Zhongnanhai ( Chinese : 中南海 ) is a compound that houses the offices of and serves as a residence for the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the State Council . It was a former imperial garden, and is located adjacent to the Forbidden Palace in Beijing . The term Zhongnanhai is often used as a metonym for China's central government and its leadership at large.
144-487: The state leaders , including the president, general secretary of the CCP, and other top party and state leadership figures carry out many of their day-to-day administrative activities inside the compound, such as meetings with foreign dignitaries. China Central Television (CCTV) frequently shows footage of meetings inside the compound, but limits its coverage largely to views of the interior of buildings. Though numerous maps of
288-482: A Han Chinese woman (surname Zhang); it is unknown which of them was Shi Tianze's mother. Shi Tianze was married to two Jurchen women, a Han Chinese woman, and a Korean woman, and his son Shi Gang was born to one of his Jurchen wives. His Jurchen wives' surnames were Monian and Nahe, his Korean wife's surname was Li, and his Han Chinese wife's surname was Shi. Shi Tianze defected to the Mongol forces upon their invasion of
432-759: A bell tower and drum tower to announce the night curfew (which was revived after being abolished under the Song). The Jurchens followed Khitan precedent of living in tents amidst the Chinese-style architecture, which were in turn based on the Song dynasty Kaifeng model. A significant branch of Taoism called the Quanzhen School was founded under the Jin Dynasty by Han Chinese Wang Zhe (1113–1170), founder of formal congregations in 1167 and 1168. He took
576-564: A clear separation between the sedentary population who had lived under Liao rule, and the sedentary population who formerly lived under Northern Song rule but had never been under Liao rule. The former they referred to as hanren or yanren while the latter they referred to as nanren . Because the Jin had few contacts with its southern neighbour, the Song dynasty, different cultural developments took place in both states. Within Confucianism ,
720-521: A complete Canon for printing. After sending people on a "nationwide search for scriptures" that yielded 1,074 fascicles of text that had not been included in the Huizong edition of the Canon and also securing donations to fund the new printing, Sun Mingdao proceeded to have the new woodblocks cut in 1192. The final print consisted of 6,455 fascicles. Despite records that the Jin emperors offered copies of
864-600: A depleted military force, Wanyan Liang failed to make headway in his attempted invasion of the Southern Song dynasty. Finally he was assassinated by his own generals in December 1161, due to his defeats. His son and heir was also assassinated in the capital. Although crowned in October, Wanyan Yong (Emperor Shizong) was not officially recognised as emperor until the murder of Wanyan Liang's heir. The Khitan uprising
1008-586: A front gate and courtyard like other buildings in the former Regent Palace area, instead featuring a covered access ramp. Immediately to the south is a building that serves as the headquarters for the State Council General Office . The Fourth Conference Room ( 第四会议室 ) houses a conference room of the State Council. It is used for meetings between State Council officials and specially invited persons who are often not affiliated with
1152-657: A new official edition of the Canon printed by the Northern Song. Completed in 1173, the Jin Tripitaka counted about 7,000 fascicles, "a major achievement in the history of Buddhist private printing." It was further expanded during the Yuan dynasty . Buddhism thrived during the Jin period, both in its relation with the imperial court and in society in general. Many sutras were also carved on stone tablets. The donors who funded such inscriptions included members of
1296-553: A personal retreat. Throughout this garden, there are wooden placards at the buildings' entrances, inscribed by the Qianlong Emperor. In the northwestern area of the garden is a building called Chunlianzhai ( 春耦斋 ; 春耦齋 ) which once housed the seal of the Qianlong Emperor as well as several artworks. After the Boxer Rebellion Chunlianzhai was looted and it subsequently became a summer residence for
1440-520: A senior leader's death, their spouse is often permitted to stay in the house indefinitely. Several of these houses were occupied by the families of their original post-revolution residents into the 1990s. The buildings around the Central Sea ( Chinese : 中海 ) constitute the headquarters of the State Council of the People's Republic of China and its affiliate institutions, including the offices of
1584-457: A span of 23 years, the Jin were ultimately conquered by the Mongols in 1234. The Jin dynasty was officially known as the "Great Jin" (大金), with Jin meaning "gold". The Jurchen word for "gold", and therefore also for their state name, was alchun . Furthermore, the Jin emperors referred to their state as China, Zhongguo ( 中國 ), just as some other non-Han dynasties. Non-Han rulers expanded
SECTION 10
#17327654040871728-753: A thirty-meter corridor which is used for informational exhibits and displays relevant to State Council activities. This corridor is located at the south end of the former Regent Palace area. Both the full State Council and the weekly meetings of the State Council Standing Committee are convened in conference room number one. During the Ming dynasty, the Jiajing Emperor built Wanshou Palace in this area as his main living palace within Zhongnanhai. Nothing remained of this palace by
1872-420: A water body; in contrast, the municipal government, however, is shown significantly with a red star. The most important entrance to the compound is the southern one at Xinhuamen (Xinhua Gate, or "Gate of New China"), surrounded by two slogans: "long live the great Chinese Communist Party" and "long live the invincible Mao Zedong Thought ." The view behind the entrance is shielded by a traditional screen wall with
2016-744: Is Thousand Sage Hall , which includes a dome and a seven-story pagoda. Located on an island in the Central Sea, the Water Clouds Pavilion contains a stele engraved by the Qianlong Emperor reading "Autumn Wind on the Taiye Lake". The Southern Sea ( Nanhai , 南海 ) compound is the headquarters of the CCP, including the office of the general secretary and the offices of the staff of the Central Committee General Office . Southern Zhongnanhai also includes
2160-527: Is a two-storey pavilion located on the northern west bank of the Central Sea. Immediately behind Ziguang Hall is another pavilion called Wucheng Hall ( 武成殿 ) which connects to Ziguang Hall to form a courtyard. In the Ming dynasty, it was originally a platform built by the Zhengde Emperor for military exercise. His successor, the Jiajing Emperor , built Ziguang Hall here as a replacement for
2304-637: Is also the meeting location of several of the CCP's leading groups such as the Financial and Economic Affairs Leading Group and the Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms . The building served as the daily workplace of Dowager Empress Cixi , the then de facto ruler of China, replacing the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the nearby Forbidden City. After the Boxer rebellion, Huairen Hall became
2448-490: Is connected to the western side of Ziguang Hall. In the early years after 1949, the State Council Auditorium was used as a movie theatre which held showings several times a week. The building also formerly served as the canteen for State Council staff. This auditorium was updated to its present form in 1979 and is primarily used for ceremonies and conferences on specific policy issues. The plenary sessions of
2592-621: Is named for its location in the southwestern corner of Zhongnanhai. The first of these buildings was built by the engineering battalion of the Central Guard Regiment from 1949 to 1951 to house workplaces and apartments for the Central Committee General Office's staff. West Building is one of the workplaces of the Director of the Central Committee General Office, in addition to Qinzheng Hall. One of
2736-534: Is the slightly smaller East Flower Hall ( 東花厅 ), which became the residence of Vice Premier Li Xiannian in the mid 1950s. East Flower Hall once had a rockery courtyard that was the location of one of the State Council's conference rooms during the Zhou Enlai era. During the large scale demolition and redevelopment of Regent Palace, Wang Dongxing built a large house adjacent to both West and East Flower Halls for Paramount Leader Hua Guofeng . When Hua Guofeng
2880-557: The 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests , President Yang Shangkun moved into Zhongnanhai and lived at Poolside House due to security concerns created by the protesters. Yanqing House ( 延庆楼 ; 延慶樓 ), as well as several other adjoining buildings, was built during the Beiyang Government around 1922. During his time as de facto ruler of the Beiyang Government, Cao Kun used Yanqing House as his workplace while living in nearby Huairen Hall. His wives and concubines lived in several of
3024-750: The Alliance Conducted at Sea with the Han -led Northern Song dynasty and agreed to jointly invade the Liao dynasty. While the Song armies faltered, the Jurchens succeeded in driving the Liao to Central Asia . In 1125, after the death of Aguda, the Jin dynasty broke its alliance with the Song dynasty and invaded north China. When the Song dynasty reclaimed the Han-populated Sixteen Prefectures , they were "fiercely resisted" by
SECTION 20
#17327654040873168-609: The Canon as gifts, not a single fragment of it is known to have survived. A Buddhist Canon or "Tripitaka" was also produced in Shanxi , the same place where an enhanced version of the Jin-sponsored Taoist Canon would be reprinted in 1244. The project was initiated in 1139 by a Buddhist nun named Cui Fazhen, who swore (and allegedly "broke her arm to seal the oath") that she would raise the necessary funds to make
3312-641: The Great Jin ( 大金 ; Dà Jīn ), was an imperial dynasty of China that existed between 1115 and 1234. As the ruling Wanyan clan was of Jurchen descent, it is also sometimes called the Jurchen dynasty or the Jurchen Jin . At its peak, the empire extended from Outer Manchuria in the north to the Qinling–Huaihe Line in the south. The Jin dynasty emerged from Wanyan Aguda 's rebellion against
3456-599: The Guangxu Emperor's reign and finally as Yitingnian during the Republic of China. During the Beiyang Government (1912–1928) of the Republic of China, the office of the president was initially located in Dianxu Hall. In 1918 President Xu Shichang switched the president's residence and the prime minister's office, relocating his residence to Regent Palace, while the prime minister instead moved to Dianxu Hall in
3600-753: The Heishui Mohe in the north, named after the Heilong River , and the Sumo Mohe in the south, named after the Songhua River . From the Heishui Mohe emerged the Jurchens in the forested mountain areas of eastern Manchuria and Russia's Primorsky Krai . The Wuguo ("Five Nations") federation that existed to the northeast of modern Jilin are also considered to be ancestors of the Jurchens. The Jurchens were mentioned in historical records for
3744-469: The Huai River to the Jin dynasty and the execution of Song general Yue Fei in return for peace. The peace treaty was formally ratified on 11 October 1142 when a Jin envoy visited the Song court. Having conquered Kaifeng and occupied northern China, the Jin later deliberately chose earth as its dynastic element and yellow as its royal color. According to the theory of the wuxing ('five elements'),
3888-680: The Liao dynasty (916–1125), which held sway over northern China until being driven by the nascent Jin to the Western Regions , where they would become known in Chinese historiography as the Western Liao . After conquering the Liao territory, the Jin launched a century-long campaign against the Song dynasty (960–1279) based in southern China, whose rulers were ethnically Han Chinese . Over
4032-608: The Library of Chrysanthemum Fragrance (his personal residence, filled with bookshelves) and the Poolside House , next to the large indoor swimming pool , where he would spend much of the day swimming or reading books and reports by the pool. After Mao's death, the Chrysanthemum Library along with many of his belongings was preserved as a museum which is no longer accessible to the general public. The name of
4176-634: The Ming dynasty when the Yongle Emperor began a project to subdivide and reclaim land around Taiye Lake in order to create a garden retreat. By the late Qing dynasty , Zhongnanhai was used as the de facto center of government, with Empress Dowager Cixi and later Prince Regent Chun building residences there instead of the Forbidden City. After the establishment of the Republic of China ,
4320-689: The Neo-Confucian "Learning of the Way" that developed and became orthodox in Song did not take root in Jin. Jin scholars put more emphasis on the work of northern Song scholar and poet Su Shi (1037–1101) rather than on Zhu Xi 's (1130–1200) scholarship that constituted the foundation of the Learning of the Way. The Jin pursued a revival of Tang dynasty urban design with architectural projects in Kaifeng and Zhongdu (modern Beijing), building for instance
4464-655: The People's Republic of China . When the CCP leaders first moved into the compound, many of the buildings were dilapidated and gardens overgrown from years of neglect. Zhongnanhai also lacked either a modern administrative office complex or a purpose-built auditorium for government meetings. These deficiencies prompted the construction of West Building compound and the complete remodeling of Huairen Hall by 1954, along with numerous other architectural changes. Early party and state laters were assigned residences in Zhongnanhai on an ad hoc basis, often using houses built for servants of
Zhongnanhai - Misplaced Pages Continue
4608-588: The Southern Song dynasty in 1161. Meanwhile, two simultaneous rebellions erupted in Shangjing , at the Jurchens' former power base: led by Wanyan Liang's cousin, soon-to-be crowned Wanyan Yong , and the other of Khitan tribesmen. Wanyan Liang had to withdraw Jin troops from southern China to quell the uprisings. The Jin forces were defeated by Song forces in the Battle of Caishi and Battle of Tangdao . With
4752-650: The White House in Washington, D.C. for the purpose of conducting high level talks with American leaders. The original Qinzheng hall was built by the Kangxi Emperor as the main hall of the Zhongnanhai complex, serving as the Emperor 's primary living and working space in Zhongnanhai. After the 1911 revolution, the building served as a venue for government conferences during both the Republic of China and
4896-454: The Yongle Emperor , construction of the now extant Imperial Palace began in 1406. The new Ming palace was built to the south of the Yuan dynastic palace, as a result, a new Southern Sea was dug to the south of the existing lake. The excavated soil, together with that from the construction of the palace moat, was piled up to form Jingshan , a hill to the north of the Forbidden City. At this time,
5040-516: The cabinet . In 1918, President Xu Shichang switched the president 's residence and the prime minister's office, relocating his residence to Regent Palace, while the prime minister and Cabinet moved to Dianxu Hall in the Garden of Abundant Beneficence. When Huairen Hall became the Presidential residence in 1923, Regent Palace became the location of the army and naval department. After 1949,
5184-489: The premier and the vice premiers as well as the State Council General Office . Important guests, both foreign and domestic, are typically received here in the northern half of Zhongnanhai. This area is also known as the North District ( Chinese : 北区 ). The original Regent Palace ( 攝政王府 ; 摄政王府 ) was a large siheyuan -style mansion that took up most of the northwestern corner of Zhongnanhai. Though most of
5328-465: The "Newly Submitted Army" ( 新附軍 ). Genghis Khan died in 1227 while his armies were attacking Western Xia. His successor, Ögedei Khan, invaded the Jin dynasty again in 1232 with assistance from the Southern Song dynasty . The Jurchens tried to resist; but when the Mongols besieged Kaifeng in 1233, Emperor Aizong fled south to the city of Caizhou . A Song–Mongol allied army surrounded the capital, and
5472-665: The CCP. After 1949, the building served as the first headquarters of the Central Military Commission (CMC) before the CMC staff relocated outside of Zhongnanhai. In 1956, the CCP Secretariat became an institution separate from the staff of the party chairman and required its own headquarters. The new general secretary, Deng Xiaoping, chose Benevolence Hall to house the Secretariat. During this period,
5616-668: The CPPCC, an iron sheet roof was built over one of the building's courtyards. In 1952, this roof was replaced with a more permanent two-story auditorium in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Peace Conference. The new meeting hall was then used for first session of the National People's Congress in 1954. Huairen Hall became the auditorium of the central government, often hosting various art shows and political meetings, including Central Committee plenums before
5760-441: The Garden of Abundant Beneficence. Dianxu Hall became a general purpose meeting area for CCP officials after 1949. During Mao Zedong's time as Paramount Leader, Politburo Meetings were often held in Dianxu Hall due its proximity to Mao's house. Before 1980 the Politburo Standing Committee also met in one of the small conference rooms of Dianxu Hall during the times when meetings were not held in Mao's house. List of leaders of
5904-454: The General Office work here. As late as the 1990s, West Building Compound included a dormitory for the young workers of the Center Committee General Office. The West Building includes a large kitchen and cafeteria for the General Office staff and a smaller eating area that doubles as a conference room for the use of senior leadership. The formal address of West Building Compound is 12 Fuyou Street, Xicheng District , Beijing. After West Building
Zhongnanhai - Misplaced Pages Continue
6048-405: The Han Chinese population there who had previously been under Liao rule, while when the Jurchens invaded that area, the Han Chinese did not oppose them at all and handed over the Southern Capital (present-day Beijing , then known as Yanjing) to them. The Jurchens were supported by the anti-Song, Beijing-based noble Han clans. The Han Chinese who worked for the Liao were viewed as hostile enemies by
6192-436: The Imperial Jurchen Academy was founded, and the imperial examinations started to be offered in the Jurchen language. Emperor Shizong 's reign (1161–1189) was remembered by the posterity as the time of comparative peace and prosperity, and the emperor himself was compared to the mythological rulers Yao and Shun . Poor Jurchen families in the southern Routes (Daming and Shandong) Battalion and Company households tried to live
6336-442: The Imperial palaces in Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song dynasty, capturing both Emperor Qinzong and his father, Emperor Huizong , who had abdicated in panic in the face of the Jin invasion. Following the fall of Bianjing, the succeeding Southern Song dynasty continued to fight the Jin dynasty for over a decade, eventually signing the Treaty of Shaoxing in 1141, which called for the cession of all Song territories north of
6480-450: The Jin "eastern capital", and in 1213 they besieged the "central capital", Zhongdu (present-day Beijing ). In 1214 the Jin made a humiliating treaty but retained the capital. That summer, Emperor Xuanzong abandoned the central capital and moved the government to the "southern capital" Kaifeng , making it the official seat of the Jin dynasty's power. In 1216, a hawkish faction in the Jin imperial court persuaded Emperor Xuanzong to attack
6624-434: The Jin dynasty merged Jurchen customs with institutions adopted from the Liao and Song dynasties. The pre-dynastic Jurchen government was based on the quasi-egalitarian tribal council. Jurchen society at the time did not have a strong political hierarchy. The Shuo Fu ( 說郛 ) records that the Jurchen tribes were not ruled by central authority and locally elected their chieftains. Tribal customs were retained after Aguda united
6768-456: The Jin dynasty. His son, Shi Gang, married a Keraite woman; the Keraites were Mongolified Turkic people and considered as part of the "Mongol nation". Shi Tianze, Zhang Rou, Yan Shi and other Han Chinese who served in the Jin dynasty and defected to the Mongols helped build the structure for the administration of the new Mongol state. The Mongols created a Han army out of defecting Jin troops, and another army out of defected Song troops called
6912-417: The Jin imperial family, high officials, common people, and Buddhist priests. Some sutras have only survived from these carvings and thus they are important in the study of Chinese Buddhism. At the same time, the Jin court sold monk certificates for revenue. This practice was initiated in 1162 by Emperor Shizong to fund his wars, and stopped three years later when the wars were over. His successor Zhanzong used
7056-402: The Jin southern capital Kaifeng (the former Northern Song capital) to the central capital's "Abbey of Celestial Perpetuity" ( Tianchang guan 天長觀), on the site of what is now the White Cloud Temple in Beijing. Other Daoist writings were also moved there from another abbey in the central capital. Zhangzong instructed the abbey's superintendent Sun Mingdao (孫明道) and two civil officials to prepare
7200-482: The Jurchen tribes and formed the Jin dynasty, coexisting alongside more centralised institutions. The Jin dynasty had five capitals, a practice they adopted from the Balhae and the Liao. The Jin had to overcome the difficulties of controlling a multicultural empire composed of territories once ruled by the Liao and Northern Song. The solution of the early Jin government was to establish separate government structures for different ethnic groups. The Jin court maintained
7344-419: The Jurchens as the Liao violently extorted annual tribute from the Jurchen tribes. Leveraging the Jurchens' desire for independence from the Khitans, chief Wugunai (1021–1074) of the Wanyan clan rose to prominence, dominating all of eastern Manchuria from Mount Changbai to the Wuguo tribes. According to tradition, Wugunai was a sixth generation descendant of Hanpu while his father held a military title from
SECTION 50
#17327654040877488-459: The Khitan Xiao Zhala defected and commanded the three tumens in the Mongol army. Liu Heima and Shi Tianze served Genghis Khan's successor, Ögedei Khan . Liu Heima and Shi Tianxiang led armies against Western Xia for the Mongols. There were four Han tumens and three Khitan tumens, with each tumen consisting of 10,000 troops. The three Khitan generals Shimo Beidi'er , Tabuyir , and Xiao Zhongxi [ zh ] (Xiao Zhala's son) commanded
7632-401: The Liao court, although the title did not confer or hold any real power. As described, Wugunai was a great warrior, eater, drinker, and lover of women. His grandson Aguda eventually founded the Jin dynasty. The Jin dynasty was created in modern Jilin and Heilongjiang by the Jurchen tribal chieftain Aguda in 1115. According to tradition, Aguda was a descendant of Hanpu . Aguda adopted
7776-430: The Liao dynasty, but they also sent a number of tributary and trade missions to the Song capital of Kaifeng , which the Liao tried unsuccessfully to prevent. Some Jurchens paid tribute to Goryeo and sided with the latter during the Khitan–Goryeo War . They offered tribute to both courts out of political necessity and for material benefits. In the 11th century there was widespread discontent against Khitan rule among
7920-408: The Mongols. The Jurchen Jin emperor Wanyan Yongji 's daughter, Jurchen Princess Qiguo was married to Mongol leader Genghis Khan in exchange for relieving the Mongol siege of Zhongdu in the Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty . Many Han Chinese and Khitans defected to the Mongols to fight against the Jin dynasty. Two Han Chinese leaders, Shi Tianze and Liu Heima [ zh ] , and
8064-406: The Mysterious Metropolis of the Great Jin ( Da Jin Xuandu baozang 大金玄都寶藏). Based on a smaller version of the Canon printed by Emperor Huizong (r. 1100–1125) of the Song, it was completed in 1192 under the direction and support of Emperor Zhangzong (r. 1190–1208). In 1188, Zhangzong's grandfather and predecessor Shizong (r. 1161–1189) ordered for the Song Canon woodblocks to be transferred from
8208-949: The People%27s Republic of China This is a list of leaders of the People's Republic of China 's Government institutions. Each institution of China is headed by a chairperson or secretary, with some being more prominent than others. The paramount leader holds the highest authority of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Development and reform, education, science and technology, finance, ecology and environment, statistics, and intellectual property Public finance, natural resource management, housing and urban development, transportation, commerce Industry and information technology, emergency management, and state-owned enterprises Agriculture and rural affairs, health, poverty alleviation, and meteorology Jin dynasty (1115%E2%80%931234) The Jin dynasty ( / dʒ ɪ n / , Chinese : 金朝 ; pinyin : Jīn cháo ), officially known as
8352-415: The People's Republic of China again used the building as the headquarters of the premier and the State Council. Though the building was beginning to show its age at the time, initially Premier Zhou Enlai resisted renovation efforts citing a commitment to fiscal austerity. During a massive renovation of Zhongnanhai in the late 1970s, plans were made to modernize Regent palace as well. It was found, however, that
8496-426: The People's Republic of China. Qinzheng Hall served as the meeting place for the Central People's Government Committee , the interim council that governed China from 1949 until the promulgation of the 1954 Constitution . While serving as the headquarters of the Central People's Government, Qinzheng hall was the site of the 1951 Seventeen Points Agreement which established the terms under which Tibet would come under
8640-419: The Politburo Standing Committee meets in is referred to as the small meeting room and is located along the corridor on the northern side of Qinzheng Hall. The small meeting room is also a meeting place for the secretaries of the CPC Secretariat. The general secretary's personal office is located behind an office which, in the 1980s, served as workplace of his policy secretary. The office of the policy secretary
8784-438: The Poolside House in 1966, at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Especially in his later years, the Poolside House would be the place for visiting foreign leaders to see Mao. This was the case for Richard Nixon and Kakuei Tanaka . After Mao's death in 1976, Zhou Enlai's wife Deng Yingchao briefly lived at poolside house during the extensive redevelopment of the Regent Palace area before returning to West Flower Hall. During
SECTION 60
#17327654040878928-446: The Qing court, or by repurposing buildings intended for other purposes. Since Zhongnanhai became the central government compound, it has been mostly inaccessible to the general public. The exception to this was during the years of relative freedom following the end of the Cultural Revolution , when the compound was open to members of the public, who could obtain tickets to visit the compound from relevant government authorities. Following
9072-433: The Republic of China government moved its capital to Nanjing , the Zhongnanhai compound was opened to the public as a park. After the CCP's Capture of Beijing in 1949, the party's senior leadership began plans to relocate their headquarters to the old capital, but they did not initially agree on the location of their central workplace. Mao and the other party leaders initially made their headquarters at Xiangshan Park , in
9216-418: The Song dynasty, but in 1219 they were defeated at the same place by the Yangtze River where Wanyan Liang had been defeated in 1161. The Jin dynasty now faced a two front war that they could not afford. Furthermore, Emperor Aizong won a succession struggle against his brother and then quickly ended the war and went back to the capital. He made peace with the Tanguts of Western Xia, who had been allied with
9360-415: The Song dynasty. Song Han Chinese also defected to the Jin. One crucial mistake that the Song made during this joint attack was the removal of the defensive forest it originally built along the Song-Liao border. Because of the removal of this landscape barrier, in 1126/27, the Jin army marched quickly across the North China Plain to Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng ). On 9 January 1127, the Jurchens ransacked
9504-412: The State Council section of Zhongnanhai were made in the late 1980s. At the time China was receiving a significant influx of new diplomatic delegations on international exchange trips. Feeling that the facilities for hosting these diplomats at Ziguang Hall at the time were inadequate, some officials proposed that a guest lounge and tennis court be built nearby. The proposal for an indoor tennis court was, at
9648-400: The Zhongnanhai complex, immediately west of the Forbidden City , means "Central and Southern Seas" referring to two lakes, the Central Sea (中海) and Southern Sea (南海), within the compound; it is sometimes translated as "Sea Palaces". The two lakes were part of a series of projects carried out during the construction of the Imperial City . The corresponding "Northern Sea", or "Beihai" (北海) to
9792-417: The adjoining buildings. After Cao Kun was overthrown in 1924, he was imprisoned in Yanqing House for two years. The original Yanqing House was ultimately destroyed in a fire in 1947. The KMT military commander of Beiping , Fu Zuoyi , subsequently built a series of small bungalows in this location to house military and political personnel. By the early 2000s, a one-story building with two courtyards existed on
9936-413: The ban on Jurchen nobility marrying outside of their ethnicity was only annulled in 1191. Following the death of Emperor Taizong in 1135, each of the next three emperors were the remaining grandsons of Aguda , each by a different one of his sons. Emperor Xizong ( r. 1135–1149) studied the classics and wrote Chinese poetry. He adopted Han Chinese cultural traditions, but the Jurchen nobles had
10080-415: The building closest to Huairen Hall, until being purged in 1959. In the early days of the PRC, an informal school called the "Zhongnanhai Amateur University" was run out of this location for the benefit of the Central Committee's secretaries and security staff. The school still de facto exists, but in practice has merged with the Beijing Electronic Science and Technology Institute . In 1982, Yongfutang became
10224-408: The building did not undergo any significant maintenance and was finally deemed unsafe and demolished in 1964. The Secretariat offices temporarily moved to "Building C" in the West Building Compound before moving to Qinzheng Hall in 1980. The former location of Benevolence Hall is currently an open park area. The Four Blessing Halls ( 四福堂 ), which date from the time of the Qianlong Emperor , line
10368-621: The building no longer exists, it is now the site of the principal meeting areas and offices of the State Council. The large three story building that occupies much the south western area of the former Regent Palace is the location of the State Council Office Secretariat , which facilitates the State Council's plenary sessions . Altogether, the State Council possesses a total of six numbered meeting rooms which are used to convene conferences and policymaking sessions. Conference rooms one and two are located on either side of
10512-400: The building's construction during Mao's absence in order to secure its approval. Mao nonetheless used the pool because it was more convenient than traveling to the pool at Tsinghua University . Mao often stayed and worked at the pool for long periods of time. In 1958, Mao met with Soviet General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev at the pool. During the time when Mao lived nearby at Poolside House,
10656-472: The city's suburbs. As part of the planning for the first Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Zhou Enlai decided that, with some modifications, Huairen Hall in Zhongnanhai would be ideal, but he did not initially recommend it during meetings to become the party headquarters. In these early months, Zhou would commute into Beijing for work. However, because of the poor quality of the roads, he would often stay at Zhongnanhai instead of traveling home in
10800-549: The city. Several more recent leaders, such as then General Secretary and paramount leader Hu Jintao reportedly chose to live in the Jade Spring Hill compound in western Beijing due to overcrowding inside Zhongnanhai. China's current leader Xi Jinping also has a home in Jade Spring Hill. There continues to be no standardized system for awarding certain houses to leaders of a certain rank in Zhongnanhai. After
10944-549: The commander of the German contingent of the Eight Nation Alliance Army. In the early days of the People's Republic of China Chunlianzhai was used as a dance hall, where dances were held twice a week by senior party leaders. The largest building in the Garden of Abundant Beneficence is Dianxu Hall , which was known as Chong Ya Temple during the Qianlong Emperor's reign, Yinian Temple ( 頤年堂 ; 颐年堂 ) during
11088-411: The complex exist from before the founding of the People's Republic of China , the interior layout of Zhongnanhai has been altered significantly since then, including a wave of major renovations in the 1970s. Today many buildings share the names of older, pre-PRC structures, but have completely changed in layout and purpose. The complex is divided into two main sections, reflecting the parallel authority of
11232-642: The compound were looted. Later, the Eight-Nation Alliance commander also lived in Zhongnanhai. When Puyi was crowned Emperor, his father as the Prince Regent lived for a short time in the compound. Zhongnanhai continued to be politically significant during the first years of the Republic of China , as the Beiyang Government under Yuan Shikai placed its presidential palace in the Zhongnanhai compound from 1912. This decision
11376-592: The construction of Jingxi Hotel in 1964. Qinzheng Hall ( 勤政殿 ; Qínzhèng Diàn ) is the headquarters of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party and the location of the office of the party's general secretary , a title currently synonymous with the paramount leader of the country . The building also includes a conference room that serves as the main meeting place for the Politburo Standing Committee. The room that
11520-473: The course of the Jin's rule, their emperors adapted to Han customs and even fortified the Great Wall against the ascendant Mongol Empire . The Jin also oversaw a number of internal cultural advances, such as the revival of Confucianism . The Mongols under Genghis Khan invaded in 1211, inflicting several crushing defeats upon Jin armies. After a sequence of defeats, revolts, defections, and coups over
11664-559: The definition of "China" to include non-Han peoples in addition to Han people whenever they ruled China. Jin documents indicate that the usage of "China" by dynasties to refer to themselves began earlier than previously thought. The progenitors of the Jin and the Jurchen people were the Mohe people , who lived in what is now Northeast China . The Mohe were a primarily sedentary people who practiced hunting, pig farming, and grew crops such as soybean, wheat, millet, and rice. Horses were rare in
11808-530: The dire fiscal and economic situation in the country in the aftermath of the failure of the Great Leap Forward and promised to recover the agricultural sector. Between 2007 and 2008, part of the original West Building Compound was demolished to make way for a new three-story rectangular building that was completed by 2010. The Central Committee General Office's physical office footprint has now expanded beyond Zhongnanhai to include several buildings on
11952-438: The earth element follows the fire, the dynastic element of the Song, in the sequence of elemental creation. Therefore, this ideological move shows that the Jin regarded the Song reign of China was officially over and themselves as the rightful ruler of China Proper. The decision to choose "earth" (signalling the Jin as successor of the Song) was chosen against the alternative suggestion of linking Jin (literally meaning "gold") with
12096-473: The eastern side of a narrow lane that once formed a western boundary of Zhongnanhai. All four are named according to a consistent theme and are consequently known as Yongfutang (永福堂), Laifutang (來福堂), Zengfutang (增福堂), and Xifutang (錫福堂). After 1949, the buildings were used as residences for several important early party officials, particularly those that did propaganda and ideological work. The PRC's first Defense Minister Peng Dehuai lived at Yongfutang,
12240-471: The element of metal. This rejected suggestion was based on a nativist current that distanced the Jin from the Song and interpreted the Jin as an autonomous development rooted in Northeast Asia unrelated to the precedents of Chinese dynasties. However, the emperor dismissed the "metal" suggestion. After taking over northern China, the Jin became increasingly sinicised . Over the span of twenty years,
12384-459: The evening. It was Ye Jianying , the interim administrator of Beijing, who ultimately recommended Zhongnanhai as the party headquarters for security reasons. Mao initially refused to move into Zhongnanhai because of its imperial associations. Zhou Enlai nonetheless agreed to the move, as did the majority of the Politburo . Since then, Zhongnanhai has served as the principal center of government in
12528-404: The first time in the 10th century as tribute bearers to the Liao , Later Tang , and Song courts. They practiced hunting, fishing, and kept domestic oxen while their primary export was horses. They had no script, calendar, or offices during the mid-11th century. The Jurchens were minor political actors in the international system at the time. By the 10th century, the Jurchens had become vassals of
12672-567: The foreign legations in Beijing, in the hall. After 1949 the building was occasionally used for dances. A large modern conference area was later built on the building's western side. Ziguang Hall is used today as the main reception area in Zhongnanhai for meeting with foreign diplomats and conducting talks with world leaders. Wucheng Hall is often used for photo opportunities in which a Chinese leader will be pictured sitting alongside their visiting counterpart. The State Council Auditorium ( 国务院小礼堂 )
12816-564: The former site of Yanqing House. The building was sometimes referred to as Yanqingzhai ( 延庆斋 ). Also known in English as Thousand Benevolence Hall ( 万善殿 ; 萬善殿 ), Wan Shan is a Buddhist Temple located on the eastern bank of the Central Sea. Originally known as Chongzhi Hall , the temple was built by the Qing dynasty's Shunzhi Emperor . Statues of the Buddha line the hall. Behind the temple
12960-607: The full State Council are also occasionally convened here as well. Immediately adjacent to Ziguang Hall are a variety of other institutions and facilities such as the State Council Research Office and the Zhongnanhai north district's canteen. Between 2003 and 2013, there was also a roughly 300-square-meter supermarket store belonging to the Sichuan-based Hongqi chain located near Ziguang Hall. Initial plans to build an indoor tennis court in
13104-505: The government. There is a large traditional Chinese gate and courtyard in front of the fourth conference room that is used for photo opportunities between State Council officials and their guests. In Regent Palace's original configuration as built by Prince Chun, the area where the fourth conference room is located was known as Yin'an Hall ( 银安殿 ; 銀安殿 ). The Fourth Conference Room was last rebuilt in 2003. Literally translated as Hall of Purple Light ( Ziguangge ; 紫光阁 ; 紫光閣 ), Ziguang Hall
13248-482: The headquarters of the administrative office of the Central Advisory Commission (CAC) due to the location's convenient proximity to where CAC Standing Committee meetings were held at Huairen Hall. Laifutang was the location of a commemorative post-funeral ceremony for the late General Secretary Jiang Zemin's cremated remains. The complex of buildings known as West Building Compound ( 西楼大院 )
13392-442: The headquarters of the occupying Eight Nation Alliance's commander Alfred von Waldersee until the building was damaged in a fire. In 1902 Empress Cixi rebuilt Huairen Hall at a cost of five million taels of silver before ultimately dying here in 1908. After the founding of the Republic of China in 1911, President Yuan Shikai used the building to meet with foreign guests and to accept New Year's day greetings. After Yuan's death, it
13536-634: The highest level of state and party institutions in the country. Northern Zhongnanhai is used as the headquarters of the State Council and includes the offices of its senior most leaders as well as its principal meeting rooms. Southern Zhongnanhai is the headquarters of the CCP Central Committee , including its staff and its highest level coordinating institutions, such as the Standing Committee , Politburo and Secretariat . The current basic outline of Zhongnanhai emerged during
13680-415: The indoor swimming pool was remodeled and enlarged under the supervision of Zhongnanhai's head engineer Tian Genggui. Today the pool is used by senior party leaders and also contains a workout area. The Zhongnanhai outdoor swimming pool was built in 1933 as a public–private partnership when Zhongnanhai was a public park. Tickets were sold to Beijing citizens each year from May to August. From 1946 to 1949, it
13824-654: The lakes and spent more time here rather than in the Forbidden City. After the Qing dynasty established its capital in Beijing, the government reduced the size of Xiyuan to the area centered around the three lakes enclosed by a small wall, portions of which form the basis of Zhongnanhai's current boundary. During the late Qing dynasty, several gatehouses were built on both sides of Jin'ao Yudong Bridge , giving Zhongnanhai and Beihai Park separate wall enclosures within Xiyuan. Several successive emperors built pavilions and houses along
13968-661: The lakeshores of Zhongnanhai, where they would carry out government duties in the summer. During the reign of the Empress Dowager Cixi , both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor would often live in the Zhongnanhai compound, traveling to the Forbidden City only for ceremonial duties. During the Boxer Rebellion of 1899–1901, allied troops occupied Zhongnanhai. Almost all artifacts and decorations in
14112-410: The late Qing era, however. The building that came to be known as Regent Palace took its name from Puyi's regent Zaifeng, Prince Chun . Prince Chun was given the land to build his palace here in 1909, though the building was not completed by the time the Qing dynasty ended in 1911. Under the Republic of China, the building was initially the location of the prime minister 's office and the meeting place of
14256-591: The lifestyle of wealthy Jurchen families and avoid doing farming work by selling their own Jurchen daughters into slavery and renting their land to Han tenants. The wealthy Jurchens feasted and drank and wore damask and silk. The History of Jin says that Emperor Shizong took note and attempted to halt these things in 1181. Shizong's grandson, Emperor Zhangzong (r. 1189–1208), venerated Jurchen values, but he also immersed himself in Han Chinese culture and married an ethnic Han Chinese woman. The Taihe Code of law
14400-527: The meeting places for the Politburo, Standing Committee and Secretariat . This area is also known as the South District ( Chinese : 南区 ). Huairen Hall ( 怀仁堂 ; 懷仁堂 ; 'Hall of Cherished Compassion') is a two-story Chinese-style hall that is used by the CCP as the main meeting place for the Politburo and as an alternate meeting place for the Politburo Standing Committee. The building
14544-487: The new president , Yuan Shikai remodeled Zhongnanhai to become the formal center of what would become known as the Beiyang Government . In late 1949, CCP Chairman Mao Zedong moved into the complex after initially staying in the suburbs. Mao received many important foreign leaders in Zhongnanhai, including Nikita Khrushchev , Che Guevara , Richard Nixon , Georges Pompidou , Kakuei Tanaka and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto , among others. Mao's favorite places in Zhongnanhai were
14688-523: The new Jurchen ruling class constituted around half of a larger pattern of migration southward into northern China. There, many Jurchens were granted land, which was then organised around a social structure based on hereditary military units: a mouke ('company') was a unit consisting of 300 households, and groups of 7–10 moukes were further organised into meng-an ('battalions'). The Jurchen ruling class ruled over an estimated 30 million people. Many Jurchens intermarried with Han Chinese, though
14832-415: The next year Emperor Aizong committed suicide by hanging himself to avoid being captured in the Mongols besieged Caizhou , ending the Jin dynasty in 1234. The territory of the Jin dynasty was to be divided between the Mongols and the Song dynasty. However, due to lingering territorial disputes, the Song dynasty and the Mongols eventually went to war with one another over these territories. The government of
14976-528: The nickname of Wang Chongyang (Wang "Double Yang") and his disciples were retrospectively known as the "seven patriarchs of Quanzhen". The ci poetry that characterized Jin literature was tightly linked to Quanzhen: two-thirds of the ci poetry written in Jin times was composed by Quanzhen Taoists. The Jin state sponsored an edition of the Taoist Canon that is known as the Precious Canon of
15120-466: The north is now a public park . The interconnected Northern, Central and Southern Seas are jointly called the Taiye Lake (太液池); adjacent Shichahai (什剎海, lit. ' Sea with Ten Temples ' ) is connected to Beihai through Qianhai. The Taiye Lake originally formed the core of an imperial garden called Western Park ( Xiyuan ; 西苑) or Western Court ( Xinei ; 西内 ; 西內 ), with parklands on
15264-570: The office suite of the general secretary that the director's position is referred to as the " Danei Zongguan " ( 大内总管 ), roughly translated as "the gatekeeper". In addition to the General Secretary's suite, Qinzheng Hall is also the location of the offices for all of Secretaries of the Secretariat, including the First Secretary of the Secretariat , who has de facto responsibility for the secretariat's day-to-day administration of
15408-530: The original main buildings in this complex was simply called West Building Hall ( 西楼大厅 ) while the other buildings in the West Building complex were designated A, B, C, D and F. Buildings C and D were originally intended to be used as accommodations for Provincial Communist Party Committee Secretaries when they were visiting Beijing for meetings. Many of the Mishus or secretarial staff assigned to support
15552-556: The other side of Fuyou Street from West Building as well as other buildings in the Xicheng District area. The gate on Fuyou Street that Central Committee staff use to travel between buildings inside and outside of the complex is called the "Great West Gate" because it has the highest regular use of Zhongnanhai's gates. Many of the agencies directly under the supervision of the Central Committee General Office now have their formal headquarters in an annex of buildings spread out on
15696-480: The party. Each secretarial suite in Qinzheng Hall has a space for receiving guests and a space for working. The General Secretary's suite is comparatively larger and has the most complete facilities in the building, including a sleeping space so that the General Secretary does not need to return to his residence when working for long periods of time. There is an encrypted hotline that runs from Qinzheng Hall to
15840-489: The permanence of the move, he razed the nobles' residences in Huining Prefecture. Wanyan Liang also reconstructed the former Song capital, Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng ), which had been sacked in 1127, making it the Jin's southern capital. Wanyan Liang also tried to suppress dissent by killing Jurchen nobles, executing 155 princes. To fulfil his dream of becoming the ruler of all China, Wanyan Liang attacked
15984-583: The platform. The building was rebuilt during the Qing dynasty by the Kangxi Emperor , who would use the location to inspect his bodyguards. During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor the building was used to display battle wall charts and seized weapons. The building was also known as the Hall of Barbarian Tributes and was used to receive tribute missions to the Emperor. In 1873 and 1891, the emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu , respectively, received envoys from
16128-491: The political turmoil that culminated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre , security was greatly increased. Access has now been closed to the general public, with numerous plain clothed military personnel patrolling the area on foot. However, cars are not strictly prohibited from stopping on stretches of adjacent roadway and cabs are allowed to stop except during important conferences or events. Chinese maps of Beijing show Zhongnanhai as an insignificant green area with
16272-549: The pool's side. Therefore, a reception room, a bedroom and a study with Mao's favorite books were built, thus creating the Poolside House which allowed Mao to be permanently close to the swimming pool. Eventually, among Zhongnanhai staff, the phrase "you are wanted at the swimming pool" meant that they were ordered to immediately report to Mao. Mao permanently left the Chrysanthemum Library and moved into
16416-436: The position of emperor. Historians have consequently referred to him by his posthumous name "Prince of Hailing". Having usurped the throne, Wanyan Liang embarked on the program of legitimising his rule as an emperor of China. In 1153, he moved the empire's main capital from Huining Prefecture (south of present-day Harbin) to the former Liao capital, Yanjing (present-day Beijing ). Four years later, in 1157, to emphasise
16560-488: The pressure of Mongols from the north. Genghis Khan first led the Mongols into Western Xia territory in 1205 and ravaged it four years later. In 1211 about 50,000 Mongol horsemen invaded the Jin Empire and began absorbing Khitan and Jurchen rebels. The Jin had a large army with 150,000 cavalry but abandoned the "western capital" Datong (see also the Battle of Yehuling ). The next year the Mongols went north and looted
16704-429: The quality of the building was very poor, the foundations were loose and the gaps between the wooden columns were filled with broken bricks. As a result, the upper and entrance halls were torn down and rebuilt completely. The location where these halls once stood is currently the location of several of the State Council's conference rooms. Located in the northwestern corner of Zhongnanhai, West Flower Hall ( 西花厅 ; 西花廳 )
16848-580: The region until the Tang period and pastoralism was not widespread until the 10th century under the domination of the Khitans . The Mohe exported reindeer products and may have ridden them as well. They practiced mass slavery and used the slaves to aid in hunting and agricultural work. The Tang described the Mohe as a fierce and uncultured people who used poisoned arrows. The two most powerful groups of Mohe were
16992-597: The relationship he had with Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao as their foster son. Li Peng's efforts were unsuccessful, however, and West Flower Hall subsequently became part of the North Courtyard Core ( 北院核心 ) residence assigned to Lin Jiamei. Lin Jiamei was reportedly still living here as late as 2014. The modern workplace of the premier and the vice premiers of the State Council, the Premier's Office ( 总理办公室 )
17136-588: The shores, enclosed by a red wall in the western part of the Imperial City. Most of the pavilions, shrines, and temples survive from this period. Whereas the Northern Sea had a religious focus, the shores of Central and Southern Seas were dotted with a number of worldly palaces. During the Jin dynasty (1115–1235), Emperor Zhangzong of Jin built the northern lake in 1189. The northern section of Zhongnanhai
17280-534: The slogan " Serve the People ", written in the handwriting of Mao Zedong. The Xinhuamen entrance lies on the north side of West Chang'an Avenue. Zhongnanhai is considered the de jure residence of the CCP Politburo Standing Committee members and other senior leaders for electoral purposes. Though it serves as their formal residence, many senior party leaders do not actually live in Zhongnanhai, preferring to live in homes elsewhere in
17424-518: The southern wall. Entry to the compound was instead directly from the Forbidden City. Yuan wished to create a new entrance from Chang'an Avenue , independent of the Forbidden City. Thus the pavilion was modified to become a gatehouse, with nearby walls cut back, resulting in the angled walls near the entrance today. Yuan renamed Zhongnanhai Palace of the New China ( Xinhua Palace , Chinese : 新华宫 ) during his brief reign as Emperor of China . When
17568-410: The sovereignty of the People's Republic of China. In the late 1970s, Wang Dongxing , the director of the Central Committee General Office, demolished Qinzheng hall and spent 6.9 million yuan intended for its reconstruction to build his own private residence. Wang's removal as head of the Central Committee General Office in 1978 prevented him from completing his plan. Ultimately, the rebuilt Qinzheng hall
17712-468: The term for "gold" as the name of his state, itself a translation of "Anchuhu" River, which meant "golden" in Jurchen . This river, known as Alechuka in modern Chinese, is a tributary of the Songhua River east of Harbin . Alechuka (阿勒楚喀) is a transliteration of its Manchu name alchuqa (ᠠᠯᠴᡠᡴᠠ), suggesting that the Jurchen name for the river sounded more similar to alchuhu rather than anchuhu . It
17856-421: The three Khitan tumens and the four Han generals Zhang Rou [ zh ] , Yan Shi [ zh ] , Shi Tianze and Liu Heima commanded the four Han tumens under Ögedei Khan. Shi Tianze was a Han Chinese who lived under Jin rule. Inter-ethnic marriage between Han Chinese and Jurchens became common at this time. His father was Shi Bingzhi . Shi Bingzhi married a Jurchen woman (surname Nahe) and
18000-464: The three lakes were connected through channels and collectively called the Taiye Lake, part of the extensive royal park called Xiyuan (西苑, Western Park ) that extended from the western wall of the Imperial City to the western wall of the Forbidden City. In the middle period of the Ming dynasty, Zhengde Emperor and Jiajing Emperor built many more palaces, Taoist temples and pavilions around
18144-510: The time, vetoed by Vice Premier Tian Jiyun . In spite of this initial resistance, an outdoor tennis court was built in Zhongnanhai by the early 2000s. In 2006, the building around the tennis court was rebuilt and modernized. Immediately to the north of the tennis court is the Zhongnanhai clinic. An indoor swimming pool was built in 1955 by the Urban Construction and Design Institute. Mao Zedong's wife Jiang Qing reportedly proposed
18288-541: The top positions. Later in life, Emperor Xizong became an alcoholic and executed many officials for criticising him. He also had Jurchen leaders who opposed him murdered, even those in the Wanyan clan. In 1149 he was murdered by a cabal of relatives and nobles, who made his cousin Wanyan Liang the next Jin emperor. Because of the brutality of both his domestic and foreign policy, Wanyan Liang was posthumously demoted from
18432-551: The two empires. In the early 1180s, Emperor Shizong instituted a restructuring of 200 meng'an units to remove tax abuses and help Jurchens. Communal farming was encouraged. The Jin Empire prospered and had a large surplus of grain in reserve. Although learned in Chinese classics , Emperor Shizong was also known as a promoter of Jurchen language and culture; during his reign, a number of Chinese classics were translated into Jurchen,
18576-567: The western side of Fuyou Street adjacent to Zhongnanhai as well as certain locations still within southern Zhongnanhai. The formal addresses of these agencies are as follows: Some of the buildings within the Garden of Abundant Beneficence ( 丰泽园 ; 豐澤園 ) were built by the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty who originally used them to raise silkworms . More buildings were later added by the Qianlong Emperor , who used them as libraries and as
18720-540: Was built during the large scale renovation of Regent Palace in the 1970s. Unlike the offices of CCP officials in the West Building Compound , which are assigned to specific individuals and do not necessarily change if the individual loses their title or role, the offices of the premier and vice premier are assigned specifically to the incumbent holders of those positions and their occupants must move out when their term ends. The premier's office does not have
18864-529: Was common for Chinese translators at the time to use the final -n sound at the end of a Chinese character to transliterate -l , -r , -s , -z etc. at the end of a syllable in foreign words. The Jurchens' early rulers were the Khitan -led Liao dynasty , which had held sway over modern north and northeast China and the Mongolian Plateau , for several centuries. In 1121, the Jurchens entered into
19008-446: Was constructed as the living quarters to Regent Palace. West Flower Hall hence served as Premier Zhou Enlai's personal residence. The building has two courtyards. The front courtyard was where Zhou would meet and dine with foreign guests, while the back courtyard included Zhou's personal office, bedroom and meeting rooms. After Zhou's death, his wife Deng Yingchao continued to live here until 1990. Immediately adjoining to West Flower Hall
19152-774: Was constructed, the complex became the site of the offices of the State Chairman , Premier and all state Vice Chairmen under the Common Program who were also Communist Party members. When the positions of the State Chairman and Chairman of the Communist Party were separated in 1959 and Liu Shaoqi assumed the State Chairmanship, the State Chairman's workplace continued to be located in West Building. During this time, Liu Shaoqi's office
19296-469: Was destroyed in a fire. After the founding of the Republic of China, the building was renamed the Hall of Benevolence ( Jurentang or Jerenteng ), by Yuan Shikai, who continued to use it to host visitors. Benevolence Hall became the headquarters of KMT commander Li Zongren after the defeat and withdrawal of the Japanese Army and later the command of post of General Fu Zuoyi before his surrender to
19440-430: Was difficult to operate the pool profitably due to high inflation . After Zhongnanhai was taken over for the exclusive use of the government, a poolside house was built next to the swimming pool as a residence for Mao Zedong. It was initially built for practical reasons, as Mao would frequently spend much of the day either swimming in the pool or reading political and historical books and reports from government officials by
19584-418: Was forced from power, he exchanged this house with Li Xiannian and moved to Li Xiannian's temporary residence outside of Zhongnanhai. Li Xiannian and his family subsequently lived here through his presidency until his death, after which, his wife Lin Jiamei continued to occupy the residence. In 1996, Li Peng attempted to claim West Flower Hall as his post premiership residence. Li Peng was motivated in part by
19728-663: Was inaugurated as the Secretariat's new headquarters in March 1980. The former Benevolence Hall ( 居仁堂 ) was a two-story western-style palace originally known as the Hall of the Calm Sea ( Haiyantang ) during the Qing dynasty . Dowager Empress Cixi had the building constructed to entertain her female guests, and also to receive foreign diplomats. After the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion, Eight Nation Alliance commander Alfred von Waldersee moved here after Yi Luang Temple
19872-488: Was located in Building A. Likewise, Marshal Zhu De's office remained in Building B of the West Building compound when he served as singular state Vice Chairman under the 1954 Constitution . In 1962, President Liu Shaoqi presided over an extraordinary, enlarged meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee in this location, known as the "West Building Meeting". At the meeting, the party leaders discussed in significant detail
20016-485: Was made because the regime wished to house its government close to the historical center of power, the Forbidden City, even though it could not use the Forbidden City itself because the abdicated Emperor Puyi still lived there. The current main gate, Xinhua Gate or "Gate of New China", was created by Yuan Shikai. The present "gatehouse" was previously a pavilion located on the southern shore the Southern Sea, close to
20160-454: Was not suppressed until 1164; their horses were confiscated so that the rebels had to take up farming. Other Khitan and Xi cavalry units had been incorporated into the Jin army. Because these internal uprisings had severely weakened the Jin's capacity to confront the Southern Song militarily, the Jin court under Emperor Shizong began negotiating for peace. The Treaty of Longxing was signed in 1164, ushering in more than 40 years of peace between
20304-589: Was occupied by Secretary Bao Tong at the time, and the position and staff associated with it have since been more formalized as the Office of the General Secretary . The policy secretary's office is, in turn, behind another office which served as a workplace for the director of the Central Committee's General Office. It is partially because the head of the General Office has a workplace in front of
20448-460: Was promulgated in 1201 and was based mostly on the Tang Code . In 1207, the Southern Song dynasty attempted an invasion, but the Jin forces effectively repulsed them. In the peace agreement, the Song dynasty had to pay higher annual indemnities and behead Han Tuozhou , the leader of the hawkish faction in the Song imperial court. Starting from the early 13th century, the Jin dynasty began to feel
20592-495: Was the original Taiye Lake, with an attached palace called the "Palace of Great Peace" ( Daninggong ). During the Yuan dynasty , which lasted from 1271 to 1368, Taiye Lake was included within the Imperial City. It was also expanded, covering approximately the area occupied by the Northern and Central Seas today. Three new palaces were built around the lake. After the Ming dynasty moved its capital to Beijing in 1403 by order of
20736-800: Was the site of his funeral. When Cao Kun became president, he used Huairen Hall as his residence. After the end of the Beiyang Government Huairen Hall had no permanent use and was given to the Beijing City Government. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the first plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was held in Huairen Hall in September 1949. In order to serve as an audience hall for
#86913