The Forbidden City Is So Much Fun

Legend has it that the Forbidden City has 9,999 and a half rooms. Why is there half a room?

Was the Meridian Gate really a place of execution?

Did eunuchs and palace maids receive salaries and bonuses?

Why were the crows in the Forbidden City called sacred birds?

Just how high were the platform shoes worn by imperial consorts?

You’ll find the answers to all these questions in this book.

Majestic palaces, court rituals, health and daily life, cultural pursuits and pastimes, eunuchs and palace maids, secrets of the inner palace, court clothing, and the origins of the Forbidden City: this book satisfies all your curiosity about the palace. Explore the mysteries of its towering buildings, unravel the stories hidden behind the palace walls, and decode the secrets of dynastic rise and decline.