China for many thousands of years not unlike Europe was a feudal economy with the rise and fall of the strongest, most strategic, most cunning and ruthless. Pretty much like today but less disguised.
As such they had a well established class system where the top dog was always the "Emperor " with special treatment for family friends and trusted ones. As in Europe this group built themselves palaces of huge scale by drawing on the enormous workforce available to them. While many invading forces including their own internal enemies, the British, the Japanese and the French etc etc have done their best to level many of these the Chinese have rebuilt most. Huge undertakings in their own right.
The Forbidden City has got to be the mightiest of those left standing - placed now right in the centre of Beijing it being a walled, moated "home" for the Emperor and his many, many wives and children.
This palace is very well documented here in the Wikipedia Forbidden_City.
Pretty much a must for visitors - but avoid weekends, the peak holiday period and any public holiday if you want a sane visit. We were there in December, it was about 2 degrees and perfect as you will see in the pictures.
Below just one of the massive courtyards
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