Tiananmen

The Tiananmen /ˈtjɛnənmən/, also Tian'anmen, is the entrance gate of the Forbidden City imperial palace complex and Imperial City in the center of Beijing, China. It is widely used as a national symbol.

First built in 1420 during the Ming dynasty, Tiananmen was the entrance to the Emperor's residence, through which all visitors to the palace walked. In 1949, Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China from the balcony, which now features a large portrait of him. Tiananmen is located to the north of Tiananmen Square, and is separated from the plaza by Chang'an Avenue.

Name

The Chinese name for the Tiananmen gate (天安门/天安門) means "Gate of Heavenly Peace". It comes from a longer phrase that talks about receiving a special right from heaven and bringing peace to the country. In the Manchu language, the name is Abkai elhe obure duka, which means "Gate of Heavenly Peacemaking". The gate had a counterpart called the Di'anmen at the northern end of the imperial city.

Gate

The Tiananmen gate is the main entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It was first built in 1420 during the Ming dynasty and has been rebuilt several times. The gate was once called "Chengtianmen" and was destroyed by fire and war before being rebuilt again in 1651 during the Qing dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt secretly between 1969 and 1970 because it had become very old and weak.

The gate is 66 meters long, 37 meters wide, and 32 meters high. It features special decorations on its roof and has stone lions that are thought to protect against bad spirits. Large signs on the walls read messages about the People's Republic of China and world unity. The area in front of the gate is used for important celebrations, and a moat with fountains lies nearby.

Portrait

See also: Portraits overlooking Tiananmen

Because of its important location, the Tiananmen gate has held great political meaning throughout history. In 1925, after the death of Sun Yat-sen, a large portrait of him was displayed there. In 1945, to celebrate victory over Japan, a portrait of Chiang Kai-shek was shown.

Since 1949, when the People’s Republic of China was founded, a portrait of Mao Zedong has been displayed on the gate. This portrait is replaced each year before National Day. In 2011, there was a suggestion to show a portrait of Sun Yat-sen again, but this idea was not accepted.

• Portrait of Chiang Kai-shek during the Republic of China era (before 1949)

• Portrait of Joseph Stalin put up after his death, 1953

• Portrait of Mao Zedong by Ge Xiaoguang

National symbol

Due to its historical importance, Tiananmen is shown on the National Emblem of the People's Republic of China. It has also appeared on stamps and coins made by the People's Republic of China.

Public access

Tiananmen is open to visitors every day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets need to be booked online using the Weixin (Wechat) Mini Program at least one day before the visit; tickets cannot be purchased on the same day or at the location.

The Beijing Subway Line 1 stops at Tiananmen West and Tiananmen East, located on either side of Tiananmen. Several city buses, including routes 1, 2, 5, 52, 82, 120, 观光1, 观光2, 夜1, 夜2, and 夜17, also stop nearby.