Yangxindian (Hall of Mental Cultivation)

Yangxindian (Hall of Mental Cultivation) was built in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. From Emperor Yongzheng, the Qing emperors lived and practiced their rule here. Three emperors had died here.

The hall has a front hall and a rear hall which was the emperor's bedroom. In the center of the front hall, emperors summoned their ministers to consult state affairs. On the bookshelf behind the throne, there used to be books prepared for a new emperor to show him how to reign. In the East Warmth Chamber, the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi attended to state affairs behind curtain here. The chamber is now displayed same as her time. She ruled China behind a yellow curtain for 48 years here under her policy of quislism. In the West Warmth Chamber, emperors from Yongzheng to Xianfeng interviewed their ministers to consult or give secret orders. The small house in the west end is named Sanxitang (Hall of Three Rare Treasures), since Emperor Qianlong collected and held three outstanding calligraphy masterpieces by Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, and Wang Xun, three masters in Chinese calligraphy. There still hang plaques written by Emperor Qianlong.

The lobby extending between the center of the front hall and the rear hall connects them. There are five imperial bedrooms, one in the center and the other four flanking it. The courtyards east and west of the rear hall, are temporary lodgings of empresses and concubines respectively when they were granted interview and bed time with Emperors. They were forbidden to come here without the emperors' permission.

On February12th, 1912, under the heavy blow of the Revolution of 1911 led by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Emperor Dowager Longyu presided over the final cabinet meeting of the Qing Dynasty, and was forced to decide abdication and sign the imperial abdication declaration here. However, the imperial family was privileged to stay in the Inner Court until 1924 when they were driven out by General Feng Yuxiang.

Xiliugong (Six Western Palaces)

Xiliugong (Six Western Palaces) lies north of Yangxindian (Hall of Mental Cultivation), three palaces on each side of an alley running from north to south. The complex was originally built with the Forbidden City. The group of palaces includes Yongshougong (Palace of Eternal Longevity), Yikungong (Palace of the Queen Consort), Chuxiugong (Palace for Gathering Elegance), Taijidian (Hall of the Supreme Pole), Changchungong (Palace of Eternal Spring) and Xianfugong (Palace of Universal Happiness). Every palace has its own courtyard, the front hall and the rear hall, and annexes. They were the residences for emperors' women. Since in feudal China, emperors were polygamists, it was exaggerated that an emperor had 3,000 wives. Since polygamied emperors usually had at least dozens of ladies, these palaces were necessary to lodge them.

Chuxiugong (Palace of Gathering Elegance) is the most famous one among the six since the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi lived here for a long period. When hierarch Cixi was in power, although she was behind the throne, she spent huge amount of money to decorate the palace, making it the most luxurious one to celebrate her 50th birthday in 1884. Now it is exhibited to visitors same as that time.

Outside on the stone stands, there are a couple of bronze dragons and a couple of bronze deer. Inside, original delicate pieces of furniture and decorations now on display are all original pieces when Cixi used.