Seventy-Year-Old Door

In 1779, when Emperor Qianlong was 70 years old, he felt his health was failing, so the officials of the Ministry of Rituals suggested opening a small door in the wall west of the Imperial Hall of Heaven so as to shorten the distance of his walk to the ceremony. The emperor gladly accepted it. But because of the fear that his offspring would abuse this convenience, he issued a decree saying,"From now on only he among my offspring can enter and exit by this door who has reached the age of 70. "Hence the name "Seventy-Year-Old Door." None of the later emperors reached this advanced age; so, Qianlong was the only person who had used this door.
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