Live Your Best Lives
Morning Light Appears, Departure from Meridian Gate
At 8 a.m., I arrived at the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City in the morning light. This Five-Phoenix Tower-style main gate stood majestically, its vermilion walls and gilded door nails gleaming in the rising sun. After entering the Forbidden City with your ID card (reservations must be made one week in advance), today's journey through the Forbidden City begins. Stories of the Forbidden City: The Astonishment of the Central Axis Traveling along the central axis, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the core building of the Forbidden City, first catches your eye. The Golden Throne Hall's gilded throne and coiled dragon caisson ceiling are breathtaking. The Hall of Central Harmony was the emperor's resting place before grand ceremonies, while the Hall of Preserving Harmony witnessed the grandeur of the imperial examinations. Standing atop the three-tiered white marble platform, overlooking the "Thousand Dragons Spitting Water" drainage marvel, one marvels at the ancient wisdom. A panoramic view of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, with its golden tiles and red walls contrasting with the blue sky, allows visitors to pause to photograph the stone carvings of cloud dragons in front of the hall. Treasures and Time: The Eastern Six Palaces and Exhibitions Turning to the Eastern Six Palaces, the jade exhibition at Zhongcui Palace and the medical artifact exhibition ("Sincerity, Prudence, and Benevolence") at Yonghe Palace invite to linger. Inside the Treasure House (separate ticket required), the glazed lights of the Nine Dragon Screen and the vicissitudes of life at Zhenfei Well recount the prosperity and joys of the imperial court. The Western clocks in the Clock and Watch Museum are so exquisite that you can almost hear the ticking of time. A Quiet Afternoon: An Encounter with the Palace Cats in the Imperial Garden Wander in the Imperial Garden in the afternoon, and the rockery pavilions of Duixiu Mountain and the crabapple blossoms of Wanchun Pavilion intertwine into a picturesque scene. In the Cining Palace garden, I stumbled upon a lazy palace cat, crouching on the stone steps, as if it were a century-old palace guard. Harem Fireworks: Stories of the Six Western Palaces The Chuxiu Palace of the Six Western Palaces recreates the daily life of Empress Dowager Cixi, while the furnishings of the Yikun Palace evoke memories of the daily lives of the concubines. Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, plaques inscribed with Emperor Qianlong's calligraphy and secret memorial boxes reveal the secrets of imperial power and machinations. Sunset Overlooking Jingshan Mountain In the evening, leave the palace through Shenwu Gate and walk to Wanchun Pavilion in Jingshan Park. The setting sun paints the Forbidden City golden, its sprawling palaces a flowing scroll in the twilight. At this moment, six hundred years of history unfold before our eyes. From Jingshan Hill, we can see a panoramic view of the Forbidden City. The red walls and golden tiles, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, complement the city skyline beautifully. Conclusion: The Forbidden City is more than just a collection of architecture and cultural relics; it's a three-dimensional history book. From the imperial court to the inner palace, from treasures to plants and trees, every detail tells the story of the splendor of Chinese civilization. I hope every visitor can find their own historical resonance in this "eternally youthful Forbidden City." Number of days: 1 day, Average cost: 100 yuan, Number of days：4 days, Average cost: 1,000 yuan, Updated: 2025.04.22 Number of days: 2 days, Average cost: 800 yuan, Number of days: 2 days, Average cost: 10,000 yuan, Number of days：6 days, Average cost: 5600 yuan, Updated: 2025.05.15 Number of days: 1 day, Average cost: 500 yuan, 
The Nine Dragon Wall in the Treasure House features nine glazed dragons that shimmer in the sunlight. The Clock and Watch Museum features a gilded bronze writing clock, featuring a mechanical puppet writing. 
A close-up of the carved bed and enameled vessels in the Chuxiu Palace; a close-up of the "Zhongzheng Renhe" plaque in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. 
Night view of Shenwu Gate, with palace lanterns lit, the gate stands solemnly and quietly in the twilight. Helpless
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