In a corner of the Forbidden City, the Legation Quarter was a self-governing community of foreign diplomats and traders who coexisted with, but lived apart from, the people of Peking. Illustrated throughout, this book traces the history of the Quarter from its foundation in the late nineteenth century to its present, half-abandoned, largely dilapidated state. It also recalls the Western shops, postal service, banks, and luxurious residences that gave the Quarter its unique atmosphere.