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AP®︎/College Art History
Course: AP®︎/College Art History > Unit 10
Lesson 2: China- Terracotta Warriors from the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China
- Terra cotta warriors from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (UNESCO/TBS)
- Funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui)
- Longmen caves, Luoyang
- Longmen Grottoes (UNESCO/NHK)
- Neo-Confucianism & Fan Kuan, Travelers by Streams and Mountains
- The David Vases
- The David Vases (Chinese porcelain)
- Chinese porcelain: production and export
- Chinese porcelain: decoration
- The Forbidden City
- The Forbidden City
- Liu Chunhua, Chairman Mao en Route to Anyuan
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The Forbidden City
In 1420, in an effort to consolidate his control over the throne, the emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) moved China's capital to a site in the North, now known as Bejing. There, he built a vast complex of palaces and administrative buildings now covering 178 acres. Because access was restricted to the imperial family and to those who had business with them, it came to be known as the Forbidden City. Learn more about the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) on the Asian Art Museum's education website. Created by Asian Art Museum.
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How much of the palace is original and not a restoration?(5 votes)
They have only experienced quite subtle restorations. You can take this: the last emperor lived well into the 1960s! His departure is in the 1920s!(2 votes)
How did the Yuan-ming-yuan, a.k.a. "Old Summer Palace," compare to the Forbidden City?(3 votes)- Yuanmingyuan was still quite expansive and grand -- I can't speak to precise dimensions, but you can still visit the ruins of it today, and they're huge. Overall it was pretty prestigious and walled-off, but the Forbidden City was still the main palace.
One interesting aspect to Yuanmingyuan is that it had a Western-style pavilion/area, which was constructed during the early Qing Dynasty. There's no Western flavors to the Forbidden City as far as I know, so that's a distinction.(4 votes)
Why is it alled the forbidden city(2 votes)
It is called "forbidden" because that's what it was to the people whose lives were governed from there. They could not go in.(4 votes)
What happened in Tienanmen Square on June 4th, 1989?(1 vote)- A dicatorial clique intent on preserving their power ordered young people with weapons to slaughter young people who were unarmed.(3 votes)
Was Puyi the only child? Didn't he have an siblings older than him to take the throne?(1 vote)- Here's the line of succession. You can see that someone was born in 1948, eligible for the throne, if only the empire hadn't ceased to exist. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_of_the_House_of_Aisin_Gioro
Simple silver crown.svg Min-ning, the Daoguang Emperor of China (1782-1850)
Simple silver crown.svg Yizhu, the Xianfeng Emperor of China (1831-1861)
Simple silver crown.svg Zaichun, the Tongzhi Emperor of China (1856-1875)
Yixuan, 1st Prince Chun (1840-1891)
Simple silver crown.svg Zaitian, the Guangxu Emperor of China (1871-1908)
Zaifeng, The Prince-Regent (1883-1951)
Simple silver crown.svg Puyi, the Xuantong Emperor of China, Emperor of Manchukuo (1906-1967)
Pujie, Head of the House of Aisin-Gioro (1907-1994)
Puren, Head of the House of Aisin-Gioro (1918-2015)
Jin Yuzhang, Head of the House of Aisin-Gioro (born 1942)[5]
(1) Jin Yuquan (金毓峑, born 1946)[6]
(2) Jin Yulan (金毓岚, born 1948)[7](2 votes)
why was it called the forbidden citie(1 vote)- It is called "forbidden" because that's what it was to the people whose lives were governed from there. They could not go in.(2 votes)
At1:27are the gates mentioned still open?(1 vote)
What is the name of the main palace?(1 vote)
At1:53, what are those costumed people doing?(1 vote)
those people are troops of the emperial army and they are worshipping and respecting the emperor(1 vote)
why is the meridian gate called this it is not in the middle(1 vote)
1:27Video transcript
[Music] in 1420 in an effort to consolidate his control over the throne the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty moved China's capital to a site in the north now known as Beijing there he built a vast complex of palaces and administrative buildings now covering 178 acres because access was restricted to members of the imperial family and those serving or having business with them it came to be known as the Forbidden City from here 24 Emperor's of the Ming and Qing dynasties ruled their vast country for over 500 years the Emperor's new palace took 1 million workers almost 20 years to construct [Music] everything from the location of the main buildings on the north/south axis the colors of roofs and walls to the number of bosses on doors carries symbolic meaning the precise design of the palace reflected the order that the Emperor was meant to bestow on his empire a visitor to the Forbidden City would have passed through several gates before reaching the meridian gate the main entrance to the palace this visitor was then required to enter through one of the smaller side doors one crossed the river of golden water and passed through another gate before approaching the Hall of supreme harmony the largest building in the Forbidden City here military and civil officials lined up for an audience with the Emperor officials checked that everyone was in the right spot and correctly attired then music sounded and the Emperor was carried into the hall in his yellow palanquin the Emperor was traditionally associated with the dragon seated on his dragon throne wearing a dragon robe the Emperor represented the apex of the Empire but the daily business of the Empire was conducted in the inner court this was where the Emperor his Empress and concubines lived attended by numerous maid servants and eunuchs the inner court mirrors the layout of the outer court on a smaller scale but residences and gardens give it a more intimate feel still all the luxuries should not conceal the fact that for the women in the palace and even the Emperor the Forbidden City was a golden cage the inhabitants rarely got to leave once they entered throughout the Forbidden City all possible precautions were taken to guard against the greatest danger for its buildings fire animals and figures on the roofs guarded against fires and evil spirits but all the auspicious symbols and elaborate rituals could not prevent the end of China's empire in 1911 for it was then that six-year-old Puyi abdicated the throne for the first time in china's history ordinary people were soon able to enter the Forbidden City the once inaccessible palace is now a museum and a monument to China's glorious past [Music] you [Music]