Palace Museum Waives Entry Fee for 4,000 Teachers Wednesday

　　A visitor (R) shows her teacher certificate near the entrance to the Palace Museum in Beijing, China, Dec. 3, 2014. The Palace Museum started waiving the entry fee for certain Chinese residents on Wednesday. Chinese teachers, students, soldiers, police, medical staff and volunteers will be able to visit the museum for free on the first Wednesday of each month from December 2014 to April 2015. The initiative aims to foster interest from these key groups of society in the popular ancient Chinese palace during the museum's quieter months, while at the same time reducing the hordes of tourists during high season. [Photo: Xinhua/Li He]

Some 4-thousand teachers have taken time to tour the Forbidden City for free yesterdsay.

The teachers have taken advantage of a new program launched by the people in-charge of the Palace Museum, which allows for certian professions to be allowed into Beijing's largest historical attraction for free on certian days over the next few months.

Shan Jixiang is the lead curator at the Forbidden City.

"Teachers are in a position to educate and excite students. A visit to our museum should be helpful to their jobs. So we decided to give the first free visit day to teachers."

Other groups which are going to be given a free pass to the Forbidden City in the future will include students, soldiers, police officers, medical staff and volunteers.

The plan is meant to generate more interest in learning about China's ancient history among China's key grass-roots sectors.

But at the same time, it's also meant to funnel more people through the Forbidden City during the off-season months from December to April so these groups will be less-likely to want to visit the site during the peak tourist months.