To　effectively　protect　Tai-he　Palace　in　the　Forbidden　City,　its　seismic　performance　under　rare　earthquake　was　studied　by　finite　element　analysis　method.　Based　on　constitution　characteristics　such　as　tenon-mortise　joints,　tou-kung　(bracket　sets),　free-standing　column　roots　and　so　on,　as　well　as　considering　contact　relationship　between　column　sides　and　filler　walls,　nonlinear　finite　element　model　of　Tai-he　Palace　was　built.　By　response　spectrum　analysis,　distributions　of　internal　forces　and　distortions　of　Tai-he　Palace　under　8　degree　intensity　of　rare　earthquake　were　studied.　By　time　history　analysis,　displacement　and　acceleration　response　curves　of　typical　nodes　were　obtained,　by　which　its　seismic　performance　was　further　discussed.　Results　show　that　under　8　degree　intensity　of　rare　earthquake,　filler　walls　of　Tai-he　Palace　are　easy　to　be　damaged;　middle　part　of　its　roof　may　produce　large　deformation;　however,　the　wood　structure　remains　intact,　which　satisfies　the　requirement　that　＇the　wall　collapse　but　the　house　stand＇.　Besides,　constitutions　such　as　tenon-mortise　joints,　tou-kung　(bracket　sets),　free-standing　column　roots　and　so　on　are　helpful　for　seismic　response　mitigation.