Passing through the towering gates of the Forbidden City, you enter a realm once reserved for emperors. Built between 1406 and 1420 under Ming emperor Yongle, this vast Beijing palace served for nearly five centuries as China’s political and ceremonial center and housed twenty‑four Ming and Qing emperors. Covering 72 hectares with almost 1,000 surviving buildings, it is the largest ancient wooden complex in the world. Its strict, symmetrical plan places the principal halls on a central north–south axis to express the emperor’s role as mediator between heaven and earth. Golden roofs, vermilion walls, and carved marble signified imperial authority and Confucian order. The palace was “forbidden” to ordinary people, protected by a 52‑meter‑wide moat and high walls, and functioned as a self‑contained city of courtyards, gardens, and housing for thousands. Symbols such as lions for power, dragons for the divine mandate, and imperial yellow for the Son of Heaven permeate its design. Open to the public as the Palace Museum since 1925 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it remains a living archive of Chinese art, culture, and history.
穿过巍峨的城门，进入曾仅为皇帝保留的领域。紫禁城坐落于北京中心，始建于1406年至1420年，由明成祖永乐皇帝主持建造，近五百年来一直是中国的政治与礼仪中心，二十四位明清皇帝在此居治。占地72公顷，现存建筑近一千座，是世界上最大的古代木结构建筑群。其布局遵循严格的对称与等级原则，重要殿堂沿中轴线南北排列，象征皇帝作为天地之间的中介。金色屋顶、朱红墙壁与雕刻大理石不仅为装饰，更体现了皇权与儒家所倡导的和谐秩序。
紫禁城之所以“禁”，是因为平民未经皇命不得入内。它被一条52米宽的护城河和高墙环绕，宛如城中之城，拥有庭院、花园和数千人的居住区。狮子象征权力，龙代表皇帝的天命，黄色为天子专用色，这些符号贯穿其设计。自1925年起作为故宫博物院向公众开放，现为联合国教科文组织世界遗产，不仅是王朝权力的纪念碑，也是保存中国艺术、文化与历史的活档案。
The Forbidden City / 紫禁城
How to claim this Virtual Cache? / 如何认领此虚拟宝藏 ？
As you explore its courtyards and halls, take a moment to capture a photograph that reflects your personal perspective. By sharing your favorite image with your log, you become part of a collective story, adding your memory to the legacy of a place that was once forbidden, now open to the world.
- Take a selfie (optional) and/or a photo of an item displaying your geocaching name, taken inside the Forbidden City. Choose the photo that best captures your experience or perspective, whether it's a sweeping panorama, a subtle architectural detail, intricate displays, or a bustling courtyard scene. Let your creativity flow; this is about showing what the Forbidden City means to you.
Note: If you send a selfie via private message, be sure to mention this in your log!
在探索紫禁城的庭院与殿宇时，请拍下一张能代表你个人视角的照片。将你最喜欢的照片附在日志中，你便成为这段集体故事的一部分，把自己的记忆加入这座曾经“禁入”、如今向世界开放的地方的传承之中。
- 拍一张自拍照（可选）或一张能显示你地理藏宝用户名的物品照片，地点须在紫禁城内部。你可以选择最能体现你体验或视角的画面，无论是宏伟的全景、细腻的建筑细节、精致的展陈，或是热闹的庭院场景。尽情发挥创意，这张照片应展现紫禁城对你的意义。
注意：如果你通过私信发送自拍照，请务必在日志中提及！