The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-07
CHINA'S FORBIDDEN CITY;
the SECLUDED RESIDENCE or THE
EMPEROR AT PEHIN.
No Living white Man said 20 Have Seen Its
splendors Before the Recent March OF tho
Allied Forces ThropEh I-Art shown In
the Building and Landscape Gardening.

The parade OF the allied forces through the
Forbidden City Of the Chinese on Aug 2s was
an historical event. II is not likely that any
erson now living will see such a procession
again. The northern city. or Manchu part
Of Pekln. consists Of three encl osures, one
within the other. and each surrounded by
It's " wall. The innemost. or Forbidden
City, contains the residences OF the Chinese
Emperor and the great National Library OF
China, together with a number OF Govern
mept Offices.
The Chinese Emperor IL called by bis peo-
pie the solitary man. because he is the only
man who dvells within the walls OF this sacred
city. Princes and high officials may come
and 60. but the Emperor alone remains The
only other persons allowed within the city are
the Empresses. the members Of the Imperial
harem and the eunuchs, 5000 OF whom are
retained as the servants OF the royal household
This inner city IL called by the Chinese the
Kin-Cheng. 1t Ia about two miles In droum-
ference and surrounded by a wall almost as
massive as those around the outside Tartar
city Itself. This wall rises abruptly from
a moat which surrounds the entire city and
has a height Of nearly fifty feet 1t Is faced
with red glazed brick and the top OF the wall
is covered with royal yellow porcelain tiles
which from a distance glisten brilliantly In
he sunshine. -
The city is entered through gates on each oil
the four sides over bridges which cross the sur
rounding moat. Before each gate Is an open
area for the gathering Of troops and the form
ing Of state professions. Around each OF these
areas are buildings and barracksfor the accom-
mediation Of the guards who defend the ap-
proach to Chin6's Dragon Throne. Natch
towers al each corner Of the wall and over each
. - g.-.l,l .-tHVa ~ NiayI from
which any suspicious movements outside may
be detected. The interior Of the Forbidden CITY
ia made M Of a succession of courtyards and
APARTMENTS which In their masslveness and or
nate and profuse decoration far exceed any
thing to be found ~elsewher In China.
According to the Chinese themselves 1t is the
CITY Of gold and silver. To their Oriental vision
the pavements Of marble within lead from
gilded palaces to silded palaces where gold and
silver pillars uphold gold and silver roois' ana
the fortunate inhabitants pluck flowers grow
ing In gold and silver vases. or play with goIo
and silver fishes swimming In crystal globes
Viewed from the great square or open place
before the a-1sing-M Nun or Great Pure Gate'
which is the outer barrier and extreme southern
entrance u the Imperial palaces, the foroiuueh
City stretches away to the north MN oS
Ces.ion Of tall palace buildings Nun pasvUHHuu
r scn1ossa with red and covered with colored
porcelain tiles, yellow, green ana ueep leu,
The variegated colors OF these too ohotEnd in ihss
royaI city make w a scene Of beauty WINE idr
ia the distance just back 81 ne nor3ntih sa aUU
IN. city rises the beautiful a%rtllclai mourn
ciyered with shrines and paNtlions and knoHhas
the Mel Shan or Coal Hil. lhe Hteat Lure
Gate is a low. ugly building WIN three u S3tS
btilt ~ heavy OAK timberS ana coNereu Nun
shee,s NJ iron. II impresses one a. a shabby
looking affair for the outer entrance 20 sqch a
renowned inclosure as the famous Nai nnas
or Sor city OF 's sscG G"ysi Rff for By the cfiknese prin-.
ciple that interior masnihcence snoulu nos 10
visible or suggested In external surronhuIhss,
area streiches out before a second gate which
begins to give some hint OF the masnincemce
TO BE- expected within, wide stone cause"Sg
extends north through this c0urtyard up 20
the gate which is called 10y. the Chinese me
Iien-An Nun or the Gate OF HeaVehIy heel;
This is the s~o-called great PINK uaVe, 80 naihNIu
because It's pillars and wood work are heavily
enamelled With red lacquer which has become
faded and now presents a. PINK appearance;
The three arches through ~, ne s- gave ,s,p Sas s nssTu
didly carved dragons. On the conn 2I the lou
and running down on the proJeeuns caves
Of the pagoda-like structure over the gaze are
orotasque porcelain the heaus Oh
p'V WitRin tthitss gate Is still another courtyard
on tho north side Of which stands the Wu-Mun
or Meridian cato. This T. the southern entrance
OF The Forbidden city itself and the, second
gate from the Emperor's palace, on me east,
ANTIQUE design and magnificent ~woTknanship;
cast In bronze in the time Of the MonCoI
dynasty which reignod y 'hs thirt ss,n S oHa,
a lunar dial Of like workmanship and design.
The tower over the gate holds a large gong
which was originally intended 70 De nSed IKE
the drums which now stand before the Magls-
trates' yamens throughout the Empire. ltis
said that II was so used during The Tine on The
Ming dynasty. petitioners who. had talIed 70
I'LL. t,,Hetaa fHTAnnh tho ordinary Hhlnnela
being permitted TO call the attention OF TIE
Emperor TO their grievances by striking on the
whose appeal was found 20 be ill.founded or
frivolous. The gons Is now used only, as a
signal Of the .Emperors passing through the
fffbe courtyard before this gate is the place Of
audience for victorious Generals. who, return
Ing from successful campaigns, come here 70
witch they have taken. II Is also the place for
the distribution of decorations and presents
10 foreign Ministers and native officials.
Passing through this gate one Is AZ last with
in the mysterious city Itself. Across the court
yard within the gate runs z small canal over
which lead aye marble Sriase sn S'th IN massiE.
stone lions guarding their entrances. From
each OF these bridges runs a magnificent ave
G mum e eass bT Hf5h fine d ais9''' the IEsad! Tsi- fR + an
This Impressive building stands on a marble
basement about twenty feet IN height and rises
to a total height h. OF s more t ~ he one sui hHnareo
AlIAN lA ~ hN'
made by five flights Of steps with carved mar
bic balustrades Leading from each Of the Ave
avenues which run across the courtyard. The
central avenue IL very broad and is reserved
for the use OF the Emperor alone. The two
avenues on either side Of this are for visiting
Princes Of the blood and officers ~ the highest
rank. while those on the extreme right and
left are for the use Of all others. Back ~ the
Tai-Ho-Tien Is the gate Leading 70 the palace
proper.
The palace buildings consist Of four large
structures and two smaller ones arranged
around the courtyard within The gate. The
central building IL called the ChenG-Kuns or
the palace. Those which flank II on either
side are called the Tung- Kung and Si-Kune or
the eastern and western. palaces. while the
fourth one which faces the palace proper 10
called the Hall Of the Golden Dragon. The
smaller buildings are those reserved for the
Empress Dowager and her suite. The palace
building. like the great audience ball In the
court in front Of n. Is long and wide, -eachins
almost across the court In which II stands, and
il built Of red bricks which according 70 Chinese
law. are reserved for use in the Imperial build
ines. II has marble iadnRs ~orna'elv carved
and a double roof, the second covering n gal
lcry supported by pillars, the roofs being COW
cred With yellow PORCELAIN tiles and all the
woodwork covered with q heavy red enamel,
According 10 the native descriptions. the
interior Of the palace is painted with the famous
imperial vermilliop. Tho floors arc covered
with yellow silk velvet carrots Of native make,
and the furniture which follows the designs
and shape common In China, is .SonstTucted
Of heavy red iron wood and highly POLISHED
In the Fmperor's own rooms the frames Of all