Not far from the six Western Palaces, you’ll find the large Hall of Mental Cultivation. The front part was where the emperor took care of administrative matters, while the rear part contained the bedrooms of the last eight emperors.
It was here that the Empress Cixi, hidden behind a screen, spent several decades imparting instructions to the Emperors Tongzhi and Guangxu, who sat on the throne, but merely repeated her orders.
