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The Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin'an Dian)

Updated:2025-07-02
By:The Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies

The Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin'an Dian)

The Hall of Imperial Peace is the main building in the Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City. Built to worship Lord Xuanwu, the god of water in Taoism, it is one of the few Ming-dynasty buildings on the central axis that has never suffered a fire.

Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty believed in Taoism and often held Taoist ceremonies in the Hall of Imperial Peace. In 1535, a wall was added around the hall, forming an independent courtyard. The Gate of Heaven's Primacy (Tianyi men) was built in the south, which derived its name from the sentence "Tianyi gives birth to water" in The Book of Changes, echoing with the god of water enshrined in the hall. Guarding the outside of the door are a pair of Xiezhi, a mythical animal believed to have the ability to judge between right and wrong and wipe out the wicked by biting or goring them.

The Hall of Imperial Peace features a rare type of roof known as luding, a flat roof surrounded by four ridges. A gilt copper treasure bottle is in the middle of the roof, which contains scriptures.

Lord Xuanwu enshrined in the hall is the god in charge of the north. Xuan, meaning "black", stands for water in the Five Elements, so the north corresponds to water in Chinese culture.

Most of the buildings in the Forbidden City are composed of wood, so fire prevention was crucial. Enshrining the god of water in the center of the Imperial Garden reflected ancient reverence for nature and hope for peace and good fortune.

钦安殿

钦安殿为紫禁城御花园中的主体建筑,里面供奉道教水神玄武大帝,是中轴线上为数不多的从未遭受火灾的明代建筑。

明代嘉靖皇帝笃信道教,常于钦安殿举行道教仪式。嘉靖十四年(1535)钦安殿周围增设围墙,形成独立院落,南端正中加盖“天一门”,取自《易经》“天一生水”,与殿内供奉的水神相呼应。门外立有一对獬豸,据传专噬奸佞之人,守护着这座宗教殿堂。

钦安殿殿顶为罕见的重檐盝顶,即由四条脊围合而成的平顶,屋顶中间有铜胎鎏金宝瓶,内藏经书。殿中供奉的玄武大帝,也是掌管北方之神。“玄”即黑色,在五行中对应水,北方亦属水。紫禁城中多为木结构建筑,防火至关重要,御花园中心供奉水神,体现了对大自然的敬畏、对平安美好的祈盼。

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