Seriously, this was a very impressive site and will undoubtedly be one of the sightseeing highlights of our trip to Asian. The city was built in the mid-1400s (Ming Dynasty) and only opened to the public in the 1920s when the last emperor was made to leave (he had been dethroned a decade earlier. Before that time, only the royal family, the emperor's 800 or so concubines and 1,500 eunichs were allowed in. The history, architecture, and sheer age of the place were captivating. We walked on stone bricks and staircases that are almost 3 times as old as our country!
Much of the city is available to view, including the opportunity to peer through glass windows or open doorways into the emperor's throne rooms, private studies, and bedrooms. We were fascinated to learn from Tony about the symbolism and the history, in particular the dealings of Empress Dowager Cixi and the last emperor, Puyi.
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