The Palace of Earthly Tranquility is the last of the three main palaces in the Inner Court. It was first built in 1420, and rebuilt in 1605 after being damaged by two fires, in 1514 and 1596. It has undergone restoration three more times since then.
The Palace of Earthly Tranquility was the residence of the empress during the Ming dynasty. After it was rebuilt during the Qing dynasty, it was used only as the wedding chamber of the emperor and empress, and as a place of worship in which rituals linked to the couple took place.
The furnishings you see date to the marriage of Emperor Guangxu, one of the most opulent wedding ceremonies to ever take place. The wall is painted red, and the lamps feature Chinese characters meaning “double happiness”. The canopy and the quilt are embroidered with 100 playing children. The imperial couple, however, spent only a few days in the chamber after their marriage before moving to their residences.
An interesting fact: this room was used by just three emperors, the only ones to ascend to the throne as young unmarried men.
Language: English