Also known as the Forbidden City, the Palace Museum was the imperial palace for the Ming and Qing dynasties and is a symbol of ancient China. As you walk within the majestic and orderly walls and deep courtyards, you can truly feel its former glory. Its long history has left behind a large scale of precious architecture and countless cultural relics, which have become the main attractions for visiting the Forbidden City today.
Visiting the ancient architectural complex, the Forbidden City, is one of the best-preserved and largest wooden structures in China and the world. These resplendent buildings can be divided into two main parts: the ‘Outer Court’ and the ‘Inner Court’. The Qianqing Gate serves as the boundary, with the area south of the gate being the Outer Court, where the emperor handled government affairs, and the area north of the gate being the Inner Court, where the empress and concubines lived, representing the emperor’s family life. Walking through the Golden Throne Hall, Qianqing Palace, and Kunning Palace, and enjoying the flowers and plants in the emperor’s private garden, one feels as if they have traveled back to a historical drama.
Admire a vast collection of precious cultural relics. The Forbidden City houses a vast collection of precious cultural relics, with millions of pieces. Divided into multiple exhibition halls based on the type of cultural relics, the Hall of Treasures and the Clock Exhibition Hall are particularly eye-catching. The Clock Exhibition Hall features clock performances at 11 am and 2 pm every day, where you can see a variety of uniquely shaped rare mechanical clocks from the Qing Dynasty, which will certainly broaden your horizons.
Tourist routes cover a vast area of the Forbidden City, with more than 70 palaces of various sizes. There are numerous tourist routes. To thoroughly explore, it is recommended to allocate a full day. If you only have a cursory look at the main palaces, about two hours will suffice.
Two-hour tour recommended route: If you have about two hours, it is suggested to visit along the central axis of the Forbidden City. The essence of the scenic spots is basically on this line, with less walking time.
1. Meridian Gate – Taihe Gate – Hongyi Pavilion (Imperial Ceremonial Music Exhibition) – Taihe Hall – Zhonghe Hall – Baohe Hall – Qianqing Gate – Qianqing Palace – Jiaotai Hall – Kunning Palace – Imperial Garden – Shenwu Gate
2. Meridian Gate – Taihe Gate – Taihe Hall – Baohe Hall West Wing (Treasures of the天府 Yongchang Exhibition) – Baohe Hall East Wing (Palace and Courtyard Exhibition) – Zhonghe Hall – Baohe Hall – Qianqing Gate – Qianqing Palace – Jiaotai Hall – Kunning Palace – Imperial Garden – Shenwu Gate
Half-day tour recommended route: If you feel that a two-hour tour is not enough, you can also visit the courtyards of the East and West Six Palaces, where the favored concubines of the Forbidden City once lived. Or visit the Clock Exhibition Hall and the Hall of Treasures to admire the precious cultural relics.
1. Meridian Gate – Wenhua Hall (Porcelain Hall) – Taihe Gate – Taihe Hall – Zhonghe Hall – Baohe Hall – Fengxian Hall (Clock Exhibition Hall) – Qianqing Palace – Jiaotai Hall – Kunning Palace – Yangxin Hall – West Six Palaces Area – Imperial Garden – Shenwu Gate
2. Meridian Gate – Wuying Hall (Calligraphy and Painting Hall) – Taihe Gate – Taihe Hall – Zhonghe Hall – Baohe Hall – Qianqing Palace – Jiaotai Hall – Kunning Palace – East Six Palaces Area – Zhai Palace – Ningshou Palace Area (Treasures, Stone Drum Hall) – Ningshou Palace Area Rear Quarters (Treasures, Opera Hall, and Zhenfei Well) – Shenwu Gate
One-day tour recommended route: The one-day tour plan includes almost all the important palaces and exhibition halls in the Forbidden City Museum, but it is also necessary to pay attention to time during the visit and choose the exhibition content that interests you.
If one lingers at every spot, a day may not be enough to fully appreciate the splendor. The Meridian Gate – Wuying Palace (Calligraphy and Painting Gallery) – Wenhua Hall (Ceramics Gallery) – Taihe Gate – Taihe Hall – Zhonghe Hall – Baohe Hall – Qianqing Palace – Jiaotai Hall – Kunning Palace – Yangxin Hall – West Six Palaces Area – Imperial Garden – East Six Palaces Area – Fengxian Hall (Clock Exhibition) – Ningshou Palace Area (Treasure Gallery, Opera House) – Shenwu Gate are the classic sites where emperors held grand ceremonies.
The Taihe Hall, commonly known as the Hall of Supreme Harmony, was the venue for grand ceremonies during the Ming and Qing dynasties. On the day of the grand ceremony, from Taihe Hall to outside Tiananmen, a massive procession was set up, with the Zhonghe Shaoyue music in front of the eaves of Taihe Hall, the Danbi Grand Music inside Taihe Gate, princes and dukes standing on the Danbi, and civil and military officials from the first to the ninth rank gathered on both sides of the imperial road, displaying the ‘Grade Mountain’. The place where the emperor held court – Yangxin Hall, is a ‘work’ shaped building, divided into front and back halls. Since the reign of Emperor Yongzheng of Qing, the emperor’s bedroom was moved to the back hall, and the front hall became the place where the emperor dealt with daily affairs and received officials. The magnificent stone bridge in the Forbidden City – Jinshui Bridge, there are five Jinshui bridges in front of Taihe Gate Square, single-hole arched, with beautiful shapes, contrasting with the majestic Meridian Gate and the resplendent Taihe Hall, fascinating to visitors. The bridal chamber for the emperor’s marriage – Kunning Palace, is one of the three rear palaces in the Forbidden City. In the Ming Dynasty, Kunning Palace was the bedroom of the empress, but it gradually became a place for worship in the Qing Dynasty. The venue for the ‘Palace Examination’ – Baohe Hall, is the essence of traditional Chinese palace architecture, a palatial building in the Forbidden City. Every New Year’s Eve, the emperor would feast minority princes and ministers here. Since the later period of Emperor Qianlong, it has become the venue for the ‘Palace Examination’. Unique treasures – Treasure Gallery, located in the Ningshou Palace area, the collection of treasures is particularly rich, including Buddhist items, jewelry, daily utensils, and rare collectibles. Among them, the red coral lion about fourteen centimeters high, the Dongzhu Chao Zhu about one hundred and thirty centimeters long, and the gold ‘Fengtian Zhi Bao’ seal are all rare treasures. Exquisitely shaped various clocks – Clock Exhibition, located in Fengxian Hall in the palace, the displayed clocks are mostly British products, but there are also clocks from France, Switzerland, and other countries. In addition to timing functions, the characters, birds, animals, and flowers decorated on these clocks can also perform various different actions, and the production is very exquisite. Among them, the copper-plated gold writing person clock, the copper-plated gold inlaid enamel gourd top fisherman, woodcutter, farmer, and reader clock, and the copper-plated gold turning flower running person rhinoceros carrying the table are very rare. The full text is open from April 1st to October 31st, Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30-17:00; from November 1st to March 31st, Tuesday to Sunday, 08:30-16:30; the whole year, Monday, the whole day is not open; New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, 08:30-16:30; Qingming Festival, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, 08:30-17:00, stop entering the garden includes the Clock Exhibition and Treasure Gallery.Preferential Policies for Minors: Chinese citizens under 18 years old (excluding), including residents of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and foreigners with permanent residency (accompanied by a guardian), must book in advance on the official website for free entry. Free for Seniors: Age 60 and above. Discount for Students: Students aged 18 and above, with undergraduate or lower qualifications (including undergraduate, excluding adult education and postgraduate), can enjoy discounts with a student ID or school letter.
Free for People with Disabilities: With a disability certificate. Free for Military Personnel: On ‘August 1st’ Army Day, active military personnel with valid documents can enter for free. Free for Retired Cadres: With a retirement certificate. Half-price for Low-income Individuals: Those holding a social security payment certificate in this city can enjoy half-price entry with valid original documents. Half-price for Women: On ‘March 8th’ Women’s Day, female visitors can enjoy half-price entry. Half-price for Accompanying Parents: On ‘June 1st’ Children’s Day, one accompanying parent of children under 14 years old (including 14 years old) can enjoy half-price entry. Additional Information: Free tickets for minors (including the Treasure Gallery and Clock Exhibition) must be booked in advance. Service Facilities: Luggage Storage: The reference price is subject to the on-site rate; Address: East side outside the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Divine Might; Luggage can be transported for free between the Meridian Gate (South Gate) and the Gate of Divine Might (North Gate). Site Interpretation: The Palace Museum offers electronic guided services. Electronic self-service locations: Taihe Gate, and both sides of the three main halls. Contact Phone Numbers: Visitor Service Center (Duanmen): 85007938, Taihe Gate Information Desk: 85007420. Audio Guide Rental: Reference Price: 20 yuan per set for Mandarin and Cantonese versions, 40 yuan per set for other languages; Deposit per set: 100 yuan; Address: Inside the Meridian Gate and the Gate of Divine Might. Stroller Rental: Reference Price: Free; Address: Visitor Service Center. Restrooms: Restrooms are located near the ticket office, visitor center, Orchid Pavilion Exhibition Room, Armory, Southern Group Houses, Chengqian Gate, and other facilities, with clear signs. Mother and Baby Room: Located near the Longzong Gate in the Palace Museum, there is a Nursing Center. Accessibility: The Palace Museum has accessible pathways with clear signs, and assistance from staff is available if needed. ATMs: There are two ATMs inside the Palace Museum; specific locations can be found on the official website of the Palace Museum. Dining: Restaurants are located near Longzong Gate, Jingyun Gate, Arrow Pavilion, Yangxin Hall, and Shen Ning Palace (two locations). Souvenir Shops: There are 20 shops within the Palace Museum, located near Wuying Hall (one), Wenhua Hall (one), Jingyun Gate (two), Yangxin Hall (one), Qianqing Palace (three), Jiaoqin Hall (two), Imperial Garden (six), Qianlong Garden (one), Huangji Store (two), and Shenwu Gate (one).Convenience Stores: The Palace Museum is equipped with convenience stores located at the entrance and exit of the scenic area, as well as along the mid-tourist road, near the Kunning Palace, Jiaotai Hall, and Shenwu Gate. Alipay and WeChat Pay are accepted.
