Childhood Visits Were Better | The Forbidden City of China

Ten mythical ridge beasts stand guard on the roof of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, yet most visitors to the Forbidden City of China never look up to notice them. This Palace Museum diary trades grand history for small details: the exact color of glazed tile against a September sky, the quickest gate for a Forbidden City Beijing entry, and why the roofline itself tells you who was allowed to walk beneath it.