Forbidden City Axis · Architecture · Canon

The Ming and Qing imperial palace complex centered on the Forbidden City, arranging its outer and inner courts along a north-south axis to express imperial authority and ritual. Built under the Ming Yongle emperor and used by the Qing until the dynasty ended, it is a major example of capital planning.

Ming dynasty to present

1406 · OriginIn 1406 (Yongle 4) the Ming court ordered the building of the Beijing palaces, completed in 1420 and laid out symmetrically along a north-south axis of imperial power.1644 · EvolutionAfter the Qing entered Beijing in 1644 they kept and progressively rebuilt the Ming palace, which remained the imperial seat until the end of the dynasty.

Ming Qing

Sources (2)

The main halls of the Forbidden City are drawn up along a single north-south axis, broadly symmetrical to left and right. The outer court lies in front and the inner court behind, and the courtyards, one after another, lead inward along this axis.

In 1406 (Yongle 4 of the Ming) the court ordered the building of the Beijing palaces, which were completed in 1420. The palaces were laid out symmetrically along a north-south axis, organising the place of imperial power in space.

After the Qing entered Beijing in 1644 they kept the Ming palace city and progressively rebuilt it.

The Forbidden City served as the imperial palace from the Yongle reign of the Ming to the end of the Qing.

Forbidden City Axis is the class in the chapter on Architecture on the layout of a palace city. It covers the Ming and Qing imperial building complex centred on the Forbidden City: in 1406 (Yongle 4 of the Ming) the court ordered the building of the Beijing palaces, completed in 1420 and laid out symmetrically along a north-south axis; after entering Beijing the Qing kept and progressively rebuilt it, and the Forbidden City remained the imperial seat until the end of the dynasty.