Fore Hall
Fore Hall (先殿, ser-nters) is a building complex situated in the south or "fore" side of the Sqin-lang Palace in Kien-k'ang, Themiclesia. The Fore Hall is now the seat of the Themiclesian House of Commons. It served as the monarch's actual or ceremonial residence within the palace for many centuries and remains the site of many state ceremonies. Certain parts, such as the walls, of the building complex date as far back as the 3rd century and likely to the initial establishment of the palace, though the oldest standing structure dates to the late 400s.
The Fore Hall is bound by a set of rectangular, rammed-earth walls and consists of several monumental and supporting structures. After centuries of additions and modifications, it is now divided into five courtyards. The central courtyard encloses the Gwrang-goi Chamber (永龢堂), which is now the main meeting chamber of the House of Commons. The central courtyard is flanked by two additional courtyards and abuts the rear courtyard, which are nowadays occupied by state rooms and offices of the House of Commons. The southern part of the Fore Hall complex is an entryway, whose main portal is the Twar Gate (耑門) or Gate of Lights.
History
The history of the Fore Hall can be pursued from three types of materials, according to Brown, "being a building of pre-eminent political and cultural import in Themiclesian history since the hegemonic period." Brown holds that "there is perhaps no building as central to Themiclesian history as the Fore Hall is." These materials in her treatment are historical writings, artistic depictions, and physical structures still standing or archaeologically recovered.
Structures
The Fore Hall can be described as two nested, rectangular courtyards, and the outer courtyard is further divided into walled segments. The inner courtyard, called Gwrang-goi Court after its principal building, is further elevated on an earthen dais about 1.6 m tall.
The Fore Hall has three gateways on its enclosing walls, which are of rammed earth and 6 metres in thickness. The south-facing and principal gateway is the Twar Gate, which is the oldest standing, inhabitable structure in the entire palace. The east-facing gateway is the Sman-tur Gate (萬旾門; "gate of 10,000 springs"), and the west-facing one is the Sning-sqwe Gate (千龝門; "gate of 1,000 autumns").
Twar Gate
Gwrang-gwal Court
The Gwrang-gwal Court (永龢省) is located on an elevated dais about 1.6 m tall and roughly in the centre of the Fore Hall. Its south-facing and principal gate is the South Gwrang-gwal Gate (南永龢門), which is aligned with Twar Gate on the north-south axis of the Fore Hall. The gate is the same width as the Twar Gate but is shallower in construction and thus have a less prominent roofline. The east- and west-facing gates are the East Gwrang-gwal Gate (東永龢門) and West Gwrang-gwal Gate (西永龢門) respectively. These three gates are also called the royal attorneys gates (御叓門 / 御門), because royal attorneys were reponsible for restricting access. There were no armed guards as carrying bladed weapons within the entire Fore Hall area was unlawful, and individuals passing the Twar Gate are to be disarmed. Instead, the attorneys standing at the gate held wooden staffs, with which they signified who was permitted to enter.
The dominant building in the Gwrang-gwal Court is the Gwrang-gwal Chamber (永龢堂).
Gwrang-gwal Chamber is flanked by two other chambers.
North Court
The North Court (北省) consists of the area behind the Gwrang-gwal Court and is centred on the Central Chamber (正室). The site of the Central Chamber was occupied by the main building of the Fore Hall prior to the addition of the Gwrang-gwal Court, which displaced it as the main building of the area and relegated it to the status of a supporting edifice.
The Central Chamber is an elongated building over 160 m and 24 bays wide, 24 m and 4 bays deep.
East Gwrang-gwal Court
左永龢省
West Gwrang-gwal Court
右永龢省