“Dry Weather, Watch Out for Fire!” The Forbidden City has many wooden structures, and the consequences could be dire if there were a fire. From its completion in 1420 until the abdication of Puyi in 1911, more than 40 fires were documented. Most of these cases occurred during the Ming dynasty, with only 10 cases recorded during the Qing dynasty.

Several Examples of Key Fires across the Ming and Qing dynasties

During the late Qing dynasty, aside from accidental fires, there were cases of arson which destroyed many of the halls and palaces around the Palace of Established Happiness. Numerous treasures were swallowed in the flames. Why would someone commit arson? Puyi discovered that theft was rampant at the palace and decided to track down the thieves. The imperial servants burnt down the areas around the Palace of Established Happiness to cover their tracks. In his autobiography From Emperor to Citizen, Puyi wrote, “On the night of June 27, 1923, soon after an inventory of the stores in the Palace of Established Happiness had begun, a fire broke out. Everything – whether it had been checked or not – was burnt to ashes.”