4/21/2007 ~ Beijing: Forbidden City cont'd

On the Rio: Dawn Penn ~ You Don't Love Me

This is the largest stone carving in the Palace, at 16.75 meters long and 3.7 meters wide, and weighs more than 2 tons, hence the name, Large Stone Carving. It was carved out of a huge natural stone in the Ming Dynasty and then in 1761 the old carvings were hewn away and recarved. With beautiful interlocking lotus patterns all around the huge stone carving has curling waves at the bottom and nine dragons amidst clouds in the middle, as the dragon is an imperial symbol. The stone was transported to the Palace by sprinkling water on the way in winter to make an iced road and then pulled on the ice.

This is the Gate of National Prosperity (Jing Yun Men), constructed in 1420 and renovated in 1655, and is one of the gates leading to the inner court. Along both sides of the gate were Mongolian nobles offices. Unless summoned, visitors had to halt 20 paces from the gate to protect the emporer.

This is the Gate of Heavenly Purity (Qian Qing Men), also constructed in 1420 and rebuilt in 1655 after a fire destroyed it. In the Qing Dynasty the emporer heard reports here.