The Working People’sCulturalPalaceis one of the first-class public parks inBeijing. It lies to the east ofTiananmen Square. It used to be the ancestral temple of emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to offer sacrifices to their ancestors. In 1924, it was renamedPeaceParkand opened to the public. In 1931, it was taken over by theForbidden CityPalaceMuseumas one of its branches. After the founding of the People’s Republic, on January 6th, 1950, the Political Affairs Department passed a decision to hand it over to the city ofBeijingas a place for laborers’ cultural activities. On April 10th, 1950, thePalaceMuseumofficially handed it over to the General Labor Union of Beijing, which changed it into the Working People’sCulturalPalace, and Chairman Mao inscribed the new name upon it. On May 1st, 1950, it was opened to the public as a ‘school and amusement park’ for laborers in the capital.
The cultural palace, or rather theImperialAncestralTemple, was built in 1420, or the 18th year of the Yongle Emperor’s reign in the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the reigns of the Jiajing, Wanli (Ming Dynasty), Shunzhi, and Qianlong (Qing Dynasty) Emperors. It covers a total area of 197,000 square meters. It is encircled by three layers of red walls. In its courtyard are over 700 ancient cypresses. Behind the Liuli Gate are seven white marble bridges called Jade-studded Belt Bridges. To the south of them, on both sides stand the sacred kitchen and the sacred warehouse. To the north of them, on both sides is a hexagon pavilion housing a glazed well. The three large halls behind Halberd Gate are the major sections of the complex. The first one is called the Hall of Ancestral Worship. The second is Bedroom Hall. Finally, the third hall isTiaomiaoTemple.
Regularly held in the hall are exhibitions or training courses in painting, calligraphy, photography, music, dance, literature, and gardening. Its authorities have created a Workers’ Art Ensemble and a Workers’ Orchestra, which have performed many times. It has been the stage for many influential events, such as Yanni’s concert and the opera Turandot, which was performed before large audiences. On such holidays as May 1st (International Labor Day, or May Day) and Oct. 1st (China’s National Day), leaders of the Communist Party and the nation are gathered here for celebration in the company of common people.
Major tourist attractions include Halberd Gate, the Hall of Ancestral Worship, Bedroom Hall,TiaoimaoTemple, and the Chinese Peace Belt.
Halberd Gate is five bays wide and two bays deep. Its single-eave, gradually curved roof is covered with yellow glazed tiles. Under its eaves are bulky dougongs (brackets between crossbeams and columns). The gate sits on a platform with white marble rails, the top of which is reached by nine steps adorned in the middle with a red slab of stone. The main gate is flanked by two smaller gates with single-eave roofs covered with yellow glazed tiles. There used to be eight red-lacquered halberd racks in font of and behind the gate, on which were placed 120 red halberds with silver handles and golden dragon patterns,but they were all taken away by the Eight Power Allied Forces in 1900.
