PURPLE FORBIDDEN CITY 75 



drawn together, one is happy and care free, the further 

 screen is composed of the pines of longevity; the frieze and 

 panels are decorated with a design of bamboo, thus the 

 ''Three Friends" the pine, Bamboo, and Plum, "who* do not 

 fear the winter's blast," are all represented. Panels and 

 window frets are ornamented with characters for longevity. 

 Beautiful lanterns screened in different shades of yellow, 

 hang from the ceiling while at the end of the room' stands 

 a magnificent circular mirror, which conveys the following 

 meaning; Yung Yuan Chang Yuan ^c $1 Jk E United in a 

 complete circle for eternity." A round mirror has several 

 connotations; it is symbol of conjugal happiness, the death 

 of a wife, the absence of a husband are referred to as "a 

 broken mirror;" it also suggests complete comprehension; 

 and is used as an allusion to that magic mirror in which the 

 nature of peoples hearts are reflected ; these last were used by 

 the Great First Emperor of Chin to test the hearts of the 

 palace ladies. 



Returning to the central line of buildings one passes 

 through the Tsun I Men M 1$ PI Comply with Excellence 

 Gate into the Yu Hua Ting Wi fe >¥■ Rain Flowers Pavilion. 

 This name of a priest is supposed to deliver the sutra, that is 

 one of the Canons of Buddhism, and as the words of 

 enlightenment fall from his lips Heaven "rains flowers. " In 

 Nanking there may be seen the famous Yu Hua T'ai where, 

 in the time of Liang Wu Ti m & & A.D. 502, the great 

 patron of Buddhism, flowers rained as a priest was expound- 

 ing the doctrine, which flowers were turned into the brightly 

 coloured pebbles for which the hill is still famous, and which 

 the Chinese treasure to-day in little bowls of water so that 

 the colours may gleam the more brightly. Buddhist relics 

 are deposited in the Pavilion and in the centre of the 

 courtyard stands a fine incense burner upon which is carved 

 a Suan Li ¥$, f% that son of the dragon who loves smoke and 

 sweet scents. 



Beyond the Yii Hua Ting the northernmost gate of the 

 Purple Forbidden City is reached, the Gate through which 

 ironically enough the Court of Kuang Hsu fled in Boxer 

 Days, it is the Shen Wu Men f# ^ PI Spirit of Bravery Gate. 

 In addition to all attributes we have noticed the Emperor 

 should have one other — that of bravery — he is known as Chiin 

 Chu Shen Wu ^ £ %% K. "The Emperor is majestic and 

 awe inspiring. 



Standing to the north of the Purple City, on that hill 

 where the last of the Mings stood at the moment when he — 

 realizing that the Decree of Heaven, by which he lived and 

 reigned, had gone from him — decided to end his sojourn in 



