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The Belvedere of Literary Profundity (Wenyuan ge) is a bibliotheca behind the Hall of Literary Brilliance (Wenhua dian). It was constructed in 1776, the forty-first year of the Qianlong reign (1736-1795), modeling on the renowned Belvedere of Heaven's First Creation (Tianyi ge) in Zhejiang province.
The Hall for Ancestral Worship is converted into the Clock Gallery. Selected European and American mechanical clocks collected by the Qing dynasty imperial family, and those manufactured in Guangzhou, Suzhou and the Imperial Workshop are exhibited here.
Southwest of the Gate of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing men) is the Gate of the Thriving Imperial Clan (Longzong men), an important security point from the Inner Court (nei ting) to the West Gardens (Xi yuan).
The Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqing gong) was built in the early fifteenth century as the emperor's principal residence. Having been rebuilt several times after conflagrations, the current building is datable to 1798, the third year of the Jiaqing reign (1796-1820).
The Belvedere of Pleasant Sounds (Changyin ge) is the largest opera theatre in the Forbidden City. Now the whole courtyard where it stands is reserved for the Opera Gallery in which the exhibition Opera at the Qing Court is on display all year round.
This hall was constructed on the site of the old rear hall and gate. The Empress Cowager Cixi dined, drank tea and rested here when she lived in the Palace of Gathered Elegance (Chuxiu gong).
Built in 1420, this palace was the residence of imperial concubines in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
The third of the Three Ritual Halls, the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohe dian) was completed in the early fifteenth century. It was first called Hall of Scrupulous Behavior (Jinshen dian), was changed to Establishing Supremacy (Jianji dian), and was finally named Hall of Preserving Harmony— with the implication of preserving the unity of one's inner spirit, and sharing harmony under heaven.
Constructed in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), this pavilion is essentially square with a round roof and verandas on four sides. It has carved overhanging eaves a
