The Hall of Military Eminence was built during the reign of Emperor Yongle who used it as an office. Later, at the beginning of the Qing dynasty, the emperors held religious rites and ceremonies here, while during the reign of the Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing dynasty, it gradually became the official imperial publishing house.
Today it houses the Paintings and Calligraphy Gallery, a small museum that is a must for understanding Chinese art. The Hall of Bathing Virtue, featuring an Arab-style hammam is also interesting.
