The middle of the three outer halls, the Hall of Union was the place for the empress to receive greetings from her high-ranking subjects during major festivals. It contains a clepsydra – a water clock made in 1745 with five bronze vessels and a calibrated scale. The hall also has a mechanical clock built in 1797 and a collection of imperial jade seals on display.
Hall of Union
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
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Nearby Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central attractions
1. Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
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This palace was originally the residence of the empress, and in later times became the imperial couple’s bridal chamber (they only spent the first two…
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This hall was the principal residence of the emperor in the Ming and early Qing dynasties, where the son of heaven slept and worked. Later in the Qing…
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Enclosed by 3.5km of citadel walls at the very heart of Beijing, the Unesco-listed Forbidden City is China’s largest and best-preserved collection of…
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One of the six western palaces in the Forbidden City, this was the residence of various empresses and imperial concubines. The Chongzhen Emperor (1628…
6. Palace of Great Benevolence
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One of the six eastern palaces in the Forbidden City, this was a residence of imperial concubines. Emperor Kangxi, most exalted of the Qing emperors (or…
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One of the six eastern palaces, this dates from 1420, and was used as a residence of imperial concubines. Today it houses a museum displaying a range of…
8. Palace of Gathered Elegance
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This hall contains interesting photos of the last emperor Puyi, who lived here as a child ruler at the turn of the 20th century. Empress Dowager Cixi also…