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 dynasty, events were held here such as the 'Banquets for a Thousand Elders', which saw Emperor Kangxi and subsequently Qianlong invite retired officials from around the empire to dine with them, in a grand display of filial piety.
Palace of Heavenly Purity
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Forbidden City
0.03 MILES
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…
Temple of Heaven Park
2.87 MILES
An oasis of methodical Confucian design, the 267-hectare Temple of Heaven Park is unique. It originally served as a vast stage for solemn rites performed…
Summer Palace
8.47 MILES
A marvel of Chinese garden design and one of Beijing's must-see attractions, the Summer Palace was the royal retreat for emperors fleeing the suffocating…
Tian'anmen Square
1.12 MILES
Flanked by triumphalist Soviet-style buildings, Tian'anmen Sq is an immense void of paved stone (440,000 sq metres, to be precise) at the symbolic centre…
Beihai Park
0.71 MILES
Beihai Park, inside the old Imperial City, looks much as it would have done in the 18th century when it served as Emperor Qianlong's private gardens. The…
Southeast Corner Watchtower
2.42 MILES
This immense fortress, part of the Ming City Wall Ruins Park, guarded the southeast corner of Beijing's city walls. Originally built in 1439 but repaired…
Gate of Heavenly Peace
0.79 MILES
Instantly recognisable by its giant framed portrait of Mao, and guarded by two pairs of Ming dynasty stone lions, the double-eaved Gate of Heavenly Peace …
798 Art District
6.64 MILES
Contemporary art meets communist history at this thrilling enclave of international galleries installed within China's model factory complex of the 1950s…
Nearby Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central attractions
1. Hall of Union
0.02 MILES
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…
2. Forbidden City
0.03 MILES
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…
3. Palace of Earthly Tranquillity
0.04 MILES
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…
4. Palace of Eternal Longevity
0.06 MILES
One of the six western palaces in the Forbidden City, this was the residence of various empresses and imperial concubines. The Chongzhen Emperor (1628…
5. Palace of Great Benevolence
0.06 MILES
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…
6. Gate of Heavenly Purity
0.07 MILES
The Gate of Heavenly Purity was the main portal between the outer and inner courts of the Forbidden City. Note the pair of gilded bronze lions guarding…
7. Palace of Celestial Favour
0.07 MILES
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. Hall of Mental Cultivation
0.07 MILES
In the late Qing dynasty, the Hall of Mental Cultivation was where empress dowagers Cixi and Cian took charge of the state affairs behind a screen, when…