Forbidden City

Definition

The Forbidden City is a large palace complex in Beijing, China, that served as the home of emperors and their households for almost 500 years from the Ming dynasty (1420) to the end of the Qing dynasty (1912). It's called "Forbidden" because it was off-limits to most people during imperial rule.

Analogy

Think of the Forbidden City like an exclusive VIP club. Only certain people (the emperor and his court) were allowed inside, while everyone else could only dream about what was happening within its walls.

Related terms

Ming Dynasty: A Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644. It was during this period that the Forbidden City was built.

Qing Dynasty: The last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief interruption in 1862-1877. They continued using the Forbidden City as their residence until its end.

Imperial Palace: A term used for any palatial complex that serves as a residence for an emperor or king. The Forbidden City is one such example.