People love to keep pet dogs as they are docile and cute, and this was true in ancient royal palace too. Well-known dog breeds such as mastiff, Persian, and Western dog were always brought to the ancient Chinese royal court as tributes or gifts. The palace dogs lived a comfortable life, and they even had their own beddings and clothes. Let's take a look at the palace dogs from some ancient paintings in the collection of the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City.

Twelve Chinese Zodiac Signs-Dog, by Ren Yu, from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]