Hall of Union

I am the Hall of Union, standing between the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, one of the three halls in the Inner Court. My name derives from the Book of Changes, symbolizing the union of heaven and earth, bringing harmony and prosperity. I was built before the Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty, rebuilt during the Shunzhi and Kangxi reigns of the Qing, and damaged by fire from the Palace of Heavenly Purity in 1797, then restored the same year. I was the site where the empress received congratulations on her birthday, and I house the 25 Imperial Seals of the Qing dynasty, selected by the Qianlong Emperor in 1746, used for decrees, military affairs, justice, and more. Inside hangs a plaque reading 'Wu Wei' (non-action) copied by Qianlong from his grandfather Kangxi’s calligraphy, flanked by couplets, and behind the throne is a screen inscribed with Qianlong’s 'Inscription on the Hall of Union. ' In the eastern chamber stands a water clock, in the western a large mechanical clock that once set palace time. I witness the union of heaven and earth, and guard the empire’s authority.