中正仁和殿
Zhongzheng Renhe Hall
The Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxi Dian)
During the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, the Hall of Mental Cultivation was used to produce items used by the royal family. After Emperor Yongzheng converted this place into his bedchamber, a total of eight emperors lived and handled government affairs here.
The Hall of Mental Cultivation has a horizontal H-shaped layout, with its front and rear halls connected by a corridor. It was also the first palace in the Forbidden City to be equipped with glass windows.
In the middle of the front hall is Zhongzheng Renhe Hall, where the emperor met ministers to discuss government affairs. In the southwest of the East Warmth Chamber is a large glass window, which is called the "bright window" because of the abundant sunlight. At 0:00 a.m. on the 1st day of the first lunar month each year, the emperor held a ceremony called "opening the pen by the bright window" to write auspicious words and numbers, praying for good luck in the new year. In the late Qing Dynasty, empress dowagers attended to state affairs behind a yellow curtain in the East Warmth Chamber, when Emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu were still young.
On the western side is Qinzheng Qinxian Hall, where the emperor read and approved memorials submitted by officials and discussed important affairs with ministers. On the westernmost side are the studies of Emperor Qianlong — the Cabinet of Three Rare Treasures (Sanxi tang) and the Study of Everlasting Spring (Changchun shuwu).
With an area of only four square meters, the Cabinet of Three Rare Treasures was so named because of the three precious calligraphic works collected by Emperor Qianlong here. The rear hall was the emperor's bedroom, and the chambers on both sides were where imperial consorts resided.
As the center of political power since the period of Emperor Yongzheng, the Hall of Mental Cultivation witnessed both the flourishing age of Emperor Qianlong and the dynasty's gradual decline during subsequent reigns.
养心殿外景
Outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation
养心殿
康熙年间，养心殿曾是专门制作宫廷御用物品之处。雍正皇帝把这里改为寝宫后，共有八位皇帝在此居住和处理政务。
养心殿为工字形建筑，前殿、后殿以穿堂相连，且是紫禁城中第一个装上玻璃的宫殿。前殿中间为中正仁和殿，用于召见朝臣、议商政务。东暖阁西南部安装有整片的大玻璃窗，因光线充足敞亮，称为“明窗”。皇帝每年正月初一零时在此“明窗开笔”，书吉语数字，祈祷一年平顺。清晚期“垂帘听政”即在东暖阁，在同治、光绪帝尚年幼时，政务由坐在黄纱帘后的两宫皇太后裁决。
西侧有皇帝批阅奏折、与大臣密谈的勤政亲贤殿。最西侧则是乾隆皇帝的书房三希堂和长春书屋。三希堂仅4平方米，因乾隆皇帝钟爱的三幅著名稀世书法作品而得名。后殿是皇帝寝宫，两侧为后妃随居之所。
养心殿作为雍正以后的政治权力中心，见证了乾隆盛世，也目睹了清的由盛转衰。
