introduce
The Meridian Gate is the gate to the south of the Forbidden City, and it is also the main gate of the imperial city, and it is the larger one among the four gates of the Forbidden City. Built in the eighteenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, it has a history of nearly 600 years. The plane of the Meridian Gate is in the shape of a "concave". There are two square pavilions extending forward on the east and west sides of the main tower, echoing the main tower in the center. It is called the "Five Phoenix Tower", and it echoes the tradition of the palaces of the past dynasties in China, that is, the Suzaku Gate is the main entrance of the palace in the south.
The Meridian Gate Tower has five gates leading to the inner city. There are three gates in the middle of the tower, and a Yemen on both sides of the tower. The gate located in the middle of the city tower is the "Royal Gate" for the emperor to enter and exit. Except for the emperor, only the empress enters the palace in a sedan chair on the day of her wedding, and the champion, second place and Tanhua of the imperial examination high school can leave the palace. Walk once to show the special treatment given by the emperor. The princes and others went in and out through the west gate in the middle of the west, civil and military officials through the east gate in the east, and the Yemen at the left and right corners of the tower, which were only opened during the Great Asahi.
The Meridian Gate was also the place where the emperor often held important ceremonies. In case of a large-scale triumphant sacrifice ceremony, the emperor would ascend the gate tower of the Meridian Gate to accept worship, showing his royal dignity. In the Ming Dynasty, the emperor punished ministers with the "Ting Zhang" which was also carried out here. The saying "beheading at the Meridian Gate" that we often hear in film and television dramas was adapted from the "Ting Zhang". The actual beheading place is at Xisi and Caishikou in Beijing.
Now the central tower of the Meridian Gate has been turned into an important exhibition hall of the Palace Museum.
opening hours
Closed on Mondays throughout the year; April 1-October 31, Tuesday to Sunday 08:30-17:00 (ticket sales stop at 16:00, the latest admission is 16:10); November 1-The following year 3 Tuesday to Sunday, March 31, 08:30-16:30 (stop ticket sales at 15:30, last entry at 15:40); Ching Ming Festival, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day 08:30-17: 00, New Year's Day, Spring Festival 08:30-16:30 (last admission 15:40); Mondays are not closed on legal holidays
