Why is the northwest corner of Beijing missing a corner? This question has piqued the curiosity of countless history enthusiasts. When the Ming Dynasty constructed Beijing, why was the northwest corner of the city wall not a right angle, but instead oriented northeast-southwest? What stories and reasons lie behind this?
One theory suggests that due to unstable foundations, the northwest corner of Beijing frequently collapsed, leading the emperor to decide to set this section of the wall inward to avoid the unstable area. Another theory posits that this design reflects ancient beliefs about celestial symbols, representing the abode of the heavenly emperor. Additionally, there are legends that recount how when the Prince of Yan was building Beijing, two military strategists, Liu Bowen and Yao Guangxiao, saw the figure of Nezha in their design plans, who guided them to construct the city in a specific manner. During the drawing process, a gust of wind lifted Yao Guangxiao's garment, a detail that has been preserved and is said to explain the missing corner of the northwest corner of Beijing today.
