Monday, May 5, 2008Beijing
The Hall of Preserving Harmony marks the transition from the ceremonial Outer Court to the private Inner Court where the Emperor and his family actually lived. This smaller courtyard is a kind of “no man’s land” between home and the rest of the world.
On the back (north) side of the Hall of Preserving Harmony, there’s an intricately carved ramp flanked by two sets of steps, traversing the entire ninety-eight feet from the ceremonial hall platform to the “floor” of the Inner Court. In these carvings, dragons chase pearls through the clouds in an etherial image of the Emperor in the heavens. Only the Emperor himself was allowed to use this ramp (carried on platforms, the carriers using the steps on either side). This ramp is the largest in the Forbidden City, and is truly a sight to behold.
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