Intention of Garden Dwelling under the Ritual Order: Materials, Construction, and Space Design of the Sleeping Chamber of the Chuxiu Hall in the Late Qing

Chuxiu Hall, one of the six Western Palaces in the Forbidden City’s inner court, preserves architectural features modified under Empress Dowager Cixi’s reign, serving as a representative case of late Qing imperial construction. Integrating archival analysis with physical investigations, this paper challenges prior scholarship which narrowly focused on decorative styles (zhuangxiu) or simplistic spatial typologies. It systematically examines decorations, furnishings, and wall treatments within their architectural contexts. Through defining and interpreting spatial characteristics, the paper elucidates how material and construction techniques realized unique spatial designs under late Qing ritual hierarchies. Furthermore, it deciphers the garden-dwelling symbolism embedded in these spatial configurations, highlighting their architectural and cultural significance