Hall of Preserving Harmony in the Forbidden City

The Hall of Preserving Harmony in the Forbidden City is also located on the three-tier terrace and is another high-grade hall in the Forbidden City. When the emperor came from the Inner Court to the Outer.Court to attend grand ceremonies, he first came to the Hall of Preserving Harmony to change ceremonial robe. After that, he would go to the Hall of Middle Harmony to accept felicitations from executive offcials and wait for the auspicious time to go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to preside over the grand ceremonies.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony usually served as imperial banquet hall and examination place. In the early Qing dynasty, the Shunzhi and Kangxi emperors even lived there for a long time, In the 54th year of the Qianlong reign (1789), the Hall became the place for giving the Palace Examination, the highest-level examination in feudal China for official selection. Many high-ranking officials started their official careers here.

The names oftheThree Front Halls came from The Doctrine of the Mean,telling that the existences of all the beings are the results of harmony. With their harmonious names, the Three Front Halls lay a solid foundation for a stable rule.

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