Part 6/9:
The construction of the Forbidden City necessitated a vast network of logistics and a significant labor force. Due to Beijing’s lack of natural resources, immense timber and materials, such as gilded tiles, bricks, and nanmu wood, had to be sourced from distant regions. The Yongle Emperor revitalized the ancient Grand Canal, creating a waterway system capable of transporting the necessary materials to the construction site. However, the success of this monumental undertaking came at great human cost, often utilizing the labor of convicts and the impoverished.