Old Photos. Issue 1

Author: Compiled by the Press
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-06-01
Features: The Tiananmen, as an important architectural structure of the "model district" in the feudal era, has been depicted by every dynasty. Numerous vivid and realistic historical records, such as the Ming Dynasty's Beijing Imperial City Map, the Qing Dynasty's Kangxi South Inspection Map, Qianlong South Inspection Map, Guangxu Imperial Wedding Map, and Qianlong's Spring in the Capital Poetic Illustration, document its prosperous historical appearance. The old photographs published here reflect some of its scenes in the late feudal era, while others show the subsequent changes in Tiananmen Square. Figures 1 and 3 are photographs taken, produced, and published in 1900 (the 26th year of the Guangxu reign), by Dr. Toyoichiro Itō of the Department of Engineering, Tokyo Imperial University, graduate student Junichi Tsuchiya of the University, assistant Kozo Okayama, and photographer Kazumasa Ogawa. These photographs largely preserve the historical appearance of the Tiananmen area in the late feudal period.
The Beijing Imperial Palace was built between 1417 and 1420 during the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Yongle issued an edict on the fourth day of the first month of the 18th year of his reign (December 8, 1420), proclaiming its completion. Influenced by the Yuan Dynasty's Imperial Palace in Dadu, the palace was constructed in the southern part of the capital, with the Meridian Gate (Wumen) directly facing the main gate (Zhengyangmen). The eastern and western corridors between Tiananmen and the Endumen each had 26 rooms, while those between the Meridian Gate and the Endumen each had 47 rooms, serving as office spaces for the six departments and nine ministries of the Censorate. These corridors were collectively referred to as "early morning offices."