紫禁城

The Forbidden City (紫禁城), which is located at the exact center of the Imperial City, was the main residency of the royal ancestry and ultimately the noble Emperors of China. The Forbidden City is surrounded by a 6 meter deep moat and a 10 meter high wall.
It is divided into two parts, the Outer Court and Inner Court. The Outer Court was mainly used for ceremonies, weddings and investitures. This area had no trees for two reasons; first, so no one could hide in them to try and assassinate the Emperor and second, so that an arsonous act could not be committed which would threaten to burn down the adjacent buildings. Another notable fact is that the paving stones are 1 meter deep to ensure that no one could tunnel under the city. The Inner Court included living quarters and a garden where the Emperor worked and lived with his family, eunuchs and maid-servants.
This picture was taken in the Inner Court, more specifically in the Emperors gardens. This tree was thought to be over 400 years old and is not unique in its age as it is surrounded by many trees and buildings of the same stature.