The main gate of South Sea is Xinhuamen (New China) Gate, which was originally known as the Precious Moon Tower. Yhis was the famous Gazing Home Tower (Wangxianlou) built by Emperor Qianlong in year 1758. Myth suggests it for his favorite Muslim Concubine Xiang (Fragrant Consort). To remind this homesick lady of her native Kashgaria (in present-day Xinjiang), Qianlong had a mosque and Islamic-style marketplace built within view of the tower.
After the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912, the Xinhuamen (New China) Gate was refurbished and the signboard for Yuan Shikai's presidential residence was hung here. At this time, Xinhuamen is the front game of the central government.
In 1928, the Nationalists (KMT) establish Nanking (or Nanjing) as the capital, and Peking (or Beijing) is rename Peiping. The Middle and South Sea became a part. There was an inscribed tablet hung in Xinhuamen, which said "Middle and South Sea Park". When Peking was liberated, the name reverted to Beijing. Since then, the gate has been the official entrance to the headquarters of the people's government. Offices of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, the State Council, the Central People's Government and the Military Commission of the Party Central Committee are located here.
Famous quote from Mao Tse-Tung: "Serving the People"
Xinhuamen (New China Gate) appears on the following banknote(s):
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