The Gate of Heavenly Peace
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Today's eponymous gate structure, beneath the beneficent gaze of Mao, was first built in 1417 as a centerpiece entry to the middle layer of three concentric walled enclosures defining the urban expression of the Ming dynasty's (1368-1644) capital city.
Peeling these three cities like the layers of an onion, there was an outer city populated by selected well-heeled commoners, followed by an Imperial City of privileged assistants serving all possible needs of the throne, ending with the elite Forbidden City of an emperor and his retinue.
The man responsible for creating Tiananmen was born named Zhu Di. After usurping his nephew's throne and emerging victorious in the subsequent civil war, Zhu ruled China as the third Ming emperor with the reign name Yongle , or 'Perpetual Happiness.'
Tiananmen was called Chengtianmen during the Ming dynasty. The name, meaning 'Gate of Heavenly Succession' first appeared on front gate of the Tang dynasty (618-906AD) capital in Chang'an, today's city of Xi'an. Yongle used the name as a means of legitimating his rule. The gate as we know it today was one of the minor changes made to the city during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).
Text on this page thanks to Ed Lanfranco
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Tiananmen means 'Gate of Heavenly Peace.' In myriad ways this place has exuded a mysterious political power and presence of the Chinese people over the last six hundred years.