The central axis of Beijing’s central axis
Starting from the center of the demolished Yongding Gate in the south, it goes north through Zhengyangmen, Tiananmen, Meridian Gate, Taihe Hall, Zhonghe Hall, Baohe Hall, Qianqing Palace, Kunning Palace, Shenwu Palace The gate, the highest point of Jingshan Mountain, Wanchun Pavilion, Shouhuang Hall, Drum Tower, and finally reaches the center of Bell Tower, with a total length of 7.86 kilometers. This central axis connects the four-layered city, namely the outer city, the inner city, the imperial city and the Forbidden City.
With this central axis as the center, the city of Beijing has formed an east-west symmetrical pattern, which is reflected in the place names.
Beijing’s relatively clear central axis dates from the Jin Dynasty. An imperial road runs through Fengyi Gate in the outer city, Xuanyang Gate in the imperial city and Yingtian Gate in the palace city. However, there are no famous buildings on the imperial road. . In the Yuan Dynasty, the central axis was formally formed. It was located at the center line of the old Drum Tower Street and its southward extension, passing through the center of the palace city on the east bank of Taiye Lake (today's Beihai and Zhongnanhai) and reaching the Li main gate in the middle of the outer city. In the Ming Dynasty, the rulers moved the central axis of Beijing 150 meters eastward, eventually forming the current layout. The purpose was to highlight the imperial palace, not to be connected with the Taiye Pool in Xiyuan, and to avoid the numerous Qionghua Island and Xihaizi. The towers and pavilions with corresponding spaces in the middle make the palace look dignified and magnificent, which is the only one. Therefore, the central axis of Beijing is not entirely on the city center line. For example, the distance between Zhengyangmen and Chongwenmen is more than 200 meters closer than the distance between Xuanwumen.
The purpose of establishing the central axis is to emphasize the central position of the feudal emperor, just as the reason why China is named China means "the country in the center of the world". The overall layout of the city is centered on the central axis, with the Imperial Ancestral Temple on the left and the altar of sacrifice on the right; in front is the imperial court and in the back is the market, that is, "left ancestors and right societies" and "front dynasty and back market". Therefore, Beijing has become the world's largest city in terms of urban layout. One of the most glorious cities.
To reflect the central position of the feudal dynasty in the country, many famous buildings in Beijing are located on the central axis, such as Zhengyangmen, Tiananmen, the Forbidden City where the emperors lived, and the city’s central clock , Drum Tower, etc. These buildings are not only symbols of the ancient capital Beijing, but also symbols of Chinese civilization. They occupy a high position in the history of world civilization. Therefore, no one who comes to Beijing does not come here to visit.
After the founding of New China, Tiananmen Square, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, etc. were successively expanded. People who have been to Beijing may be interested in many place names in Beijing: there are Dongzhimen and Xizhimen; there are Dongsi and Xisi; there are Dongdan and Xidan; there are Dongbianmen and Xibianmen; there are Zuobianmen and Anmen, and Youanmen... What's going on?
It turns out that there are two famous central axes in Beijing, the other one is Chang'an Avenue.
Chang'an Street is famous both at home and abroad, and is known as the "No. 1 Street in China". Chang'an Street was built in the Ming Dynasty and was the most important road during the construction of the Forbidden City, Imperial City and Inner and Outer City in Beijing. According to relevant records, it was built at the same time as the Imperial City from the fourth to the eighteenth year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty (1406-1420). It was one of the important components of the overall plan for the construction of Beijing City in the Ming Dynasty. It has a history of 600 years. Chang'an Street is named after the left and right gates of Chang'an on both sides of Tiananmen Gate. After the founding of New China, in order to solve the traffic problem on Chang'an Street, the left and right gates of Chang'an were demolished in August 1952.