The
Hall of Complete Harmony
 This
hall was originally built in 1420 and restored in 1627 and again 1765. It is square in
shape, with windows on all sides. It is the smallest hall among "the Big Threes"
in the Outer Court.
The emperors came here once a year, to perform ceremonies like
examining seeds for sowing, to take a rest before dressing up for great ceremonies in the
Hall of Supreme Harmony, to receive ministers and greet foreign envoys or to deliver
speeches to the royal family.
The major function of the hall is to provide the emperor
with a place to rehearse before he entered the hall of Supreme Harmony for important
ceremonies.
In the middle of
the hall stands a throne, with two sedan-chairs exhibited on both sides. The one on the
east was made at the end of the Ming Dynasty, while the one on the west in the begining of
the Qing Dynasty.
There were many kinds of sedan-chairs in China, but the one used
exclusively for the emperor was always carried by 8 people.
|
