1 . The Imperial Palace, also called the Forbidden City was the palace where the 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties ruled China for roughly 500 years.
The Imperial Palace is located in the center of Beijing, on the northern side of Tian'anmen Square, rectangular (矩形的) in shape, 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters wide from east to west, with an area of 1,120,000 square meters. It's the world's largest and most complete palace made of wood in existence.
The Imperial Palace is divided into two parts: the Outer Court and the Inner Court. The Outer Court was the place where the emperors hosted royal ceremonies and handled the day-to-day affairs of the state, while the Inner Court was the living quarters for the emperors and their families. In 1987 the Imperial Palace was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Imperial Palace is surrounded by royal gardens. To the west lies Zhongnanhai, which serves as the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China. To the north-west lies Beihai Park, which also is a popular park. To the north lies Jingshan Park, also known as Coal Hill, where the last Ming emperor hanged himself as the rebel army overran his palace.
Today, Tian'anmen Gate in front of the Forbidden City is decorated with a portrait of Mao Zedong in the center and two placards (标语牌) to the left and right. The left placard reads “Long Live the People's Republic of China”, and the right placard reads “Long live the Great Unity of the World's Peoples”. The phrasing has great symbolic meaning, as the phrase “long live” was traditionally reserved for the emperors of China, but is now available to the common people. This is also true of the Forbidden City.
1. According to the passage, what makes the Imperial Palace stand out in the world?| A．It is a palace complex with a long history. |
| B．It witnessed 24 emperors working and living in it. |
| C．It is the largest and best preserved wooden palace. |
| D．It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
