Palace of Prolonging Happiness
Residence of imperial consorts in the Forbidden City
39°55′08″N 116°23′33″E / 39.918870°N 116.392410°E / 39.918870; 116.392410The Palace of Prolonging Happiness (simplified Chinese: 延禧宫; traditional Chinese: 延禧宮; pinyin: Yánxǐgōng), also known as Yanxi Palace, is one of the Six Eastern Palaces in the inner court of the Forbidden City, situated behind the Hall for Ancestral Worship.[1] Described as one of the most "exotic" looking structures in the Forbidden City, the Palace of Prolonging Happiness was built in 1420 as the "Palace of Longevity" (长寿宫; Chángshòugōng).[2][3] From the Ming to the Qing dynasty, it was home to many imperial consorts.
The palace was later destroyed by multiple fires between 1845 and 1855.[2] Rebuilding work began in 1909, with the main hall being replaced by the "Water Hall" (水殿; Shuǐdiàn), a new three-story Western-style structure surrounded by a moat that was supposed to be filled with spring water from Yuquan Mountain near Beijing. Empress Dowager Longyu inscribed the plaque for it, which read "Lingzhao Pavilion" (灵沼轩; Língzhǎoxuān); the building is more commonly known as the "Crystal Palace" (水晶宮; Shuǐjīnggōng).
However, lack of funding and damage from a bombing raid in 1917 prevented the completion of the work.[3] Today, only the iron cast and marble remain.
In 1931, three two-story warehouses were added to house the Palace Museum's artifacts.[1]
Since 2005, the warehouses have been used for the Ceramics Laboratory, the Research Centre for Ceramics, and the Research Centre for Traditional Calligraphy and Paintings.
See also
- Story of Yanxi Palace
- Empress Xiaoyichun
References
Architecture portal
China portal
- ^ a b "Palace of Prolonging Happiness". The Palace Museum. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ a b Dagmar, Shafer (2017). "Knowledge by Design - Architecture and Jade Models During the Qianlong Reign (1735-1799)". In Valleriani, Matteo (ed.). The Structures of Practical Knowledge. Springer. pp. 282–283. ISBN 978-3319456713.
- ^ a b Barmé, Geremie R. (2011). The Forbidden City. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press. pp. 55–56. ISBN 978-0674069091.
External links
Media related to Palace of Prolonging Happiness at Wikimedia Commons
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Palace Museum
Forbidden City · History of the Forbidden City
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