to be resurrected in an instant, waiting in front of you. Pit No. 1 is the largest in area, with a huge phalanx of crossbow operators facing outwards in the central forward, western rear and flanks. In the middle is a 38-way main column and 45 tanks. If you look closely, you will find that these pottery figurines, with an average height of 1.8 meters, have different looks and expressions. You can even vaguely tell whether they are from the north or Guanzhong.

Qin’s military system and scale of battles in history books are also brought to life by the evidence of the terracotta warriors and horses. The middle and rear part of Pit No. 1 is the archaeological on-site restoration studio. You have the opportunity to see the staff repairing and collaging the unearthed Qin warriors on site. Due to the technical limitations of the early excavations, all the surface paintings of the excavated pottery warriors were lost. Observing the recently restored figurines, you can vaguely discern a hint of residual color.

Only 68 pottery figurines were unearthed from Pit No. 3, the smallest area, but it was the headquarters of the army. The layout of the north and south wing rooms and carriage houses is completely different from Pit No. 1 and Pit No. 2. Pit No. 2 is where the multi-arms group army is located, but currently this army is still "sleeping". Until better protection technology emerges, more than 8,000 terracotta warriors and horses are still buried in the soil. The museum specially displays 5 pottery figurines in the passage for visitors to appreciate their armor, scarves, knots and even hairstyles at close range, all of which suit their respective identities.

Quick overview of highlights

1. Before visiting the ruins hall, you can first go to the 360° surround-screen theater to learn about the historical background of the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang. Or use your mobile phone to scan the official WeChat QR code of the scenic spot to obtain navigation and explanation information through the "Xungui Tomb of the First Emperor" applet.

2. The kneeling and shooting terracotta warriors displayed in Pit No. 2 are the official ambassadors of Xi'an.

3. There are cafes and restaurants in the museum area, which are only open at noon. Coming out of the south gate is the food court, which has various Shaanxi snack bars and chain restaurants such as KFC and Starbucks. Forest of Steles Museum

The rock is square and thick, and the Chinese character "sheep hair is like silk" - soft on the inside and strong on the outside embodies the spirit of Chinese culture. The stone steles in the Forest of Steles in Xi'an have been treasured and collected since the Imperial Academy of the Tang Dynasty. In the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, they were like stone dictionaries, keeping pace with the times and including new masterpieces by famous writers, and finally wrote a book. A living history of Chinese character art. With the rise of modern archeology and museology in the 20th century, cultural relics collected and rescued from the Three Qin Dynasties were also placed here, and the Forest of Steles became the earliest Shaanxi Provincial Museum. Although it was separated from the Shaanxi History Museum in 1992, the stone carvings and cultural relics remaining in the Forest of Steles are still as brilliant as the starry sky. In order to improve the exhibition effect and further protect cultural relics, the reconstruction and expansion project of the Forest of Steles Museum was launched in 2019.

Stepping into the first exhibition room, the treasure of the museum, the "Kaicheng Stone Classics" (national treasure level), contains 114 stone tablets, covering thirteen Confucian classics. Except for "Mencius" which was added in the Qing Dynasty, this huge set of stone books were all carved in the second year of Kaicheng of the Tang Dynasty (837). It is the only set of stone Confucian classics remaining in China. Wandering through the maze-like Stonehenge, you can often read famous sentences such as "Confucius said" that I recited when I was a student.

The second exhibition room also has a collection of Tang steles. The most famous "China Stele of the Popularity of Nestorianism in Da Qin" (national treasure level) is an important cultural relic for studying the history of cultural exchanges between the East and the West: Nestorianism is the Nestorian Nestorian of Christianity. The sect was banned by the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th century. Instead, it flourished along the Silk Road in Central and Western Asia and the Tang Dynasty. The ancient Syriac script is preserved on this stone tablet, and the cross on the forehead is surrounded by a lotus platform, flying clouds and chilongs. "Tang Ji Wang Xizhi's Holy Religion Preface Stele" (national treasure level) is the first work of the ancient "Gathering Kings" series. The inscriptions on it were collected word by word from Wang Xizhi's original works by Huairen, a monk in the Tang Dynasty, who spent 25 years. .

Mogao Grottoes

The name of Mogao Grottoes goes without saying, but there is one sentence about Mogao Grottoes that has not changed in the three updates of our guide - "It is not difficult to buy a ticket, but you have to see It’s not easy to understand Mogao Grottoes”, not to mention that even buying tickets is a bit of a headache these days. Every year, the number of tourists during holidays challenges the reception limit of Mogao Grottoes. Even if the upper limit of the number of people is controlled, it is difficult to guarantee the visiting experience. In recent years, the Dunhuang Museum, Lanzhou Dunhuang Art Museum, and exhibition centers in the scenic area have been improving and enhancing the experience of the Mogao Grottoes through various new technological means.

The most beneficial thing for mankind is the official launch of Digital Dunhuang (www.edunhuang.com) - 30 grottoes, spanning 10 dynasties, 300DPI high-definition collection, 360° panoramic view without blind spots - making the present and future Everyone in the world can enjoy thousands of years of art online. Using it can not only help you do some homework on understanding the Mogao Grottoes, but also make up for many regrets of on-site viewing. It also fulfills every traveler's wish to "avoid the crowds and book a reservation to see the caves."

The Mogao Grottoes are divided into northern and southern areas, bounded by the Sutra Cave Exhibition Hall. The North District is not open to the public. It is mostly a Zen cave where monks live and practice. There are basically no sculptures and murals. The southern area is open to the public. Each grotto has a small door and is locked, and the tour must be led by a guide. The entire visit takes 2 to 3 hours. If you want to take a closer look at the "three museums and one center", it will take at least one day.

The Mogao Grottoes have to look at Cave 16 and 17, which were excavated in the late Tang Dynasty. The famous Sutra Cave (Cave 17) is just a shadow cave on the north side of the corridor of Cave 16, but this small cave with room for almost one person has unearthed a heritage that shocked the world. The west wall of the cave is embedded with the "Hong Gaoshen Monument" in the fifth year of Dazhong (851), which proves that it was originally the memorial hall of Hong (biàn), a monk in Hexi Province (equivalent to the president of the Buddhist Association). Now the statue of the master has been Please return to the Zen bed in the hall. This statue is also a rare statue in Mogao Grottoes based on a real person. The mural behind him is still a work from the late Tang Dynasty. The satchel on the Bodhi tree once aroused heated discussion, and some people even found the same LV model.

The main chamber of Cave 16 is unusually spacious and is one of the largest existing caves in the Mogao Grottoes. The Buddha statues on the horseshoe-shaped altar were all remodeled in the Qing Dynasty. The earliest paintings on the four walls are from the late Tang Dynasty, and are now covered by Thousand Buddhas on a green background from the Northern Song Dynasty (or Western Xia Dynasty). It is difficult to observe its layers through the fence. You can look up at the caisson with four dragons and phoenixes embossed with gilded sculptures from the Western Xia Dynasty. This kind of composition with the phoenix as the center is especially common in Xixia, and there are different opinions on the reasons. The wooden building in front of Cave 16 is called the "three-story building" and was built in 1906 by Taoist priest Wang Yuan_.

Tips before traveling to Mogao Grottoes

1. Ticket system: You can get the most detailed information about tickets on the Mogao Grottoes reservation website (www.mgk.org.cn) or its official WeChat account of the same name. It should be noted that there are two ticket systems and fares in peak season and off-season, and the number of caves to visit and the pre-sale period are also different. Only A/D tickets with the most visited content (limited to 6,000 tickets/day) are open for pre-purchase the next day. Tickets within 1 month. In response to the peak season, the pre-sale period for Class B tickets may be temporarily adjusted. Please be sure to pay attention to the information released on the official website in a timely manner. All tickets include visits to "three halls and one center".

2. Open Grottoes: The official website and public account will announce the specific caves open that year. The on-site guides basically follow the principle of "staggering peaks and staggering generations" when leading the team, and require tourists to abide by "move forward all the way" and "no turning back". You can only see what you like. The 96th cave in the center is a must-see cave. During the peak season, it will be used as a boundary to demarcate the visiting areas for Class A tickets and Class B tickets, and visitors cannot visit each other. Not all special caves are open, but specific information needs to be inquired on site or by calling the scenic spot.

3. Note: Photography and touching are strictly prohibited in the cave. In the event of heavy rain, strong wind, or sand and dust, the scenic spot will be closed and a notice will be issued on the official account as soon as possible. On the day of the Dunhuang Marathon, the urban area and the highway to the Mogao Grottoes may be closed. Please be cautious when purchasing tickets for that morning. Confucius Temple, Confucius Forest, Confucius Mansion, and Confucius Museum

The Confucius Temple is to Qufu what the Forbidden City is to the capital. The Confucius Temple and Confucius Mansion occupy the entire southwest corner of the Ming Dynasty City. You will even find that in addition to the traditional four gates in the east, south, west and north of the ancient city, there is also a "fifth gate" built specifically for the Confucius Temple on the west side of the south gate of the city wall, which is where the "Wanren Palace Wall" is located. People are not allowed to come in and out at will. Today, no traveler to Qufu would be willing to miss it. The highlight of the Confucius Temple is naturally the magnificent building of the Dacheng Hall, an important place for worshiping Confucius. The main hall has carved railings and jade inlays, double eaves with glazed tiles and 28 deep relief dragon pillars. The craftsmanship is more exquisite than the dragon pillars in the Forbidden City in Beijing. There is a statue of Confucius in the hall, with seventy-two disciples standing beside it, and there are also imperial steles written by emperors in the past dynasties praising Confucius. The square pavilion apricot altar with double-story eaves in front of Dacheng Hall is a "little freshness" in the Confucius Temple. It was built at the place where Confucius lectured in the legend. It is extremely beautiful every early spring when the apricot flowers bloom.

The Confucius Mansion with its nine courtyards was a residence specially granted by the Northern Song Dynasty court to the direct descendants of Confucius (namely Duke Yansheng). If the Confucius Temple is full of solemn atmosphere for worshiping saints, then the Confucius Mansion, separated by a wall, has a more lively atmosphere. The Confucius Mansion is integrated into one house, with more than 460 buildings, and its layout is divided into east, west and middle roads, meeting almost all the daily needs of a large family.

As the main part of the building, the middle road is the structure of the former official office and the rear inner house; the west road is the reception room and the place where Yan Shenggong studied and studied. Walking inside, the northernmost side is the Confucius Mansion Garden where the Confucius family played for leisure. You can sit in front of the ancient stage, accompanied by ancient trees and flowers, and enjoy the legendary Confucian opera. Although it is only traditional Peking opera such as "Mulan" and "Silang Visits His Mother", you can also experience the "first opera in the world" in the past. "Daily life.

Konglin is located on the banks of the Zhushui River, the moat of the former Lu State. Go north for about 1.5 kilometers from the back door of the Kongfu, walk through the Shinto lined with green cypresses, and see the "Holy Forest" After passing the wooden archway, we arrived at Konglin, the resting place of Confucius and his descendants. The tombstone of Confucius is written in seal script "Tomb of King Wenxuan, the Most Holy Saint of Dacheng". Behind the tombstone is a tomb covered with green grass. On both sides are the tombs of Confucius's son Kong Li and grandson Kong_. The ancient trees in Konglin are also a major attraction. A wide variety of tree species were brought and planted by Confucius' followers from various places. People can also see the regular tree trunks planted by Zigong, a disciple of the sage. In autumn, this place is not only solemn, but also a little more quiet and beautiful. The trees are dyed in color, which symbolizes the luxuriant branches and leaves of the Kong family.

The Confucius Museum designed by Academician Wu Liangyong has been officially opened on September 6, 2019. Here you can appreciate the precious cultural relics, archives and artworks left by Confucius Mansion, Confucius Temple and other places, and participate in Activities of the Confucian Thought Experience Center. The museum is located at No. 100, Confucius Avenue, Qufu City. Potala Palace

"Potala" is a transliteration of Sanskrit, which means the residence of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Standing majestically on the Red Mountain, it is the palace of the ancient Tibetan king and the Dalai Lama, and is also the sacred place of this land that chants "_Mani Padme_". The Potala Palace is divided into three parts from bottom to top: the Snow City, the White House, and the Red Palace. Whether it is architecture, historical significance, or cultural relics, it is proud of the world. Although the city of Lhasa has grown in size with the development of the times, this pearl on the roof of the world is the city's unchanging center. Every day, from the first ray of sunshine shining on it to the nightfall, people circle around it non-stop to perform prayers and bow their heads, adhering to the faith in their hearts.

The White House is the white part of the entire building. It was the former residence of the Dalai Lama and the office of the Kashag County Government of Tibet. Note that before you reach the ticket gate halfway up the mountain, you will be "entangled" by many informal tour guides along the way. Don't pay attention. You can find professional tour guides at the ticket gate (400 yuan/10 people). Climbing up the steps from the foot of the mountain, you first pass by a square, which was the place where Tibetan opera performances were performed for the Dalai Lama in the past. As you approach the entrance, notice a niche on the left wall with a golden handprint belonging to the fifth Dalai Lama. What can be visited is the East Sunlight Hall on the top floor of the White House, which was once the Dalai Lama's palace. The first hall after entering is where the Dalai Lama handles political affairs with Kashag government officials every day. Its significance is equivalent to the early dynasty of the Central Plains emperor. There is a window sill on the east side of the main hall. Looking out from here is the square you first passed through. The Dalai Lama will watch the Tibetan opera performances below through this window. The Sunlight Hall is divided into east and west buildings with similar layouts, but only one is open to visitors.

The Red Palace is located in the center of the building. It is a religious palace and a pagoda hall where Dalai Lamas of all generations are stored. Since the fifth Dalai Lama entered the Potala Palace, 9 Dalai Lamas have passed away, but you can only count 8 pagodas. The missing one belongs to the sixth Dalai Lama who had a life of ups and downs and was mysterious. Dalai Lama. There are many treasures in the Red Palace, and 16 halls are open to visit. The highest Hall of the Three Realms was once the venue for drawing lots from the golden urn. Inside, there is a tablet with the words "Long live the current emperor, long live the emperor" written in four languages: Tibetan, Chinese, Manchu and Mongolian. On the lintel of the Holy Guanyin Hall hangs the plaque "Futian Wonderful Fruit" given by Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty. There is a statue of Guanyin naturally formed in the sandalwood tree, which is the treasure of the Potala Palace. The West Hall is the largest hall of the Red Palace. The murals around it reflect the story of the fifth Dalai Lama going to Beijing to meet Emperor Shunzhi and being canonized as the Dalai Lama. The plaque "The First Place of the Emerging Lotus" hanging in the hall was written by Emperor Qianlong.

A quick overview of the highlights

1. Treasure Hall: Can’t get enough of the treasures in the palace? Go to the Treasure Hall outside the main building to feast your eyes on it.

2. Guru’s Hall: The only statue of the Sixth Dalai Lama in the Potala Palace is in it.

3. Trapezoidal shape: The walls of the Potala Palace are thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top. The bottom of the White House is more than 5 meters thick, while the thinnest part of the Red Palace is only more than 1 meter. The Palace Museum

No matter how the city of Beijing diverges, the Forbidden City will always be its center point. The presence of twenty-four "Emperors" in the Ming and Qing dynasties brought China's highest-standard architectural forms and left behind countless precious handicrafts and cultural relics.

The dynasty has gone far away, and the former Forbidden City is now crowded with tourists. Even though advanced technology can already spy on every brick and pillar here, only when strolling through these 8,707 rooms with red walls and yellow tiles can we truly feel the lingering atmosphere inside the deep city gate. Qi pulse.

The Meridian Gate is also the "Royal Gate" for the emperor to enter and exit. When you first arrive here, you can use your mobile phone to use the tour guide function in the "Micro Forbidden City" official account, or you can choose the paid audio tour rental office on the west side. However, not every guide has enough power to accompany you throughout the entire journey.

After crossing the Meridian Gate, you will see the vastness of the Forbidden City connecting heaven and earth. Don’t be in a hurry to cross the Inner Jinshui Bridge on the Square of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the ministers of civil and military affairs walked. On the west side of the Meridian Gate, climb up to the central tower and the turret on the east side. , this is a good location to take pictures of the palace and square from the south.

You might as well spare an hour and take a look at the Wenhua Hall and Wuying Hall on the east and west sides of Taihe Hall Square. They are the Ceramics Hall and the Painting and Calligraphy Hall respectively. These are places with relatively few tourists. The cultural relics are no less than other collections in the building on the central axis.

The majestic three main halls are where the most solemn ceremonies are held, and are also a must-go location for many "tour members". Outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, one of the largest and most regulated wooden buildings in existence, don’t be shy to cross the crowds and miss the gleaming golden dragon-carved chair and the golden dragon behind it. On the occasion of the throne screen, the furnishings in the palace still imitate the appearance when the emperor ascended the throne and sat upright, with a respectful and solemn posture.

Passing through the Zhonghe Hall and Baohe Hall on the north side of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, in addition to thinking about the solemn ceremony when the emperor accepted the worship of deacons and officials and held the palace examination, don’t forget to take a look at the decorative paintings on the large wooden structure and the eaves of the roof. The small glazed beasts and the large stone carving of Yunlong on the north side of Baohe Hall show you the ingenuity of Chinese craftsmanship in every detail.

Before starting the tour of the inner palace, you might as well find a place to have something to eat to replenish your energy. The ice cellar on the east side of Cining Palace has newly opened a book bar and coffee shop. Compared with the snack bars scattered everywhere, it is more cost-effective and you can also read books published by the Forbidden City for free. The Housan Palace was the place where the emperor governed the government and lived. The carved and painted palace walls provide a glimpse into the daily life of the royal family.

Looking inward from the Qianqing Palace and the Jiaotai Palace, the plaques "Upright and Bright" and "Wuwei" above are the imperial pens of Shunzhi and Kangxi respectively, which contain the royal family's way of governing the world. The Kunning Palace in the north was once the wedding room of many emperors. It was also a special place for shamanism to worship gods, reflecting that the Manchus still retained their beliefs after entering the customs.

The east and west sides of the Housan Palace are the East Sixth Palace and the West Sixth Palace respectively, both of which were the residences of the emperor's concubines. Many exhibitions are also held here from time to time. Among the six palaces to the east is the Yanxi Palace, an incomplete Western-style main palace - the Crystal Palace, which is in sharp contrast with other buildings of red bricks and yellow tiles. It was destroyed before the Qing Dynasty was built.

A quick overview of the highlights

1. Royal Garden District: miniature lofty mountains, stacked with thousands of years of craft tradition.

2. Yangxin Hall: the residence of many emperors and the place where Empress Dowager Cixi listened to politics behind the curtain.

3. Clock Museum: The exquisite craftsmanship shows the exchanges between China and the West in the Qing Dynasty.

4. "Cat Security Guards": Some of the honorary residents in the Imperial Garden are descendants of palace cats and enjoy "royal treatment."

5. Forbidden City Corner Tower: Not only is it a place for taking postcards of the Forbidden City, the southeast corner tower is also used as a special library to collect Beijing history books.