![]() When the Ming Dynasty of ethnic Han Chinese swept the Mongols from power in 1368, Dadu, Mongolian for “Great Capital,” was renamed Beiping, Chinese for “Northern Peace,” when the new regime moved to its new capital in Nanjing. The city has been China’s capital ever since-though briefly supplanted by the southern city of Nanjing during the early Ming years and in China’s brief Republican era of the first half of the twentieth century. The Yuan Dynasty (1271– 1368) chose Beijing, which translates as “Northern Capital,” as China’s seat of power in large part due to its proximity to the Mongol homelands to the north. Source: © Songquan Deng/Shutterstock photo.īeijing had been the capital for various groups that held power in north China for centuries before the Forbidden City was constructed, but it did not become a truly national capital until the Mongols swept through China in the thirteenth century. Here we explore the Forbidden City’s history and the thought process behind its design, outlining the cultural significance of certain color and numerical elements found within the complex. Along with the Great Wall, it is undeniably one of China’s most breathtaking tourist destinations and a must-see for any visitor to the Chinese capital. This United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)-designated World Heritage site is the largest intact wooden palace structure found anywhere on earth and has served as an open museum of China’s history for almost a century. The Forbidden City, the sprawling and imposing seat of Chinese Imperial power for almost 500 years, stands out in stark contrast against the ultramodern heart of contemporary Beijing.
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