Topic > Essay on the Forbidden City - 636

Rather than the names that usually included "supremacy" or "extremity" that the Ming so favored, the Qing liked names that meant things like "peace" and "harmony". For example, the building named “Hall of Imperial Supremacy” has been changed to “Hall of Supreme Harmony”. The signs and plaques were translated into both Chinese and Manchu (History of the Forbidden City). The palace ceased to be the residence of the emperors when Emperor Puyi abdicated in 1912. The palace, as well as Beijing, was taken over in 1924 by Feng Yuxiang. In 1949 there was much discussion among the Chinese whether to destroy or restore the Forbidden City. During this time the artifacts were dismantled, name tablets were taken, and other minor damage was caused to the city (History of the Forbidden City). In 1987 the city was declared a World Heritage Site for its role in Chinese culture (Forbidden