Preface.......................................................................................01Chapter I Undoubtedly the World’s Premier PalaceSection 1 Birth of the Forbidden City.........................................................002Section 2 The Initial Appearance of the Forbidden City..............................018Section 3 The Forbidden City as State Administrative Center......................031Section 4 The Three Rear Palaces and the Eastern-Western Six Palaces in the Forbidden City.....073Section 5 The Architectural Concept of the Forbidden City.........................088Chapter II Emperors, Princes, Generals, andMinisters in the Forbidden CitySection 1 Emperors of the Ming Dynasty in the Forbidden City...................102Section 2 Emperors of the Qing Dynasty at its Zenith in the Forbidden City ....122Section 3 The Turbulence in the Forbidden City During the Late Qing Period.........138Section 4 Courtiers of the Forbidden City..................................................148Section 5 Residents of the Forbidden City..................................................158Chapter III Daily Life in the Forbidden CitySection 1 Record of the Inner Court—Daily Life in the Ming Imperial Palace....178Section 2 Entertainment in the Imperial Palace..........................................184Section 3 The Belvedere of Literary Profundity: the Forbidden City Library...193Section 4 Coexistence of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism in the Forbidden City........198Section 5 The Eastward Spread of Western Learning in the Forbidden City......210Chapter IV From Palace to MuseumSection 1 Epitome of Ancient Chinese Architectural Art..............................220Section 2 The Challenging Beginning of a New Era...................................225Section 3 Rebirth Amidst National Peril.....................................................230Section 4 The Prospect of a Premier Museum............................................237Appendix A Brief Chinese Chronology......................................................243
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