Elephants and Golden Thrones: Inside China's Forbidden City

A rare look inside one of the wonders of the world, published in time for the 2008 Olympics in China

For five hundred years, the Forbidden City was the seat of power of China’s emperors. Given rare access to this vast and beautiful complex, Trish Marx and Ellen B. Senisi explore its secrets in full-color photographs and lively, meticulously researched stories. From a grand procession of elephants to the golden nail guards that protected the emperor’s three-inch nails, details large and small bring this fortress to life for young armchair travelers.

With contributions from the Palace Museum (the official museum of the Forbidden City), this is a definitive guide and the only book on the subject available for young readers.