How did the Forbidden City, once the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, transform into the museum we know today? Who, throughout this transformation, envisioned its future and devoted themselves to safeguarding its priceless cultural relics and historical legacy? And during those turbulent years, what pivotal events did the palace and its successive guardians witness and endure? These are the very questions that author Zhang Hongwei seeks to answer in this book. On October 23, 1924, Puyi, the last emperor of China was evicted from the palace by warlord Feng Yuxiang after a coup. The Palace Museum was then established in the Forbidden City on October 10, 1925, and through to 1949, it weathered storms of upheaval while bearing witness to the wisdom and courage of seven of its guardians—Li Yuying, Zhuang Yunkuan, Zhao Erxun, Jiang Han, Wang Shizhen, Yi Peiji, and Ma Heng. Amid great changes in China’s cultural and political landscape, they, together with countless others of vision and conviction, stood as an unbreakable line of defense to protect the Forbidden City and preserve China’s invaluable cultural heritage. The book is illustrated with over one hundred rare historical photographs. In addition, a special illustrated section at the end features more than thirty color images that showcase the rich and enduring cultural heritage of the Forbidden City.