Violent Storm Damages Forbidden City, Sparking Online Discussions of Unusual Omens

People visit the Forbidden City in Beijing during the Labor Day holidays, which take place from May 1 to May 5, on May 3, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijing recently experienced a severe storm, causing significant damage throughout the city. In the midst of the gale, even the 600-year-old Forbidden City was not spared, with roof tiles being ripped off and strewn across the ground.

According to official monitoring data, the storm struck in the afternoon of May 30, bringing sudden thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail to Beijing’s previously clear skies. Most areas of the capital experienced short-lived winds of 8 to 10 on the Beaufort scale, with particularly strong winds recorded on Qianling Mountain in Fengtai District. The storm left roads in disarray, uprooted many trees, and overturned vehicles.

At approximately 2 p.m., powerful winds dislodged roof tiles from the Palace of Earthly Tranquility in the Forbidden City, scattering red bricks across the ground. Videos uploaded by eyewitnesses showed tourists taking cover from the rain, startled, and dodging falling tiles. Fortunately, the Palace Museum staff quickly evacuated visitors to safety, and no injuries were reported.

The local culture and tourism bureau responded by stating they would notify the relevant departments and coordinate with the Forbidden City to commence restoration work with qualified personnel.

The Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace, was constructed during the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, starting in 1406 and completed in 1420. It served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The Palace of Earthly Tranquility, also known as Kunning Gong, is one of the three main halls of the Inner Court of the Forbidden City in Beijing. During the Ming Dynasty, it served as the residence of the Empress. During the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu rulers converted parts of the palace for shamanistic worship, including shrines, icons, prayer mats, and a large kitchen for preparing sacrificial meat. The eastern chambers of the palace were reserved for the wedding ceremonies of the emperor and empress, symbolized by red-painted walls and “double happiness” decorations, while the western chambers were dedicated to sacrificial rituals.

Throughout its history, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility has undergone several reconstructions due to fires and other damage. Despite these changes, it remains an important part of China’s imperial heritage, reflecting the cultural and religious practices of both the Ming and Qing dynasties.

‘Heavenly Response to Human Affairs’

In an interview with The Epoch Times, Lai Jianping, a former Chinese human rights lawyer and president of the Canada-based Federation for a Democratic China, said that in traditional Chinese culture, there has always been the concept of “Heavenly Response to Human Affairs,” which suggests that changes in the natural world correspond to conditions in human society.

“This is a phenomenon reflecting divine beings watching over human affairs,” according to Mr. Lai.“When a society is on the brink of significant change, unusual phenomena indeed appear. These are not merely natural occurrences but carry celestial warnings. When evil reaches an extreme level, it is said in Chinese that ‘Heaven’s wrath and human anger’ will be triggered. Not only will people be resentful, but even Heaven will be furious. ‘Heaven’s wrath’ manifests through various natural phenomena. The incident of the roof tiles being blown off Kunning Palace is, in my view, not a mere natural event. It is a heavenly response to human affairs.”

He believes that the incident is a sign of an impending crisis in the authoritarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the one-man dictatorship of the CCP leader Xi Jinping.

“A supernatural force is reminding and warning us that the current ruler or the ruling party has done too much evil,” he said.

Previous Discussions of Celestial Warnings

The historic Forbidden City, a symbol of imperial power in China, has faced several unusual incidents in recent years, including flooding and the collapse of palace gates due to strong winds. These events have led to widespread speculation and interpretations, suggesting ominous signs for the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime.

On March 4, 2022, the opening day of the Two Sessions, the CCP’s top political annual meetings, a powerful windstorm hit Beijing, completely collapsing the side gate of the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian) in the Forbidden City.

Videos circulating online showed four doors on the left side of the hall lying on the ground, with staff inside and the sound of howling winds clearly audible in the background.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is the largest, most prestigious building in the Forbidden City. Public records indicate that Taihe Dian reaches a height of 26.92 meters, making it the tallest structure in Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Important ceremonies such as the coronation of the emperor, imperial weddings, the installation of the empress, and the dispatch of generals were held here, earning Taihe Dian the title of “China’s First Hall,” symbolizing the supreme authority of the emperor.

The collapse of Taihe Dian’s gate due to wind is historically rare.

Tsai Zhuxin, a member of the advisory committee of the Taiwanese Yi Jing Society, told the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times that the door is one of the three most important Feng Shui elements, and it is where good fortune comes in and evil goes out. It is also guarded by door gods. If the door itself is blown down, it means that the protection of the door gods is no longer effective. Since the Hall of Supreme Harmony in Beijing symbolizes imperial power, when its gate is blown down, it means the fall of a dynasty, according to Mr. Tsai.

The flooding of the Forbidden City in 2023 also generated extensive discussion online. This historic site experienced flooding twice that year, with the most severe incident occurring in late July when Typhoon Doksuri brought unprecedented heavy rainfall to Beijing. For the first time in over 600 years, the Forbidden City experienced knee-deep water, whereas before 2023, the Forbidden City had never been flooded, thanks to its ingenious drainage design.

Feng Shui Hao, a Hong Kong Feng Shui master, told The Epoch Times that he interpreted this flooding as a bad omen, indicating instability for the dynasty, as it was an unprecedented rare occurrence.

Xin Ning contributed to this report.