China's Imperial PalacesAt the height of his power in the eighteenth century， the Chineseemperor ruled over a population of four hundred million peoplespread over a land mass that covered a third of the Asiancontinent. He lived in splendour in his palaces， the most important ofwhich was located in the city of Beijing.In the eighteenth century， China was ruled by the Qing dynasty （1644-1911）. The dynasty originated in the North Eastern provinces of China（formerly known as Manchuria）， but by then had become quite sinicized.The emperor was a hard-working man who rose early to attend court.He was assisted by a sizeable bureaucracy selected by examination.Indeed， he kept a harem， closely supervised by his principal consortsand eunuchs. His palace served as his home and his office. Nevertheless，to see the palace design as being governed by such practical concerns aswhere he might sit to rule on matters of state and what he might do in hisleisure hours misses the very important element of his religious life forwhich the architecture must also cater. The Chinese emperor was theSon of Heaven， and it was his duty and privilege to intercede betweenHeaven and his subjects. The quarters he lived， therefore， were surroundedby shrines of deities and ancestors， to whom tight regulation requiredthat he give offerings on a regular basis. The palace， therefore， combinespractical administration with the emperor's domestic life and his religiouspersonage. Chinese ideas concerning these various aspects of imperialauthority are writ large in palace architecture.

本书编写的目的，是向国内外旅游者和其他有关人士介绍我国各种最重要旅游景观的概况及其分布情况。本书内容主要包括代表我国旅游资源最高水平的各类国家级聚落与独体景观，如国家历史文化名城、全国重点文物保护单位、国家级重点风景名胜区、国家旅游度假区、国家森林公园、等，各部分均省、市、自治区以地序法编排，有相当部分资料截止时间为1994年，极个别资料到1995年。有一少部分由于资料和篇幅之故只作了最简要介绍。希望这本书能够使炎黄子孙增强热爱祖国的情怀；使外国友人更全面了解中国；使国内外旅游者知道华夏大地还有更多好去处；使旅游部门掌握更多高水平旅游资源，从而在旅游规划与经营中开拓眼界，不断创造新的业绩。