"Halls of dazzling glory or an 'ill-omened pile of buildings'? A sight unforgettably lovely or merely commonplace? Long shrouded in mystery, Beijing's Forbidden City has provoked all these conflicting descriptions." "This illustrated introduction exposes the private world hidden behind imperial walls, bringing to light the palace's grand ceremonies and detailing the mundane processes of its everyday life. Ritual procedures and domestic arrangements, weddings, births and deaths, the practical concerns of heating, lighting, and cooking: each of these topics is explored in this unique portrait of one of Asia's premier historical and cultural sites."--BOOK JACKET.