This chronicle of the Forbidden City, a rich blend of history,anecdotal narrative, biographical portraits and illustrations,carries readers through 500 years of imperial China. 本书以图文形式展示了自1420年至1912年500年间故宫辉煌瑰丽的建筑、馆藏文物，并用生动细腻的语言讲述了宫墙内真实鲜活的人物命运、历史事件和宫廷生活。

With the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic on October 1, 2009, China has presented a new face to the world. Over the past 60 years, Chinese society has undergone significant changes that are clearly reflected in literature, painting, film, drama and other literary and artistic works. In China, both the rich and the poor, the elite and the working class all celebrate the Spring Festival. Paintings depicting Spring Festival entertainments are one of the most popular and inexpensive consumables of the season. Before TV sets and inter became as popular as today, Chinese New Year paintings (including publicity paintings) were one of the most direct and biggest media for observations of China, which were able to reach millions of households throughout the country. This book is posed of 200 carefully chosen Chinese New Year paintings from 1949 on, and is divided into threetime periods: 1949-1965. 1966-1978, and 1979-2009. These paintings tell of the major events in China from di