The red walls and yellow roofs of the Palace Museum

#getgoing2025 This is the palace museum; also know as the Purple Forbidden City. It is the largest and most well reserved imperial residence in China today. The Forbidden City is the head of the world's top five palaces. Its construction began in 1406 and it took 14 years to complete. The first ruler who actually lived here was Ming Dynasty's Emperor Zhudi. From north to south, the distance is 961 meters, and 753 meters from east to west. And the total area is about 725,000 square meters. This Imperial Palace has 8704 rooms. In 1987 the Forbidden City was recognized a world cultural legacy. The red and yellow used on the palace walls and roofs are symbolic. Red represents happiness, good fortune and wealth. Yellow is the color of the earth on the Loess Plateau, the original home of the Chinese people. Yellow became an imperial color during the Tang Dynasty, when only members of the royal family were allowed to dress in this color and use it in their architecture. Dragon, lion and other animals are a symbol of good fortune and dignity. The pine trees and cypress saipris trees and the pavilions make people feel beautiful and quiet.