What is Xinhuamen for?

Xinhua Gate is located in the western section of West Chang'an Street in Beijing. It is the main entrance to Zhongnanhai, where the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council are located, and is also a symbol of the highest administrative power.

Xinhua Gate was rebuilt from the Baoyue Tower. The entrance is a two-story bright building with a classical style glazed tile roof, carved beams and painted beams. The upper floor of the building is surrounded by fans and vermilion railings, giving people a cheerful and elegant feeling. A three-character chess plaque with "Xinhua Gate" in regular script and gold characters on an azure ground is hung under the eaves in front of the building. The large national emblem in gold and red hangs high on the eaves of the second floor.

When you enter the door, you are faced with a large screen wall with blue bricks reaching the top. A pair of giant stone lions are lined up in front of the door. Standing in the middle of the field outside the door is a large flagpole with a five-star red flag hanging high. On the eight-character walls on both sides of the door are two large slogans with red background and gold edges and white characters: "Long live the great Communist Party of China" and "Invincible". Long live Mao Zedong Thought." In front of the door is Chang'an Street, a clean and spacious transportation artery that runs through the east and west cities.

During the Revolution of 1911, Yuan Shikai coerced the last ruler of the Qing government, Empress Dowager Longyu (the legitimate wife of Emperor Guangxu), and the six-year-old emperor Puyi to sign an abdication edict. At that time, the real military and political power was in Yuan's hands. In order to take the overall situation into consideration, Sun Yat-sen gave him the interim president's position. At that time, the so-called provisional Congress decided to use Zhongnanhai as the location of the Presidential Palace, and the main entrance of the Presidential Palace facing north and south was specially opened on West Chang'an Street. This is the origin of the opening of the current Xinhua Gate. The opening of Xinhuamen was a matter of careful consideration. At that time, some people advocated the adoption of Western architectural styles, while others advocated the ancient style. Finally, it was agreed to adapt measures to local conditions and use the Baoyue Building at that time. As for the naming of the gate, because the main gate of the Imperial City in Zhengyang Gate (Qianmen) was originally called "Daqing Gate", it was renamed "Zhonghua Gate". At the same time, the newly opened main gate of the Presidential Palace was named "Xinhua Gate" ( The original "Zhonghua Gate" in Zhengyang Gate and the east and west gates of Chang'an Street were demolished after liberation).