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Jiaotaidian,
the Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union, was first built in
1420 and rebuilt in 1655 and 1798 respectively. As its name implies
it symbolises the happy marriage of the emperor and empress. Resembling
Zhonghedian, the Hall of Central Harmony in design, it is the smallest
of the three main palaces in the Inner Court. It was here that empresses
would receive formal birthday greetings. Empresses would inspect
preparations before they went to preside over memorial ceremonies
for the Silkworm God and practise sericulture, (the rearing of silkworms
for the production of raw silk.) Emperor Shunzhi's order that eunuchs
should be banned from attending state affairs was placed here. To
the right of the throne, visitors will see an ancient Chinese timing
device, the equivalent of an hour glass but using water rather than
sand. To the left there is a chiming clock. These were used to calculate
the time for the Drum Tower and the Bell Tower. In addition, the
palace also holds twenty-five imperial seals. These denote the wish
of Emperor Qianlong for the Qing dynasty to last for twenty-five
generations, thereby exceeding the duration of the East Zhou dynasty,
which had lasted the longest in China. However, history disappointed
him, the Qing dynasty only lasted for ten reigns.
Go north to Palace of Terrestrial Tranquility (Kunninggong).
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