The Forbidden City is heavily guarded. There are many doors in the Forbidden City. What function do they have?

The Forbidden City, which we are familiar with, was called the Forbidden City in ancient times. The Forbidden City is a rectangular building with doors on all sides. This gate in the south is called Wumen Gate, the gate in the north is called Shenwu Gate, the gate in the east is called Donghua Gate, and the gate in the west is called Xihua Gate. The four gates of the Forbidden City correspond to Zuo Qinglong, Bai Hu, Qian Suzaku and Hou Xuanwu respectively. It means auspicious. Then, what are the functions of these four doors in the Forbidden City besides their beautiful meanings?

The meridian gate is the main entrance of the Forbidden City. Built in the 18th year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty. It is the highest and largest gate in the Forbidden City. Because the city gate is located on the south side, facing the sun, it is named Wumen. There is a bell and drum on the left and right sides of the meridian gate. When the emperor went out of the meridian gate to worship the ancestral temple and the country, he would ring the bell and beat the drum. Because the whole building of Wumen Gate is strewn at random, echoing from left to right, it looks like a suzaku spreading its wings, so it is also called Wufeng Tower. Ancient emperors issued summoning orders or punished ministers, all of which were held at the meridian gate. Later, because of the incident of the minister of the meridian gate, the folk spread the saying that the meridian gate was beheaded.

Donghuamen is the east gate of the Forbidden City, which was built in the 18th year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty. Donghuamen faces east, corresponding to Xihuamen. Unlike the other three gates, Donghuamen is the closest to the uterus, so it is the gate for the prince to enter and leave. In the early Qing dynasty, only cabinet ministers were allowed to enter and exit this gate, and in the middle of Qianlong period, only senior officials were allowed to enter and exit. Another function of this city gate is that Zigong, the emperor, the empress and the empress, all came from Donghuamen. Therefore, in the folk people call it "the gate of hell, the vulva"

Xihuamen, the building of the Forbidden City in Beijing and the west gate of the Forbidden City, was built in the 18th year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty (1420). Xihuamen faces west, corresponding to Donghuamen, and there is a dismount monument outside. Xihuamen is an important hub connecting the imperial city and Miyagi. Shenwumen is the north gate of the Forbidden City. Built in the 18th year of Yongle in Ming Dynasty, it was called Xuanwu Gate in Ming Dynasty. Because it is the back door, the specification is slightly lower than that of the noon door. Shenwumen is an important gate for daily access to the palace. The queen went in and out of this door while kissing silkworms. The harem concubines and the Empress Dowager also entered and exited through this door.