Hall of Mental Cultivation

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Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxindian)

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Yangxindian, the Hall of Mental Cultivation, is particularly significant in history of the Forbidden City. Built originally in the Ming dynasty and rebuilt during the Qing dynasty, it was here that from the time of Emperor Yongzheng the Qing Emperors lived and ruled the Empire. Also, three emperors died here. The building has a front and a rear hall, which served as the emperor's bedroom.

The emperor would summon his ministers to consult with him on state affairs in the central part of the front hall. Books containing instructions for a new emperor on how to rule over his empire would be placed in a bookcase behind the throne.

In the East Warmth Chamber, the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi, attended to state affairs sitting behind a curtain. The chamber is displayed as it was in her time. From behind this yellow curtain she corruptly ruled China for forty-eight years. Firstly as regent and domineering mother of her son and subsequently as regent to her adoptive nephew. In the West Warmth Chamber, emperors from Yongzheng to Xianfeng held private audiences with their ministers either for consultation or the issue of secret orders. The small house in the west end is named Sanxitang (Hall of Three Rare Treasures), so called because Emperor Qianlong collected and held three outstanding calligraphy masterpieces by Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, and Wang Xun, three masters in Chinese calligraphy. Plaques written by Emperor Qianlong are still displayed here.

There is a central connecting lobby between the front and rear halls. There are five imperial bedrooms, one in the center and the other four flanking it. Off the courtyards to the east and west of the rear hall, are temporary lodgings which were provided for empresses and concubines respectively when they were summoned to attend the Emperor. They were expressly forbidden to come here except upon invitation by the emperor.

On February 12th, 1912, following the final coup of the Revolution of 1911 led by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Emperor Dowager Longyu presided over the last cabinet meeting of the Qing dynasty. Forced to abdicate, she signed the formal Declaration of Abdication here. However, the imperial family was permitted to continue to live in the Inner Court until 1924 when they were driven out by General Feng Yuxiang.

Emperor KangXi of the Qing Dynasty took this hall as his study. Starting with Emperor YongZheng (1723-1735), this hall served as the living quarters for the emperors. Emperor YongZheng also took the central hall here as his office, where he could deal with state affairs. As a matter of fact, eight of the Qing Emperors both lived and worked here. Emperors ShunZhi, QianLong and TongZhi even died here.

The central hall was the office in which the emperor met foreign diplomats, and summoned his officials for consultation. It was also here that the last emperor in Chinese history, Emperor PuYi, announced his resignation.

Emperor YongZheng named the western hall the Hall of Three Rare Treasures. This referred to three outstanding calligraphy masterpieces by Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, and Wang Xun, three pioneers in Chinese calligraphy. Emperor YongZheng, a great calligraphy lover himself, had a collection of the outstanding works by the three Wang's, hence the name.

The emperor's seat is well arranged for reading and writing, and the writing brushes and inkstones are placed in proper order. Secret talks on political and military affairs also took place here. The screen partition in front was supposed to stop the secrets from leaking out.

The eastern hall is of historical significance. This was the site of the well known 'power behind the throne' or 'behind the screen'. Most people think that only Empress Dowager Ci'Xi gave audience behind the screen, but in fact, this was first jointly practiced by the Empress Dowager Ci'Xi and another empress called Ci'An. However, the sudden death of Empress Ci'An in 1881 left the power solely to the Empress Dowager Ci'Xi. Empress Ci'An was believed to have been poisoned by Ci'Xi.

Ci'Xi ruled over China for about 40 years from behind the yellow screen. She had to stay behind the screen all the time because at that time in China women weren't supposed to be in the Outer Palace or to hold any public positions! If you have a close look at the setting here, you will find that a lot of scenes were shot here for the film 'The Last Emperor', the first western film made in China.

This last emperor was PuYi just a child when chosen by Ci'Xi as her next puppet. The next day the imprisoned emperor was poisoned (probably) but that day CiXi also died. Within four years came the Republican revolution and PuYi was forced to abdicate.

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