Function of the Palace of Abstinence

Function of the Palace of Abstinence
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the emperor would go to the Palace of Abstinence three days before the formal Heaven Worshipping Ceremony. During the three days, the emperor would live alone and eat a simple vegetarian diet without wine. Entertainment and court intrigue were avoided. The emperor would bathe several times to prepare well for the ceremony. In 1731, Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty changed the ritual because he worried about his safety living alone for such a long time outside the Forbidden City. He ordered an Inner Palace of Abstinence built inside the Forbidden City and lived there for the three days preceding the ceremony. At 11 o’clock pm of the day before the ceremony, he would transfer to the Palace of Abstinence in the Temple of Heaven. In fact, he only stayed about four hours inside this palace.