Gate of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City

As the highest gate in the Forbidden City, the Gate of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City was used by the emperor to listen to the reports of his officials in the Ming dynasty. In the Qing dynasty, the place for this routine work was changed to the Gate of Heavenly Purity. After the Qing dominated the Central Plains, Emperor Shunzhi released a decree at the Gate of Imperial Supremacy (present-day Gate of Supreme Harmony) to announce general amnesty in the nation. The Gate of Supreme Harmony today was rebuilt in the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894). It is the youngest architecture in the Forbidden City.

Before the Gate of Supreme Harmony is a pair of bronze lions cast in the Ming dynasty. The right front paw of the male lion steps on a sphere denoting imperial power while the left front paw of the lioness fondles her cub denoting flourishing posterity. The ancient Chinese believed that lion symbolized might and valor. In Buddhist doctrine, lion is the Guardian, It is said that he amount of the mane curls could tell a lion statue’s status. As a result, the mane curls of the lion statues in the Imperial Palace are more than those of the lion statues in prince mansions. The pair of the Ming bronze Iions before the Gate of Supreme Har-ony is the largest pair in China.

The Splendid Gate of Su-preme Harmony The Ming emperor lis-tened to the reports of his officials here in the early morning.

The bronze lion represents the jesty of the emperor.

Mythical animals on the ridge corner of the Hall of Su-preme Harmony. The number of the mythical animals could tell the grade of an ancient building.

Relevant attractions in the Forbidden City

Inner Golden Water River
Gate of Supreme Harmony
Three Front Halls
Pavilion of Manifesting Benevolence and Pavilion of Expanding Justice
Hall of Supreme Harmony
Hall of Middle Harmony
Hall of Preserving Harmony