Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

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  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    An exhibition titled “Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Forbidden City” is underway at the Capital Museum in Beijing. Co-hosted by the Capital Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition showcases 268 precious cultural relics from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, which had served as the living quarters of the Qing Dynasty emperors in the Forbidden City since the reign of Emperor Yongzheng. The exhibition restores the original building spaces and indoor furnishings of the hall in 1:1 scale. The items on display, such as Buddha statues, jade carvings, porcelain and paintings, give visitors a chance to closely observe work and life of the Qing Dynasty emperors more than 200 years ago. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    The exhibition is so well-received that visitors flock to the Capital Museum even on weekdays. Both docents and electric guide devices are in service at the museum to help visitors better appreciate the rich culture behind the exhibits. A museum docent introduces remarks by Emperor Yongzheng on memorials to visitors. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    The West Warmth Chamber was an office in which the emperors handled routine political affairs such as reading and commenting on memorials and meeting officials. A horizontal tablet is hung above the throne, on which Emperor Yongzheng (1722-1735) wrote four Chinese characters—‘qin zheng qin xian,’ which means to work diligently and to befriend virtuous persons. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    A young student surnamed Wang visits the exhibition with his mother. They both scan a QR code provided by the museum via their cellphones, which enables them to conveniently follow voice introductions of each item on display. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    Ms. Zhu is a museum enthusiast. She regards this visit as a rare opportunity to observe the Hall of Mental Cultivation closely. The considerate guide services provided by the museum inform her of many historical stories and interesting anecdotes. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    Emperor Qianlong (1735-1796), although from the Man ethnic minority, attached great importance to studies of Han culture. Besides creating enormous poems and articles, he collected calligraphy and painting works by famous literary figures of the time and in past dynasties for him to study and imitate. Emperor Qianlong’s study—Three Rarities Hall. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    Visitors observe writings by Emperor Qianlong. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    Emperor Yongzheng and Emperor Qianlong were both faithful believers of Tibetan Buddhism. Emperor Qianlong studied Buddhism for more than 10 years, and he set a space at the Hall of Mental Cultivation for worshiping all kinds of thangka paintings and Buddha statues. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    Gilt copper statue of the Amitayus Buddha. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    From the reign of Emperor Yongzheng to abdication of the last emperor, as the heartland of political power for about 200 years, the Hall of Mental Cultivation witnessed a number of grand historical events. Restored model of the East Warmth Chamber, where Empress Dowager Cixi reigned behind a curtain. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    Visitors are attracted by a projection image on an external wall of the East Warmth Chamber, which creatively shows the scene of Empress Dowager Cixi meeting statesman Zeng Guofan by presenting their talk as a dialogue page between two WeChat users. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    The young student surnamed Liu is a sixth grader of Cuihu Primary School, who visits the exhibition during winter vacation with his classmates for homework assigned by their teacher on culture studies. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    The Royal Workshop of the Hall of Mental Cultivation is responsible for design and manufacture of daily supplies of the royal family. The venue boasts skillful artists and craftsmen from home and abroad. The items on display from the workshop fully shows the royal luxurious style to visitors, and represents the crowning achievement of Chinese traditional arts and crafts of the time. An elderly couple read introductions of the Royal Workshop. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    The flowered gilt copper clock. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    An item on display. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    An item on display. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

  • Capital Museum exhibits relics from Hall of Mental Cultivation in Forbidden City

    Staff with the Capital Museum say the average number of daily visitors to the museum surpassed 14,000 during the Spring Festival holiday. Some visitors who had previously visited the exhibition visited it again during the holidays as the exhibition is set to close soon. The exhibition started on Sep. 27, 2016, and runs until Mar. 26, 2017. A visitor observes a scroll painting of 12 beauties. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)

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  • An exhibition titled “Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Forbidden City” is underway at the Capital Museum in Beijing. Co-hosted by the Capital Museum and the Palace Museum, the exhibition showcases 268 precious cultural relics from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, which had served as the living quarters of the Qing Dynasty emperors in the Forbidden City since the reign of Emperor Yongzheng. The exhibition restores the original building spaces and indoor furnishings of the hall in 1:1 scale. The items on display, such as Buddha statues, jade carvings, porcelain and paintings, give visitors a chance to closely observe work and life of the Qing Dynasty emperors more than 200 years ago. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • The exhibition is so well-received that visitors flock to the Capital Museum even on weekdays. Both docents and electric guide devices are in service at the museum to help visitors better appreciate the rich culture behind the exhibits. A museum docent introduces remarks by Emperor Yongzheng on memorials to visitors. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • The West Warmth Chamber was an office in which the emperors handled routine political affairs such as reading and commenting on memorials and meeting officials. A horizontal tablet is hung above the throne, on which Emperor Yongzheng (1722-1735) wrote four Chinese characters—‘qin zheng qin xian,’ which means to work diligently and to befriend virtuous persons. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • A young student surnamed Wang visits the exhibition with his mother. They both scan a QR code provided by the museum via their cellphones, which enables them to conveniently follow voice introductions of each item on display. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • Ms. Zhu is a museum enthusiast. She regards this visit as a rare opportunity to observe the Hall of Mental Cultivation closely. The considerate guide services provided by the museum inform her of many historical stories and interesting anecdotes. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • Emperor Qianlong (1735-1796), although from the Man ethnic minority, attached great importance to studies of Han culture. Besides creating enormous poems and articles, he collected calligraphy and painting works by famous literary figures of the time and in past dynasties for him to study and imitate. Emperor Qianlong’s study—Three Rarities Hall. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • Visitors observe writings by Emperor Qianlong. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • Emperor Yongzheng and Emperor Qianlong were both faithful believers of Tibetan Buddhism. Emperor Qianlong studied Buddhism for more than 10 years, and he set a space at the Hall of Mental Cultivation for worshiping all kinds of thangka paintings and Buddha statues. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • Gilt copper statue of the Amitayus Buddha. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • From the reign of Emperor Yongzheng to abdication of the last emperor, as the heartland of political power for about 200 years, the Hall of Mental Cultivation witnessed a number of grand historical events. Restored model of the East Warmth Chamber, where Empress Dowager Cixi reigned behind a curtain. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • Visitors are attracted by a projection image on an external wall of the East Warmth Chamber, which creatively shows the scene of Empress Dowager Cixi meeting statesman Zeng Guofan by presenting their talk as a dialogue page between two WeChat users. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • The young student surnamed Liu is a sixth grader of Cuihu Primary School, who visits the exhibition during winter vacation with his classmates for homework assigned by their teacher on culture studies. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • The Royal Workshop of the Hall of Mental Cultivation is responsible for design and manufacture of daily supplies of the royal family. The venue boasts skillful artists and craftsmen from home and abroad. The items on display from the workshop fully shows the royal luxurious style to visitors, and represents the crowning achievement of Chinese traditional arts and crafts of the time. An elderly couple read introductions of the Royal Workshop. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • The flowered gilt copper clock. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • An item on display. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • An item on display. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
  • Staff with the Capital Museum say the average number of daily visitors to the museum surpassed 14,000 during the Spring Festival holiday. Some visitors who had previously visited the exhibition visited it again during the holidays as the exhibition is set to close soon. The exhibition started on Sep. 27, 2016, and runs until Mar. 26, 2017. A visitor observes a scroll painting of 12 beauties. (cctv.cn/Huang Xue)
Capital Museum exhibits relics from Forbidden City