Our visit to the Forbidden City of Beijing

A panorama of the "Forbidden City" it was call that because it was closed to the out side world for 500 years.  It was the seat of the Ming and Qing Emperors and no one could enter or leave with out permission.  These days the Chinese call it Gu Gong, or former Imperial Palace.  There are over 800 buildings and 1,000 rooms.  Over the years it has been ransacked  by invaders and gutted by fire several times.  Most of the structures date from the 18th century on.  As you walk through the complex, the Palace buildings have been converted into Museums and Theatre, Pavilions for viewing Opera and buildings like that.  But you get the feeling for what it was like to live the imperial life, a highly ritualised existence of exquisite luxury.  The inner court once reserved for the emperor and his family and royal concubines and eunuchs.  It's elaborate halls are filled with symbols and beautiful art work in finest detail.



This is where we enter at the Shennwu Gate to the Imperial Palace area.   It was very impressive.




As we stepped through the door our guide Jessie was explaining the reason for the brass knobs on the doors and why we had to step over each door.   I wasn't paying to much attention what he was telling us, I was busy taking pictures of some of the details around the area.




Here we posed for a picture in front the entrance to one of the main buildings, Jessie was always there to take our picture together at important places.  It was a nice day only 82 degrees of dry heat.   We were standing in one area where it was quite crowded and I felt someone snuggle up to me and I looked over and this young Chinese girl was standing by me to have her boy friend take out pictures together.   I have more pictures of the Palace area, but this is all I can put on this blog, without it disappearing.