Gate of Divine Prowess | |
---|---|
神武门 | |
| |
Former names | Black Tortoise Gate |
Alternative names | Gate of Divine Might |
General information | |
Type | Gate |
Location | Forbidden City |
Town or city | Beijing |
Country | China |
Coordinates | 39°55′15.4″N 116°23′25.5″E / 39.920944°N 116.390417°E |
Opened | 1420 |
The Gate of Divine Might or Gate of Divine Prowess (
simplified Chinese: 神武门;
traditional Chinese: 神武門;
pinyin: Shénwǔmén,
Manchu: ᡧᡝᠨ
ᡠ
ᠮᡝᠨ šen u men) is the northern gate of the
Forbidden City in
Beijing, China.
[1]
The gate was built in 1420, during the 18th year of Yongle Emperor's reign. [1] The Gate was originally named " Black Tortoise Gate" (玄武門; Xuánwǔmén), but when Qing Dynasty's Kangxi Emperor, whose birth name was Xuanye ( 玄 燁), ascended to the throne, the use of the Chinese character Xuan (玄) became a form of naming taboo. [1]
The gate is the back gate of the palace, [1] and was used by palace workers. [1] Women being sent into the palace for selection as concubines also entered the palace through this gate. [1]
It is important to note that the Xuanwu Gate Incident, while sharing a similar name with this gate's original name, did not take place at this gate. The palace coup happened during the Tang Dynasty, when the capital was in Chang'an.