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Aworld-famous imperial palace， Beijing’s Forbidden City was the seat of supreme power in China for over five centuries. It witnessed the rise and fall of China’s Ming（1368-1644） and Qing （1644-1911） dynasties and testified to the joys and sorrows of emperors residing there.
After Emperor Yongle （1360-1424） of the Ming Dynasty took the throne， he moved the regime’s capital from Nanjing to Beijing and began constructing the Forbidden City. Qing Dynasty rulers continued to use the complex until its last emperor， Puyi， was expelled from the imperial palace in 1924. In a sense， these emperors represented the beginning， peak， and transformation of this magnificent architectural complex.
Beginning： Construction under Emperor Yongle
Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty launched the massive project. Construction of the Forbidden City began in the fourth year （1406） of the Yongle reign （1403-1424） and completed in the 18th year （1420）， commencing a history of imperial residence for several centuries across dynasties.
During the Ming Dynasty， the city of Beijing was renovated based on its layout in the Yuan Dynasty （1271-1368）. The core of the city became the Forbidden City， surrounded by other complexes of fine buildings to support feudal rituals and ceremonies including the Temple of Heaven， the Temple of Earth， the Imperial Ancestral Temple， and the Altar of Land and Grain.
During the 22-year reign of Emperor Yongle， the third ruler of the Ming Dynasty， the national strength and world influence of the Ming Empire peaked. Just relocating the capital to Beijing was a big enough move to etch the emperor’s name into history forever.
Prosperity： Emperor Qianlong， Art Enthusiast
The successors of the Ming Dynasty， Qing rulers continued to enjoy and benefit from the city construction of the previous dynasty. Although some renovations were made to some structures of the Forbidden City， the overall layout remained unchanged throughout the Qing Dynasty.
The over 140，000 painting and calligraphic masterpieces housed in the Forbidden City showcase the profound development of Chinese calligraphy and painting history. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong （1711-1799）， the longest reigning emperor of the Qing Dynasty， intense collection of calligraphy and painting laid the foundation for housing such works in today’s Palace Museum. Emperor Qianlong， a painting and calligraphy enthusiast， produced many works himself. More importantly， he collected abundant remarkable and rare works， making the painting and calligraphy collection in the imperial palace reach an early pinnacle.
Rebirth： Puyi Expelled
Puyi （1906-1967） was the last emperor of China before the fall of the Qing Dynasty. The three-year-old child emperor took the throne in 1908 just before the 1911 Revolution， which began with an armed uprising on October 10， 1911， terminated 2，000 years of imperial rule in China. On February 12， 1912， Puyi was forced to abdicate， bringing an end to Qing rule in the country.
After his abdication， Puyi kept the title of emperor and continued to live in the Forbidden City for some time according to an agreement granting favorable treatment to the emperor and the imperial clan， among other conditions. At that time， the imperial palace was divided into two parts. The outer court became a museum in 1914 even while the imperial family continued to live in the halls and palaces of the inner court until 1924. In 1925， after Puyi and his family moved out， the Palace Museum was formally established and opened to the public on October 10. That year marked the first time that the entire Forbidden City welcomed ordinary Chinese people inside since its construction in the Ming Dynasty. Around 50，000 people visited the imperial palace in just two days.
After Emperor Yongle （1360-1424） of the Ming Dynasty took the throne， he moved the regime’s capital from Nanjing to Beijing and began constructing the Forbidden City. Qing Dynasty rulers continued to use the complex until its last emperor， Puyi， was expelled from the imperial palace in 1924. In a sense， these emperors represented the beginning， peak， and transformation of this magnificent architectural complex.
Beginning： Construction under Emperor Yongle
Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty launched the massive project. Construction of the Forbidden City began in the fourth year （1406） of the Yongle reign （1403-1424） and completed in the 18th year （1420）， commencing a history of imperial residence for several centuries across dynasties.
During the Ming Dynasty， the city of Beijing was renovated based on its layout in the Yuan Dynasty （1271-1368）. The core of the city became the Forbidden City， surrounded by other complexes of fine buildings to support feudal rituals and ceremonies including the Temple of Heaven， the Temple of Earth， the Imperial Ancestral Temple， and the Altar of Land and Grain.
During the 22-year reign of Emperor Yongle， the third ruler of the Ming Dynasty， the national strength and world influence of the Ming Empire peaked. Just relocating the capital to Beijing was a big enough move to etch the emperor’s name into history forever.
Prosperity： Emperor Qianlong， Art Enthusiast
The successors of the Ming Dynasty， Qing rulers continued to enjoy and benefit from the city construction of the previous dynasty. Although some renovations were made to some structures of the Forbidden City， the overall layout remained unchanged throughout the Qing Dynasty.
The over 140，000 painting and calligraphic masterpieces housed in the Forbidden City showcase the profound development of Chinese calligraphy and painting history. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong （1711-1799）， the longest reigning emperor of the Qing Dynasty， intense collection of calligraphy and painting laid the foundation for housing such works in today’s Palace Museum. Emperor Qianlong， a painting and calligraphy enthusiast， produced many works himself. More importantly， he collected abundant remarkable and rare works， making the painting and calligraphy collection in the imperial palace reach an early pinnacle.
Rebirth： Puyi Expelled
Puyi （1906-1967） was the last emperor of China before the fall of the Qing Dynasty. The three-year-old child emperor took the throne in 1908 just before the 1911 Revolution， which began with an armed uprising on October 10， 1911， terminated 2，000 years of imperial rule in China. On February 12， 1912， Puyi was forced to abdicate， bringing an end to Qing rule in the country.
After his abdication， Puyi kept the title of emperor and continued to live in the Forbidden City for some time according to an agreement granting favorable treatment to the emperor and the imperial clan， among other conditions. At that time， the imperial palace was divided into two parts. The outer court became a museum in 1914 even while the imperial family continued to live in the halls and palaces of the inner court until 1924. In 1925， after Puyi and his family moved out， the Palace Museum was formally established and opened to the public on October 10. That year marked the first time that the entire Forbidden City welcomed ordinary Chinese people inside since its construction in the Ming Dynasty. Around 50，000 people visited the imperial palace in just two days.