A unique "integrated hard-templating strategy" is described for facile synthesis of a carbonaceous mate-rial with a novel three-dimensional (3D) branched hollow architecture.A set of steps,including template formation,surface coating and template removal,all occur in a spontaneous and orderly manner in the one-pot hydrothermal process.Investigations on structural evolution during the process reveal that pre-synthesized zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanoparticles are first dissociated and then self-assembled into 3D branched superstructures of ZnO as templates.Initial self-assembly is followed by coating of the glucose-derived carbonaceous materials and etching of interior ZnO by organic acids released in situ by hydrolysis of glucose.The 3D-branched hollow architecture is shown to greatly enhance supercapacitor performance.The research described here provides guidance into the develop-ment of strategies for complex hollow carbonaceous architectures for a variety of potential applications.