Gate of Heavenly Purity
TBD — verify against 故宫博物院
- The main gate to the Inner Court, where Qing emperors held court.
You have now crossed from the Outer Court into the Inner Court through the Gate of Heavenly Purity. This boundary was significant — beyond this point, no male officials were permitted after dark. During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi moved the daily court sessions here, making it the center of political power. The gate also witnessed dramatic moments: it was here that Emperor Yongzheng secretly placed his chosen successor's name in a sealed box behind the plaque above.
Image: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas (CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons)