The Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan)
Located on the northernmost end of the central axis of the Forbidden City, the Imperial Garden covers an area of 12,000 square meters and is the largest garden in the Forbidden City. It served as a recreational and entertainment venue for emperors, empresses, and concubines of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The garden is dotted with multiple buildings. The main building, the Hall of Imperial Peace, once served as a venue for Taoist activities.
To the southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest of the Hall of Imperial Peace stand four pavilions that represent the four seasons—the Pavilion of Myriad Springs (Wanchun ting), the Pavilion of Floating Jade (Fubi ting), the Pavilion of One Thousand Autumns (Qianqiu ting), and the Pavilion of Auspicious Lucidity (Chengrui ting).
On the western side of the garden is a concave-shaped building called the Lodge of Spiritual Cultivation (Yangxing zhai), which symmetrizes the convex-shaped building named the Bower of Crimson Snow (Jiangxue xuan) on the eastern side. Both were used by the emperor as venues for book collection and reading. They add a sense of dynamics and liveliness to the overall symmetrical layout of the garden.
More than 100 ancient trees and artificial rockeries dot the garden in addition to the buildings.
In the northeastern corner of the garden stands the Hill of Accumulated Excellence (Duixiu shan), built of stones of various shapes, where emperors and imperial consorts could enjoy views from atop the hill.
Another feature is grotesque natural rocks such as the Sea Cucumber Rock, the Wood-turned Stone, and the "Zhuge Liang Worshipping the Big Dipper" Rock, which set off each other.
An important part of the Forbidden City, the Imperial Garden was an ideal place for the emperor to handle state affairs, relax, and seek inner peace, reflecting the Chinese pursuit of finding spiritual resonance in natural landscapes.
御花园
御花园位于紫禁城中轴线最北侧，占地12000平方米，是紫禁城中最大的花园，供明清帝后妃嫔休闲娱乐所用。
花园中建筑星罗棋布。主体建筑钦安殿是举行道教活动的场所。钦安殿东南、东北、西南、西北分布万春、浮碧、千秋、澄瑞四亭，代表一年四季。花园西侧有“凹”字形建筑养性斋，与东侧“凸”字形建筑绛雪轩呼应，二者皆曾用作皇帝藏书、读书之所，在花园总体对称的布局中，又显变化活泼的一面。
除建筑外，花园有古树一百余棵，另有奇石造景点缀其间。园内东北角，为形态各异的石头堆砌而成的堆秀山，可供帝后嫔妃登高望远。园中还有“海参石”“木变石”和“诸葛拜斗石”，皆天然形成，相映成趣。
御花园作为紫禁城的重要组成部分，是宫廷政务、生活之余放松身心、陶冶性情的好去处，体现了中国人寄情山水、寓于自然的理想追求。
