The Forbidden City - Three Ceremonial Halls (2016) by The Palace MuseumThe Palace Museum
The third of the Three Ritual Halls in the Outer Court of the Forbidden City, the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe dian) was completed in the early fifteenth century.
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The hall is 29.50m high. It was named Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe dian) with the implication of preserving the unity of one's inner spirit, and sharing harmony under heaven.
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Designed with a double layer of eaves and hip and gable roof, the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe dian) is next in rank after the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe dian).
Hall of Preserving HarmonyThe Palace Museum
9 figurines at each of the roof corners
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Standing on the back side of the hall, we can see the largest carved stone in the Forbidden City (300 tons) with 9 dragons, 5 mountains and lots of cloud.
Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe dian) - Interior (2016-09-02) by The Palace MuseumThe Palace Museum
The hall was the setting for feasts, audiences with vassals, and the Palace Examination for official service.
Every New Year's Eve and on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (that is, the full moon), emperors held banquets in the Hall of Preserving Harmony to entertain heads of states, imperial kinsmen, and ministers higher than the second rank.
