紫禁城是明、清两代的皇宫，是中国现存规模最大的古建筑群。1987年被联合国教科文组织列入《世界遗产名录》。

紫禁城即故宫博物院，除了规模宏大，金碧辉煌的宫殿建筑群令人惊叹外，同时宫廷帝后的豪华生活原状陈列也让人大开眼界。另外，作为举世无双的故宫博物院，还收藏着中国历朝历代的无数珍贵文物，是我华夏5000年文明的光辉见证。

徐城北、李少白等编著的这本《叹哉！紫禁城》以问答的形式，向你介绍了紫禁城文化的方方面面。

Preface

Reality · Fantasy

 Emperors and their Ministers

 A Message to the Emperor on High

 Empty Memories of Lingering Regret

 Bearing Heaven's Will and Maintaining its Blessings

 Palace Gates as Deep as the Ocean

 All Gone, in the Twinkling of an Eve

 Dreams that Go on Forever

 The Emperor's Womeen

 The Loneliness of the Forbidden City

 The City of Rites

Heaven · Humans

 A Winter "Yale

 When Spring Flowers Bloom

 Morning Light on the Forbidden City

 The Stronghold of the Forbidden City

 A Kingdom in a City; the Horne that Owned an thnpire

 A City of Metaphors

 Threading a Needle under a Bright Moon

 Dressed up for Acting

 Worshipping the Moon at the Mid-Autumn Festival

 The Double-Ninth Festival

Home · Nation

 Love in the Forbidden City

 Guardians of the Palace

 A Paradise in Flames

 The Imperial Jade Seal

 A Resting Place for Hearts

 Desire and Fear

 A Sprig of Pear Blossom in the Spring Rain

 Mother of the Empire

 A Mind as Clear as Crystal

 Achieving the Impossible

Illustrations

Questions and Answers