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CHINA / 77 POSTCARDS

Beijing · The Forbidden City

Red walls, golden roofs and courtyards that open into one another. Seventy-seven photographs follow a visit through the Forbidden City and its surroundings in Beijing, from broad terraces to small architectural details.

The sequence brings together gateways, garden scenes, carved figures and objects on display. Wide views and close studies stay together, preserving the changing light, viewpoints and details of the visit.

Forbidden City and surroundings, Beijing, China

A red gate building with layered tiled roofs stands beyond a moat, with trees and a stone railing along the near bank.A gate reflected in the waterPOSTCARD 0258OPEN ↗A closer view across water towards a red gate building, with layered roofs, trees and a long grey-tiled wall.Across the moatPOSTCARD 0259OPEN ↗Visitors gather in front of a large red gateway topped by a two-tiered roof, with signs above its entrances.Gathering before the gatePOSTCARD 0260OPEN ↗Several ornate doorways interrupt a long red wall, with painted beams, tiled roofs and visitors in the foreground.Doorways along a red wallPOSTCARD 0261OPEN ↗An upward view into a dim circular ceiling reveals concentric bands of intricate decoration around a central carved panel.Patterns overheadPOSTCARD 0262OPEN ↗A red doorway frames a small tiled pavilion, carved stone railings and visitors moving through a garden courtyard.A garden beyond the doorwayPOSTCARD 0263OPEN ↗Green branches stand in front of a red building with lattice windows and brightly painted blue, green and gold beams.Painted beams and green branchesPOSTCARD 0264OPEN ↗A carved animal head projects from a stone terrace wall beneath decorated balustrades, beside a tree trunk.A carved head in stonePOSTCARD 0265OPEN ↗An ornate red gateway with closed lattice doors and an upturned tiled roof stands against a red wall beneath trees.A small gate beneath the treesPOSTCARD 0266OPEN ↗A red building with lattice panels sits beneath richly decorated eaves and golden roof tiles, framed by tree trunks and branches.Under the decorated eavesPOSTCARD 0267OPEN ↗A pavilion with a rounded golden roof rises above smaller tiled roofs, rocks and dense green planting.Roofs among the greeneryPOSTCARD 0268OPEN ↗Pale sculptural rocks and bare branches stand before a raised pavilion with a golden tiled roof and red columns.Rocks before the pavilionPOSTCARD 0269OPEN ↗An ornate gateway and red wall are topped with golden tiles, curved roof corners and green decorative panels.Gold and green above the gatePOSTCARD 0270OPEN ↗Golden-tiled roof edges overlap above a red wall with green glazed decoration, beneath a patch of blue sky.Overlapping rooflinesPOSTCARD 0271OPEN ↗A paved passage runs beside a weathered red wall towards a rectangular doorway, with sunlight and pointed shadows across the wall.A passage between red wallsPOSTCARD 0272OPEN ↗A heavy red door studded with metal knobs opens towards another doorway and a courtyard where two visitors stand.Through the open red doorsPOSTCARD 0273OPEN ↗A large dark metal vessel and two tall bird sculptures stand behind railings in front of a building with red columns.A vessel and two bird figuresPOSTCARD 0274OPEN ↗A narrow paved passage lies between red-columned buildings with tiled roofs, with part of a dark metal vessel in the foreground.Between the courtyard buildingsPOSTCARD 0275OPEN ↗Large dark vessels stand in a paved courtyard surrounded by red-columned buildings with golden tiled roofs.The courtyard and its vesselsPOSTCARD 0276OPEN ↗A long row of red columns supports decorated eaves above lattice windows, with a bird sculpture and railings in the courtyard.Along the columned galleryPOSTCARD 0277OPEN ↗An old wooden telephone with two bells and a hanging receiver is displayed behind glass, with a room backdrop beyond.A wooden telephone on displayPOSTCARD 0278OPEN ↗A close-up of a wooden telephone shows two round metal bells, a circular mouthpiece and a dark hanging receiver.Bells and receiverPOSTCARD 0279OPEN ↗Gold Chinese characters appear on a deep blue sign surrounded by an ornate gold frame above a doorway.Gold characters on bluePOSTCARD 0280OPEN ↗A curved tiled ridge rises behind a lower line of round tile ends, with small roof ornaments against a pale sky.The curve of the roofPOSTCARD 0281OPEN ↗Dark red carved latticework frames an entrance between weathered green panels decorated with red diamond-shaped signs.Latticework at the entrancePOSTCARD 0282OPEN ↗Visitors walk across a paved courtyard between red-columned buildings, with large dark vessels beside the path.Visitors crossing the courtyardPOSTCARD 0283OPEN ↗Small decorative objects sit along a narrow wooden table with carved supports against a pale interior wall.Objects on the wooden tablePOSTCARD 0284OPEN ↗A carved wooden cabinet and a long side table stand beneath a framed picture in a room with a patterned floor.A furnished room on displayPOSTCARD 0285OPEN ↗A cloth-covered dining table set with dishes stands beside tall curtained windows, with dark wooden chairs and sunlight on the patterned floor.A table in the window lightPOSTCARD 0286OPEN ↗A closer view of a dining table shows decorated dishes, bowls and serving pieces arranged on a pale cloth.Dishes laid out on the clothPOSTCARD 0287OPEN ↗An ornate hanging light has greenish shades, coloured decorations and dangling ornaments beneath a pale ceiling.A colourful hanging lightPOSTCARD 0288OPEN ↗A paved passage between red walls leads through a sequence of open rectangular doorways, with lattice windows on the left.Doorways in a linePOSTCARD 0289OPEN ↗A curled decorative figure rises above a row of rounded roof tiles, with overlapping eaves against a pale sky.An ornament at the roof edgePOSTCARD 0290OPEN ↗A dark roof ridge and its small ornament stand in silhouette beneath tree branches and a cloudy sky.The ridge beneath the branchesPOSTCARD 0291OPEN ↗Round golden tile ends with raised patterns line the edge of a weathered roof above dark wooden brackets.A row of decorated tile endsPOSTCARD 0292OPEN ↗Golden tile ends and a triangular decorative panel stand out against peeling red paint above a row of dark roof supports.Gold against a weathered wallPOSTCARD 0293OPEN ↗Several golden-brown tiled roofs overlap, with curved corners and small ridge figures beneath an overcast sky.Roofs layered across the viewPOSTCARD 0294OPEN ↗Small roof figures and curled ridge ornaments rise above intersecting rows of dark and golden tiles.Figures along the rooflinesPOSTCARD 0295OPEN ↗A dark sculpted dragon with an open mouth and raised horns stands on a decorated base in front of red columns.A dragon figure in the courtyardPOSTCARD 0296OPEN ↗A dark deer sculpture stands beside a large metal vessel in a courtyard, with red columns and visitors behind.A deer beside the vesselPOSTCARD 0297OPEN ↗Visitors cross a stone-paved courtyard between red-columned buildings with curved tiled roofs.Across a smaller courtyardPOSTCARD 0298OPEN ↗A paved passage runs between red walls and a small lattice-fronted structure, with ornate green-and-gold gateways at either end.A passage of red and goldPOSTCARD 0299OPEN ↗An ornate gateway is decorated with green, gold and turquoise panels beneath a curved golden-tiled roof.Painted detail above the openingPOSTCARD 0300OPEN ↗A green-and-gold gateway frames a series of doorways along a paved passage, with red walls and a dark lantern nearby.Looking through the decorated gatePOSTCARD 0301OPEN ↗A red-and-yellow covered carrying chair is displayed behind glass, with long poles, ropes and decorative panels.A covered chair on displayPOSTCARD 0302OPEN ↗A closer front view of a covered carrying chair shows a yellow canopy, red patterned panels and long poles crossing the foreground.The front of the carrying chairPOSTCARD 0303OPEN ↗Golden roof tiles and decorative ridge figures stand against grey clouds, with green trees to the left.Golden tiles beneath grey cloudsPOSTCARD 0304OPEN ↗Rows of golden tiles and curled roof ornaments stretch beneath clouds and a small patch of blue sky, with trees beyond.Roof ornaments and a changing skyPOSTCARD 0305OPEN ↗A large red-columned hall with a double-tiered golden roof stands above a white stone terrace and stairways.A hall above the stone terracePOSTCARD 0306OPEN ↗A broad stone-paved courtyard extends towards a distant gateway, bordered by white balustrades and golden-roofed buildings.The breadth of the courtyardPOSTCARD 0307OPEN ↗Visitors move towards a large golden-roofed hall along a route bordered by white stone balustrades.Visitors approaching the hallPOSTCARD 0308OPEN ↗Visitors cross a wide courtyard beneath layered stone terraces and palace rooflines, with part of a large hall in shadow at the right.Terraces in light and shadePOSTCARD 0309OPEN ↗Visitors gather below broad stone stairways leading to a large red hall with a double-tiered tiled roof, backlit by a bright sky.Stairways to the hallPOSTCARD 0310OPEN ↗A long raised stone terrace runs beneath palace buildings, with visitors crossing the open courtyard below a cloudy sky.Along the raised terracesPOSTCARD 0311OPEN ↗A broad paved courtyard extends towards red buildings with golden roofs, with a few visitors along the far edge beneath heavy clouds.An open courtyard beneath cloudsPOSTCARD 0312OPEN ↗Visitors pass through a red-columned gateway beneath a golden roof, with carved pale stone railings bordering the steps.At the columned entrancePOSTCARD 0313OPEN ↗Groups of visitors walk and gather alongside a high stone terrace topped by balustrades and golden-roofed buildings.People beside the terracePOSTCARD 0314OPEN ↗Layered stone balustrades rise above a paved courtyard with benches and signs, beneath tiled palace roofs and an overcast sky.The terrace from belowPOSTCARD 0315OPEN ↗An elevated view looks across a courtyard towards a broad golden-roofed gateway, with visitors spread along the paved approach.Looking down towards the gatePOSTCARD 0316OPEN ↗An elevated view follows a richly painted facade with red columns and layered golden roofs, with visitors moving below.Red columns beneath golden roofsPOSTCARD 0317OPEN ↗A pavilion with a pointed tiled roof stands beside a larger hall, separated from the open courtyard by pale stone balustrades.A pavilion beside the hallPOSTCARD 0318OPEN ↗Visitors gather beside a long red-columned hall beneath decorated beams and a double-tiered golden roof.Along the hall facadePOSTCARD 0319OPEN ↗A square pavilion with red columns and a sweeping tiled roof stands in sunlight, with visitors and pale stone railings around it.The pavilion in sunlightPOSTCARD 0320OPEN ↗Visitors descend stone steps towards a wide paved courtyard, facing a long red gallery with a golden roof.Down the stone stepsPOSTCARD 0321OPEN ↗Bands of blue, green and gold decoration run above tall red doors and lattice panels, with visitors gathered below.Painted bands above red doorsPOSTCARD 0322OPEN ↗A carved stone balustrade frames a view towards a red building with a broad tiled roof across a lower courtyard.Beyond the carved balustradePOSTCARD 0323OPEN ↗Successive carved stone railings lead the eye across a spacious courtyard towards a large gateway in muted light.Terraces across the courtyardPOSTCARD 0324OPEN ↗A long row of red columns supports colourful painted beams, with visitors walking along the building and across the paving.Walking beside the red columnsPOSTCARD 0325OPEN ↗Two tiled roof slopes meet at a pointed corner with small ornaments, seen against a blue sky and white clouds.The meeting of the eavesPOSTCARD 0326OPEN ↗Visitors stand and walk across an expansive courtyard, with a distant golden-roofed building beneath sunlit clouds.A broad space under the skyPOSTCARD 0327OPEN ↗A stream of visitors crosses a broad courtyard towards a large red gateway, seen from above a stone stairway.The approach across the courtyardPOSTCARD 0328OPEN ↗A large red gateway with layered tiled roofs faces visitors crossing the stone-paved space in front of it.The gateway facing the crowdPOSTCARD 0329OPEN ↗Golden roof tiles and richly painted horizontal beams rise above red columns and busy open entrances.Colour across the entrancePOSTCARD 0330OPEN ↗A view from a stone terrace takes in a broad courtyard and long red buildings, with visitors beside the balustrade.Looking across the palace groundsPOSTCARD 0331OPEN ↗Visitors stand by a carved stone railing overlooking a large courtyard bordered by red walls and tiled roofs.A wide view from the railingPOSTCARD 0332OPEN ↗A two-storey red building with a broad tiled roof stands beyond an open paved square, beneath a partly cloudy sky.The red building across the squarePOSTCARD 0333OPEN ↗A crowd fills the foreground before a monumental red gate bearing a large portrait, white-lettered signs and a red emblem beneath layered golden roofs.A crowd before the red gatePOSTCARD 0334OPEN ↗