The United States has the White House, Russia the Kremlin, Britain has Downing Street and China...well it's got Zhongnanhai.
Built as a playground for Chinese emperors and their concubines in Beijing centuries ago, the red-walled leader's compound, just a few hundred yards west of Tiananmen Square, has been the hot seat of power since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
It is here, surrounded by luscious trees and shimmering lakes, where most Chinese leaders live, work, and play. Into Zhongnanhai flows a daily river of information from various agencies charged with monitoring and controlling Beijing and the vast nation beyond, with its population of almost 1.3 billion.
According to the recent controversial book, Tiananmen Papers, it was in Zhongnanhai that leaders deliberated before the ultimate decision was taken to open fire on protesting students on Tiananmen Square on June 4th, 1989. Hundreds were killed in the massacre, which the Communist Party still refers to 12 years later as "the counter-revolutionary rebellion" or "the June 4th incident".
During that black period in Chinese history, party leaders in Zhongnanhai received classified hourly reports from government, military and party agencies on the state of mind of the students, workers, farmers, shop clerks and street peddlers.
The Tiananmen Papers tells, in extraordinary detail, what the central decision-makers saw as they looked out from the compound on the horrific events unfolding around them.
Zhongnanhai featured more recently in Chinese history when thousands of Falun Gong protesters gathered outside its imposing walls in April, 1999, to demand official recognition by the government.
It was as a direct result of that protest that the Chinese government outlawed and started its crackdown on the movement, a campaign that has resulted in thousands of Falun Gong members being sent to labour camps all over China. It is alleged that hundreds of Falun Gong members have died in the camps.
Zhongnanhai means Central and Southern Seas, referring to the two large lakes in the compound. Most of the buildings date from the Qing Dynasty between 1644 and 1911.
Mao Zedong and his followers moved into Zhongnanhai in 1949 when they established the People's Republic of China. He oversaw the repair of the compound's dilapidated buildings and the cleaning of its silted lakes.
The current Communist Party leader, President Jiang Zemin, calls the heavily-guarded Zhongnanhai home. For the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Zhu Rongji, who is in Ireland this week on an official visit, it is just an office. After he moved to Beijing from Shanghai in the 1990s to take up a position as vice-premier, he opted to keep the place at arm's length. He lives in a heavily-guarded compound nearby.
Getting into Zhongnanhai for aspiring Communist Party leaders has always been hard work. Once in, you know you have it made. For the more junior advisers and officials, to be "called to Zhongnanhai" is a sure sign you are on the way up.
It is rare for a foreigner, especial a foreign journalist, to get a glimpse inside this elusive Communist enclave of power.
This week, in advance of his visit to Ireland, I was granted a brief one-to-one interview with Mr Zhu in Zhongnanhai. An official from the Foreign Ministry Press Office met me by arrangement at one of the compound's many gates. I was taken into a waiting room before being led through perfectly-manicured gardens to await my meeting. Two tall Chinese security guards, dressed in smart pin-striped suits, kept a close eye.
I was amused that the interview was to take place in the Throne Hall of Zi Guan Ge, which, according to the history books, was once used by emperors to receive tributes from barbarians!
For the last 50 years, this beautiful traditional Chinese building has been a reception hall for visiting foreign dignitaries. It was here that Mr Zhu received the Tanaiste, Ms Mary Harney, during her official visit last September, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, during his visit in 1998.
The extremely dapper and youthful 72-year-old premier was charming and warm as he directed me to a chair beside him. In between was a table with a huge fresh flower display. Behind his chair was perched a female interpreter.
The dozen or so officials who made up a seated audience to Mr Zhu's left was initially off- putting. As if that wasn't bad enough, I discovered that a microphone was to broadcast the interview to all those in the huge hall.
The only stage at which I thought I might not get out of Zhongnanhai was when I asked Mr Zhu a question on the leadership, something I was told in advance was out of bounds as it was "too personal". But Mr Zhu had the good grace to laugh when asked if he would stay on as Chinese leader after 2002. (Leadership changes are always sensitive and never discussed with the media.) "That is impossible. I am too old." he chuckled.
There are some famous stories of people who have made it into Zhongnanhai, but never got out alive. One relates to Mao's personal secretary, Tian Jiaying, who killed himself in the early phase of the Cultural Revolution.
I am happy to say I have lived to tell the tale!
miriamd@163bj.com