1. is the great gate Hien men. As you go on to the north, 2, 143, 214, are three gates of a great court with magnificent walls. Thro’ the gate 3 you enter into a court, where is the Tay miao Nº. 7. There are reposited the tablets of the ancestors of the reigning emperor, and of the illustrious subjects deceased, who have served the dynasty. This miao or palace is a vast one, and well kept. At regular times the emperor, princes, and great men, go thither to perform ceremonies.
Nº. 9 is the Che tsi tan, where are performed, at regular times, the ceremonies to the ancients, who have taught the art of agriculture. This palace is a very beautiful one. 4, 5, 6, are the gates of a court, where the reguli and princes go frequently to receive the emperor’s orders. There are halls for their reception. The mandarins give them tea to drink, and mark their names in a register. When upon the fixed days they cannot attend, they are required to give notice of it. It is in this court, that the tributary princes, or their envoys, do homage, and receive the presents of the emperor; which presents are considered as rewards.
Nº. 11 is Ou men, the great gate with a beautiful pavillion of a considerable height, in which is a large bell[145]. This gate, with those marked Nº. 12, 13, are those of the great court; whence going to the north, you enter into the beautiful and vast court Tay ho tien, the gates and galleries of which, with the balconies, make a fine appearance. In this court, on the first day of the year, and on other fixed days, the mandarins, according to their ranks, perform the ceremony to the emperor, who is seated on his throne in the hall called Tay ho tien. This hall is a vast and magnificent one. The princes, ministers, and great men of the first order, place themselves there by the emperor. It is in this hall, that the emperor gives audience to foreign princes and their ambassadors. You go up to this hall by magnificent steps.
To the north of Tay ho tien is a large court, whither the princes, great men, ministers, and principal mandarins, go in turns every day, to receive the emperor’s orders, or to present their petitions. To the north of this court are the apartments of the emperor, the empress, the queens, and ladies. The great gate of the place, where these apartments are, is Nº. 23. All these apartments are in the space contained within the walls, which have this figure
At A is a beautiful gate to the south. The walls of the inclosure of the apartments of the emperor and empress are higher than those of the inclosures of the queens and ladies. In them are orchards, jets d’eau, flowering shrubs, and a great number of small chambers for the eunuchs.
To the west of the court Tay ho tien is the fine palace Tsi ning kong. The empress-mother lives there at present. Every thing in this palace is beautiful. There are little gardens very neat and well kept. At the east of the Tay ho tien is likewise a fine palace, where the prince heir, with his court, resided in the time of the emperor Kanghi. It is a very beautiful palace, and highly ornamented.
In the inclosure of Kong tching, or Tse kin, there are tribunals, a great number of magazines, manufactures, the imperial apothecary’s shop and printing-house; schools for the Chinese and Tartar languages; and several temples of idols, one of which, lately made for the lamas, cost immense sums.
Nº. 26, 28, 29, are the gates of the great inclosure called Kin chan. It is properly a beautiful pleasure-house, which the present emperor has caused to be extremely embellished. There are in it fine gardens with walks of trees, very rich and elegant apartments, halls for the musicians and comedians. From the mountain m, the last emperor of the dynasty Ming, seeing the city taken by the rebels, hanged himself on the morning of the 15th of April of the year of our Lord 1644. On the day before, the 14th of April, the empress hanged herself in the evening in the palace. The mountain in Kin chan was made by art a long time ago.
At the west of the inclosure Kin chan and Tse kin observe the great laos. 54 is the peta, or white pyramid. This pyramid stands on a small mountain, which makes an island. The present emperor has built there, in the form of an amphitheatre, I do not know how many apartments with covered and open galleries, well built, and in a good taste: the point of view is charming, and the galleries, which run over the lake, are extremely beautiful. There are two or three temples of idols. 53 is a fine building with a temple of idols; and in it a statue of Fo of an extraordinary height. It is of copper, gilt, and cost great sums. 76 is a very beautiful palace called Yng tay, with fine gardens, fine halls, and fine walks.