Architecturally,
this hall has no supporting pillars in its front part, something typical
of Ming architecture.
Announcing
the function of the Hall of Preserving Harmony
In the Qing Dynasty, banquets were given on New Year's Eve in honour
of Mongolian princes and high-ranking officials. The Hall Preserving
Harmony was used as a banquet hall to entertain the princes and envoys
of the Mongolian and other nationalities on Lunar New Year's Even. During
the Qing Dynasty, it was the place for the imperial examinations held
once every three years. Three hundreds scholars from all over the country
came to this hall and took the exams that lasted three days and three
nights.
Details
of the imperial examination
The civil service exams in china started in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD),
and served the purpose of recruiting Confucian scholars to be ministers
and high officials, but later it was suspended. The system resumed in
the Tang Dynasty and lasted until 1905.
In the
Ming and Qing dynasties, there were three levels of exams: the county
and prefectural level, the provincial level and the national level.
The national level exam was presided over by the emperor himself. The
three scholars who passed the exam with the best score would get honorable
titles. They would have the honor to ride on horses through the streets
and go through the central gate of the palace. This was deemed the greatest
honor for scholars in the past.
Secrets
of the Marble Ramp Carved with Cloud and Dragon Design (Yunlongshidiao)
This stone carving is part of the marble staircase at the back of the Hall of Preserving Harmony. It is carved with
designs of clouds and nine dragons.
This was the biggest stone carving in the palace in the Ming Dynasty,
and it was recarved during the reign of Qing emperor Qianlong. The stone
slab is 16.75 meters long, 3.07 meters wide, 1.7 meters thick and weighs
about 250 tons. It was quarried from Fangshan District, 70 kilometers
southwest of Beijing, and the transportation required twenty thousand
people. Can you imagine how they managed to carry such a huge stone
all the way to the palace without modern means of transport? In winter
they sank wells along the way, and poured water on the ground to make
a road of ice. And in summer, they used rolling logs instead. The work
at that time brought tremendous hardship to the laboring people.
Beijing Tour Routes Includes Forbidden City:
Photo of Forbidden City
|