West Sixth Palace District of the Forbidden City-the residence of the emperor's wives and concubines

The Sixth Palace in the West of the Forbidden City was used as the residence of the emperor's wives and concubines in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The West Sixth Palace area is located on the left side of the central axis of the inner court and corresponds to East Sixth Palace . West Sixth Palace includes: Yongshou Palace , Yikun Palace , Chuxiu Palace , Tai Chi Palace , Changchun Palace and Xian. The singing and dancing here seems to have been last night, but in a blink of an eye, people are already empty. Only those high walls and deep courtyards, accompanied by water like moonlight, seem to tell the stories of the past...

, Chuxiu Palace

Cixi lived in the Sixth Palace for most of his life. How many weird stories have happened there, how many wronged souls there have been, there is no textual research. All going, no matter the tranquility is like water, or the huge waves of the sky; no matter the king's love and hatred, the love and hatred of the palace, or the intrigue of the world, they are all dusted in this ancient and mysterious harem. This is the harem, separated by only a wall, some are a collection of thousands of pets, and some are alone and lonely for a lifetime.

Yongshou Palace , one of the six palaces of the inner court, was built in the 18th year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1420), originally named Changle Palace. Jiajing was renamed Yude Palace in the 14th year (1535), and Wanli was renamed Yongshou Palace in the forty-fourth year (1616). Continued to use in the Qing Dynasty. In the 12th year of Shunzhi (1655), the 36th year of Kangxi (1697), and the 23rd year of Guangxu (1897) in the Qing Dynasty, they were all rebuilt or overhauled, but they still basically maintained the pattern of the original Ming Dynasty. Yongshou, from "The Analects", expresses the prayer for benevolence and longevity.

Yongshou Palace was the residence of the concubines of the Ming Dynasty and the concubines of the Qing Dynasty.In the eighteenth year of Wanli of the Ming Dynasty (1590), the emperor summoned scholars , Shen Shixing and others here; in the eleventh year of Chongzhen (1638), the emperor lived in this palace because of the frequent occurrence of domestic disasters and anomalies. The birth mother of Emperor Ming Xiaozong, who was the only emperor born in Lenggong in the Ming and Qing dynasties, lived here briefly.

Yongshoumen

The concubine Ji of the Ming Dynasty was the daughter of a local minority native official in Hexian County, Guangxi. Her father was the leader of the local ethnic group and took the lead against the rule of the Ming Dynasty. He was suppressed by the imperial court. Plundered to the capital as a slave. Ji was looted to the capital, because Ji was young and dignified, so he was kept in the palace for use. As she grew older, she was awarded the title of female historian and managed the royal books because of her alertness and communication. Once, Ji's family was lucky enough by the Xianzong to become pregnant with a dragon.

At that time, Emperor Xianzong was in love with Wan Guifei , who was eighteen years older than him. Concubine Wan Gui was arrogant, and especially could not tolerate pregnancy of other women in the palace. He was forced to take medicine to abort the child, but the fetus was not beaten down. The eunuch Zhang Min moved a heart of compassion and lied that Ji was not pregnant because of stomach bloating, so he escaped. According to the Ming Dynasty palace regulations, sick or guilty ladies could not stay in the palace, so Ji was sent to the Yangfangjiadao courtyard on the west side of Beihai to be confined. On July 3, the sixth year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty (1470), Ji gave birth to the prince. 朱佑樘.

Chenghua Eleven years (1475), one day, Zhu Jianshen summoned Zhang Min to comb his hair and sighed to the mirror and said, "I am old and do not have a son yet." Zhang Min said: " The official is a capital offender. Long live already has a son." Zhu Jian was stunned and asked where? Zhang Min said that the prince submerged " Xi Nei ". He is now 5 years old and has been hiding the news and dare not spread it. "Zhu Jianshen was overjoyed.Immediately send an eunuch to "Xinei" to pick up the prince.

The eunuch came to Ji's place, and Ji held his son and cried, "Go, I'm afraid I won't be able to survive. You see a man in a dragon robe, and he is your father." The prince wore a small scarlet robe, took Xiaoyu, rushed to the bottom, and threw himself into Zhu Jianshen's arms. Zhu Jianshen hugged him on his knees, caressed him for a long time, crying with joy and sorrow, "Really my son, so like me." He immediately decreed that Wyan went to the cabinet to announce this to the ministers. All the ministers are happy. Tomorrow, everyone congratulates and issues an edict to the world. Mingji moved to the Yongshou Palace and summoned him several times.

According to Ming Dynasty palace regulations, sick or guilty maids were not allowed to stay in the palace. Ji was sent to the Yangfangjiadao courtyard on the west side of Beihai to be confined. Ming Xianzong gave birth to prince Zhu Youzhan in the sixth year of Chenghua. The eunuch Zhang Min and others hid the baby boy in a dark room and secretly fed it. Zhu Youzhan grew up to 5 years old, and Zhang Min looked for an opportunity to cry about his secrets to Emperor Xianzong. At that time, Xianzong had no children, so he went to the Beihai sheep house to visit his son. The 5-year-old Zhu Youzhan came out of the dark room. He was very thin, with unshaved fetuses, and his hair dragged down his feet. Ming Xianzong was so sad and joyful, so he took Zhu You. He took in the imperial palace and was named the prince. Because of the blessing of his children, Ji was named a concubine, escaped from the sea of ​​suffering, and lived in the Yongshou Palace.

But only one month after the good days, Ji suddenly fell ill and died. The palace agreed that Concubine Wan Gui was killed, but the emperor ignored it and refused to pursue it, which became a tragic case in the history of Yongshou Palace.

Zhu Youzheng experienced ups and downs since childhood and died nine deaths, so after he took the throne, he was honest and wise . Zhu Youzhan was the only emperor among the emperors of Chinese feudal society who had only one woman. He is a rare emperor in Chinese history who has been indifferent to female sex for a lifetime. Not only did he have no concubine, but he did not register a concubine. He just lived a folkly loving husband and wife life with the empress Zhang. Emperor Xiaozong Hongzhi Emperor Zhuyou During the 18 years of his reign, he governed Qingming, served as capable officials, restrained officials, worked hard in politics, and advocated conservation. This was a rare economic prosperity in the history of the Ming Dynasty and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. In peacetime, it was called " Hongzhi Zhongxing" in history.

Emperor Shunzhi's noble concubine in the Qing Dynasty Dong E's , the concubine Ke, the concubine of Emperor Jiaqing used to live here. In the thirteenth year of Yongzheng (1735), Emperor Yongzheng collapsed, Emperor Xiaoshengxian lived in Yongshou Palace, Emperor Qianlong lived in Tomci on the south corridor of Qianqing Palace, and greeted Yongshou Palace. In the thirty-seventh year of Qianlong (1772) and Princess Ke Heshuo married, in the fifty-fourth year of Qianlong (1789) and Princess Xiaogulun married the son of Heshen, they all hosted a banquet in the Yongshou Palace.

Yikun Palace , one of the six palaces of the inner court, was the residence of concubines and concubines during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Zheng Guifei and Chongzhen Emperor beloved concubine Yuan Guifei from the Wanli Dynasty in Ming Dynasty, and the concubine Yi concubine Guo Luoluo and Cixi in his later years were the masters here. Yikun Palace was built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420) and was originally called Wan'an Palace. In the 14th year of Jiajing (1535), it was changed to Yikun Palace. The Qing continues to use the old name of the Ming Dynasty. It was repaired many times in the Qing Dynasty, and it was originally the second hospital. The apse body and hall were changed into Chuxiu Palace and Yikun Palace in the late Qing Dynasty when it was connected to Chuxiu Palace, and Yikun Palace became the front hall of the courtyard of Chuxiu Palace. One of the east and west penthouses was changed into a passage, connecting Yikun Palace and Chuxiu Palace, forming a pattern of four courtyards. When the door of the palace is closed, the north and the south cannot pass, and the two palaces can still be independent courtyards. Yikun Palace is the most luxurious courtyard in the Sixth Palace of the East and the West.

Yikun Palace Gate

Cixi lives in Chuxiu Palace, eats, drinks tea and rests in the body and hall. This is the queen dowager’s dining room and living room. In 1887, when Emperor Guangxu was 17 years old, Empress Dowager Cixi presided over a ceremony to select his concubines in this hall. Due to Cixi's severe intervention and control, Emperor Guangxu was forced to choose Cixi's niece, Longyu, as the queen, and sisters Jin Fei and Zhen Fei as concubines.

Tihedian

Tihedian courtyard

Ming Dynasty,Concubine Zheng, beloved by Emperor Wanli, once lived in this palace. Concubine Yuan Gui of Emperor Chongzhen also lived here. In the tenth year of Guangxu, Cixi moved to Chuxiu Palace on his fiftieth birthday, where he received court congratulations. The selection ceremony of Emperor Guangxu's concubine was also held here.

Yikun Palace

Zheng Guifei was a native of Daxing, Beijing, in the sixth year of Wanli (1578). After Zheng entered the palace, she was gradually loved by the Emperor Wanli from an unobtrusive little concubine. He gave birth to a son for Emperor Wanli, and Zheng was named a noble concubine and moved to Yikun Palace. The three major cases of the Ming Dynasty: , the "Red Pill" case, and the transfer of palace cases were all related to Concubine Zheng, but in the end she experienced the heat of the world and passed away alone and failed to bury the emperor's mausoleum. Concubine Zheng Gui died 10 years later than Emperor Wanli. She was regarded by ministers as a woman who brought disaster to the country, but she was not buried in accordance with Wanli's will Dingling .

Yikun Palace

On March 18th in the 17th year of Ming Chongzhen (1644), Concubine Yuan Yuan lived in Yikun Palace, which was quite favored by Emperor Chongzhen. Li Zicheng broke into Beijing. When the Emperor Chongzhen saw that the country was about to fall, he ordered Queen Zhou and Concubine Yuan Gui to commit suicide. Queen Zhou hanged herself in the Kunning Palace . Zhu Youjian turned and said to Concubine Yuan: "You also go with the queen!" Concubine Yuan cried and said goodbye. After taking the order, Concubine Yuan returned to his residence, Yikun Palace, to hang himself on a beam, but the rope broke. , Concubine Yuan Gui fell to the ground and fainted. When Emperor Chongzhen Si saw this, he drew his sword and hacked her a few times. Concubine Yuan Gui fainted and died in a pool of blood. Si Zong thought she was dead and did not chop again. Concubine Yuan Gui was later rescued, but due to her injuries, she was sad every day and died soon afterwards.

Yikun Palace East Parting Hall Qingyunzhai

Yikun Palace West Parting Hall Moral Hall

At the end of Qing Dynasty, Yikun Palace became the place of worship for the Empress Dowager Cixi when she was the place of worship.Now there are two small rusty iron rings under the eaves, where the ladies of the palace used to swing. This is the last trace of this dynasty left here.

Chuxiu Palace , the Chuxiu Palace of the West Sixth Palace, is the place where the concubines of the Ming and Qing Dynasties lived. Chuxiu Palace, one of the six palaces of the inner court, was the residence of concubines in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420), originally named Shouchang Palace, and was renamed Chuxiu Palace in the 14th year of Jiajing (1535). It was repaired many times in the Qing Dynasty. In the tenth year of Guangxu (1884), to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of Cixi, 630,000 taels of silver were spent on large-scale renovations. The existing buildings are the shape of the reconstruction after the tenth year of Guangxu.

Courtyard of Chuxiu Palace

The courtyard of Chuxiu Palace is spacious and quiet. Two vigorous ancient cypresses stand in it. A pair of bronze dragons and a pair of copper sika deer are placed on the east and west sides of the base of the palace, which is Guangxu. It was cast during the 50th birthday of Empress Cixi in ten years. The east and west side halls are Yanghe Hall and Suifu Hall, both of which are hard-topped buildings with 3 rooms wide.

The apse is Lijingxuan, with 5 rooms wide and open in the Ming room. It has a single-eave hard mountain-style yellow glazed tile roof. Lijingxuan was originally the residence of the concubine of , in the sixth year of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty (1856) Cixi was here when he was Yi 嫔 and gave birth to the prince Zaichun, , the later emperor of Tongzhi, . In the tenth year of Guangxu (1884), Empress Dowager Cixi moved to Chuxiu Palace on her 50th birthday and named the apse as Lijingxuan.

A corner of Chuxiu Palace

Lijingxuan

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the residences of Chuxiu Palace were all ordinary concubines. Since the Jiaqing Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty, it became an important palace in the West Sixth Palace, where many important concubines lived. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Empress Dowager Cixi lived in the Chuxiu Palace when she was a noble, imperial concubine, and empress dowager.The wife of the last emperor Puyi Wanrong was the last master of Chuxiu Palace.

When the Empress Dowager Cixi lived in Chuxiu Palace, she ate in the body and hall. In addition to the Empress Dowager Cixi, Wanrong, the empress of the last emperor Puyi, also lived here. She changed the east side of the hall into a bedroom and the west side into a bathroom. In 1924, after general Feng Yuxiang forced the palace, Wan Rong and others moved out of Chuxiu Palace, which became the place where the last queen in the palace once lived.

Chuxiu Palace is the birthplace of Empress Dowager Cixi, where she was promoted directly from the noble to the empress dowager, so she has a lot of affection for this palace. Cixi's nickname is Lan'er. She has been smart and beautiful since she was a child. entered the palace in May in the second year of Xianfeng (1852).

Chuxiugong Yishouzhai

Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) Yehenala family, Manchurian inlaid blue banner (later carried into inlaid yellow flag ). In the second year of Xianfeng (1852), he entered the palace in May, and he was named a nobleman in Lanzhou and lived in the palace of Chuxiu. Cixi was also a beauty when she was young. She had no noble blood and no prominent family, but she had beauty. She was selected into the palace by virtue of winning a beauty contest called the "Draft". As a charming, bright and bright girl, she was selected into the palace, and later stood out in the sixth palace. A once glorious dynasty is heading towards its final decline in her hands; the two young emperors, played by her between the palms of their arms, are in vain.

The Empress Dowager Cixi listened to politics twice, made two decisions with the crown princes, made a decision by arbitration, and controlled the Qing Dynasty in her hands. She controlled the Qing Dynasty for nearly half a century. At the same time, she was also the actual ruler of the Qing Dynasty and the Guangxu era. , Is the most powerful woman, known as the "uncrowned queen" of the Qing Dynasty. In 1908, Cixi collapsed and died and was buried in Dingdong Tomb of the Qingdong Tomb in Hebei. Empress Dowager Cixi was a prominent political authority during her lifetime and enjoyed the wealth of the world in life, and the mausoleum she built for herself was also extremely luxurious. Her illustrious life was destined to be associated with a declining Qing Dynasty.

Cixi is a famous "luxury" queen mother in history,I loved pearls, agates, gems, jade, gold and silver utensils and other treasures during his lifetime. After his death, the treasures buried in the coffin value are city-linked, such as the nine-linglong pagoda, jade watermelon, jade cabbage, span3span Rare treasures such as Ye Mingzhu and tourmaline lotus. One day in July of in 1928, there was the "Tanglin Robbery" that shocked China and foreign countries. The underground palace of the Cixi Mausoleum was dug up by soldiers of the warlord Sun Dianying . Her body of was thrown out of the coffin. It was terrible. 's valuable treasure in the underground palace was looted. According to legend, folk " Aiyuexuan Notes " records in detail the many priceless treasures of buried in the Empress Dowager Cixi's underground palace. The author is the nephew of Li Lianying, Cixi's favorite eunuch. Back then, Li Lianying personally participated in the funeral ceremony of Cixi . According to legend, it was Li Lianying . Before he died, he asked his nephew to write and dictate by himself, and wrote the "Notes of Aiyuexuan" . However, the original version of "Aiyuexuan Notes" has long been lost. I went to Qingdong Mausoleum to visit the tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi. I also saw Cixi’s coffin in the mysterious underground palace. The nanmu coffin was gorgeous and recognizable, but the hatred and insulted Cixi in the coffin could never "rest".

The last owner of the Chuxiu Palace is Wanrong, the empress of the last emperor Puyi. Wanrong was born in Manchuria. He knew how to read and rituals. In 1922, the 16-year-old Wanrong was not only beautiful in appearance, extraordinary manners, but also a piano player. Painting and calligraphy are omnipotent. In the same year, she was elected to the palace and became the last queen in the history of the Qing Dynasty. On December 1, 1922, Puyi married Wanrong, which kicked off the grand ceremony of the last emperor's wedding in Chinese history.She had been the queen with eager anticipation at the beginning, and she didn't know that the palace was like a sea. After the freshness of having just entered the palace, the boring, lonely, and boring life in the palace suffocated her day after day. Wan Rongjiao's beauty and elegant manners, although Wan Rong has obtained the noble status of the queen and the life of rich clothes and jade, but the high walls of the Forbidden City restrict her freedom, especially the unspeakable concealment of the relationship between husband and wife, so that she can not experience the slightest. The joy of the boudoir, the joy of the bed. The unsatisfactory life and the torture of mental confinement made her quickly become depressed.

The western restaurant in Lijingxuan in the back hall of Chuxiu Palace

Wanrong lived in this Chuxiu Palace after marriage. It was the beginning of the 20th century, and Western culture and way of life had already been introduced into China. Wan Rong, who was born in aristocracy, even took into Western culture since he was a child and brought it into the Forbidden City. Here Wan Rong wears western clothes, eats western food, plays the piano, and converts the Lijingxuan in the apse of Chuxiu Palace into a western restaurant, installs luxurious crystal chandeliers and displays pianos. Today, in the apse of Chuxiu Palace, Lijingxuan can still see the western furniture, piano and tableware used by the last empress Wanrong. His wife Wanrong once set up a swing under the corridor of Yikun Palace, and the swing ring under the corridor still exists. This is the last memory left by this dynasty queen here. The last owner of Chuxiu Palace is Qingxun Emperor Puyi's wife Wanrong. It is said that when Feng Yuxiang's National Army drove outside the Shenwu Gate in the autumn of 1924, Puyi and Wanrong were in Chuxiu Palace when they were about to expel Puyi, that is, the Sunrise Palace. Joke.

Tai Chi Temple, one of the six palaces of the inner court, built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420), originally named Weiyang Palace, due to the Jiajing Emperor Zhu Houhuang King Span3span's birth father Zhu Youzhu was born here, so it was renamed Qixiang Palace in the 14th year of Jiajing (1535).It was rebuilt in the 9th year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (1859), and it was connected with Changchun Palace as the fourth courtyard. It was renamed Taiji Hall in the late Qing Dynasty. Tai Chi, from "The Book of Changes", means the body of the universe.

Qixiang Miyamoto is the residence of his concubines. In the late Qing Dynasty, Changchun Palace and Qixiang Palace were rebuilt, and the two palaces were connected back and forth to form a four-entry courtyard. Qixiang Palace was also renamed Taiji Hall.

In the twenty-fourth year of the Wanli Year of the Ming Dynasty (1596), after the fires of the Qianqing and Kunning palaces, the Wanli Emperor Zhu Yijun lived here for more than ten years, becoming the only one in the Ming and Qing history to live and handle government affairs here Emperor. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Empress Dowager Cixi, and Empress Longyu lived here. Before Emperor Puyi went out of the palace, Emperor Yu of Tongzhi once lived in the Taiji Hall.

Changchun Palace , one of the six palaces in the west of the inner court, was built in the 18th year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1420), originally named Changchun Palace, renamed Yongning Palace in the 14th year of Jiajing (1535), and renamed Yongning Palace in the forty-third year of Wanli (1615) Years) renamed Changchun Palace. In the 9th year of Xianfeng (1859), it was rebuilt and connected with Taiji Hall into four courtyards, and the back hall of Taiji Hall (Qixiang Palace) was changed to Chuantang Hall. Emperor Xianfeng wrote the title "Tiyuan Hall". The Changchun Palace and Taiji Palace (Qixiang Palace) are connected by this.

Changchun Palace

Changchun Palace was inhabited by concubines and concubines during the Ming Dynasty. Concubine Li Cheng lived in this palace during the Tianqi period. In the Qing Dynasty, it was the residence of the concubine. Emperor Qianlong's Xiaoxian Empress once lived in the Changchun Palace, where the coffin was parked after his death. After the death of Empress Xiaoxian, Qianlong decreed that the Changchun Palace should preserve the furnishings of Empress Xiaoxian for a long time, and hang a portrait of the empress in the middle. Emperor Qianlong often came here to pay tribute to this faint-hearted queen. In the late Qing Dynasty, Cian and the empress dowagers of the two palaces of Cixi also lived in Changchun Palace. In the first year of Tongzhi, Ci'an lived in the Dongnuan Pavilion of Changchun Palace, and Cixi lived in the Xi'an Pavilion. Until the tenth year of Tongzhi, Ci'an moved out of Changchun Palace to live in the Zhongcui Palace of the East Sixth Palace, which became the exclusive palace of the Empress Dowager Cixi.In 1884, Cixi also moved out of Changchun Palace to live in Chuxiu Palace where she lived in her early years. The last owner of the Changchun Palace was the concubine of the last emperor Puyi Wenxiu .

Xianfu Palace , one of the six palaces of the inner court, was built in the eighteenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420), originally named shouan palace . In the 14th year of Jiajing (1535), it was renamed Xianfu Palace, which was derived from the Yin and Yang sympathy of Xian Gua in " I Ching ". The Xianfu Palace was rebuilt in the 22nd year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1683).

Xianfu Palace is the residence of the concubine, the front hall is the place where the rituals are ascended, and the back hall is the sleeping palace. The empresses who lived here in the Ming Dynasty include Li Jingfei of Emperor Wanli. was used as a place for the emperor to live occasionally during the Qianlong period. In the first month of the fourth year of Jiaqing (1799), Emperor Qianlong collapsed. Emperor Jiaqing lived in Xianfu Palace to keep his filial piety. He ordered that no bed should be set up, and only white felt and light grass mattresses should be laid. Temple. After that, Xianfu Palace was restored as the residence of concubines and concubines. Daoguang Emperor Lin (the imperial concubine of Emperor Zhuang Shun), Chenggui concubine , Tonggui concubine , Changfei , etc. all lived here. In the 30th year of Daoguang (1850), Emperor Xianfeng lived in Xianfu Palace to keep his filial piety for Emperor Daoguang, and he often lived here after his filial piety expired.

Palace Lantern

The majestic palaces and high palace walls standing in the Forbidden City are full of the dust of time. The deep Forbidden City, does not see the emperor's figure , only these high-walled deep courtyards still cling to this ancient and magical land, carrying too many legends ......

There are so many grievances in the deep palace. possible. Here carries the youth and dreams of beauties. The West Sixth Palace has been around for 600 years. It is an interpretation of too many stories about the royal family. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, there were 24 emperors and thousands of concubines. Everyone is a history. . Walk on these dilapidated deep palaces and carefully savor the traces left over from the years...

Sun Keqin's writing and photography

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