Yonghua Palace Complex

Yonghua Palace (Chinese: 永华宫), also the Palace of Eternal Splendour, is the palace complex that is the residence of the Emperor, as well as the nerve centre of the Imperial government, housing both the Inner Court and the Dynastic Court. It is also, naturally, the location of the Rear Palace.

History
Prior to the southward flight of Emperor Jing of Zheng and the Zheng court to Jiankang, there was no palace or Inner City. While construction of the Yonghua Palace Complex began almost as soon as Emperor Jing was in Jiankang, it would take nearly two years before it was complete enough to be inhabited by the Harem, and took nearly two decades to complete general construction.

Description
Yonghua Palace Complex is laid out generally as Chinese palaces have been laid out since the time of the Han Dynasty. Generally speaking, the north is the Rear Palace, and is where the Emperor lives along with his consorts.

The southern half of the Palace, meanwhile, is known as the Front Court. It is the home of the Dynastic Court or Outer Court; it holds many important government agencies, and is where the administrators of the Empire work.

Both halves, though, are aligned around a north-south axis in the centre of the palace, which is the ritual centre; it contains the three ceremonial halls and anciliary buildings where the great rites of the Empire, which connect the affairs of man to Heaven itself, are held.

Front Court
The three great halls in the central axis of the Front Court, from south to north:


 * Yuanguang Hall (元光殿), also known as the Hall of Primal Illumination, is the first and largest of the three halls.
 * Yongning Hall (永宁殿), also known as the Hall of Lasting Peace, is the central and smallest of the halls.
 * Youguang Hall (祐光殿), also known as the Hall of Blessed Light, is the third of the halls, and the most commonly used.

Central Axis
The Rear Palace has two major halls along its central axis. From south to north, they are:


 * Cui'en Palace (萃恩宫), or the Palace of Gathered Benevolence, is the official residence of the Emperor.
 * Zhending Palace (贞定宫), or the Palace of Faithful Steadfastness, is the official residence of the Empress.

Consort Residences
The Emperor's consorts, as well as the Empress Dowager (or Dowagers, if there happen to be two), are housed in residences to the east and west of the Cui'en and Zhending Palaces. The full list of these palaces is stored in the information about the Zheng Imperial Harem.

Other Residences

 * Yuning Hall (育宁阁), or the Hall of Nurtured Ease, is on the southeast side of Cui'en Palace, set aside for study and work duties.