The Emperor is considered to be the representative of heaven, the son of heaven, but in reality, the Emperor is still not a do-it-yourself person, but is required to follow many strict traditions of the tradition.
The life of the emperors in the Forbidden City was not as blissful as one would think. The Emperor is considered to be the representative of heaven, the son of heaven, but in reality, the Emperor is still not a do-it-yourself person, but is required to follow many strict traditions of the tradition.
The Emperor was obliged to attend meetings on matters of public interest to decide on appropriate punishments. To relieve his daily pressure, the Emperor’s routine was overseen by eunuchs and officials.
Emperors usually have to get up at 4 a.m. This action is called “spring burial”, which means that the courtiers and officials will be able to meet him and ask for their opinions. After that, the Emperor will return to the bed to sleep a little more.
The Emperor will have breakfast at 7 a.m. in spring and winter, and 6 a.m. in summer and autumn. The eunuchs will prepare a lipstick tray with the names of the gods for him to meet on the day. After breakfast, His Holiness will read plays by the Thuong Thu and other officials.
Emperors usually have to get up at 4 a.m.
At noon, the Emperor would still sit and read and approve the plays of the local mandarins. Every day there are hundreds of pieces and He is the one who has to read and review them all.
Any emperor must follow the traditional rites of his ancestors, which is a harmonious balance between the rule of the world and the obligations of the “son of heaven”.
Most of the Qing administrative institutions were inherited from the Ming Dynasty. The Qing Emperors are the ones who will make the final decisions in governing the imperial court, the country. Ministries, Nha… only have the task of supporting but not allowed to make decisions on their own.
A common misconception is that the Emperor regularly feasted on sumptuous meals. However, the fact that the Emperor’s diet was always balanced, and surprisingly simple, was.
Both the Ming and Qing dynasties ate according to the same principle: a healthy diet.
The scale of infrastructure required to provide food is immense. Royal kitchen includes: main kitchen, tea making area and baking area. Each zone will have a chef, 5 assistant cooks, a supervisor, a bookkeeper to buy and sell and monitor supplies.
The menu will always include the chef’s name so that the Emperor can easily choose the dish of the day, and can determine who is responsible if anything suspicious happens. The recipes of the palace are basically folk dishes but are processed in a more sophisticated and sophisticated way.
The recipes of the royal palace are basically folk dishes but are processed more sophisticatedly.
Emperors of the Qing Dynasty usually ate meals alone, except on major holidays and important occasions when the Emperor ate meals with members of the imperial family or courtiers. Although it is recorded in history that the Qianlong Emperor sometimes invited some concubines to have dinner with him, according to the law, everyone except the Empress Dowager had to stand in front of the Emperor when he dine. The queen and her concubines would dine alone in their palaces.
The Emperor’s diet mainly consisted of pork, sheep, poultry and vegetables. All dishes are covered until the Emperor eats, the eunuch will be the one to open these covers before he touches the chopsticks.
The menu for each meal will be drafted in advance and the eunuch will have the final review and approval.
The Qing emperor had two main meals a day. The food will be placed in high-quality gold or porcelain bowls made in Jingde, Jiangxi. During the Qing Dynasty, the Emperors did not have a fixed place or time to dine. The Emperor would notify his guards when he wanted to dine and would eat anywhere at that time.
In total, the Royal Palace kitchen has more than 200 officials, cooks, eunuchs recruited to prepare meals for the Emperor. His meal was also prepared separately from that of others in the palace.
Garments always reflect the development of history, society and culture. Ancient Chinese rulers imposed very strict rules in each era, often linked to their national traditions and identities. Each dynasty had its own regulations on materials, colors, decorative patterns and styles of clothing that helped distinguish social classes. Anyone who doesn’t follow the dress code is severely punished.
The Emperor’s most prominent attire was the long neck , commonly known as the dragon robe – an auspicious garment reserved for important occasions. The Dragon Cloak is not simply a symbol of the Emperor’s strength, but it is also meant to bring good luck to the people. An old Chinese proverb says that the reign of an Emperor begins when he puts on a new robe.
Long neck, also known as dragon cloak.
The Dragon Robe of the Qing Emperor took two and a half years to be completed by tailors. The details of the pattern, each stitch must be approved and supervised by the Ministry of Ceremonies. After the design is approved, it will be sent to the silk factory. When the fabric is ready, it will be cut by an artisan before the tailor receives it and begins embroidery. About 500 artisans will start the seams and another 40 will embroider the golden threads.
Dragon is the main motif on the dragon gate. There are large dragons on the chest and back, the 4 dragons around the collar represent heaven, and the 4 dragons on the front and back represent the link between heaven and earth. Another prominent image on the Emperor’s shirt is the image of a red bat, which in Chinese means good luck and happiness. In addition to the auspicious symbols, the dragon gate also features mountains and rivers.
Despite living a lavish and splendid life, the Emperor is not someone who can do whatever he wants . He may have the whole country, but the burden on his shoulders is more than anyone in the world. He can gain the world, but sometimes lose his freedom.