Chinese palace

A traditional Chinese palace comprises multiple buildings arranged within expansive walled and moated compounds. It contains large halls (殿) for ceremonies and official functions, along with smaller structures such as temples, towers, residences, galleries, courtyards, gardens, and auxiliary buildings.

The world's largest palace to have ever existed, the Weiyang Palace, was built by the Western Han dynasty on the order of the Emperor Gaozu. The world's largest palace currently still in existence, the Forbidden City, was constructed by the Ming dynasty during the reign of the Yongle Emperor.

Main imperial palaces, in chronological order

• Xianyang Palace (咸陽宮), in (Qin) Xianyang (咸陽), now 15 km/9 miles east of modern Xianyang, Shaanxi province: this was the royal palace of the state of Qin before the Chinese unification, and then the palace of the First Emperor when China was unified. Burnt down by Xiang Yu after the fall of the Qin dynasty.
• Epang Palace (阿房宮 - probable meaning: "The Palace on the Hill"), 20 km/12 miles south of (Qin) Xianyang (咸陽), now 15 km/9 miles west of Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: the imperial palace built by the First Emperor in replacement of Xianyang Palace. Traditionally said to be burnt down by Xiang Yu, but may not have been completed at the fall of the Qin dynasty.
• Weiyang Palace (未央宮 - "The Endless Palace"), in (Han) Chang'an (長安), now 7 km/4 miles northeast of downtown Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: imperial palace of the Western Han dynasty for two centuries. This is the largest palace ever built on Earth, covering 4.8 km² (1,200 acres), which is 6.7 times the size of the Forbidden City, or 11 times the size of the Vatican City. Used after the Han dynasty, rebuilt in the Tang dynasty.
• Southern Palace (南宮) and Northern Palace (北宮), in Luoyang (洛陽), Henan province: imperial palaces of the Eastern Han dynasty for two centuries, the Southern Palace being used for court hearings and audiences, the Northern Palace being the private residence of the emperor and his concubines. Demolished by Dong Zhuo at the end of the Han dynasty.
• Taiji Palace (太極宮 - "Palace of the Supreme Ultimate"), also known as the Western Apartments (西内), in (Tang) Chang'an (長安), now downtown Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: imperial palace during the Sui dynasty (who called it Daxing Palace - 大興宮, "Palace of Great Prosperity") and in the beginning of the Tang dynasty (until A.D. 663). Area: 4.2 km² (1,040 acres), imperial section proper: 1.92 km² (474 acres).
• Daming Palace (大明宮 - "Palace of the Great Brightness"), also known as the Eastern Apartments (東内), in (Tang) Chang'an (長安), now downtown Xi'an (西安), Shaanxi province: imperial palace of the Tang dynasty after A.D. 663 (it was briefly named Penglai Palace (蓬萊宮) between 663 and 705), but the Taiji Palace remained in use for major state ceremonies such as coronations. Area: 3.11 km² (768 acres), almost 4.5 times the size of the Forbidden City.
• Kaifeng Imperial Palace (東京大内皇宮), in Dongjing (東京), now called Kaifeng (開封), Henan province: imperial palace of the Northern Song dynasty.
• Hangzhou Imperial Palace (臨安大内禁宮), in Lin'an (臨安), now called Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang province: imperial palace of the Southern Song dynasty, located at the Phoenix Mountain.
• Karakorum (哈拉和林), site of the imperial palace of the Mongol Empire.
• Shangdu (元上都) and Khanbaliq (元大都), locations of the imperial palaces of the Yuan dynasty.
• Ming Imperial Palace (明故宮), in Nanjing (南京), Jiangsu province: imperial palace of the Ming dynasty until 1421. Used as a source of stone and gradually demolished in the Qing dynasty and by the Taiping rebels.
• Forbidden City (紫禁城), now known in China as the Beijing Gugong (北京故宫), in Beijing (北京): imperial palace of the Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty from 1420 until 1924. Area: 720,000 m² (178 acres). The Forbidden City is the world's largest palace currently in existence.
• Imperial Palace (Manchukuo) (帝宮), now known as Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo (伪满皇宫博物院), in Changchun (长春): imperial palace of the Manchukuo.