After Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty ascended the throne, he conceived the idea of moving the Ming capital from Nanjing to Beijing, which was then still called Beiping. Having been enfeoffed as the Prince of Yan, Zhu Di had lived in Beiping for over thirty years. His decision to relocate the capital to Beiping was influenced by both emotional and political considerations, but the primary reason was political.
Beijing is located in the north, where China's agricultural and pastoral zones converge—pastoral lands to the north and farmlands to the south. With its extensive network of roads, Beijing serves as a vital link connecting Mongolia, the Northeast, and the Central Plains. For this reason, it has been a strategic military stronghold since ancient times. Moving the capital here would not only ensure lasting peace and stability in the Northeast but also help curb invasions by northern tribes into the Central Plains.
During the Yuan Dynasty, Beiping was known as Dadu and served as the capital, making it the political, cultural, and military center of all of China. After the Ming Dynasty was established, the remaining forces of the Yuan Dynasty retreated to the north. They kept a covetous eye on Beiping, determined to stage a comeback. Additionally, the Mongol tribes in the northwest harbored ulterior motives toward the Central Plains, making relocating the capital to Beiping imperative. Moreover, Zhu Di had already painstakingly managed Beiping for over thirty years, stabilizing the local political situation and rapidly developing the economy, all of which provided reliable guarantees for moving the capital to Beiping.
In the second year after Zhu Di ascended the throne, which was the first year of the Yongle era (1403), Beiping was officially renamed Beijing. In the fifth year of the Yongle era (1407), Zhu Di ordered the construction of the imperial palace in Beijing, which later became known as the Forbidden City. The construction of the Forbidden City took fourteen years and was not fully completed until the eighteenth year of the Yongle era (1420). The Forbidden City is rectangular in shape, surrounded by city walls on all four sides, with walls over 10 meters high. It measures 961 meters from north to south and 753 meters from east to west, covering a total area of 724,250 square meters. To ensure the security of the Forbidden City, a moat was also built outside the walls.
During the construction of the Forbidden City, the imperial court conscripted a total of two to three hundred thousand laborers and soldiers, along with a large number of skilled craftsmen, investing countless manpower, material resources, and financial wealth. Had it not been for the powerful national strength of the early Ming Dynasty, it would have been utterly impossible to build such a magnificent imperial palace.
During the construction of the Forbidden City, a master craftsman named Kuai Xiang emerged. Kuai Xiang possessed exceptional skill in architectural design, so he was entrusted with the important role of designer. The Tiananmen Gate that people see today was originally called "Chengtianmen" and was first created by Kuai Xiang. After Chengtianmen was completed, Zhu Di was amazed by Kuai Xiang's outstanding architectural talent and bestowed upon him the title "Kuai Luban."
In addition, the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and Hall of Preserving Harmony in the Forbidden City were all built under the supervision of Kuai Xiang, who was highly skilled in calculating architectural dimensions, ensuring that every building he completed matched the exact measurements specified in his original blueprints; to enhance the palace's splendor, Kuai Xiang specially introduced Suzhou-style colored paintings into the construction of the Forbidden City and extensively used glazed gold bricks, ultimately achieving the desired effect.
To address the communication difficulties between the north and south that would arise after the capital relocation, in the ninth year of the Yongle era (1411), Zhu Di ordered the dredging of the Huitong River. Four years later, he ordered the dredging of the long-abandoned Grand Canal, restoring it to operation to facilitate north-south transportation.
In his youth, Zhu Di married Xu, the daughter of Xu Da, a founding hero of the dynasty, and over the decades, the couple shared a deep and devoted bond, supporting each other through hardships. After Zhu Di ascended the throne, he appointed Xu as Empress. In the fifth year of the Yongle era, Empress Xu unfortunately fell ill and passed away; she was originally to be buried in Nanjing, but due to Zhu Di's plans to move the capital, he ultimately interred his beloved wife at Changling in Beijing. After Zhu Di's death, he was buried together with Empress Xu there. The famous Ming Tombs, or the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty, were expanded from the foundation of Changling.
The Ming Tombs, located at Tianshou Mountain in Beijing, are the burial complex of Ming Dynasty emperors, first constructed during the Yongle era. Of the sixteen emperors of the Ming Dynasty, thirteen are interred here, which is why they are called the "Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty."
In the eighteenth year of the Yongle era, the Forbidden City was officially completed. In the first month of the following year, which was 1421, Zhu Di led his court officials in relocating the capital to Beijing. Because this event occurred during the Yongle period, it is also known as the "Yongle Relocation of the Capital."