Ah! The Forbidden City sheds new light on the relics of the former home of China's royals. Photos by Li Shaobai / for China Daily

Artist Jiang Guofang revives the lives of the former inhabitants of the Forbidden City. Clockwise from top: Dream, a young emperor dozing off on the golden throne. Princess, a beautiful woman who can't conceal her loneliness. A Eunuch in the Forbidden City, one of the most controversial figures in the palace. Makeup for the Night, a palace maid dresses up to impress the emperor.

Rich in content and exquisite in design, Ah! The Forbidden City is a collector's item. Yu Wentao reports.

Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, is steeped in history, dreams and tears, which are perfectly reflected in Ah! The Forbidden City.

Li Shaobai's photos and Jiang Guofang's paintings, in the book published in English by the Foreign Languages Press, are both easy on the eye and provide food for thought.