China · Ming–Qing (1368–1912)
紫禁城
Zǐjìnchéng · Forbidden City Imperial
Regal palette of glazed tiles, vermillion walls, and imperial yellow that only the emperor could wear.
In Practice
The palette, applied.
Three mock compositions built only from the colors above — a designer’s proof that cultural palettes translate into production surfaces.
Editorial · Poster
Imperial Yellow grounds the field while Imperial Yellow carries the display voice — a pairing built for titling weight.
Product · Packaging
Imperial Yellow takes the front face; Palace Wall Red returns as a narrow band — a tested retail hierarchy.
Digital · Interface
Imperial Yellow canvas, Azurite Blue type, Imperial Yellow call-to-action — WCAG-legible contrast without leaving the palette.
Give your design a meaningful narrative — not just a color, but the reason it belongs.
The colors
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明黄
Mínghuáng · Imperial Yellow
Bright yellow glaze of Forbidden City roof tiles reserved for the Son of Heaven.
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宫墙红
Gōngqiáng Hóng · Palace Wall Red
Deep red lime-wash covering the outer palace walls for five centuries.
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石青
Shíqīng · Azurite Blue
Mineral azurite used on beam decorations and Buddhist frescoes.
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石绿
Shílǜ · Malachite Green
Copper-carbonate pigment for landscape scrolls and cloisonné.
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鎏金
Liújīn · Gilt Bronze
Mercury-amalgam gilding on Taihe Hall throne ornaments.