Hidden Corners of the Forbidden City
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Forbidden City was the royal palace of China and a major player in Chinese history. With poetic expressions and intimate familiarity with historical data, senior Forbidden City researcher Zhu Yong solves several mysteries involving the Forbidden City in his book Hidden Corners of the Forbidden City, while taking readers on a tour of the ancient complex with a fresh perspective.
In Zhu’s opinion, the Forbidden City itself is “hidden” in the shadows. In the preface, Zhu Yong notes: “The so-called ‘hidden corner’ is a relative concept. For instance, since an emperor governs the whole country, he has the right to know everything about his land, not to mention the palace. For his people, however, the hidden parts were areas closed to the public or places that received only scant attention. As the years rolled on, these areas remain silent and mysterious as ever, and even today draw us to their secrets and taboos.”
In the book, Zhu leads readers through the Hall of Martial Valor, the Garden of Compassion and Tranquility, the Hall of Manifesting Benevolence, the Palace of Longevity and Peace, the Belvedere of Literary Profundity and the Studio of Exhaustion from Diligent Service, carefully revealing the historical secrets masked by the shadows of these hidden corners. For example, Chinese peasant uprising leader Li Zicheng overthrew the Ming Dynasty in 1644. Why did he choose to ascend the throne in the Hall of Martial Valor in the morning, and then burn it to the ground that evening? Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi, who inhabited the Garden of Compassion and Tranquility, was an effective, committed leader, so why did he face mutiny? Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong personally supervised construction of his utopia: the Studio of Exhaustion from Diligent Service. So why didn’t he stay in the studio even one night? Thanks to Zhu’s descriptions, many historical figures including Kangxi, Qianlong, Li Zicheng come back to life, revealing their personalities as human beings. The work of Li Shaobai, who devoted 10 years to photographing the Forbidden City, is also featured heavily.
For Zhu Yong, the Forbidden City is a subject about which he could spend his whole life writing. The Forbidden City is as charming as ever, as described by his pen. However, in his books The Old Palace, The Bloodstained Imperial Court, Stories behind the Forbidden Palace, the Forbidden City is not the only subject – they contain comprehensive observations of Chinese history from his own unique perspective.
Over 120 citations are included with Zhu Yong’s writing, covering realms of philosophy, history, fine arts, literature, and many other subjects. As one critic opined, “In Zhu’s work, we see the show staged in front of us, and even feel the temperature and heartbeat of the characters.” While respecting historical facts, he always attempts to look at the story from another angle – from the point of contemporary values and language. These two aspects complement each other, giving him a chance to guide us to historical sites with an objective view yet subjective interpretation.”
Chinese writer Zhu Yong is an associate research librarian of the National Palace Museum and member of the Beijing Writers’ Association. He once held an art residency at the University of California Berkeley and has published many literary works including 1911 and Stories Behind the Forbidden Palace, and produced historical documentaries such as The 1911 Revolution. He won the Guo Moruo Award on Poems and Prose, the Starlight Award and many other honors in the field of Chinese literature and film.
The Yuhua Pavilion is the largest of many Buddhist prayer halls in the Forbidden City. On its roof is a bronze dragon with a gold-plated cover. by Li Shaobai, 2004
The Palace of Heavenly Purity is superior to every other structure in the Inner Court of Forbidden City. It served as the sleeping quarters for 14 emperors of the Ming Dynasty and Emperors Kangxi and Shuzhi of the Qing Dynasty. by Li Shaobai, 2008
The Palace of Compassion and Tranquility was used to hold ceremonies for widows of late emperors. by Zhu Yong, 2014
The Hall of Martial Valor, historically used for governmental affairs and ceremonies, as well as imperial cultural events. Chinese rebel leader Li Zicheng ascended the throne in the Hall of Martial Valor in 1644. by Li Shaobai, 2008