Announcing
the function of Palace of Union and Peace Palace
of Union and Peace, also called Jiaotaidian in Chinese, was the place
that the empresses held important ceremonies or celebrations, such as
the conferment of honorable titles and birthday celebrations.
Discover
the display of this Palace
Twenty-five seals representing imperial power were kept in the palace
of Union and Peace in 1748 during the reign of Qing emperor Qianlong(1736-1795).
The number of 25, the total of the odd numbers: one, three, five, seven
and nine, was regarded as a heavenly number. To have 25 seals means
that the emperor received the authority from Heaven.
The water
clock on the east side in this hall is a time-measuring apparatus made
in 1745. The method of keeping time by the dripping of water was invented
by the Chinese people more than 2500 years ago. The time-piece consists
of five bronze vessels. Each vessel has a small hole at the bottom to
drip evenly through the holes. There is a figurine in the lowest container.
The calibrated scale in his hands floats with the rising water, and
time is indicated on the markings.
To the
west is a western chiming clock made in 1789 by the works of Department
of the Board of Imperial Household.
The two
Chinese characters inscribed on the plaque, which hangs in this palace,
are "Wu Wei", meaning to govern the country by noninterference,
as was done by shun, a legendary sage king in ancient China. Wu Wei
is Taoist philosophy, meaning to adapt oneself to the change of nature.
Taoist philosophy stressed the oneness and contimuity of the material
and spirtual worlds. To Taoists, humanity stands midway between heaven
and earth. The feudal ruler used this idea to discourage people from
taking action.
Palace
of Union and Peace, also called Jiaotaidian in Chinese, was the place
that the empresses held important ceremonies or celebrations, such as
the conferment of honorable titles and birthday celebrations.