Beijing The Palace Museum 1-day tour with admission ticket - Imperial Scholar 10-person group/20-person group/individual traveler group

The Meridian Gate is a gate on the south side of the Forbidden City, as well as the main entrance of the palace complex. Built in the 18th year of the Ming Emperor Yongle, it has a history dating back hundreds of years. This gate is located on the Forbidden City's north-south axis. At noon, the sun sits directly above the gate. In ancient times, the north and south were called meridian positions. Therefore, it is called the Meridian Gate (or sometimes, the "Noon Gate"). Gates ahead of it include Tiananmen Gate (the main gate of the Imperial City) and Daqing Gate. The gate immediately after it is Taihe, or the Gate of Supreme Harmony. To the east, west, and north, it is surrounded by magnificent walls and towers. Positioned proudly in the middle, the Meridian Gate stands like a tall mountain towering over three shorter peaks. In ancient times it was also known as the Five Phoenix Tower.