The Meridian Gate (Wu Men)

In Chinese culture, "Meridian" represents noon and the south. Thus, the Meridian Gate is the south gate of the Forbidden City.

The Meridian Gate features a concave layout and consists of a main building in the middle and two wings that extend southwards. Looking from south to north, one can see three doorways in the middle tower; viewed from north to south, the middle tower has five doorways. The Meridian Gate stands on the central axis of the Forbidden City.

The central doorway was for exclusive use by the emperor in the Ming and Qing dynasties. However, an empress was granted the privilege of using this doorway once, and only once, on her wedding day during the Qing Dynasty. As a special honor granted by the emperor, the three best-performing candidates in the Palace Examination, the highest level of the imperial examinations, would be permitted to leave the imperial palace through the central doorway after their interview with the emperor.

The smaller door to the east was used by high-ranking officials while that to the west was used by the royal family. The remaining two doorways at the corners were used by lower-ranking officials and candidates attending the Palace Examination.

The strict rules of etiquette concerning the use of the Meridian Gate in ancient times reflect traditional Chinese cultural concepts such as "family management" and "state governance".

The Meridian Gate was also a venue for important ceremonies. In the Qing Dynasty, the emperor held a ceremony here to issue the next year's calendar on the 1st day of the tenth lunar month, which played a vital role in guiding agricultural activities. When the army returned in triumph after wars, the emperor received the captives and rewarded meritorious warriors at the Meridian Gate to promote national prestige.

The bells and drums at the Meridian Gate sounded together when grand ceremonies were held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. On such occasions, all doorways were open, and chariots, elephant sculptures, and other ceremonial instruments lined the passage, creating a solemn atmosphere.

The Meridian Gate is the biggest and most magnificent gate of the Forbidden City, reflecting royal authority and the solemnity of the former imperial palace. It is a significant historical site and cultural heritage that witnessed the vicissitudes of feudal China and a cultural symbol that carries profound historical memories.

午門

中國古代，“午”代表正午、正南。以“午”命名的午門，即紫禁城的正南門。

午門平面呈“凹”字形，中部為正樓，兩側(cè)為向南延伸的雁翅樓。從南往北看，中間墩臺有三個門洞；從北望南看，則是五個門洞，即所謂的“明三暗五”。午門中門洞專供皇帝出入。在清代，皇后大婚當(dāng)天可通過中門入宮。殿試前三名高中后可從中門出宮，這是天子賜予的無上殊榮。其余四個門洞，東側(cè)大門供高級官員出入，西側(cè)大門供宗室王公出入，左右兩個掖門則供三品以下官員和殿試考生行走。午門“進”“出”的盛大儀禮，反映著“齊家”“治國”等中華傳統(tǒng)文化理念。

午門也用于舉辦重要典禮。清代，農(nóng)歷十月初一，皇帝在此舉辦“頒朔禮”，頒布的歷書對于指導(dǎo)農(nóng)時農(nóng)耕至關(guān)重要。遇戰(zhàn)爭獲勝，在此舉行“受俘禮”，獎勵功臣，宣揚國威。舉辦大朝會時，午門鐘鼓齊鳴，門洞齊開，車架、寶象等陳于路側(cè)，十分隆重。

午門作為最大且最為壯觀的城門，充分展現(xiàn)出紫禁城的皇家威儀與莊嚴肅穆。