中秋節The Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival at Yuyuan has begun and will run from 17th September 2024 until October 7th. The Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, is a traditional Chinese festival that celebrates family reunions and expresses gratitude. During this time, people eat mooncakes, which symbolize the full moon, and make wishes while admiring the moon. Lighting lanterns to illuminate the night sky is also an important part of Mid-Autumn culture, with the glowing lanterns symbolizing family unity and happiness.
0:00 Intro – 简介 1:41 Shooting Star Lanterns – 流星灯笼 5:02 Central Plaza – 中心广场 6:57 Central Plaza Dance Show – 中心广场舞蹈表演 12:12 Plaza in Front of Nine Bend Bridge – 九曲桥前广场 13:22 Dance Show at Nine Bend Bridge Plaza – 九曲桥前广场舞蹈表演 15:55 Nine Bend Bridge – 九曲桥 26:08 Golden Plaza – 黄金广场 28:23 Shooting Star Lanterns – 流星灯笼 30:44 Old School Field Road – 旧校场路 35:19 Central Plaza – 中心广场
▶Yuyuan Garden Yuyuan Garden is a historic garden located in Huangpu District, Shanghai, originally built in 1559 by Pan Yunduan, a wealthy merchant from the Ming Dynasty. The garden is renowned for its classical Chinese garden design, featuring ponds, bridges, rockeries, and traditional architecture that create a harmonious landscape. Due to its beautiful scenery and rich history, Yuyuan is a popular attraction for visitors. During the Lantern Festival, the garden is adorned with vibrant decorations, offering a magical experience to all who visit in which is located 269 Fangbang Middle Rd, 四牌楼 Huangpu, China, 200010 China, People’s Republic of China.
Shanghai Yu Garden, the cultural area of Greater Yu Garden, uses light and shadow as a medium and the autumn moon as a guide to decorate the two major festivals of Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day. From September 6th to September 26th, we will start the 2024 Yu Garden Mid-Autumn Moon Tour with the theme of “A heart with brilliance, a life without flaws”, and appreciate the oriental life aesthetics together. 🌕
📷Be the first to check in, hurry up🐎
🌟[The moon is reflected in all rivers, and everything is round]-The central square uses “mirror” and “moon” as design elements, and cleverly uses mirror refraction to present the state of “one moon appears in all water, and all water and moon are captured by one moon”. 🌟[The four seasons are in order, and everything has its time]-The Nine-Curve Bridge relies on the myth of Chang Xi bathing in the moon in “Classic of Mountains and Seas”, and puts twelve rounds of bright moons on the bridge, allowing tourists to feel the luster of the full moon and the crescent moon, and experience the philosophical thought of “life has its own shining time”.
🌟【Meteors at Dawn】- Countless bright stars hang in the sky on Ninghui Road , blooming brilliantly. 🌟【Zespri Creative Lighting Set】- Golden Plaza, come and “dig the golden moon” together . In addition to the on-site fantasy lighting set display, there are also light and shadow floodlighting and Luna performances, multiple hidden ways of playing, waiting for you to explore!
Walk East | Max Channel is about his walking, driving, riding running around views of China – People’s Republic of China sharing his immersive experiences in his video hope you could have a pure view about China today, sharing some 4K UHD videos to show pure China daily scenes for you…. BEST VIEWED ON 2160px60 with the volume up for immersive immersion..
On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.
According to the Palace Museum, the “景福宫 Jingfu Palace” area in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City has officially started a two-year substantial renovation. This is also the first renovation of 景福宫 Jingfu Palace in more than 120 years. The currently determined scope of repairs includes the main hall of景福宫 Jingfu Palace, the East Gate Room, 景福宫 Jingfu Gate, verandah, southwest gate, cross-hall gate, courtyard walls, courtyard floors, etc. The focus is to eliminate potential safety hazards of cultural relic’s buildings. It is reported that Jingfu Palace was a retirement residence carefully built by Emperor Qianlong for himself. It is located in the northeast of the Ningshou Palace area of the Forbidden City. The palace is dotted with ancient trees and rockeries, and has unique porches and courtyards. After the Jiaqing period, it was used as a warehouse for storing antique treasures….
During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799) built Jingfu Palace in the Forbidden City as his retirement retreat. The Jingfu Palace region has begun a two-year renovation project, the first in almost 120 years.
The Jingfu Palace of the Forbidden City, never open to the public since it was built more than 200 years ago, has begun renovations…
This is a group of buildings with green glazed tiles and yellow sheared roofs. It was the residence of the Queen Mother during the Kangxi period, and was rebuilt during the Qianlong period to serve as a banquet for Emperor Qianlong after his return to power. This is景福宫 Jingfu Palace located in the northeast of Yeongsugung District.
With the launch of the “景福宫 Jingfu Palace Research Conservation Project”, the architectural form, materials, craftsmanship, etc. of the cultural relics here have gradually become clear during the research process. At the same time, image collection and recording work is also underway, and the protection and repair work of the cultural heritage buildings in the景福宫 Jingfu Palace area will eventually be shown in the form of a documentary. A trailer allows you to first experience the confusion, thinking and breakthroughs in the research and restoration process, and appreciate the infinite charm of dialogue with history!
“景福宫 Jingfu Palace” area in the northwest corner of the Forbidden City has officially started a two-year substantive renovation. This is also the first renovation of景福宫 Jingfu Palace in more than 120 years.
景福宫 Jingfu Palace is the retirement home carefully built by Emperor Qianlong for himself. It is located in the northeast of the Ningshou Palace area of the Forbidden City. The palace is dotted with ancient trees and rockeries, and has unique porches and courtyards. After the Jiaqing period, it was used as a warehouse for storing antique treasures.
In 1910, 13 plaques were updated at景福宫 Jingfu Palace, and the calligraphy and paintings on the inner eaves were re-inscribed and framed. From then until Puyi announced his abdication, there was no record of renovation of景福宫 Jingfu Palace in the Forbidden City.
The scope of repairs currently determined includes the main hall of景福宫 Jingfu Palace, the east gate room, 景福宫 Jingfu Gate, verandah, southwest gate, hall door, courtyard wall, courtyard floor, etc. The focus is to eliminate safety hazards of cultural relics buildings, such as the three arched roofs. “Troughs,” or gutter repairs.
While景福宫 Jingfu Palace is being renovated, the National Palace Museum will also carry out digital recording, research and systematic application of the national intangible cultural heritage “Official Ancient Architecture Construction Techniques”, and will use three-dimensional laser scanning, close-up photography results combined with traditional manual measurements to complete the work Surveying and mapping of the current status of cultural relic buildings, and conducting architectural survey and current survey of information such as shape, materials, construction techniques, etc. to build a digital景福宫 Jingfu Palace.
On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.
The multilingual website of the Palace Museum is committed to establishing an international website that is concise, clear, easy to use for overseas audiences, and fits the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, including tour guides, information, panoramic tours, online exhibitions, collection appreciation, cultural topics, etc. Rich immersive content describing of the most detail collection that housed within the Forbidden City collection….
Dyeing, powdering, and drawing different patterns on various colours of silk can be used as writing materials. The silk paper without writing is already beautiful!
Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Jin Tingbiao, and the scroll of the baby’s play. This picture was created by Jin Tingbiao, a court painter of the Qianlong Dynasty, and depicts a scene of children playing in the countryside. Some of the childish and lively children picked flowers, and some competed in “grass fighting” by pulling the stems of flowers and plants together. The children’s naughty expressions are fully displayed, and the cheerful atmosphere overflows the picture. Emperor Qianlong, who was looking forward to having many children and grandchildren, was very satisfied with this picture and wrote an imperial poem on it: “Weeping poplars, strange stones, and luxuriant grass, red and green baskets are pouring out to fight against each other. The heart of a child loves business, and the famous saying is that there is a stream of water in the river.” “He also stamped more than ten square seals and included the picture in “Shiqu Baoji” to show his love.
冬至 At the winter solstice, Yang is born, and the sundial begins to grow. Today Winter solstice , the wall tiles, eaves corners, and plaques of a city are lit up with warmth, and we can’t help but look forward to the coming of the New Year….
Qianlong Qing Dynasty, anonymous, Kesi Sanduo Youqing Picture Scroll (partial). “Three mores” refers to many descendants, more blessings, and longer life. Having these “three mores” at the same time is truly a blessing in life, so “three mores are celebrated” has become a traditional blessing. In this tapestry scroll with its warp and weft cut through, the craftsman cleverly displayed the theme of “three mores” in the way of children playing: the children gathered together represent “many children”; the red bats flying in the sky allude to “the flood”. (Red) Fu (bat) Qitian” means “many blessings”; the boy holds longevity peaches in his hands, which represents “many lifespan”; and at the end of the scroll, there is a boy lifting a hammer to strike a chime, which means “chime” is homophonic to “celebration”, which completely completes the whole story. It expresses the creative theme of “three more times bring celebration”.
The pearl-necked turtle dove is a small wild resident bird of the family Dove and Columbidae that is common in cities, and is also one of the most common birds in the Forbidden City. The sides of their necks are black and densely covered with white spots, like many “pearls” scattered around their necks. This feature is only found after the Pearl-necked Turtle Dove reaches adulthood, so it can also be regarded as their “coming-of-age ceremony”.
Sun Zhiwei, a poet in the early Qing Dynasty, said in his poem “Doves in the Rain”: “The sun rises in the southeast corner, and the pigeon calls his wife.” “Banjiu” means “turtle dove”. The poem depicts a turtle dove and its partner staying together and inseparable. Pearl-necked turtle doves are usually monogamous and behave respectfully in daily life. They breed once a year, and the breeding period is from May to July. Usually the male bird first looks for a location, and then takes the female bird to choose a place that both parties think is suitable, and then build a nest with branches.
Qing, anonymous, baby play picture album page. The “Baby Play Pictures” album was created by a court painter. This page is one of the pages, depicting a scene of five children picking lotus flowers and playing in the water by a lotus pond, with the sun burning like fire in June. The author uses meticulous and rigorous writing and rich and gorgeous colors to humorously depict the cute, lively and interesting image of children. In particular, the staggering and unsteady steps of children wearing crotchless pants when walking ashore are vividly depicted, showing the author’s keen observation. The expressive power of describing God through form…
On July 19th 2023 , the multilingual website of the Forbidden City Palace Museum- Beijing, China, People’s Republic of Chinawas officially released at the Digital Cultural Tourism Development Forum of the 2023 China Internet Civilization Conference! The website covers five languages: English, French, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish, and will meet the needs of audiences with different languages.
The multilingual website of the Palace Museum is committed to establishing an international website that is concise, clear, easy to use for overseas audiences, and fits the construction of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, including tour guides, information, panoramic tours, online exhibitions, collection appreciation, cultural topics, etc. Rich immersive content describing of the most detail collection that housed within the Forbidden City collection….
Qing Qianlong, Yao Wenhan, etc., Chongqing Empress Dowager’s eighty-year longevity picture is posted (partial). This picture depicts the grand occasion of Emperor Qianlong’s 80th birthday celebration held for his mother, Empress Dowager Chongqing, in the Cining Palace in the Forbidden City where she lived in November of the 36th year of Qianlong’s reign (1771). In the palace, the Queen Mother was sitting on the throne enjoying the banquet, and Emperor Qianlong was sitting sideways to accompany her. In the east and west rooms were Emperor Qianlong’s concubines and Prince Fujin, etc., and on the platform outside the palace were the princes and grandchildren. At this time, the person in charge of the Sixth Palace was the imperial concubine Wei Jia, the biological mother of Emperor Jiaqing Yong Yan, who was posthumously named Queen Xiaoyi. This picture is the only existing painting that truly shows the emperor and his family congratulating the Queen Mother on her birthday. It has precious historical value.
Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, anonymous, all nations come to court. In order to promote the majesty of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong ordered the court painters to create several works that reflected the envoys from various countries coming to the Forbidden City to congratulate them on the New Year. This picture is one of them. The coming of all nations to court was both a family and a state matter for Emperor Qianlong. Therefore, he not only ordered the court painters to depict the lively scenes of envoys from the surrounding vassal states of the Qing Dynasty and Western countries paying homage to him, but also ordered the painters to depict the lively scenes in the paintings…
On the 7th December 2023 The warm sun is shining, gently touching the painted pillars and caressing the railings. Today 大雪 , together with the spine beasts, we are looking forward to a heavy snowfall that will decorate the Forbidden City!
Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, unknown, scroll of all nations coming to court (detail). This picture is part of the axis of “The Map of All Nations Coming to Court”. It shows the elderly Emperor Qianlong embracing the descendants of the royal family, sitting in the Ningshou Palace area that was rebuilt for him to take care of himself after returning to power, and receiving New Year’s congratulations from envoys from various countries. For Emperor Qianlong, the dynasty was important, but the prosperity of his descendants was also a top priority. Emperor Qianlong had a total of twenty-seven children in his life. In the forty-ninth year of Qianlong’s reign (1784), his great-great-grandson was born, and he was very excited about the five generations living under the same roof. Afterwards, he added the inscription “Five Blessings and Five Dynasties Hall” to the Gyeongbokgung Palace in the Forbidden City to commemorate his wishes, and then engraved “Five Blessings and Five Dynasties Hall Ancient and Rare Emperor Treasure” to express his contented imperial life. There is no date of creation for this painting, but according to the records of the Qing Palace Construction Office, it was painted in December of the 44th year of Qianlong’s reign (1779), so the infant in his arms at this time must be his great-grandson.
Qing Jiaqing, anonymous, Emperor Jiaqing’s ancient costumes and entertainment scroll. This picture depicts Emperor Jiaqing and his concubines dressed in traditional Han costumes, relaxing and entertaining in the courtyard. Although it is a picture of a couple having fun, Emperor Jiaqing not only occupies the main position in the painting, but is also taller than his concubines who are also seated and even the standing waiters, highlighting his supreme status as the king of a country and the head of a family. The waiter came towards them with a scroll of calligraphy and painting in his hand. The gathering of couples was about to begin in the imperial garden where peonies and magnolias were in full bloom, forming an enviable scene of love.
The 40th Anniversary Exhibition of the Palace Museum Publishing House” will be officially opened to the public on December 9 in the Wenhua Hall of the Palace Museum! This exhibition unfolds the 40-year development history of the Palace Museum Press in five units, and for the first time adopts the innovative exhibition format of “books + cultural relics”. In the exhibition hall, there are not only the “Forbidden City Book Mountain” and the “Forbidden Book City” built with thousands of fine books, but also 22 precious cultural relics, including fine porcelain from the five famous kilns of the Song Dynasty, and the Qianlong Jasper Dragon Button from the Qing Dynasty. “An ancient rare treasure of the emperor” and other exquisite cultural relics. The exhibition will last until February 25, 2024. The general audience can make an appointment to visit through the “Forbidden City Museum” applet
Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, anonymous, empress Xiaoshencheng’s lotus scroll. Daoguang Emperor Minning had four queens in his life, the second of whom was Queen Xiaoshencheng. She is the daughter of Shu Ming’a, the third-class Chengen Gong. She entered the palace during the Jiaqing Dynasty and married Minning, who was the prince at the time. In the 13th year of Jiaqing (1808), Emperor Renzong granted her the title of successor to the Jin Dynasty. In the second year of Daoguang (1822), she was canonized as queen. She was the eldest daughter of Emperor Daoguang, Princess Duan Ming Lun, but unfortunately she died in infancy. This picture shows Empress Xiaoshencheng holding a folding fan and wearing seasonal flowers as headdress while admiring the flowers and scenery in the picturesque imperial garden. A pair of mandarin ducks in the lotus pond made her stop and watch. Obviously, the flowers in the garden could not touch her heart as much as the loving mandarin ducks.
Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, anonymous, Xiao Quancheng, Queen Xuan Palace’s spring mist scroll. This picture is a portrait of Empress Xiao Quancheng holding the prince’s hand. Empress Xiao Quancheng (1808-1840) entered the palace in the early years of Daoguang and was given the title of Quanbi. She gave birth to the third and fourth daughters of Emperor Daoguang. In the eleventh year of Daoguang (1831), when she was twenty-four years old, she gave birth to The fourth son of the emperor was Emperor Xianfeng. In the thirteenth year of Daoguang’s reign (1833), she was granted the title of Imperial Concubine by the Jin Dynasty. In October of the fourteenth year of Daoguang (1834), she was officially appointed by Emperor Daoguang as the third queen after Queen Xiao Shencheng. When she passed away, Yi𬣞 was just over nine years old. The prince she is holding in the picture may be the still young Yi𬣞. The mother and son are holding lotus leaves and lotus flowers respectively, implying the inseparable affection between flowers and leaves.
In order to implement the spirit of the “Opinions on Promoting the Work of Ancient Books in the New Era” and deepen the protection and revitalization of ancient literature and cultural relics, the Palace Museum, on the basis of sorting, protecting and researching the engraving cultural relics in the museum’s collection, has established a monastery in the southeast of Taihe Gate. The ” 九牌馆 ” was opened in the building and the court room , and the ” 吉光片雨 – Exhibition of Qing Dynasty palace engraving cultural relics collected by the Palace Museum” was held at the same time, with more than 15,000 pieces (groups) of cultural relics displayed in a warehouse-style display. This is the first time the Palace Museum has held a special cultural relics exhibition of this type since its establishment. The exhibition will be officially open to the public from October 31, 2023, in the Southeast Chonglou and Chaofang Engraving Hall inside the Taihe Gate of the Palace Museum.
Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty, anonymous, the scroll of Emperor Daoguang’s joyful autumn garden. This painting depicts the scene of Emperor Daoguang having fun in the courtyard with his concubine, elder brother and princess. With Emperor Daoguang in the open pavilion was the 26-year-old imperial concubine, Queen Xiao Quancheng, the mother of Emperor Xianfeng. At this time, she was dignified in appearance and had just been promoted to imperial concubine due to the death of Empress Xiao Shencheng. She was in charge of the affairs of the Sixth Palace and assumed the power of the empress. Therefore, she was qualified to sit with Emperor Daoguang, but according to regulations, she could not sit side by side with the emperor, so she could only sit respectfully to the side. In front of the pavilion are the lively princes, princesses and elegant concubines. In the happiness of his family, Emperor Daoguang couldn’t help but write the title of the picture “Happiness Overflowing the Autumn Garden” in his own handwriting…..
On the 11th December 2023 Overnight, the inside and outside of the palace were wrapped in white. The glazed golden roof is covered with jade dust, and the red walls and corridors are covered with silver stars. Looking far into the distance, Danchen and green tiles meet the snow, which is the same color as the sky.
There is flying snow on the red steps, and the green branches are cold and crisp. Under the city full of silver, dots of red and golden stars are scattered among them, forming a moving picture of the Forbidden City in winter.
The white snow is the base, the yellow eaves are the lines, and the dots of vermilion dance like musical notes, like falling jade beads on a plate, composing a majestic movement of snow falling on the Danchen!
The cold stamens are rustling, and the flying feathers are fluttering. The winter elves break the tranquility among the ice and snow, adding infinite vitality…
Qing Xianfeng, Anonymous, Mei Guifei, Chun Guiren and other carnival scrolls. This picture depicts Emperor Xianfeng’s concubine Mei, the noble concubine of the spring, and Qi Chang enjoying their summer fishing activities. There is a yellow paper tag with their name stuck next to each person. Among them, the highest-ranking concubine Mei Guifei is among them, with a look of joy on her face. Their eyebrows are slender and their lower lips are a little bright red, which is the typical makeup of court women in the late Qing Dynasty. As a concrete realistic painting, this picture provides relatively precious image data for studying the costumes of concubines and palace entertainment life in the Qing Dynasty….
The river body is smooth, the eaves and ridges are smooth, and the viewing pillars are in order. The captivating sky and earth trace the changes, and the charm of six hundred years becomes more apparent.
明中都Mingzhongdu The Ming Zhongdu is located in Fengyang County, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province, China, People’s Republic of China. It was the first capital built by the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang in his hometown of Fengyang. The construction project was presided over by Li Shanchang, the first civil servant of the Ming Dynasty.
The central capital of the Ming Dynasty was first built in the second year of Hongwu (1369) and was stopped in the eighth year of Hongwu (1375). It took a total of six years to build. The Ming Dynasty capital covers an area of more than 50 square kilometers and has three inner, middle and outer cities. Its inner palace city (imperial city) is 120,000 square meters larger than the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Why does the 600-year-old Forbidden City remain as new as ever? Innovatively telling the story of eternal youth in the Forbidden City, let’s have a conversation that transcends time and space! 六百岁故宫何以历久弥新？创新讲述紫禁城青春永驻的故事 来一场超越时空的对话！
The Ming and Zhongdu were designed in strict accordance with the “Book of Rites of the Zhou Dynasty: Kao Gong Ji”, with layout features such as the front dynasty and the back sleeping quarters, the left ancestor and the right commune, and a north-south central axis running through the entire city. When Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict to build the Central Capital in Fengyang, he mobilized skilled craftsmen, soldiers and civilians from all over the country, no less than a million people, to build cities, palaces and palaces like the capital city system, which occupied an important position in the history of the development of ancient Chinese capitals.
Beijing Forbidden City in comparison with the 1062 meters long Odyssey Class – Beijing, China, People’s Republic of China.
明中都Mingzhongdu Forbidden city first Ming Dynasty Forbidden CityFengyang County, Chuzhou City, Anhui Province in comparison with the 1062 meters long Odyssey Class – Beijing, China, People’s Republic of China.
The rise and fall of Zhongdu
The Ming Dynasty was established in 1368. In the same year, the Ming army launched its Northern Expedition and occupied most of the Yuan Dynasty , ending the Yuan Dynasty’s rule across the country. The political situation has undergone tremendous changes. After analyzing the pros and cons of establishing capitals in Guanzhong, Luoyang, Bianliang (Kaifeng), and Peking, Ming Taizu believed that Nanjing was too far away from the Central Plains to control the country; Bianliang also suffered from poor people’s livelihood and was a A place surrounded by enemies. Therefore, in September of the second year of Hongwu, an imperial edict was issued to choose Linhao (today’s Fengyang) to build the central capital, “ordering officials to build cities, palaces and palaces as in the capital.”
The construction project of Zhongdu was presided over by Li Shanchang. In the third year of Hongwu, the ground was started and the construction of the palace city began. By the sixth year of Hongwu, the palace city and forbidden city walls and palaces were basically completed, and the construction of the outer city of Zhongdu also started. On Dingsi in April of the eighth year of Hongwu (1375), Zhu Yuanzhang “went to Zhongdu in person to inspect his merits and reward his hard work.” On the same day, he ordered the construction of Ming Zhongdu to be stopped on the grounds of “labor expenses”. Down, no other buildings in Zhongdu will be built, and unfinished projects will continue. After that, from October of the eighth year of Hongwu, the auxiliary buildings of Zhongdu City were renovated and the imperial tombs were built. In the 26th year of Hongwu, the outer city gates of Zhongdu were built. By the 30th year of Hongwu, the construction of Zhongdu City was completed.
After Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty stopped building Zhongdu, Zhongdu was not used as the capital. However, because it was the imperial hometown, the emperor’s relatives often trained troops in Fengyang and lived in the palace of Fengyang Zhongdu. Later, because Zhu Di moved the capital to Beijing, Beijing was far away from Fengyang. Princes no longer often lived in Zhongdu as in the Hongwu period. The palaces in the imperial city gradually became deserted, but there were still a large number of residents living in Zhongdu, and there were also many people stationed there. The army and government offices guarded and managed the central capital.
Current status of the Ming and Zhongdu palace city ruins
A schematic restoration of the Tushan Gate city platform in the Ming Dynasty (painted by He Lejun of Nanjing University)
On March 31, 2022, the high-profile “Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in the Country in 2021” was announced. The Ming Zhongdu Site stood out from the 20 archaeological excavation projects that were shortlisted for the final evaluation and was successfully selected.
Ming Zhongdu was the capital city built by Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang in his hometown of Fengyang. In the second year of Hongwu (1369), construction was ordered. Six years later, when construction was stopped on the grounds of “labor expenses”, the capital had begun to take shape. The city site consists of three layers of city walls, covering an area of 50 square kilometers. City walls, palaces, temples, central government offices, military facilities, together with road networks, water systems, kiln sites, stone quarries and other relics from the time of city construction, together constitute a huge group of Ming Zhongdu ruins. In 1982, its core part, the Ming Dynasty Imperial City, was announced as the second batch of national key cultural relics protection units, and in 2017, it was announced as the third batch of national archaeological site parks.
A schematic restoration of the palace in the former court area of the Ming and Zhongdu capitals (illustrated by Li Wei of the Forbidden City)
The distribution of palaces and ancillary buildings in the former dynasty area of the Ming and Zhongdu
The huge stone foundation unearthed from the front hall of the palace foundation site
Large scale stone structure at the palace foundation site
In 2013, taking the construction of the ruins park as an opportunity, the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology formulated the “Archaeological Work Plan for the Ming Zhongdu Site”. In 2014, the archaeological exploration work of the Ming Zhongdu Site was launched, and the excavation officially began in 2015. In 2017, with the approval of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology cooperated with the Palace Museum and other units to conduct excavations in accordance with the excavation principles of “minimum area”, “minimum destruction” and “exhibition first” and in accordance with “layout, regulation, technology and process”. “Four academic goals, combining “field archaeology”, “digital archeology” and “technological archeology”, carried out continuous archaeological work on the Ming Zhongdu site and achieved a series of important gains. Through exploration and excavation, the layout of the city site has become increasingly clear, and the shapes and structures of individual building remains such as Chengtianmen, Donghuamen, and Waijinshuiqiao have been gradually revealed. On this basis, in 2021, we focused on excavation work on the Tushan Gate site and the core palace foundation site in the Qianchao District, with a total excavation area of approximately 2,100 square meters.
1. It is revealed that the Tushan Gate is a single-door arch-type city gate. The bottom of the city platform is about 39.5 meters wide from north to south and about 23 meters deep from east to west. It has a rammed earth inner and outer brick structure. The rammed earth core is made of one layer of bricks and one layer of soil. “Jiawaza” ramming method. On the north side of the city platform, an east-west horse path is set up against the north wall of the city platform. It is also a structure filled with rammed earth on the inside and bricks on the outside. The south side of the city platform and the outer city wall are connected by a brick wall. The city platform, horse paths and brick city walls are all located on a rammed earth platform with foundation trenches dug underground, and there is a clear construction sequence. The foundation trough and platform rammed earth also adopt the ramming method of one layer of bricks and one layer of soil. There are also ground nails at the bottom of the foundation trough of the city platform.
2. After accumulated excavations from 2015 to 2021, the layout of the palace foundation and some ancillary buildings in the former area of Guancheng was clarified by exposing the rammed earth platform foundation and its internal slats, in order to further explore the bay scale and construction sequence of the building. , construction technology, etc. laid the foundation. From the information revealed in the western half, it can be seen that the palace has a “work”-shaped layout of the front and rear halls plus a cross hall. Both the front and back halls have “Ninety-Four” bays, and the front hall leads to Baoxia. The hall is three rooms wide and seven rooms deep. On the west side of the apse are auxiliary buildings that may be corridors, gatehouses and Chonglou. The structure of the main hall, front and back halls plus a passage hall is relatively close to the palace architectural shape in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The combination of ancillary buildings on the west side of the apse is very similar to the building combination at the same location in the Forbidden City in Beijing.
3. Excavations show that the palace is located on a rammed earth platform with a high front and a low back, similar to the practice of the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Beijing. The outer edge of the southern part of the platform is covered with a stone Xumizuo. A varying number of steps are found on the front and sides. The ground from the apse to the north is level with the top surface of the platform. The platform base is constructed one by one from various types of rammed earth, and a dense and neat platform is built using the “stone-clipping” method of one layer of stones and one layer of earth. There are many types of stone slabs, such as single type, two-piece type and four-piece type, which are constructed at the same time as the surrounding rammed earth. There are still foundation stones close to their original positions beside some of the stone walls. Among them, the giant stone foundation unearthed from the front hall has a side length of nearly 2.8 meters, a foundation surface length of 2.5 to 2.6 meters, and a basin diameter of 1.8 meters. Its volume is the largest at present. The foundation stone of a palace building is the largest I have ever seen. A rectangular loess platform with a length of 5.7 meters and a width of 4.9 meters was found in the middle and rear of the front hall. It was built earlier than the palace site and the palace wall. It is the location of the dragon throne in the palace and is exactly at the geometric center point of the entire palace.
Contents of this issue: The Ming Zhongdu ruins are located in Fengyang County, Anhui Province. More than 600 years ago, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, decided to make Fengyang the capital of the world, named Zhongdu. Historians and architectural historians believe that during the construction, blueprints and model models were drawn for the reconstruction of the Nanjing Palace and the construction of the Forbidden City in Beijing.
Contents of this issue: The mystery of Ming Zhongdu has been deciphered beneath the surface of Jingdezhen, five hundred kilometers away. In 1990, the Jingdezhen Ceramic Archeology Institute unearthed an exquisite white porcelain water pipe, 26 centimeters high. Combining literature and stratigraphic analysis and comparison with physical objects, archaeologists in Jingdezhen confirmed that this unusual glazed building component was a sewer pipe produced for the construction of Fengyang Ming Zhongdu.
Contents of this issue: In the six years from 1369 to 1375 AD, a new capital city began to take shape in Fengyang, Zhu Yuanzhang’s hometown. Zhu Yuanzhang completed the national project of Zhongdu with extremely high standards, striving for excellence in every link. Seeing that his wish to “move the capital to Zhongdu” and “fix the tripod” is about to be realized.
Contents of this issue: In 1375 AD, shortly after Zhu Yuanzhang returned to Nanjing, he suddenly stopped the construction of the Central Capital on the grounds of “labor expense”, which shocked both the government and the public. The super project, which had devoted all the efforts of the whole country, came to an abrupt end just when it was “about to be completed.” As for the real reason, historical records are very vague.
The importance of new archaeological discoveries in Zhongdu during the Ming Dynasty:
1. New archaeological discoveries promote in-depth understanding of the Ming Zhongdu ruins
Because historical records are unclear. Archaeological exploration and excavation of key locations have continuously improved our understanding of the overall planning and layout of the capital in the middle Ming Dynasty. The excavation gradually clarified the scale and shape of each individual building, and explored information such as its construction process, order, and materials. It also gained an in-depth understanding of the construction, abandonment, and evolution processes of each group of buildings.
2. The excavation has filled a number of academic gaps.
1. The “3+2” layout of the Chengtianmen site discovered by archaeological excavations in recent years filled in the transitional link for the evolution of the second gate of the capital from three gates to five gates. It is the prototype of Beijing’s iconic “Tiananmen”.
2. For the first time, the architectural layout of the main hall of the former dynasty area during the Ming and Qing Dynasties is completely revealed. It fills the gap in the archeology of the capital palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties when other city sites such as Nanjing and Beijing do not have the conditions for excavation.
3. The discovery of the loess center point in the palace is extremely rare in excavations in the capital. It is located at the geometric center point of the entire palace city and is the location of the emperor’s dragon throne. It has strong symbolic significance and provides precious materials for studying the planning, site selection, and construction sequence of ancient capitals.
4. The huge stone foundation discovered at the palace foundation reflects the grand scale of the building. Its size is the largest stone foundation found in ancient Chinese palace buildings so far.
3. The excavation has supplemented key materials for the transformation of China’s ancient capital system from the Song and Yuan Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Documents record that Zhu Yuanzhang visited Kaifeng in person before the construction of Zhongdu in the Ming Dynasty. When he conquered the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, he also measured the palaces in the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, including the Zhongdu of the Jin Dynasty. In November of the second year of Hongwu, he read the Yuan palace map. Therefore, the planning of the Ming Zhongdu reflected elements of the Song and Yuan capital systems. For example, the palace city is generally located southward in the capital, the T-shaped square is set up, and the outer Jinshui River route is similar to the planning of Dadu in the Yuan Dynasty. The triple city wall ring, the five-gate system on the central axis, and the I-shaped palace are all directly or indirectly inherited from Kaifeng in the Northern Song Dynasty. city planning concept.
Mingzhongdu was the first capital city in the Ming and Qing dynasties that truly embodied the capital system. Its planning was influenced to a certain extent by King Wu’s New Palace, but in turn it had a more profound impact on the subsequent transformation of Nanjing’s palace city and the capital construction of Beijing. The shape of the city gates in the northern and southern capitals, the setting of palaces and courtyards, the symmetrical layout of left ancestors and right shrines, and the internal and external Jinshui River system were all deeply influenced by the Ming and Zhongdu, and were deeply influenced by the planning of Ming Dynasty palaces and mausoleums in various cities.
The excavation of relevant sites along the central axis of the Ming and Zhongdus has revealed that they connect Song Kaifeng, Jin Zhongdu, Yuan Dadu, Ming Nanjing and Ming Beijing, filling key gaps. This connection also reflects the transmission of Chinese cultural genes from generation to generation. and the continuous characteristics of Chinese civilization. At the same time, it also has practical significance for promoting the study of the central axis of Beijing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and its application for world cultural heritage.
4. The excavation of various buildings in the Ming and Zhongdu has added important reference materials for the study of architectural history.
The excavation of the palace foundation provides a reference for studying the palace layout of the Forbidden City in Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty, and finds the origin of the practice of the Imperial Ancestral Temple in Beijing.
The discovery of the craftsmanship, practices, construction sequence, and building materials of various types of buildings provides key basis for the restoration research on architectural construction in Zhongdu during the Ming Dynasty, and also provides reference materials for the research on other similar buildings.
The excavation of engineering relics such as kiln sites and scientific and technological research on building materials are also of great value in exploring the organization and implementation of engineering construction, and the production and circulation of building materials.
Since 2017, commissioned by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Palace Museum Archeology Institute has cooperated with the Anhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology to carry out archaeological work on the Ming Zhongdu ruins, and has participated in the completion of the Waijin Water Bridge, the moat, Xihua Gate, Tushan Gate, the core palace area, etc. Excavation work was carried out and a comprehensive survey was conducted on the Ming Zhongdu City Site and the Ming Emperor’s Mausoleum. At the beginning of 2019, the Mingzhongdu Archaeological Work Station jointly built by both parties was officially put into use.
The archeology of Zhongdu in the Ming Dynasty is one of the focuses of the archeology outside the Forbidden City, and it is also one of the important academic topics that the Forbidden City Archeology is dedicated to the archaeological research of palace-related remains. The archaeological discovery and research of the palace city of the Ming Dynasty is of great significance for deeply revealing the spatial form, structural layout, and regulatory ideas of the Forbidden City in Beijing. In the future, we will fully rely on the platform resource advantages of the Palace Museum, actively give play to the palace archaeological characteristics of the Palace Museum, continue to participate in and undertake various archaeological work on the site of the Ming Zhongdu, and base on the perspective of comparative research on the three capitals of the early Ming Dynasty, based on the archeology of the Ming Zhongdu Guided by the academic goals of the Ming Dynasty, the protection of cultural relics and archaeological work in Zhongdu of the Ming Dynasty will continue to be deepened.
