Revisiting the Forbidden City in Beijing (20210318)

Time: March
Average cost: 20 yuan
With whom: husband and wife
Tour kinds：Free travel
The author went to these places: Beijing Forbidden City Tiananmen Taihe Hall Zhonghe Hall Baohe Palace Qianqing Palace Jiaotai Palace Kunning Palace Meridian Gate Taihe Gate Huangji Hall Palace Museum Treasure House Huangji Gate Beihai Park Zhenfei Well Imperial Garden Shenwu Gate
Updated: 2021.04.02

Revisiting the Forbidden City in Beijing [20210318]

On March 18, 2021, the weather was overcast, and a group of four of us took the subway from Huilongguan to visit the Forbidden City.

This is my third visit to the Forbidden City. The first time was in March 1985, when I was on a business trip to Beijing and visited the Forbidden City. At that time, the ticket price was 10 cents per person.

The second time was in April 2014. The ticket price during peak season was 60 yuan per person (April 1st to October 31st), and 40 yuan per person during off-season (November 1st to March 31st).

Today is my third visit to the Forbidden City. Because it is overcast today and it is off-season, there are very few people visiting the Forbidden City. The first two times I visited the Forbidden City, it was packed with people, and it was difficult to take photos in any place.

We arrived at Tiananmen Square at 11:30 a.m. and took a few photos. We entered the Forbidden City at 12:00 p.m.

This is where the Emperor issued edicts and ordered military campaigns.

The second gate is the Gate of Supreme Harmony.

This time when I visited the Forbidden City, the steps were blocked with red ropes, and I was not even allowed to go up the steps. If I wanted to see the "Dragon Throne", I could only look at it from the bottom of the steps from a distance. I couldn't see anything inside.

Go down to the Clock Museum

The Treasure House of the Forbidden City in Beijing opened in 1958. It is one of the important exhibition halls of the Palace Museum that is open year-round. Along with the Clock and Watch Museum, it primarily displays Qing Dynasty imperial artifacts and curios. Together with the calligraphy and painting, ceramics, bronzes, and crafts museums, it forms the Forbidden City's display system, complementing the display of the original ancient buildings. The Palace Museum Treasure House is located in the eastern part of the Palace Museum in Beijing. It is housed in the western wing of the Huangji Hall, the Yangxing Hall, the Leshou Hall, and the Yihexuan in the northeast corner of the Forbidden City. The Treasure House is a treasury filled with gemstones, glittering gold and silver vessels, pearls and jade, as well as golden phoenix crowns, ivory and jade carvings, and other unique treasures. Its most prominent feature is the Haoduo Pagoda, a massive jade sculpture weighing 5,000 kilograms. Before reaching the Treasure House, one can visit the Forbidden City Restaurant and the Arrow Tower.
After entering "Treasures", the first thing you see is: "Nine Dragon Wall".

We enter the Jewelry Museum to appreciate the jadeite artworks of our country in ancient times.

Going further inside, there are: Yangxing Hall, Changyin Pavilion, Leshou Hall, Yihexuan Pavilion, and Zhenfei Well. Finally, there is the Imperial Garden.

A few thoughts:

1. The Forbidden City is paying more and more attention to historical relics, especially the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Tourists who want to see the real appearance of the Golden Throne Hall are unable to do so.

2. When visiting the Forbidden City, it is recommended to visit in the off-season when there are fewer people. The Forbidden City is mainly about architecture and treasures, not flowers and plants.

3. Seniors over 60 years old have half-price tickets.

4. If you want to see the "Nine Dragon Screen", you must buy a ticket for the "Treasure House" because the Nine Dragon Screen is inside the Treasure House. Treasure House ticket: 10 yuan/person.

Written in Beijing on March 21, 2021