THE FORBIDDEN CITY IN BEIJING. In the middle of a sprawling metropolis is an ancient city...well at least lots of buildings, gardens and throne rooms. I found it interesting that most of the tourists there were Chinese and wondered if they took pride in their heritage. So little of Beijing seems "chinese" to me, or at least old style Chinese, but I'm such a neophyte what do I know. The foto of the steps with the dragons carved in the centre is where they used to carry the emperor up to his throne room. In the book FOREIGN BABES IN BEIJING, the author claims that his derriere was so wide that the steps had to made that width so his servants could carry him up the stairs!