The Hall of Imperial Longevity (Shouhuangdian) is located along the central north-south axis of Beijing’s old city, directly north of Jingshan Park. It represents a masterpiece of traditional Han Chinese palace architecture. Modelled after the ancestral temple layout (Taimiao), the hall features a double-eaved hip roof covered with yellow glazed tiles. The upper eaves are supported by seven layers of complex bracket sets, decorated with He-xi style polychrome painting. The façade spans nine bays in width and three in depth, with surrounding verandas at the front and rear, plus a raised terrace with balustrades. At the front, left, and right sides are twelve flights of steps, with the central front steps featuring the imperial path for ancient emperors, carved with traditional Chinese symbols of two dragons playing with a pearl.
