The Forbidden City 100 EP.06 Golden Water Bridge | China Documentary

The small river enters the Forbidden City from the west. It flows gently along a curving path through the solemn and stately front courtyard. The front courtyard of the Forbidden City, the 11th imperial palace in China's long history, is designed with bridges over a river. This is in accordance with Feng Shui, which requires a mountain behind and water in front. During the Ming Dynasty, lotus plants grew in the water here and the river provided water for drinking and firefighting, as well as being a landscape feature and a way to take away waste water. There are five stone bridges across the river and they're called the Inner Bridges. The Tiananmen, altar to the gods of land and grain on the other hand, has seven bridges. Roads and bridges have a special significance in Chinese traditional culture in terms of family and state protocols, and especially proper personal conduct. The central inner bridge is called the Imperial Road Bridge. The arch of this bridge, formerly used exclusively by the emperor, is lower than the others. This was to make it easier to lift the emperor's sedan chair across. The bridges on the two sides of the Imperial Road Bridge were for members of the imperial family. The two outermost bridges were used by court officials. The curve of the river is like a bow. The five bridges crossing the river are like five arrows on a bow. In Chinese culture, these five arrows represent benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness. These were the virtues demanded of all Chinese people. The bow and arrow arrangement symbolized these five virtues radiating from the heart of the country across the land.