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The Hall of Central Harmony is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City. It is located between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony, which means to uphold the doctrine of the mean and seek harmony in the world.
The emperor's throne is located in the center of the main hall, with two sedan chairs on both sides. A sedan chair is a type of sedan chair that the emperor rides in, and is mainly used by the emperor to move around in the Forbidden City.
Before going to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for grand ceremonies, the emperor would rest in the Hall of Central Harmony and receive worship from officials.
Attraction Location: "Inside the Forbidden City (故宫), Dongcheng District, Beijing, China (北京市东城区故宫中和殿)"
History: The Hall of Central Harmony, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and renovated in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), served as a transitional hall between the Hall of Supreme Harmony (太和殿) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony (保和殿). It was used by emperors to prepare for grand ceremonies, rest, and review documents before major state events.
Architecture: The hall is a single-eaved wooden structure with a square base, featuring imperial yellow glazed roof tiles, red pillars, and carved decorative beams. Its design is more restrained than the neighboring Hall of Supreme Harmony, emphasizing moderation and balance in line with Confucian ideals.
Cultural Value: Central to the ceremonial and administrative functions of the Forbidden City, it reflects traditional Chinese architectural hierarchy, imperial ritual practices, and the philosophical concept of "central harmony" (中和) as a guiding principle of governance.
Other Information: The hall houses ancient furniture and ritual objects, giving insight into the daily administrative life of the emperors and their preparation for ceremonial occasions.
Opening Hours: "8:30–17:00 (April–October), 8:30–16:30 (November–March)"
Contact Number: "+86 10 8500 7421"
Ticket Price: "Palace Museum Ticket (includes all major halls, including Zhonghe Hall): 60 CNY (April–October), 40 CNY (November–March)"
Best Photo Spots: Main hall entrance, interior with altar and imperial furniture, red pillars and golden roof from outside, central axis view from Hall of Supreme Harmony
Time Reference: 20–30 minutes to visit the hall specifically; 2–3 hours if visiting the central axis of the Forbidden City
Other Information: Photography is allowed but no flash; early morning visits provide better light and fewer tourists.
Luxury: The Peninsula Beijing (北京王府半岛酒店) – 2 km, near Wangfujing
Hotel Cote Cour Beijing (北京丽思卡尔顿酒店) – 2 km, Dongcheng District
Mid-range: Novotel Beijing Peace (北京和平宾馆诺富特酒店) – 1.5 km
King Parkview Hotel (京苑大酒店) – 1.8 km
Budget & Boutique: Courtyard 7 (七号院精品客栈) – traditional courtyard stay, 1 km
Beijing Double Happiness Hostel (北京双喜青年旅舍) – 1.5 km
Must-Try Dishes: Peking duck (北京烤鸭), zhajiangmian (炸酱面), dumplings (饺子), imperial-style snacks (宫廷小吃)
Famous Spots: Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant (全聚德烤鸭店) – 1.5 km
Donglaishun Hotpot (东来顺火锅) – 2 km
Nearby street food vendors in Wangfujing Snack Street (王府井小吃街)
Half-Day Forbidden City Tour: D1: Meridian Gate → Hall of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Central Harmony → Hall of Preserving Harmony → Imperial Garden
Transportation: Walkable, follow the central axis
Full-Day Historical Beijing: D1: Tiananmen Square → Forbidden City central axis including Zhonghe Hall → Jingshan Park → Wangfujing Street for lunch and shopping
Transportation: Walk between sites; taxi/subway optional
Two-Day Cultural Experience: D1: Forbidden City central axis (Meridian Gate → Zhonghe Hall → Preserving Harmony → Imperial Garden) → nearby Guozijian Street (国子监街) → Confucius Temple (孔庙)
D2: Beihai Park (北海公园) → Drum and Bell Towers (鼓楼/钟楼) → Hutong exploration
Transportation: Walk inside Forbidden City and nearby streets; taxi/subway between Beihai Park and central hutongs
The Zhonghe Hall is located behind the Taihe Hall. It is 27 meters high and square in plan. It is 3 rooms wide and 3 rooms deep, with corridors on all four sides and a construction area of 580 square meters. The hanging plaque in the middle of the Zhonghe Hall reads "Yun Zhi Jue Zhong", which means to be impartial in words and deeds and to be in line with the doctrine of moderation.
Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony, one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City, you will see it when you walk along the central axis of the Forbidden City.
Behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the Hall of Central Harmony, which was where the emperor rested before going to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for the grand ceremony. It is much smaller than the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The Zhonghe Hall was first built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. It was the place where the emperor rested before going to the Taihe Hall for a grand ceremony and where he received worship from officials.
The Zhonghe Hall was not only the place where the emperors changed their clothes, but also the place where the students of the Qing Dynasty yearned for the palace examination.
Wear a costume and take a photo, two photos for 150, very commemorative, very cost-effective
The Zhonghe Hall was where the emperor took a temporary rest and stored the royal jade discs (the royal family genealogy). It was also the smallest of the three halls.
The Zhonghe Hall was where the emperor rested before going to the Taihe Hall for grand ceremony and where he received worship from officials.
The Zhonghe Hall was where the emperor prepared before offering sacrifices, and its function was somewhat similar to that of a lounge.
The Zhonghe Hall was where the emperor prepared before offering sacrifices, and its function was somewhat similar to that of a lounge.
Before offering sacrifices to the Temple of Heaven and the Temple of Earth, the emperor would read the prayers; before offering sacrifices to the Temple of Agriculture, the emperor would also check the seeds and farm tools. Around the Spring Equinox, the emperor would go to the Temple of Agriculture to hold a ploughing ceremony, holding a hoe to "experience life" on a small piece of land marked out to the south of the viewing platform, and pray for a good harvest. This piece of land was exactly one mu and three fen, and it was passed down from generation to generation, and no one else was allowed to use it, which is the origin of today's one mu and three fen of land.
In addition, the Forbidden City would also revise the jade disc every few years, just like ordinary people would write family trees, and a ceremony would be held in the Zhonghe Hall after the compilation was completed. Also, when the title of the empress dowager was given, it would be read out in the Zhonghe Hall.
When Bubble and I reached the Zhonghe Hall, we were tired. We sat on the steps, ate some dates, and were in a daze for a while before continuing walking forward.
The appearance and volume of the Zhonghe Hall are obviously smaller than the Taihe Hall in front and the Baohe Hall behind it. Its shape is approximately cube-shaped. It is one of the three main halls of the outer court of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is located between the Taihe Hall and the Baohe Hall. It is the place where the emperor rested before holding grand ceremonies.
One of the three famous halls in the Forbidden City, it increases your historical knowledge.
A smaller palace, not much renovated, with some historical flavor!
The Hall of Central Harmony is one of the three main halls in the Forbidden City, the middle one. It was where the emperor rested before holding grand ceremonies.
The Hall of Central Harmony is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is located between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. It is the place where the emperor rests before holding a grand ceremony. The word "Zhonghe" is taken from the "Book of Rites·The Doctrine of the Mean": "Zhong is the foundation of the world; He is the way of the world." It is the least noticeable among the three main halls, not as tall and majestic as the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
The "Zhonghe Hall" was where the emperor rested before going to the Taihe Hall for the grand ceremony and where he received the worship of the officials. The word "Zhonghe" was taken from the "Doctrine of the Mean" in the Book of Rites: "Zhong is the foundation of the world; He is the way of the world." This room was the only one among the three halls where the emperor could think quietly.
The Hall of Central Harmony is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City, located behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The Hall of Central Harmony is where the emperor rested and practiced etiquette before going to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for the grand ceremony. The emperor would stop here for a while before going to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to receive the salutes from the cabinet ministers and officials of the Ministry of Rites, and then go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for the ceremony. In addition, before the emperor offered sacrifices to heaven and earth and the Imperial Ancestral Temple, he would also review the "blessing board" with sacrificial texts here; before going to Zhongnanhai to practice farming, he would also check the farming tools here.
The second hall on the central axis of the Forbidden City is also majestic and magnificent.
The exterior is quite old, and it seems to be the place where the emperor rested before holding a ceremony. There are blue dragons carved on the windows, and the tour guide said that they have not been repaired~
The Hall of Central Harmony is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City in Beijing, and is the essence of Han palace architecture. It is located between the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony in the Forbidden City. It is the place where the emperor rests before going to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for the grand ceremony, and where he receives the worship of the officials. Whenever the emperor personally offers sacrifices, such as offering sacrifices to the Temple of Heaven and the Temple of Earth, the emperor reads the prayers in the Hall of Central Harmony the day before. Before offering sacrifices to the Temple of Agriculture, the emperor also checks the seeds and farm tools here. The empress dowager gives her title, and the emperor reads the memorials here. When the jade book is completed, it is respectfully presented to the Hall of Central Harmony for the emperor's perusal, and a grand storage ceremony is held at the same time. The Hall of Central Harmony was first built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420). It was called the "Huagai Hall" in the early Ming Dynasty. It suffered a fire during the Jiajing reign, and was renamed the "Zhongji Hall" after reconstruction. The ink marks of the Ming Dynasty "Zhongji Hall" are still left on the internal components of the ceiling. In the first year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644), the Qing royal family moved into the Forbidden City and the following year the Zhongji Hall was renamed the Zhonghe Hall.