How many palaces are there in the Forbidden City? Uncover the architectural mysteries of the Forbidden City
As the royal palace of China's Ming and Qing dynasties, the Forbidden City (Forbidden City) attracts tourists from around the world with its magnificent architectural complex and profound cultural heritage. So, how many palaces are there in the Forbidden City? This question seems simple, but it needs to be answered from multiple perspectives such as history and architectural classification. The following is a structured analysis based on hot topics across the Internet in the past 10 days.
1. Number of Palaces in the Forbidden City: Official Data and Classification

According to official information from the Palace Museum, the Forbidden City has a total of8707 houses(In ancient times, it was calculated as "four pillars per room"), but the statistical method of "palace" is more complicated. The following is the classification and number of major palaces:
| palace type | Quantity (seats) | representative building |
|---|---|---|
| The three main halls of the outer dynasty | 3 | Taihe Hall, Zhonghe Hall, Baohe Hall |
| The three palaces behind the inner court | 3 | Qianqing Palace, Jiaotai Palace, Kunning Palace |
| Sixth Palace of East and West | 12 | Jingren Palace, Chengqian Palace, Yongshou Palace, etc. |
| Other important palaces | 20+ | Yangxin Palace, Ningshou Palace, Cining Palace, etc. |
2. Related content related to hot spots on the entire network in the past 10 days
1.New progress in the renovation of the Forbidden City: Netizens are hotly discussing the completion of the Yangxin Hall protection project, and related topics have been read more than 50 million times. 2.Digital Forbidden City: A report that VR technology restored the original appearance of the palace became a hot search topic, and the number of visits to the official website of the Forbidden City surged. 3.cultural controversy: The restoration of the Kunning Palace scene in a certain film and television drama sparked discussion among historical scholars.
3. Trivia about palace functions
| palace name | Function | Interesting facts |
|---|---|---|
| Hall of Supreme Harmony | Hold ceremonies such as enthronement and wedding | The largest existing wooden building in China |
| Qianqing Palace | emperor's palace | The secret edict behind the plaque "Justice and Brightness" |
| Jingyang Palace | Library Pavilion | Collected a copy of "Yongle Dadian" |
4. Why are there different opinions on the number of palaces?
1.statistical standard difference: Some scholars calculate side halls and verandas separately; 2.historical changes: Quantity changes caused by reconstruction during the Qianlong period; 3.function conversion: For example, Wuying Palace was once used as a royal printing office.
5. Conclusion
The Forbidden City is not only an architectural marvel, but also the epitome of Chinese civilization. from"Sleep in the front and in the back"layout to9999.5 roomsThe symbolic meaning (the ancients believed that the Emperor of Heaven resides in ten thousand rooms, and the emperor is humble in less than half a room), and every design has hidden wisdom. The next time you visit, you may wish to take these data with you to experience the majesty and exquisiteness of the Forbidden City.
(Note: The data in this article is based on authoritative information such as the official website of the Forbidden City and "Architecture of the Forbidden City". The hot content is as of October 2023.)
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