Old Beijing Architecture. Doors and Windows

Author: Tian Xutong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The history of Beijing is both ancient and rich, having gone through many dynasties. Although its main style was established during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Beijing had a long history and culture before that. In recent years, through research by historians, archaeologists, and cultural relic experts, it has been confirmed that the eleventh year of King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC) was the founding year of Yan and Ji, and after the division of Yan and Ji, they officially became the capital of the political center, with a history of over three thousand years. The name of Beijing, from the Qin Dynasty to the Liao Dynasty, included Yan State, Youzhou, Guangyang, Yan Commandery, Fanyang Commandery, and Yanjing. According to the "Combined Map of Liao, Jin, Yuan, and Ming Cities" drawn by Qing scholar Zhen Jun, the Liao Dynasty's Nanjing (today's Beijing) was located in the area of Baimazhang, Youmen, and Guangmen in southern Beijing. To this day, the main buildings we can still see include the octagonal brick tower of Tianning Temple on Guang'anmen West Road and the white pagoda of Bai on Fuchengmen West Road. During the reign of the third Ming Emperor, Zhu Di (the Yongle Emperor), he issued an edict to gather 180,000 craftsmen from all over the country, with each household providing one person, rotating every three or four years. More than 50,000 sculptors, jade workers, carvers, bricklayers, carpenters, and lacquer workers arrived in the capital each year. Such extensive construction led to the prosperity of Beijing's commerce, with inns and commercial establishments lining the streets. Near the Bell and Drum Towers, Dongsi, Xisi, Chaoyangmen, Xuanwumen, Fuchengmen, Andingmen, and Xizhimen, thousands of residential buildings were constructed.
During the Qing Dynasty, the capital of Beijing followed the Ming Dynasty's urban layout, which included:
1. The Forbidden City (Gugong), marked by Donghua Gate, Meridian Gate, Xihua Gate, and Shenwu Gate, forming a typical rectangular layout with east, west, south, and north.
2. The Imperial City, marked by Dong'an Gate (today's Dong'anmen Avenue), Tiananmen, Xi'an Gate, and Di'an Gate.
3. The Beijing City, which was the outer city of the Ming Dynasty, roughly corresponding to today's Second Ring Road.
Not long after the Yongle Emperor Zhu Di moved the capital to Beijing, Emperor Xuanzong succeeded him, and ten royal palaces were built. Regarding these ten royal palaces, the Ming Dynasty's "Record of the Ming City" states: "In the sixth month of the fifteenth year of the Yongle era, ten royal residences were built under Dong'an Gate to the southeast, with a total of 8,350 rooms." The fact that these ten royal palaces occupied so many rooms shows their immense scale.
So, where are these royal palaces located today? According to the elders of Beijing, they should be in the area of Shuifu Hutong to Chang'an Avenue, which is today's Wangfujing Street. According to historical records, during the Yuan Dynasty, Wangfujing was called Dingzi Street. It was only after the Ming Dynasty built the royal palaces that it gradually became known as the "Ten Royal Palaces." However, why are the royal palaces and wells linked? The folk legend of "The Legend of Wangfujing" vividly explains its transformation process. The legend says that this area was originally the residence of the royal family, with a famous well located where the northern end of the People's Daily headquarters building stands today. The well was once surrounded by a delicate hexagonal pavilion, with a round stone lid and a high rim. To the south of the well was the grand royal compound.