太和殿、中和殿、保和殿共处的土字形大台基，其长度为232米，宽度为130米，二者之比为9:5；天安门城楼面阔九间，进深五间，二者之比仍为9:5。中国古代奇数为阳，偶数为阴。紫禁城中外朝宫殿数量皆为阳数，而内廷宫殿数量为阴数。阳数中九为最高，五居正中，因而古代常以九和五象征帝王的权威。 The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Middle Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony erect above a 土-shaped terrace, which is 232 meters long and 130 meters wide with the ratio of length and width 9:5. Tian’anmen Gate is nine bays wide and five bays deep with the ratio of width and depth 9:5. In ancient China, the odd numbers are yang while the even numbers are yin. The number of the palaces of the Outer Court of the Forbidden City is yang while that of the Inner Court is yin. Among the numbers of yang, nine is the highest one while five ranks in the middle. So in ancient times, nine and five symbolize the imperial power of the emperors.
京剧是中国的国粹。京剧的服装、脸谱（facial makeup）受到人们的喜爱。不同类型的服装反映人物不同的社会地位。脸谱是京剧中塑造人物形象的重要手段，它是用不同的颜色在脸上勾画出来的。脸谱的颜色让人一看便知角色的善恶。比如白色代表阴险狡诈（treachery），黑色代表直率鲁莽（forthrightness and recklessness），蓝色代表刚强骁勇。
Peking Opera is the cream of Chinese culture. And its costumes and facial makeup are popular with people. Different styles of costumes are used to reflect the characters’
different social status. Facial makeups, using different colors painting on faces, are employed as an important way to portray characters in Peking Opera. People can tell whether the character is good or bad from the colors of the facial makeups. For example, white usually represents treachery, black forthrightness and recklessness, and blue bravery.