The Forbidden City, as the world's largest and best-preserved ancient royal palace building, carries a rich historical and cultural heritage. In its magnificent buildings, there are seemingly ordinary but rich objects with connotations, among which the large water tank is one of them, carrying a profound historical vicissitudes and cultural heritage.
There are more than 300 of these large water tanks in total, and their functions are diverse, among which the Taiping tank and the fire water tank are the most prominent. As a special facility in the Forbidden City, the Taiping Tank not only represents the accumulation of wealth and wealth, but also has the practical function of fire prevention. It is well-made, using different processes such as iron, copper ja and copper gilt to guarantee its long-lasting properties.
However, filling these large tanks with water was not an easy task, and it was necessary for the eunuchs to work day and night, which was full of hardships and toils. With a capacity of more than 3,000 litres of water per tank, the eunuchs had to ensure that the water was clean and supplied properly for life and architecture in the Forbidden City.
The Forbidden City has experienced many major fires, and the causes of these fires include heating, candle flames, and even lightning. To this end, Emperor Jiaqing ordered that no wood should be used in palace buildings, and at the same time established a relatively complete set of fire extinguishing tools. In the early days, the water faucet, which was similar to a hydraulic fire extinguisher, became an important equipment for fire prevention work.
In addition, the Forbidden City has also taken multiple fire prevention measures, including a large water tank in the palace and a moat around the Forbidden City. In the event of a fire, the eunuchs would quickly bring in water sources to ensure that the fire was brought under control in time.
The existence and implementation of these fire prevention measures have preserved the Forbidden City countless times. It has experienced many major fires, but fortunately, the Forbidden City still stands today and has become a living witness of Chinese civilization.