Why did the Ming Dynasty build the Forbidden City in Beijing?

Beijing is located at the junction of Yanshan Mountains and North China Plain, with superior geographical position and strategic position. Since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it has become the capital of Yan State. Since then, it has been the local administrative center.

For the Central Plains people, Beijing has always been the frontier of the north, so they will not come here to build their capital, but take Luoyang, Xi 'an and other places as the center. With the rise of the northern nationalities, Beijing has become a place where they repeatedly compete with the Central Plains regime. For the northern nationalities (especially the Yuan Dynasty founded by Mongols), Beijing became the center of their territory.

So the northern nationalities attach great importance to this place. During the Liao Dynasty, Liaozhong was upgraded to Beijing, and during the Jin Dynasty, it was the capital of the Jin Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was the capital and political center of the huge Yuan Empire. In the Ming dynasty, Judy, as a prince, always managed the north. He is familiar with the people and the situation in this area. It can be said that his foundation is here.

Only in Beijing can he sit firmly on the throne and know the importance of border defense in the north. Although the Yuan Dynasty was overthrown, the remnants still existed, which was the greatest threat to the Ming Dynasty. Moving the capital to Beijing is convenient for contacting and mastering the northern ethnic groups, thus consolidating the northern border defense. So he decided to move the capital from Nanjing to Beijing as soon as he ascended the throne.

Why did the Ming Dynasty build the Forbidden City in Beijing? It has been nearly 600 years since the Forbidden City was built in Beijing in the 20th year of Yongle (1420). As the residence and political power center of 24 emperors in Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Forbidden City in Beijing is a treasure of the Chinese nation. Ancient craftsmen left a huge ancient architectural complex and countless cultural relics for China, and the Forbidden City became one of the most famous business cards in China.

Judy, the fourth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, the fourth ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, was named the Prince of Yan and stationed in Beijing to guard the frontier fortress of the Ming Dynasty. Although his eldest brother and Prince Zhu Biao died young, Judy was deprived of the throne, and Zhu Yuanzhang passed it on to his grandson Zhu Yunwen for him. However, ambitious Judy is unwilling to accept her fate. On the pretext of "Jun Qing side", the war of Jingnan was launched in the first year of Wen Jian (1399). After four years of war, he invaded Nanjing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Jianwen disappeared. Judy acceded to the throne and became emperor. In the first ten years after her accession to the throne, Judy spent most of her time in Nanjing Palace, but from the moment she acceded to the throne, Judy made up her mind to move to Beijing.

In the first year of Yongle, Li Zhigang, the minister of rites, and others said, "In the past, the emperor ... everyone got up to worship in the place where they were tracked. I am eager to see that the Chief Secretary of Beiping is the place where the emperor carried goods, and it is appropriate to follow the system of Taizu high school and establish it as Kyoto. " Judy conveniently said, "Yes. It takes Peiping as Beijing. " In the fourth year of Yongle, Qiu Fu, Duke of Qi, said, "Please build the Beijing Palace for the governor." This is of course inspired by Judy herself. After Qiu Fu's performance was recognized, the issue of building a palace in Beijing has been officially launched. Of course, not in the name of moving the capital, but in the name of "building a palace".

Subsequently, Judy planned to increase the population of Beijing, and immigrants, veterans and even criminals from all over the world were placed in Beijing to increase its population and lay a population foundation for becoming Beijing in the future. In addition, Judy also tried to live in Beijing for many times in the name of hunting patrol and northern expedition, reducing her residence time in Nanjing, the capital city, so that the political power center of the empire was substantially transferred to Beijing. In the fifth year of Yongle, Queen Xu (daughter of Xu Da) died and built the Queen's Mausoleum in Beijing. All this has clearly expressed his will to move the capital to Beijing and sent a signal to the DPRK ministers. Moving the capital to Beijing is unstoppable.

So what on earth made Judy want to move the capital so badly? There may be three main reasons.

First of all, Judy herself has no good impression of Nanjing.

Zhu Yuanzhang made Nanjing his capital and founded the Ming Dynasty. However, all this has nothing to do with him. After all, it belongs to Zhu Biao and Zhu Yunwen, and he is far away in Beiping, which has nothing to do with all the emperors in Nanking. What makes Judy more disappointed with Nanjing is the impression of Nanjing citizens on Judy. After Judy entered Beijing, not only Fang Xiaoru, Huang Zicheng, and Qi Tai's cronies, but also other ministers, such as Tie Xuan, Minister of War, Gong Tai and others, expressed their unyielding and fighting in different ways.