Andingmen (4) and Deshengmen (5)
Andingmen (Gate of Peace and Stability) and Deshengmen (Gate of Virtue and Victory), which is pictured above, were located on the northern city wall. Besides meaning victory, Andingmen was also known as Shengmen (Life Gate). The emperor passed through this gate and went to Ditan (Temple of the Earth) to pray for good harvests. A Ming emperor had Andingmen and Deshengmen gates built on the newly finished northern city walls.
Dongzhimen (6) and Xizhimen (7)
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, timber transported from southern China by the canal was stored outside Dongzhimen.
Xizhimen was the entrance used by the carts carrying the emperor's drinking water. It also served as a passageway when the Qing emperors and empresses headed to the Garden of Perfect Brightness and the Summer Palace by ship.
In 1900, Qing Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi fled to Xi'an, in Shaanxi province, through this gate when foreign invaders occupied the Forbidden City. Dongzhimen was demolished in 1965 while Xizhimen in the same year.
Jiangguomen (8), Fuxingmen (9) and Hepingmen
Jianguomen (Gate of National Foundation) and Fuxingmen (Gate of Revival) were open on the eastern and western wall of the Inner City. These two city gates had no gate towers and just functioned as entrances.
Yongdingmen (10)
Towering at the southernmost tip of the city's central axis is Yongdingmen (Gate of Eternal Stability). It was the largest and most important gate of the outer city during the Ming and Qing dynasties and still stands today. In February 1949, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) entered Beijing City through this gate.
Yongdingmen was demolished in 1957 but was rebuilt in 2004 on the original site.
By Cheng Anqi
Editor: Liu Fang
Email to Friends
Print
Save