The Forbidden City (also known as the Imperial Palace of Beijing) served as the residence for the royal families of the Ming and Qing dynasties throughout China’s feudal history. Today, after opening its doors to tourists from around the globe, the Forbidden City attracts millions of visitors each year.
Visitors to this historical landmark will hear many intriguing stories surrounding it. One such tale is that no matter the time of year, at exactly 5 PM, the Forbidden City closes its gates and bids farewell to its guests. Of course, there are reasons why this site never closes late or remains open overnight.
There are four theories regarding why the Forbidden City requires visitors to leave before 5 PM.
Concubines and palace maids in the Forbidden City. (Illustrative image).
Firstly, many believe that this time marks when the Forbidden City is at its most spiritually oppressive. Even during the hot summer days, as 5 PM approaches, the atmosphere in the Forbidden City becomes increasingly chilling. In the past, a night guard stationed here reported that his children were often unwell. The elderly claimed that this was the result of enduring too much negative energy for too long, which affected even the next generation.
Moreover, in 1992, a group of tourists visiting the Forbidden City found themselves sheltering from the rain when they suddenly spotted a group of unusual palace maids dressed in traditional attire, wandering along the halls of the Forbidden City. Later, this incident was explained by a group of researchers using scientific methods.
Secondly, at night, the Forbidden City is not monitored by guards. If visitors do not leave before closing, they cannot exit. Due to the lack of human supervision, specially trained dogs patrol the area 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
According to QQ News, there have been instances where individuals intentionally stayed in the Forbidden City overnight to steal artifacts. However, by the next morning, the body of one such thief was discovered in a strange position on the steps in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The Forbidden City.
Thirdly, there is a related incident that occurred 64 years ago. On August 16, 1959, while patrolling as usual, the guards of the Forbidden City noticed something unusual. In the exhibition area of treasures, they discovered that a window had been broken and several artifacts were missing. Upon inventory, they found that a precious book belonging to one of the queens of the Kangxi Emperor was missing, along with engagement artifacts and letters from the Qianlong Emperor.
The police launched an investigation and apprehended the suspect through fingerprints left at the scene. The individual confessed that after visiting the Forbidden City, he suddenly had the urge to steal items from the artifact gallery. He was subsequently arrested.
Fourthly, the deterioration of the Forbidden City has raised safety concerns. Covering an area of approximately 720,000 square meters with over 70 palaces, this complex contains up to 9,999 rooms. Some areas have fallen into disrepair and have not been renovated, posing dangers for visitors who may enter without a guide. Therefore, to protect cultural relics and tourist safety, the Forbidden City has established a daily closing time of 5 PM.
