Throughout history, China has experienced a feudal society for over 2000 years. During this period, the empire was ruled by emperors, and the class system was quite rigid. This era is often regarded as the pinnacle of the power structure. Emperors had their own specific standards and requirements regarding food, clothing, housing, and transportation, and no one was allowed to be of equal rank with the Son of Heaven.
Under this system, the emperor’s residence was, of course, extraordinarily luxurious. The Forbidden City in Beijing is one of the iconic structures symbolizing the status of the royal family. This complex features grand and majestic palaces, vividly reflecting the opulent lifestyle of ancient emperors.
Within the Forbidden City, there are dozens of palaces and countless rooms. One of the lesser-known locations is the Yongshou Palace. This was once a place for the emperor to engage in memorial activities and rest. However, later on, maintenance staff at the Forbidden City encountered strange occurrences that left them terrified.
Since then, Yongshou Palace has been closed, and visitors are no longer able to step foot in this mysterious location.
Yongshou Palace is located to the west of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Although this area is smaller compared to the rest, the furnishings inside are quite complete.
However, there is one peculiar detail: Yongshou Palace is the only place where, regardless of the freezing winter or the scorching summer, anyone who enters feels an intense chill. Why is this resting chamber in the Forbidden City so damp and cold?
This phenomenon has left scientists scratching their heads. After the authorities learned of the situation, the management promptly invited a well-known local architectural expert to investigate.
Yongshou Palace is always damp and cold.
When the expert arrived on-site, they surveyed with sophisticated tools and discovered that the coldest area was beneath the floor. This was likely the source of the chill in Yongshou Palace. The experts decided to excavate the floor layer.
Everyone was shocked by the sight before them: It turned out that there was no royal soil beneath but only a tangled network of pipes. The pipes were still filled with groundwater, which continuously emitted steam due to evaporation, creating a gloomy and chilly atmosphere in this area.
Subsequently, based on the available documents combined with the reality, the experts concluded that this could be an ancient heating system designed for summer use. However, over time, no one had maintained these pipes, leading to a significant accumulation of groundwater inside and causing the cold phenomenon that people often mention.
Regarding the closure of Yongshou Palace, the relevant authorities explained that this was to protect the cultural heritage site.
In recent years, the Forbidden City has been opened to tourists. Consequently, it is inevitable that some palaces may be accidentally damaged by visitors. To protect the remaining artifacts within the Palace Museum, the management had to close it off to prevent curious tourists from causing damage during their visits.
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