Over
the fourteen years spent to create the Imperial Palace, over 200,000 laborers
and artisans worked to design and build every structure (Morel 17). Every color, design, and art work in the
palace has a deeper meaning that just pleasing the eye. According to Morel different colors used in throughout
the design of the palace conveyed several meanings. In Chinese culture the color yellow is
reserved for the emperor to represent his power and closeness to the level of
god (Morel 17). When looking at the palace each roof is covered in yellow
tiles, which I think can maybe symbolize that the emperor is the highest power
just like the roofs are the highest areas of the structures. In China the color red represents wealth, and
honor which is why the walls of the palace are displayed in red. The color red can also represent fire
therefore the roof of the library is made of black tiles that symbolize the
element of water (Zhigang 8). Color played an important role in the design elements in the palace. Maybe the carefully selected color scheme provided the Ming with good luck because they ruled for many years!
Béguin, Gilles, and Dominique Morel. The Forbidden City:
Center of Imperial China. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1997. Print.
Yang, Zhigang. Beijing's Imperial Palace: The Illustrated
Guide to the Architecture, History, and Splendor of the Forbidden City.
Pleasantville, N.Y: Reader's Digest Association, 2010. Print.