Forbidden City-Hall of Supreme Harmony （太和殿）

The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian) is the foremost of the three main halls along the central axis of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. As the highest-ranking and largest-scale structure in ancient Chinese palace architecture, it was originally built in 1420 during the 18th year of the Yongle reign in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in 1695 during the 34th year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty. This grand hall served as the venue for the emperor’s most important ceremonies, such as enthronements, weddings, birthdays, and celebrations of the New Year and Winter Solstice. It symbolizes the supreme authority of imperial power.

The architecture is truly awe-inspiring, with a roof covered in golden glazed tiles and a double-eaved hip roof structure. Standing about 35 meters tall and covering over 2,000 square meters—more than four times the size of the Hall of Central Harmony—it is both majestic and imposing, leaving a lasting impression.

For this model, I chose a 1:157 scale to fit the dimensions of the P1S printer. Even at this reduced scale, the model’s sheer size required splitting each level into two separate print plate. Due to the complexity of the structure, I focused on simplifying the design for easier assembly and ensuring overall stability. The final piece is not only display-worthy but also practical to print and put together.

This is the third model in my Forbidden City series, following the Temple of Heaven and the Hall of Central Harmony. It took me several months from design to completion. Through this model, I hope to convey the imperial dignity embodied by Taihe Dian and share the brilliance and deep cultural heritage of ancient Chinese architecture with more people.

Assembly is relatively straightforward—begin from the base and work your way up as shown in the following. Due to the large size, each tier is printed in two parts. I recommend gluing the base, first tier, and second roof together before final assembly.

The model is designed to be compatible with the following light kits: LED Lamp Kit - MH001 (fitting in the base) and WS2812B RGB LED Strip Light Bundle - ZH037, which can be attached to the two roofs' bottom edge as has the following effect: