Palace of Earthly Tranquility - Kunninggong of Forbidden City

Kunninggong (Palace of Earthly Tranquility) was first built in 1420 and restored in 1655. It was the only Manchurian architecture in the Forbidden City and residence palace of the empress during the Ming and the Qing dynasties.

Kunninggong, was the private residence of the empresses during the Ming and early Qing Dynasty.

Later Palace of Earthly Tranquility was divided into two parts: the west chamber for sacrificial ceremony. The table and the big vats wre used for sacrifices to the God of the Kitchen. The east chamber used as the wedding chamber. The emperor's bridal chamber (the East Warmth Chamber) was painted red and there were palace lamps pasted with red Double Happiness to heat up happy atmosphere. The delicate and exquisite embroidered bed curtain and quilt both features a hundred playing children. The emperors all expected more children to show imperial family's prosperity. According to tradition, the emperor and the empress stayed here for two nights and then resided in their living quarters.

A total of 5.5 million taels of silver was spent on the wedding of Emperor Guangxu. Puyi, the last Qing emperor, also got married in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility .

Behind the palace, it is the Kunningmen, the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility, with imperial doctors' duty room, dispensary and eunuchs duty room flanking it.