An aerial view of Zhongnanhai

The Zhongnanhai (Chinese: 中南海; pinyin: Zhōngnánhăi) is a complex of buildings in Beijing, China which serves as the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China and the government of the People's Republic of China. Image File history File links 中南海01. ... Image File history File links 中南海01. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell(ing) and yin means sound(s)). This article describes the most common variant called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: 汉语拼音; Traditional Chinese: 漢語拼音; pinyin: HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n), also known as scheme... Beijing (Chinese: ; pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; ; IPA: ), a city in northern China (formerly spelled in English as Peking or Peiking), is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (official name) also known as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (Simplified Chinese: 中国共产党; Traditional Chinese: 中國共産黨; Pinyin: Zhōngguó GòngchÇŽndÇŽng) is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

The term Zhongnanhai is synonymous with the leadership and government administration of the People's Republic of China (as the White House, for instance, refers to the U.S. President). Chinese Presidents, including Hu Jintao, and other top PRC leadership figures often meet international dignitaries inside the complex. China Central Television frequently shows footage of meetings inside the compound, but limits it largely to views inside buildings. The southern side of the White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States of America. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... Hu Jintao (Chinese: ; pinyin: Hú Jǐntāo; born December 21, 1942) is the current Paramount Leader of the Peoples Republic of China, holding the titles of President of the Peoples Republic of China, Chairman of the Central Military Commission and General Secretary of the Communist Party of... CCTV logo China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV (Chinese: 中国中央电视台 pinyin: Zhōngguó Zhōngyāng Diànshìtái), is the major broadcast television network in Mainland China. ...

Location

The name of the Zhongnanhai complex, located west of the Forbidden City, means "central and southern seas" or "lakes", referring to two lakes (the "Central Sea" and "Southern Sea") located within the compound; it is sometimes translated as "Sea Palaces". These two lakes are part of a series of irrigation projects carried out during the construction of the nearby Forbidden City. Also part of the same system is the "Northern Sea", or "Beihai", now a public park. , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ... , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ... The bridge to the White Pagoda. ...

These three lakes (Southern, Central, and Northern Seas) were originally an imperial leisure garden, with parklands on the shores of each lake, enclosed by a wall. Most of the pavilions, shrines, and temples survive from this period. Whereas the Northern lake had a religious focus, the shores of Central and Southern lakes were dotted with a number of palaces.

History

Zhongnanhai Scenery

During the Jin Dynasty, the northern section of Zhongnanhai was the Taiye Lake (literally "Lake of Grand Liquid"), with an attached palace called the Daning Gong (literally "Palace of Great Peace"). During the Yuan Dynasty, Taiye Lake was included in the Imperial City. It was also expanded, covering approximately the area occupied by the Northern and Central Seas today. Three palaces were built around the lake. Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai03. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai03. ... Jin may refer to: Jin Dynasty (265-420) Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) (Jinn) Jin, a state in China during the Spring and Autumn Period Later Jin Dynasty, founded in 1616 by Nurhaci Jin, a ruler of the Xia dynasty The Jin state of late Bronze Age Korea Jin, Chinese American... The Yuan Dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: Yuáncháo; Mongolian: Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus) lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. ...

After the Ming Dynasty moved its capital to Beijing, construction on the existing Imperial Palace began in 1406. The Ming palace was to the south of the Yuan palace. As a result, a new Southern Sea was dug to the south of the old lake. The excavated soil, together with those from construction of the moat, was piled up to form Jingshan, a hill to the north of the Forbidden City. At this time, the three lakes were connected and were collectively called the Taiye Lake. The three lakes were divided by bridges. The lakes were part of an extensive royal park to the west of the Imperial Palace. The Míng Dynasty (Chinese: 明朝; Pinyin: Míng Cháo) was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. ... Beijing (Chinese: ; pinyin: Běijīng; ; IPA: ), a city in northern China (formerly spelled in English as Peking or Peiking), is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ... The Jingshan Park in Beijing Jingshan Park (景山公园) is a public park of Beijing, China. ... , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ...

Road inside Zhongnanhai

After the Qing Dynasty established its capital in Beijing, the government reduced the size of the royal park to within a small walled area around the three lakes. Several successive emperors built pavilions and houses along the lake shores, where they would carry out government duties in the summer. During the reign of the Empress Dowager Cixi, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor would often live in the Zhongnanhai compound, travelling to the Forbidden City only for ceremonial duties. Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai05. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai05. ... The Qing Dynasty (Chinese: 清朝; Pinyin: Qīng cháo; Wade-Giles: Ching chao; Manchu: daicing gurun), sometimes known as the Manchu Dynasty, was a dynasty founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China, expanded into China and the surrounding territories, establishing the Empire... Beijing (Chinese: ; pinyin: Běijīng; ; IPA: ), a city in northern China (formerly spelled in English as Peking or Peiking), is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... The Nala Dowager Empress Cixi of China (1835-1908) The Dowager Empress Cixi 慈禧皇太后 (Chinese: 西太后那拉氏; Pinyin: Cíxǐ Tàιhòu; Wade-Giles: Tzu-Hsi) (November 29, 1835 – November 15, 1908), popularly known in China as the Western Empress Dowager (西太后), and officially known posthumously as Empress Xiao Qin Xian (孝钦显皇后), was... , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ...

During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, the Russian army occupied Zhongnanhai. Almost all artifacts and decorations in 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. Boxer forces, 1900 photograph The Boxer Uprising (Traditional Chinese: 義和團起義; Simplified Chinese: 义和团起义; Pinyin: Yìhétuán Qǐyì; The Righteous and Harmonious Fists) or Boxer Rebellion (義和團之亂 or 義和團匪亂) was a Chinese rebellion against foreign influence in areas such as trade, politics, religion and technology that occurred in China during the final... Military of the Powers during the Boxer Rebellion, with their naval flags, from left to right: Italy, United States, France, Austria-Hungary, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Russia. ... Puyi (Chinese:溥儀;) (February 7, 1906–October 17, 1967) of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro ruling family was the Xuantong Emperor (宣統皇帝) of China between 1908 and 1924 (ruling emperor between 1908 and 1912, and non-ruling emperor between 1912 and 1924), the tenth and last emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty to...

Ziguangge (Hall of Purple Lights)

Zhongnanhai attained political significance during the Republic of China era, when the Beiyang Government under Yuan Shikai placed its headquarters in the Zhongnanhai compound from 1911. This decision was made because the regime wished to house its government very close to the historical centre of power, the Forbidden City, but could not use the Forbidden City itself because the abdicated Emperor Puyi still lived there. Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai06. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai06. ... Motto: None Anthem: National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei City (de facto) Nanjing (de jure)1 Largest city Taipei City Official language(s) Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  - President Chen Shui-bian  - Vice President Annette Lu  - Premier Su Tseng-chang Establishment Xinhai Revolution   - Declared October... After the death of Yuan Shikai,the warlords of Beiyang Army took control of Republic of China. ... Yuan Shikai in military uniform Yuan Shikai (Courtesy Weiting 慰亭; Pseudonym: Rongan 容庵 Traditional Chinese: 袁世凱; Simplified Chinese: 袁世凯; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Yüan Shih-kai) (September 16, 1859 – June 5, 1916) was a Chinese military official and politician during the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ... , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ... Puyi (Chinese:溥儀;) (February 7, 1906–October 17, 1967) of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro ruling family was the Xuantong Emperor (宣統皇帝) of China between 1908 and 1924 (ruling emperor between 1908 and 1912, and non-ruling emperor between 1912 and 1924), the tenth and last emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty to...

When the Republic of China government moved its capital to Nanjing, the Zhongnanhai compound was opened to the public as a park. Motto: None Anthem: National Anthem of the Republic of China Capital Taipei City (de facto) Nanjing (de jure)1 Largest city Taipei City Official language(s) Mandarin (GuóyÇ”) Government Semi-presidential system  - President Chen Shui-bian  - Vice President Annette Lu  - Premier Su Tseng-chang Establishment Xinhai Revolution   - Declared October... Nanjing (Chinese: 南京 [ ]; Romanizations: NánjÄ«ng (Pinyin) , Nan-ching (Wade-Giles), Nanking (Postal System Pinyin) ) is the capital of Chinas Jiangsu Province and a city with a prominent place in Chinese history and culture. ...

Zhongnanhai served as a government centre again since the early days of the People's Republic of China, founded in 1949, which built many of the structures in the compound. The compound housed the Communist Party of China Central Committee, as well as the State Council. Early leaders, such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping lived in the compound. Chinese maps of Beijing show Zhongnanhai as an insignificant green area with a water body; in contrast, the municipal government, however, is shown significantly with a red star. 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (official name) also known as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (Simplified Chinese: 中国共产党; Traditional Chinese: 中國共産黨; Pinyin: Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng) is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The State Council (国务院, pinyin: Guówùyuàn), which is largely synonymous with the Central Peoples Government (中央人民政府), is the chief administrative authority of the Peoples Republic of China. ... (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976) (also Mao Tse-Tung in Wade-Giles transliteration) was a Chinese Marxist theorist, soldier, and statesman who led Chinas communist revolution after decades of foreign occupation and civil war in the 20th century. ... This is a Chinese name, Zhou is the surname. ... Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping (Simplified Chinese: 邓小平; Traditional Chinese: 鄧小平; Pinyin: Dèng Xiǎopíng; Wade-Giles: Teng Hsiao-ping; August 22, 1904–February 19, 1997) was a leader in the Communist Party of China (CPC). ...

Zhongnanhai Today

Lakeside pavilion

Since Zhongnanhai became the central government compound, it has been mostly inaccessible to the general public in the same way the Forbidden City was during the imperial era. The exception to this was during the years of relative freedom following the end of the Cultural Revolution, from 1977 to 1985, when the compound was open to members of the public, who could obtain tickets to visit the compound from relevant government authorities. Following the political turmoil that culminated in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, this access has now been closed. Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai07. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Zhongnanhai07. ... , Overview of the Forbidden City The Forbidden City or Forbidden Palace (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zǐjìn Chéng; literally Purple Forbidden City), located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the imperial palace during the mid-Ming and the Qing Dynasties. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... This article is about the year. ... The Unknown Rebel - This famous photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener, depicts a lone protester, whose actions halted the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour. ...

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 Communist Party of China" and "long live the invincible Mao Zedong Thought." The view behind the entrance is shielded by a traditional screen wall with the slogan "Serve the People", written in the handwriting of Zhou Enlai. The Xinhuamen entrance lies on the north side of West Chang'an Avenue. Xinhua (Chinese:新华通讯社/新華通訊社, pinyin:xīnhuá tōngxùnshè) is also the short for Xinhua News Agency Xinhua (Chinese:新化县/新化縣, pinyin:xīnhuà xiàn) is a county in Hunan,China, See Xinhua County. ... The Communist Party of China (CPC) (official name) also known as Chinese Communist Party (CCP) (Simplified Chinese: 中国共产党; Traditional Chinese: 中國共産黨; Pinyin: Zhōngguó GòngchÇŽndÇŽng) is the ruling political party of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Maoism or Mao Zedong Thought (Chinese: 毛澤東思想, pinyin: Máo Zédōng Sīxiǎng), also called Marxism-Leninism–Mao Zedong Thought or Marxism-Leninism-Maoism (MLM), is a variant of communism derived from the teachings of Mao Zedong (1893–1976). ... Serve the People or Service for the People is a political slogan which first appeared on Mao-era China. ... This is a Chinese name, Zhou is the surname. ... Changan Avenue Changan Avenue is a major through route in Beijing, China. ...

On April 18, 1989 several pro-democracy students began a sit-in outside the Zhongnanhai compound. They were highly visible to passers-by on Chang'an Avenue. The students held signs reading "Down with Dictatorship" and "Long Live Democracy". Many of the students would later be involved in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. On April 20, Zhongnanhai guards attacked the protesting students with belts and clubs. The attack brought renewed determination to the student protesters and as news of the beating spread, pro-democracy students in tertiary campuses across China rallied to "Support Beijing", eventually escalating into the Tiananmen Square protests. April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... A sit-in or sit-down is a form of direct action that involves one or more persons nonviolently occupying an area for protest, often political, social, or economic change. ... The Unknown Rebel - This famous photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener, depicts a lone protester, whose actions halted the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... The Unknown Rebel - This famous photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener, depicts a lone protester, whose actions halted the progress of a column of advancing tanks for over half an hour. ...

Zhongnanhai was also the site of demonstrations by the Falun Gong in 1999. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Zhongnanhai

• TIME: Walled Heart of China's Kremlin
• Google Satellite picture