Beijing’s Forbidden City - Visiting Cangzhou (Part 2)
Editor note: These stories were originally shared by Yeung Sifu in our past website and blogs. It documents his first visit to Cangzhou with his teacher and martial brothers to meet the lineage holders of Zuo family Pigua Tongbei Quan. Read the first part here.
April 3rd – The Forbidden City
If you visit Beijing, the Forbidden City is undoubtedly a must-see destination. My two fellow disciples and I took the subway to Tiananmen East Station, exiting from the northwest exit. After passing through multiple security checks, we arrived at the ticket office near the entrance to Tiananmen and the Forbidden City. Located alongside Chang'an Avenue, the Forbidden City is visible from a great distance, with its deep red walls and golden rooftops glistening in the sunlight. Visitors certainly won't miss the giant portrait of Mao Zedong prominently displayed above the entrance of Tiananmen.
After purchasing tickets and walking through the domed passageway, we entered a square courtyard. Directly ahead stood a majestic gate tower, three to four stories high, bearing a blue plaque with golden characters clearly reading "Meridian Gate" (午門, Wumen). This reminded me of a famous line often heard in historical dramas during my childhood: "Guards, drag him out to the Meridian Gate for execution!" However, historians have since clarified this as a misconception. During the Ming Dynasty, corporal punishment such as flogging was indeed carried out at the Meridian Gate, sometimes resulting in the death of prisoners. However, executions by beheading did not take place there. In the Qing Dynasty, beheadings were conducted at the Caishi execution grounds instead. Conversely, during Qing times, the Meridian Gate served primarily as a venue for important ceremonies and celebrations. Events such as the "Seasonal Bestowal of Food," where the emperor gave food to commoners as a gesture of grace, and ceremonies like the "Proclamation of the Lunar Calendar" and the "Presentation of Prisoners," all occurred here.
Continuing forward from the Meridian Gate, we crossed the Golden Water Bridge and the Gate of Supreme Harmony. The walk toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony covers the most spacious area within the Forbidden City. Under the clear blue sky on that day, the sight was truly uplifting. The Hall of Supreme Harmony was where the emperor held court, essentially functioning as a grand conference hall. His private office, the Hall of Mental Cultivation, was located to the rear-left side. Between these two halls stood the Grand Council (Jun Ji Chu), where officials reportedly worked in shifts around the clock, with the morning shift beginning as early as 5 AM.
Speaking of the Forbidden City, one cannot omit the story of Dong Haichuan, the founder of the martial art Baguazhang. In his youth, Dong wandered the Jianghu (martial world), but in middle age, he became a eunuch. Legend suggests that he served within the imperial palace; however, this is unlikely according to historical research. Qing Dynasty eunuchs entering palace service were required to be castrated between ages 15 to 20. Thus, it is more probable that Dong served in a prince’s residence rather than the Forbidden City itself.
In his later years, Dong retired from service and dedicated himself entirely to teaching Baguazhang. He lived in the household of his disciple Shi Jidong and was ultimately buried in Beijing's Wanan Cemetery. According to his epitaph, Dong Haichuan trained 67 disciples, the most renowned of whom included Yin Fu, Cheng Tinghua, Ma Weiqi, and Shi Jidong. Baguazhang can be considered an authentic Beijing martial arts style, and after more than a century of development, it has spread worldwide.
騎走滄州之二
四月三日 遊覽故宮
如果有機會到北京遊覽，故宮當然是必到之處。我們師兄弟三人乘坐地鐵去到天安門東站下車，從西北出口出站，經過重重安檢後，便抵達了天安門及故宮入口的售票處。故宮位於長安街一側，遠遠望去，便能看到那深紅色的高牆及陽光下閃耀的黃色琉璃瓦頂。遊人一定不會錯過懸掛在天安門城樓上方的巨大毛澤東肖像。
購票後通過圓頂型的甬道，首先映入眼簾的是一個方形廣場。正前方矗立著一座三、四層高的宏偉城樓，上方掛著藍底金字的牌匾，清楚寫著：「午門」。這讓我想起小時候看古裝電視劇常聽到的一句台詞：「來人呀，拉他出午門問斬！」然而經後人考證，此為訛傳。明代的確在午門執行過庭杖之刑，有時刑罰過重亦會導致犯人死亡，但斬首之刑並非在此執行。清代的斬首刑場是在柴市，相反地，清代的午門則是舉行慶典的重要場所。皇帝在這裡舉行「節令賜食」，向百姓賜予飲食以示恩澤，另外如「頒朔」、「獻俘」等大典也都在午門舉行。
由午門再向前行，經過金水橋及太和門，就是步行至太和殿的區域，這段路是整個故宮內最為開闊的空間。當天天氣晴朗、萬里無雲，走在此處令人心曠神怡。太和殿正是皇帝上朝議政的地方，可說是古代皇宮的會議廳，而皇帝的私人辦公室則位於左後方的養心殿。此外，軍機處就位於這兩者之間，相傳當時的官員需二十四小時輪班值守，清晨五時便已候命。
提到故宮，不能不說八卦掌的創始人董海川。他少年時游俠江湖，中年時卻淨身成為太監。坊間傳言董公公曾供職皇宮，但這並不符合史實。經考證，清代規定入宮太監須於十五至二十歲之間淨身，因此董海川所服務的地點更可能是某王府，而非紫禁城內。
董公公晚年告老離職後，專心傳授八卦掌。他長期寄居於弟子史計棟家中，過世後安葬於北京萬安公墓。根據其墓誌銘所載，他生前共收弟子六十七人，其中最著名的有尹福、程廷華、馬維祺、史計棟等。八卦掌可謂道地的北京武術流派，經過百餘年發展，現已傳遍全世界。
