On Wednesday 30th October, 2024, Anne Haworth gave a talk to on the Forbidden City, Beijing, to a full house at Les Cotils.
The Forbidden City is the Imperial Palace complex in the centre of Beijing, that has been the home and centre of government for 24 emperors of China, from 1420 until the last emperor abdicated as a young child in 1912 before finally being forced to leave in 1924.
Now a museum, and the most visited tourist sight in the world, it stands by the infamous Tiananmen Square, with a large image of Mao Zedong keeping watch over the square from above the main gate.
Anne explained how the palace complex is divided into an Outer Court for ceremonies and an Inner court that was the residence of the emperor and his thousands of servants, eunuchs and concubines. The courtyards are aligned with a North, South axis, and the whole city is surrounded by high, red walls and a moat.
The talk amply evoked the grandeur of the palace, especial the vast and impressive Hall of Supreme Harmony.
There were numerous questions from the audience at the end.
A review by Anne Haworth
