This hall was originally built in 1420 and restored in 1627 and again 1765. It is square in shape, with windows on all sides. It is the smallest hall among "the Big Threes" in the Outer Court.

The emperors came here once a year, to perform ceremonies like examining seeds for sowing, to take a rest before dressing up for great ceremonies in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, to receive ministers and greet foreign envoys or to deliver speeches to the royal family. The major function of the hall is to provide the emperor with a place to rehearse before he entered the hall of Supreme Harmony for important ceremonies.

In the middle of the hall stands a throne, with two sedan-chairs exhibited on both sides. The one on the east was made at the end of the Ming Dynasty, while the one on the west in the begining of the Qing Dynasty. There were many kinds of sedan-chairs in China, but the one used exclusively for the emperor was always carried by 8 people.