Who built and designed the Forbidden City? Who are the people in the Forbidden City?

Kuai Xiang, an architect of Ming Dynasty in China, was born in the first year of Zong Wenjian in Minghui and died in the 12th year of Chenghua in Ming Xianzong. He is now from Yufan Village, Wuxian County, Jiangsu Province. Kuai Xiang is a hereditary craftsman, and his father is rich in superb skills. He was elected to the capital by the Ming Dynasty and became the "carpenter leader" responsible for building the palace. Kuai Xiang studied with his father since childhood. After Kuaifu retired from his hometown, his son became famous in carpentry skills and architectural design, and followed in his father's footsteps, becoming the "first carpenter", and later became the assistant minister of the Ministry of Industry.

Kuai Xiang participated in or presided over many major royal projects, including the Forbidden City in Beijing, the first three halls of the Forbidden City, Long Fu Temple, Xiyuan Temple in Beijing and Yuling.

The overall pattern of the Forbidden City

1. The Palace Museum is surrounded by a palace wall with a height of 12 meters and a length of 3,400 meters. It is a rectangular city surrounded by a moat with a width of 52 meters, forming a fortified castle. There are four doors in the Forbidden City. The main entrance is called Wumen, the east entrance is called Donghuamen, the west entrance is called Xihuamen, and the north entrance is called Shenwumen. Facing the Shenwumen in the north gate, there is a Jingshan made of earth and stone. In the overall layout, Jingshan can be said to be the barrier of the Forbidden City complex.

The Forbidden City is about 960 meters long from north to south and 750 meters wide from east to west, with an area of more than 720,000 square meters and more than 8,000 existing houses. There are 10 meters high walls and 52 meters wide moats around. There are doors on all sides, the meridian gate in the south, the Shenwu gate in the north, the Donghua gate in the east and the Xihua gate in the west. The Forbidden City consists of an outer court and an inner court.

3. The outer court is centered on the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Zhonghe and the Hall of Baohe, with Wenhua Hall in the east and Wuying Hall in the west as its wings, which is the place where the imperial court held the ceremony. Behind the outer court is the Imperial Palace, including Gan Qing Palace, Jiaotai Palace, Kunning Palace, Imperial Garden and Six Palaces of East and West. It is the place where the emperor handles daily affairs and the emperor and queen live. In addition, there is Ningshougong District on the east side, which is the place where Emperor Qianlong of Qing Dynasty abdicated to provide for the aged.

Reference to the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Forbidden City