Beijing Palace Reconstruction Project

Timeline

1. 1414Fengtian Hall (today's Hall of Supreme Harmony) area, Forbidden City · BeijingIn the twelfth year of Yongle, construction of the wooden frames and white marble terraces of the three outer court halls—Fengtian, Huagai, and Jinshen—continued. Craftsmen followed the three courts and five gates system of the Rites of Zhou; the halls were grand in scale, with nanmu beams and columns procured from southern provinces and transported to Beijing, reflecting the Yongle court's ambition to mobilize the nation's resources to build the imperial capital.
2. 1414Palace of Heavenly Purity area, inner court of the Forbidden City · BeijingThe inner court's Palaces of Heavenly Purity, Earthly Tranquility, and Union of Harmony, along with the eastern and western six palace districts, were built simultaneously, forming the court pattern of front court and rear residence. The rear palace buildings were strictly regulated, providing venues for the imperial family's daily life and ceremonies, and together with the imperial city and Temple of Heaven projects formed the core space of the Yongle new capital.
3. 1414Imperial city walls, Beijing · BeijingConstruction of the imperial city walls surrounding the Forbidden City and dredging of the moat proceeded simultaneously, with the forms of palace gates such as the Meridian Gate and Gate of Divine Prowess established. Progress in the twelfth year of Yongle gradually gave the Beijing palace district full functions for imperial governance and residence, laying the foundation for formally establishing the capital in Beijing.