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Meridian Gate - Wikipedia

Coordinates: 39°54′45″N 116°23′28″E / 39.91250°N 116.39111°E

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Meridian Gate
午门
The Meridian Gate, viewed from the south, in wintertime

Alternative names	Wumen
General information
Location	Forbidden City
Town or city	Beijing
Country	China
Coordinates	39°54′45″N 116°23′28″E / 39.91250°N 116.39111°E / 39.91250; 116.39111

Meridian Gate, viewed from the south

The Meridian Gate or Wumen (simplified Chinese: 午门; traditional Chinese: 午門; pinyin: Wǔmén; Manchu: ᠵᡠᠯᡝᡵᡤᡳ
ᡩᡠᠯᡳᠮᠪᠠᡳ
ᡩᡠᡴᠠ; Möllendorff: julergi dulimbai duka) is the southern and largest gate of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. Unlike the other gates of the Forbidden City, the Meridian Gate has two protruding arms on either side, derived from ancient que towers traditionally used to decorate the main entrances of palaces, temples and tombs. The gate has five arches. The three central arches are close together in the main, central section; the two flanking arches are farther apart from the three central arches, and are located between the central section and the protruding arms. The centre arch was formerly reserved for the Emperor alone; the exceptions were the Empress, who could enter it once on the day of her wedding, and the top three scholars of the triennial civil service examinations, who left the exams through the central arch. All other officials and servants had to use the four side arches.

A series of buildings form the superstructure of the gate. The central one is a pavilion of nine bays wide, with double eaves. On each of the protruding side, a 13 bays-long building with a single eave, connects the two pyramidal-roofed pavilions that represented the que towers.

Its superstructure is also called the "Five Phoenix Turrets" because it is composed of five buildings.^[1] Imperial proclamations and almanacs were issued from the gate house. After successful campaigns, the Emperor received prisoners of war here, sometimes followed by mass decapitations.^[2]

Although urban myth has it that senior officers were executed here in Imperial China; in reality only corporal punishment was actually carried out.

Behind the viewer is Upright Gate, the principal entrance to the imperial palace grounds.

When proceeding northward through the palace grounds, the next major gate encountered is the Gate of Supreme Harmony.

References

^ Yu, Zhuoyun (1984). Palaces of the Forbidden City. New York: Viking. p. 32. ISBN 0-670-53721-7.
^ Huang, Ray (1981). 1587, A Year of No Significance: The Ming Dynasty in Decline. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-02518-1.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meridian Gate (Forbidden City).

v t e Old city of Beijing
Subdivisions	Imperial City Forbidden City
Fortifications and towers	Andingmen Bell and Drum towers Chaoyangmen Chongwenmen Di'anmen Dongzhimen Duanmen Deshengmen Fuchengmen Guang'anmen Tiananmen Xizhimen Xuanwumen Yongdingmen Zhengyangmen Zhonghuamen
Forbidden City	Meridian Gate Gate of Supreme Harmony Hall of Mental Cultivation Hall of Supreme Harmony Belvedere of Embodying Benevolence Hall of Central Harmony Belvedere of Spreading Righteousness Hall of Preserving Harmony Gate of Thriving Imperial Clan Gate of Heavenly Purity Palace of Heavenly Purity Hall of Union Palace of Earthly Tranquility Gate of Divine Might
Imperial gardens, temples and offices	Jingshan Park Beihai Park Zhongnanhai Taimiao (Imperial Ancestral Temple) Zhongshan Park Confucius Temple Guozijian Beijing Ancient Observatory Beijing Zoo Old Summer Palace Summer Palace Fragrant Hills Jade Spring Hill Temple of Heaven Temple of Earth Temple of the Sun Temple of the Moon Xiannongtan (Temple of Agriculture)
Temples and gardens	Shichahai Yonghe Temple Fayuan Temple White Cloud Temple Zhenjue Temple Miaoying Temple Wanshou Temple Temple of Azure Clouds Badachu Dongyue Temple Guanghua Temple Tanzhe Temple Wofo Temple Big Bell Temple Bailin Temple Guangji Temple Fahai Temple Changchun Temple Zhihua Temple Yunju Temple Tianning Temple
Mosques and churches	Xuanwumen Cathedral Xishiku Church Xizhimen Church Wangfujing Church St. Michael's Church Niujie Mosque

Palace Museum

Forbidden City · History of the Forbidden City

Outer

Central Rd	Meridian Gate Gate of Glorious Harmony Gate of Blending Harmony Gate of Supreme Harmony Gate of Manifest Virtue Gate of Correct Conduct Hall of Supreme Harmony Hall of Central Harmony Hall of Preserving Harmony Belvedere of Embodying Benevolence Belvedere of Spreading Righteousness
East Rd	Hall of Literary Brilliance Belvedere of Literary Profundity

Inner

Central Rd	Gate of Heavenly Purity Palace of Heavenly Purity Hall of Union Palace of Earthly Tranquility Gate of Earthly Tranquility Gate of Thriving Imperial Clan Gate of Divine Prowess
West Rd	Hall of Mental Cultivation Palace of Eternal Longevity Hall of the Supreme Principle Palace of Eternal Spring Palace of Earthly Honour Palace of Universal Happiness Palace of Gathering Elegance
East Rd	Palace of Prolonging Happiness
Far East Rd	Palace of Tranquil Longevity

Architect

Kuai Xiang

Branches

Mainland China
- Beijing
  - Palace Museum
- Kulangsu
  - Kulangsu Gallery of Foreign Artifacts from the Palace Museum Collection
- Shenyang
  - Shenyang Imperial Palace Museum
- Nanjing
  - Nanjing Museum
Hong Kong
- West Kowloon
  - Hong Kong Palace Museum
Taiwan
- Taipei
  - National Palace Museum
- Chiayi
  - Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum

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References