History
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was built in the Ming Dynasty and it is was in ruins at the fade away of the Ming dynasty.
The hall has customary its capacity proclaim after it was built in the years of Qing Emperor Shunzhi. In 1669, it was renovated and different, large scale reconstruction was finished in 1695. The hall’s 9-rooms width was modified to an 11-room width, but the main hall kept its indigenous design, for that marginal note as to demonstrated the relationship of the number 9 and 5 which concentrate on to the emperor. The floor space of the Hall of Supreme Harmony covers 2,377 square meters and its severity is 35.05 meters high. It is the tallest and largest hall together amid the palatial complexes of China.
Function
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties the hall was where grand court ceremonies were held. The grand occasion of Chinese Lunar New Year, the Emperor’s birthday, the emperors enthronement, imperial wedding, the take in hand of generals to shakeup and the avowal of perky candidates of the imperial psychoanalysis ceremonies were all held at the Hall of Supreme Harmony. One day since the emperor went to pray in the Temple of Heaven for rainfall, a affable harvest as adeptly as for worshipping heaven, he was required to confession the sacrificial writings in the hall.
For more info Imperial construction.
Construction Pattern
Roof of the Hall
The Hall Supreme Harmony is an example of the highest class of the palace architecture like a double-eave hip-roof style. On both ends of its stomach ridge are glazed ornaments called dragon mouths which can quench fire. The ornaments are not lonely decorations; these as well as have the connection court achievement of stabilizing the ridge and preventing rain from leaking into the building. The Hall has the largest dragon mouth existing from imperial era. A dragon month was considered to have magic facility. When one was made, the emperor would send first rank officials to greet it at the kiln; gone it was installed, a table was placed at the location for settle frustrate so as to sham in high regard to it. On the upturned eaves of the building, there are two rows of glazed nails where an immortal riding on the phoenix and 10 optional optional add-on mythical animals are placed. According to their recognized order, the ten animals are the dragon, phoenix, lion, sea horse, heavenly horse, Yaya, Suanni, Douniu and Hangshi. The animals and nails are not by yourself decorations;they with stabilize the glazed tiles about the roof. You can locate the immortal riding regarding a phoenix coarsely all upturned eave in the Forbidden City, but the numbers of the animals are rotate according to the class of the architecture. The animals are accretion starting from every quantity less of the row according to usual order and are always weird in number. For example, there is one animal for the Gate of Mental Cultivation; three for the watchtowers of the Forbidden City; five for the Palace of Gathering Excellence; seven for the Hall of Middle Harmony and nine for the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Ten animals were by yourself for buildings of the highest rank:The Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Pillars
The Hall of Supreme Harmony is supported by 72 pillars subsequent to 66 red pillars scattered going re for two sides. Six gold gilded pillars behind coiling dragons are placed upon both sides of the pessimistic throne.
Caisson
The caisson is stage say the Heavenly Well or Dragon Well. The one is the Hall of Supreme Harmony is round at the sharpness and square towards the bottom. Being 1.8 meters in depth, it is composed of upper, center and lower sections. The lowest section is a square competently. The center is octagonal though the upper section is circular. In the center of the caisson is a coiling dragon holding a hysterical mirror in the month. The mirror hanging high going on inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony represents the execution emperor.
Setting a caisson upon the ceiling implies the dignity of the emperor. Apart from the Hall of Supreme Harmony,there are caissons inside the most important structures of the Forbidden City, such as the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Placement of caissons inside public altars and temples used to put it on the huge gift of the Buddha and immortals. In add occurring, the caisson moreover has the meaning of conquering flare.
Emperor’s Throne
The main exhibit in the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the throne of the emperor. The mass throne is covered behind Golden Dragons. Behind it stands seven screens carved behind dragons and painted in golden paint. Above the throne is square caisson subsequently a dragon facing downwards. Six dragons carved upon the six golden painted pillars upon both sides of the throne. The dragons approach the throne, showcasing imperial dignity. The throne is upon an upraised platform, in the middle of a palace aficionado, provoke burners and cranes.
The throne was left astern by the Ming and successively used in the Qing. When Yuan Shikai restored feudal believe to be, the throne was removed and substituted once a couch of an confusing style. During to the fore period after the liberation, experts upon the Forbidden City discovered the original throne in a furniture warehouse. After a year’s repair, the throne was restored to its original condition.