Building A Parliament In The Forbidden City

In the 1920s plans were drawn up by the Swedish architect Albin Stark to convert the Hall Of Absolute Harmony in the Forbidden City to a parliament, but because of interference by the strongest warlord in the North Wu Peifu the plans were shelved.

"Wu Peifu telegraphed the President asking to keep the three Halls in Forbidden City:
Senators are complaining that the Xiangfangqiao area is not good enough for the Parliament, so they are suggesting demolishing the three main Halls in the Forbidden City and building a western style Parliament there instead. Wu Peifu telegraphed the President and the Prime Minister yesterday (20 th) saying that the three Halls are Chinese historical sites and shouldn’t be demolished."

- Shuntian Shibao May 23 1923