Editing Forbidden City (section)

=== Inner Court or the Northern Section ===
The Inner Court is separated from the Outer Court by an oblong courtyard lying [[orthogonal]] to the city's main axis. It was the home of the Emperor and his family. In the Qing dynasty, the Emperor lived and worked almost exclusively in the Inner Court, with the Outer Court used only for ceremonial purposes.<ref name="Yu 73">p. 73, Yu (1984)</ref>

==== Back Three Palaces ====
At the centre of the Inner Court is another set of three halls (L). From the south, these are:
*[[Palace of Heavenly Purity]] ({{linktext|乾|清|宮}})
*[[Hall of Union]]
*[[Palace of Earthly Tranquility]]
Smaller than the Outer Court halls, the three halls of the Inner Court were the official residences of the Emperor and the Empress. The Emperor, representing [[Yin and Yang|Yang]] and the Heavens, would occupy the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The Empress, representing [[Yin and Yang|Yin]] and the Earth, would occupy the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. In between them was the Hall of Union, where the [[Yin and Yang]] mixed to produce harmony.<ref name="Yu 75">p. 75, Yu (1984)</ref>

[[File:Transmongolie-676 (27131815114).jpg|thumb|The throne in the [[Palace of Heavenly Purity]]]]
[[File:Neun-Drachen-Mauer.jpg|thumb|The Nine Dragons Screen in front of the [[Palace of Tranquil Longevity]]]]
[[File:故宫御花园 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The Imperial Garden]]

The [[Palace of Heavenly Purity]] is a double-eaved building, and set on a single-level white marble platform. It is connected to the [[Gate of Heavenly Purity]] to its south by a raised walkway. In the Ming dynasty, it was the residence of the Emperor. However, beginning from the [[Yongzheng Emperor]] of the [[Qing dynasty]], the Emperor lived instead at the smaller [[Hall of Mental Cultivation]] (N) to the west, out of respect to the memory of the [[Kangxi Emperor]].<ref name="CCTV2" /> The Palace of Heavenly Purity then became the Emperor's audience hall.<ref name="Yu 78">p. 78, Yu (1984)</ref> A caisson is set into the roof, featuring a coiled dragon. Above the throne hangs a tablet reading "Justice and Honour" ({{zh|c={{linktext|明|光|大|正}}|p=míngguāng dà zhèng}}).<ref>p. 51, Yang (2003)</ref>

The [[Palace of Earthly Tranquility]] ({{linktext|坤|寧|宮}}) is a double-eaved building, 9 bays wide and 3 bays deep. In the Ming dynasty, it was the residence of the Empress. In the Qing dynasty, large portions of the Palace were converted for Shamanist worship by the new Manchu rulers. From the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor, the Empress moved out of the Palace. However, two rooms in the Palace of Earthly Harmony were retained for use on the Emperor's wedding night.<ref name="Yu 80-83">pp. 80–83, Yu (1984)</ref>

Between these two palaces is the [[Hall of Union]], which is square in shape with a pyramidal roof. Stored here are the 25 Imperial [[Chinese seal|Seals]] of the Qing dynasty, as well as other ceremonial items.<ref name="CCTV3" />

Behind these three halls lies the Imperial Garden (M). Relatively small, and compact in design, the garden nevertheless contains several elaborate landscaping features.<ref name="Yu 121">p. 121, Yu (1984)</ref> To the north of the garden is the Gate of Divine Might.

Directly to the west is the [[Hall of Mental Cultivation]] (N). Originally a minor palace, this became the ''de facto'' residence and office of the Emperor starting from Yongzheng. In the last decades of the Qing dynasty, empresses dowager, including Cixi, held court from the eastern partition of the hall. Located around the Hall of Mental Cultivation are the offices of the [[Grand Council (Qing dynasty)|Grand Council]] and other key government bodies.<ref name="Yu 87">p. 87, Yu (1984)</ref>

The north-eastern section of the Inner Court is taken up by the Palace of Tranquil Longevity ({{linktext|寧|壽|宮}}) (O), a complex built by the [[Qianlong Emperor]] in anticipation of his retirement. It mirrors the set-up of the Forbidden City proper and features an "outer court", an "inner court", and gardens and temples. The entrance to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity is marked by a glazed-tile [[Nine Dragons Screen]].<ref name="Yu 115">p. 115, Yu (1984)</ref>

==== Six Western and Six Eastern Palaces ====
To the west and to the east of the three main halls of the inner court are the Six Western Palaces (西六宫; ''xīliùgōng'') and the Six Eastern Palaces (东六宫; ''dōngliùgōng''). These palaces were the residences of the imperial [[Imperial Chinese harem system|consorts]]. Six palaces lay to the west and six to the east of the three main halls, hence the name. The architecture of the twelve palaces, connected by passageways, is more or less the same. The Western and Eastern Palaces each have a layout of three palaces on either side of an alley that runs from north to south. Every palace has its own courtyards, main halls, and side-halls. The main halls stand in the middle and the side-halls are in the east and west. The front courtyard and its main hall was used for receptions, while the back courtyard and its main hall served as living quarters.

An imperial consort with the rank of concubine and above was given a residence in the main section of a palace and was the manager of that palace, an honor in itself. Lower ranking imperial consorts (noble ladies and below) lived in the side halls of the palaces and were supervised by the higher ranking imperial consort.

The twelve palaces were the place where many of the Qing emperors were born and grew up, and they formed the daily life of the imperial family.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/forbidden/six_western.htm |title=Six Western Palaces, Xiliugong - Forbidden City, Beijing |website=www.travelchinaguide.com |access-date=20 April 2019 |archive-date=10 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110051017/https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/forbidden/six_western.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/forbidden/six_eastern.htm |title=Six Eastern Palaces, Dongliugong - Forbidden City, Beijing |website=www.travelchinaguide.com |access-date=9 May 2020 |archive-date=10 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110051123/https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/forbidden/six_eastern.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the late Qing era, [[Empress Dowager Cixi]] resided in one of the Western Palaces and became known as the "western empress", while her co-regent [[Empress Dowager Ci'an]] lived in one of the Eastern Palaces and was thus known as the "eastern empress".

The names of the palaces were:

'''Western Six Palaces''' 
*[[Palace of Eternal Longevity]] (永寿宫; ''Yǒngshòugōng'')
*[[Hall of the Supreme Principle]] (太极殿; ''Tàijídiàn'')
*[[Palace of Eternal Spring]] (长春宫; ''Chǎngchūngōng'')
*[[Palace of Earthly Honour]] (翊坤宫; ''Yìkūngōng'')
*{{interlanguage link|Palace of Gathering Elegance|ko|저수궁|vi|Trữ Tú cung|zh|儲秀宮}} (储秀宫; ''Chǔxiùgōng'')
*[[Palace of Universal Happiness]] (咸福宫; ''Xíanfúgōng'')

'''Eastern Six Palaces'''
*{{interlanguage link|Palace of Great Benevolence|vi|Cảnh Nhân cung|zh|景仁宮}} (景仁宫; ''Jǐngréngōng'')
*[[Palace of Heavenly Grace]] (承乾宫; ''Chéngqiángōng'')
*{{interlanguage link|Palace of Accumulated Purity|vi|Chung Túy cung|zh|鍾粹宮}} (锺粹宫; ''Zhōngcuìgōng'')
*[[Palace of Prolonging Happiness]] (延禧宫; ''Yánxǐgōng'')
*{{interlanguage link|Palace of Great Brilliance|ko|경양궁|vi|Cảnh Dương cung|zh|景陽宮}} (景阳宫; ''Jǐngyánggōng'')
*{{interlanguage link|Palace of Eternal Harmony|vi|Vĩnh Hòa cung|zh|永和宮}} (永和宫; ''Yǒnghégōng'')

====Cining Palace and Shoukang Palace====
To the west of the [[Hall of Mental Cultivation]] (N) in the western area of the Inner Court is Cining Palace (Palace of Compassion and Tranquility) and Shoukang Palace (Palace of Longevity and Good Health). The palaces were the residences of widowed consorts of previous emperors. In accordance with feudal manners, emperors should not live with the wives of late emperors, so they lived in this separate area of the Inner Court. The Cining palace is bigger and older than Shoukang Palace which is located to the west of Cining Palace. To the south of Cining Palace is Cining garden.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/forbidden/compassion-tranquility-palace.htm |title=Palace of Compassion and Tranquility - Forbidden City |website=www.travelchinaguide.com |access-date=9 May 2020 |archive-date=10 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110051034/https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/beijing/forbidden/compassion-tranquility-palace.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>