Palace Museum reopens key section after a decade of restoration

This photo taken on Dec. 25, 2025 shows the plaque of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China. After nearly a decade of comprehensive renovation, the Hall of Mental Cultivation reopened to the public on Friday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) at China's Palace Museum reopened to the public on Friday.

The historic building and its cultural relics have undergone nearly a decade of research-based conservation and systematic restoration.

First constructed in 1537 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Hall of Mental Cultivation later served as the residence and venue for daily state affairs for several rulers during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

According to Wen Ming, deputy director of the Palace Museum's palace history department, a total of 1,020 exhibits are on display in the hall.

Except for light-sensitive relics such as silk textiles, calligraphy, paintings, inscribed plaques and couplets, all the exhibits on display are original items, Wen said.