玄武门

玄武門
Xuánwǔmén
proper noun

Meanings

  1. 1 Xuanwu Gate, the north gate of the Tang palace in Chang'an, where Li Shimin seized power in 626
  2. 2 Xuanwu Gate, the Ming name of the north gate of the Forbidden City, renamed Shenwumen under the Qing

Examples

HSK 7-9
Lǐ Shìmín zài Xuánwǔmén fādòng le zhèngbiàn.
Li Shimin staged a coup at the Xuanwu Gate.
HSK 7-9
Gùgōng de Shénwǔmén zài Míngcháo jiào Xuánwǔmén.
Under the Ming, the Forbidden City's Gate of Divine Prowess was called the Xuanwu Gate.

Tips

history
玄武, the Black Tortoise, guards the north, so a palace's north gate was often named after it. The Tang gate gave its name to the 玄武门之变 of 626. The Beijing gate lost the name because the Kangxi emperor's personal name, 玄烨, made 玄 taboo.

Stroke Order

玄 xuán
武 wǔ
门 mén