Flocks of crows regularly fly back to the Forbidden City at midnight, signaling a creepy spiritual event.

The Forbidden City's inner palace has always been a subject of curiosity. Many people wonder about the flocks of crows flying from the northwest every morning, even when there is no one around.

According to the locals, these crows will always fly southeast, and some will roost on the walls of the Forbidden City. At night, these crows will fly back along the same route and appear again early the next morning. This has been going on for 6 years and has never been interrupted.

According to traditional Chinese beliefs, crows are symbols of bad luck, misfortune, and death. They all like places with heavy negative energy, so it turns out that the Forbidden City is a place where bad luck accumulates.

Some say that crows appeared in the Forbidden City because they smelled the "smell of death" of the Qing Dynasty long ago and crows often appear in places where there is death.

The reason crows often "visit" this place is because many people in the palace lost their lives. There are many rumors about this event. However, the truth is, crows are auspicious animals according to the Manchu people's point of view.

Legend has it that when Nurhaci was defeated in battle and fled, when he was about to be captured by the enemy, it was just getting dark, and a flock of crows swooped down to shield him from the enemy's search.

So, to "show gratitude" to the crows, the Forbidden City built a special place for crows to forage. After hundreds of years, they have formed a habit of visiting this place.

That’s one reason, and another is the urban heat island effect. This phenomenon occurs when cities replace natural land cover with dense layers of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat. As a result, urban areas are significantly warmer than surrounding suburban areas.

According to experts, in the Forbidden City, each courtyard will have a separate wall. In addition to the function of separating spaces, they can also be used to prevent fire and protect against cold winds in winter. In addition, most of the palaces in the Forbidden City face north and south, this design itself is beneficial for relying on natural sunlight for heating.

The Forbidden City is a deserted place with relatively high temperatures, so it becomes a shelter for crows. Due to its location in the city center, the place with the highest outdoor temperature in Beijing, along with a large number of trees and ancient architectural works, the Forbidden City becomes an ideal shelter for crows.

In short, the frequent appearance of crows here is simply due to a long-standing habit combined with some specific geographical factors.

In addition to the story of the crows, several small locations in the Forbidden City hold little-known mysteries that have yet to be solved.

Arrow on the Long Tong Mon signboard

Long Zongmen is the main entrance to the front and back palaces, but if you look up, you'll see a rusty arrow stuck in the plaque at the door. Who shot it?

It is said that during the Jiaqing period, the Qing Dynasty gradually declined, and the White Lotus Rebellion broke out. There was an informant in the palace, so the rebels knew that the Jiaqing Emperor had gone to the summer resort, and there were no guards in the palace. Therefore, the rebels marched straight to the Forbidden City.

When they stormed Long Zong Men, they were fiercely defended and counterattacked by Crown Prince Mien Ninh (later Emperor Daoguang). When the rebels were defeated, the Qing Dynasty cleaned up the palace and discovered an arrow stuck on the Long Zong Men gate. At this time, Emperor Jiaqing also returned, without ordering anyone to remove the arrow, but kept it as a warning to future generations not to lose their vigilance.

Van Long stone sculpture behind Bao Hoa palace

If you often watch Qing Dynasty palace dramas, you must be familiar with the huge stone carvings of dragons and clouds in the Forbidden City. Behind the Bao Hoa Hall, there is a large stone carving with exquisite carvings, weighing about 200 tons and is the largest carving in China. How did such a large stone get here?

According to legend, the stone was transported from Fangshan to Beijing, requiring more than 10,000 workers. To transport the stone, the craftsmen chose a cold day in March. They dug hundreds of small wells along the way, and in winter, flooded the road to form a layer of ice on the ground. Thus, they were able to move the stone into the imperial palace.

Lion "covers his crotch" on Doan Hong bridge

There are majestic stone lions in front of every hall of the Forbidden City, but the stone lion on the Duanhong Bridge is different. It squats, scratching its head and cheeks, its other hand covering its "crotch", its expression in pain. Why is this stone lion different from all the others in the Forbidden City?

The legend of this stone lion is related to Emperor Daoguang. At that time, he intended to appoint his eldest son, Yi Wei, as his successor. However, Yi Wei was illiterate, hated studying, and even had conflicts with his teachers.

When Dao Quang found out, he was furious and called Dich Vi to reprimand him. Unexpectedly, Dao Quang's kick hit Dich Vi in the groin, and a few days later, the prince died.

Later, when Dao Quang passed the Doan Hong Bridge, he saw the lion covering its groin with its claws and remembered Dich Vi. He ordered his men to cover the stone lion with red cloth to avoid remembering the sad event. From then on, people rumored that this stone lion was the reincarnation of Dich Vi. No one dared to approach or touch it for fear of bad luck.

Concubines in the past had a terrifying "privilege" that even the main wife did not have. Minh Lợi17:19:18 19/03/2025In feudal Chinese society, concubines were seen as mere commodities, bought and sold without any significant rights, and did not even have an official position in the husband's family tree.