Located between the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe dian), the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghe dian) resembles the corridor that connected the front and rear halls of a grand palace building in ancient times.
It was built in early fifteenth century as part of the original design of the Forbidden City. The current name was designated by the Shunzhi Emperor (r. 1644-1661) of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), conveying the philosophy of using the Golden Mean to achieve universal peace and harmony.
There are 12 doors on the front side.
The middle of the stone steps is carved with cloud and dragon patterns.
The Hall of Central Harmony is a square building with windows on four sides, following the architectural form of the ancient "bright hall” (ming tang).
The Hall of Central Harmony is the lowest ranked of the three structures and the smallest in scale. It has a single layer of eaves and symmetrical roof ridges.
Before presiding over grand ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the emperor received obeisance from his officials here. Before offering sacrifices to the ancestors, to heaven and to earth, he examined sacrificial writings and farm implements in this hall.
