China’s Forbidden City is the biggest palace complex the world has ever seen. This immense ‘city within a city’ stands in the heart of Beijing, built by one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history. Why is it so big and how did the emperors use this mega-palace to rule China with an iron fist? Now archaeologists are investigating its secrets and uncovering what lies beneath its massive walls and courtyards. New technology is shedding light on the Forbidden City’s mysteries and the ingenious feats of engineering that have kept this awe-inspiring structure standing for more than half a millennium.

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