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The Hall of Preserving Harmony was built in 1420 and is located behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City.
The hall is paved with gold bricks, and there is a carved gold-painted throne facing north and south. The inner and outer eaves are painted with golden dragons and imperial seals, and the ceiling is a frontal dragon with gilded powder. It looks luxurious and magnificent when matched with the red-colored decoration and furnishings.
The hall had different uses in the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the Ming dynasty, the emperor often changed his clothes here before grand ceremonies. In the Qing dynasty, the emperor held family banquets and palace examinations in the Baohe Hall on New Year's Eve and the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
Attraction Location: Forbidden City, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China (北京市东城区故宫保和殿)
History: Built during the Ming Dynasty and reconstructed in the Qing Dynasty, the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe Dian) served as the largest and most important ceremonial hall after the Hall of Supreme Harmony (太和殿). It was used for imperial examinations, banquets, and significant state ceremonies. It represents the grandeur of the Qing imperial court and traditional Chinese ceremonial culture.
Architecture: The hall follows classic Chinese palace architecture with a double-eaved roof, golden glazed tiles, wooden pillars, and elaborately decorated beams and rafters. It is located on a raised platform and aligned along the central axis of the Forbidden City.
Cultural Value: Baohe Dian symbolizes imperial authority, Confucian ceremonial hierarchy, and the pinnacle of Ming-Qing architectural style. It embodies historical, artistic, and cultural significance, reflecting imperial rituals, architecture, and Chinese court life.
Opening Hours: 08:30 – 17:00 (April – October), 08:30 – 16:30 (November – March)
Ticket Price: Standard ticket: RMB 60 (April – October)
Off-peak ticket: RMB 40 (November – March)
Guided tour (optional): RMB 100–150 per person
Best Photo Spots: Centered view of the hall from the front platform
Inside ceremonial platforms and throne area (without flash)
From the western and eastern side halls for architectural details
Time Reference: Morning hours (08:30 – 10:00) for fewer crowds and better lighting for photography
The Hall of Preserving Harmony is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City, located behind the Hall of Central Harmony. The Hall of Preserving Harmony is 29 meters high, rectangular in plan, 9 rooms wide and 5 rooms deep, with a construction area of 1,240 square meters. The hanging plaque in the middle of the Hall of Central Harmony reads "皇建有极", which means that the king should establish a moderate way of government, which is basically impartial and moderate.
Behind the Zhonghe Hall, 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.
During the Ming Dynasty, the emperor often changed his clothes here before grand ceremonies. When he enthroned the empress and the crown prince, the emperor received congratulations in this hall.
During the Qing Dynasty, on New Year's Eve and the 15th day of the first lunar month, the emperor gave banquets to foreign vassals, princes, and ministers of the first and second ranks. He also gave banquets to the fathers of his son-in-law and family members of officials, and held palace examinations in Baohe Hall.
Further back is the Baohe Hall, which had different uses during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the Ming Dynasty, the emperor often changed his clothes here before grand ceremonies, and received congratulations in this hall when he enthroned the empress and the crown prince. Shunzhi and Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty both stayed here for a while, and in the late Qianlong period, this place was changed into a venue for palace examinations.
The Hall of Preserving Harmony was first built during the Yongle Period of the Ming Dynasty and is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City.
Baohedian is a place that countless scholars yearn for. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, a grand palace examination was held here every three years to select "disciples of the emperor."
Baohedian was built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420) and was burned down and rebuilt several times.
After passing the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the Hall of Central Harmony, you will arrive at the last of the three main halls - the Hall of Preserving Harmony.
The Baohedian Hall had different uses in the Ming and Qing dynasties, but we know more about it during the Qing Dynasty.
For example, princesses’ weddings and banquets for guests during festivals and holidays are all held here.
Starting from Emperor Qianlong, the Baohe Hall was also used for the palace examinations held every three years. Those who participated in the joint examinations in the Imperial College and passed the examinations would be qualified for the palace examinations. The palace examinations in ancient imperial examinations lasted from morning to night and were not easier than the college entrance examinations today.
The Hall of Preserving Harmony is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It is located behind the Hall of Central Harmony. It was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420). It was originally named the Hall of Preserving Harmony. It suffered a fire during the reign of Emperor Jiajing and was renamed the Hall of Building Greatness after reconstruction. It was renamed the Hall of Preserving Harmony in the second year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. Its meaning is "not to be distracted, to be calm and focused", which means that the mind must be focused to maintain harmony in the universe, so that people can live in peace and happiness. The plaque of the Hall of Preserving Harmony, "Huang Jian You Ji", was written by Emperor Qianlong.
The Hall of Preserving Harmony was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1420) and has been burned down and rebuilt several times. The existing main beams and frames are still from the Ming Dynasty. It was named Jinshen Hall in the early Ming Dynasty, and was renamed Jianji Hall in the 41st year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1562). It was renamed the Hall of Preserving Harmony in the 2nd year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1645). "Baohe" comes from the Book of Changes, which means harmony of all things.
In the Ming Dynasty, the emperor often changed his clothes here before the grand ceremony. In the Qing Dynasty, the emperor entertained the princes and ministers of ethnic minorities here on New Year's Eve and the 15th day of the first lunar month. In the early Qing Dynasty, before the restoration of the three palaces, Emperor Shunzhi and Emperor Kangxi lived here. Emperor Shunzhi got married here. In the 54th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1789), this place became a fixed place for the "Palace Examination"*. (Written by: The Palace Museum)
*For details about the palace examination, please refer to the chapter “The Fourth Day: Imperial College and Confucius Temple”.
It has a strong historical and cultural atmosphere and is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City.
The balance, whether it is the old-time dressing or meeting with ethnic minorities, seems to be in line with the word balance. Moreover, the scale and decoration of the palace are not outstanding, and can even be called simple. I think this is where the luxury of the royal family can be reflected.
The Hall of Preserving Harmony is one of the three main halls in the Forbidden City. “Preserving Harmony” comes from the Book of Changes, which means “not to be distracted, to be calm and focused”, which means to be focused in order to maintain harmony among all things in the universe. The plaque “Huang Jian You Ji” in the Hall of Preserving Harmony was written by Emperor Qianlong. “Ji” means the middle way, the law, and the so-called “Huang Jian You Ji” means that the king should take the middle way and be impartial in establishing political affairs.
The collections inside the majestic palace are indeed far less abundant than those in Taipei, because they were all moved away at that time. And you can't see the inside from the outside.
After visiting the Hall of Supreme Harmony, you can walk along the white marble fence through the Zhongyou Gate to the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony is the largest stone sculpture of cloud dragons in the Forbidden City. Among the cliffs, sea water and flowing clouds, nine dragons playing with pearls in their mouths are full of dynamics and vitality.
The "Baohe Hall" was built in the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was burned down and rebuilt several times. The existing main beams are still Ming Dynasty buildings. In the second year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was called the Baohe Hall. "Baohe" comes from the Book of Changes, which means to keep all things harmonious. The Baohe Hall adopts the "reduced column" construction method, reducing the 6 columns on the front eaves of the hall to open up the space. The plaque in the hall, "Huang Jian You Ji", was written by Emperor Qianlong. The source is: "Huang Jian Qi You Ji" in Jizi's "Hong Fan", which means that the monarch establishes the highest principle in the world. The Baohe Hall had different uses in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The emperor often changed his clothes here before the grand ceremony of the Ming Dynasty. When the empress and the crown prince were enthroned, the emperor was congratulated in this hall. On New Year's Eve and the 15th day of the first lunar month every year in the Qing Dynasty, the emperor gave banquets to foreign vassals, princes and ministers of the first and second ranks here. The Shunzhi Emperor's wedding was held here. In the 54th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty, it became a fixed place for the "Palace Examination".
Baohedian, also known as Jinshendian and Jianjidian in the Ming Dynasty, is one of the three main halls of the Forbidden City, located behind Zhonghedian. Baohedian is the place where the emperor entertains foreign princes on New Year's Eve every year, and is also the place where the imperial examinations are held. The name Baohedian means that one's mind should not wander, and one should be calm and focused, that is, one should maintain harmony within the universe, so that one can enjoy happiness, longevity, and peace. Baohedian, like Zhonghedian, is slightly smaller than Taihedian in terms of structure, but it is also magnificent, showing the skills of ancient craftsmen.
The Hall of Preserving Harmony is located at the north end of the courtyard of the three main halls and is the final hall. During the Qing Dynasty, grand banquets and palace examinations were held here.
There is a large stone sculpture behind the Baohedian Hall, and the rough stone weighs about 300 tons.
The transportation of huge stones was done in the cold winter. A well was dug every 1 mile beside the transportation road, and water was drawn to splash on the road to form an ice road. The craftsmen and laborers used ice boats and drove a large number of mules and horses to pull the stones, so that the stones slid on the ice road and were transported to the construction site.
The stone blocks were transported to the location behind Baohe Hall before the three main halls were built. After they were carved, they were difficult to transport, so they had to be installed nearby on the Imperial Road in the center of the rear of Baohe Hall.
The Hall of Preserving Harmony is the essence of traditional Chinese palace architecture and is a palace-style building in the Forbidden City in Beijing. It was built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1420) and has been burned and rebuilt several times. The existing main beams are still from the Ming Dynasty. It was named Jinshen Hall in the early Ming Dynasty, and was renamed Jianji Hall in the 41st year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1562). It was named Baohe Hall in the second year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1645). The Hall of Preserving Harmony is 9 bays wide and 5 bays deep (including 1 front porch), with a construction area of 1,240 square meters and a height of 29.5 meters. The roof is a double-eaved hip roof covered with yellow glazed tiles, and 9 small beasts are placed on the upper and lower eaves. The upper eaves are single-curved double-raised seven-step brackets, and the lower eaves are double-raised five-step brackets.