Galliart - Blog 10

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the central and largest hall in the Forbidden City (formerly the home of China's emperors). The current building was constructed of wood on a marble base in 1697. The hall was meant for weddings and coronations. Both within and without, the walls and ceiling are covered in geometric designs, dragon motifs, or calligraphy. The throne room especially uses dragons, as they cover the walls, ceiling, and columns. The building is symmetrical, as Chinese architecture usually was, and has a sweeping gabled roof. Much of the decoration is made in deliberate patterns with the numbers 9 and 5. These numbers were thought to represent the emperor's majesty.